H1B renewal Tijuana, Mexico, its a breeze.

[BayAreaTechie]

In short, no need to panic(but I was), have your backup plan, and keep a cool attitude.

We had DS160 submitted for Vancouver, and finally while scheduling we found the appointments were only available on Jan 4 2018(we checked during Aug 2017).
    Note1: On the US-Embassy Canadian site, they say appointments available with in 3-5 working days. This is for residents/Canadians-citizens(I guess).
           We live in the US, we are non-immigrant residents of the US, so we fall into different queue and appointments are not going to be immediate.
    Note2: Also to check[& schedule]the appointments availability, you do not need a fully submitted DS-160, you only need the DS-160 application number to see the availability and schedule the appointment, in case it takes longer time to fill and submit the DS-160, in my case it is.

    Note3: Also if you are not able to link your family members(each one need a separate DS-160), after you submit your DS-160, no need to panic as some times the website doesn't offer the link to file DS-160 for family members as a link
           You can submit a separate DS-160 for your family members and while schedule the actual appointment, you can link  your family members(each need DS-160) DS-160 there. .

Then we changed our plans to go to Tijuana, Mexico; Dates available immediate next week.
    I used the Vancuover-submitted DS-160 to pay the DS-160 application fee(I guess USD 190)
    By Aug 29 2017(not sure the exact date), paying fees online is not available any more for Mexico consulates.
    The only option is to pay by cash in Mexico, no need to panic
    I found Mark from USVISAMEXdotCOM, he offers various services, for TCN(third country nationals)
        I took Mark's help to pay the DS-160 fees in Mexico.
    Finally I scheduled the appointment @ US consulate Tijuana, Mexico, with Vancouver-submitted DS-160 

Again I was nervous about the Vancouver-submitted DS-160 
Then called up the customer care, they advised me to submit a new DS-160 for Tijuana, Mexico(the actual location, where I already scheduled appointment)

On the day of biometrics, We gave the Tijuana-submitted DS-160, though appointment was scheduled with Vancuover-submitted DS-160
biometrics went well.
Came back home and checked online, the details(DS-160 number are update to Tijuana-submitted DS-160), perfect. at this time it was a lot of relief for us.

Next day VO interview, went well, with two simple questions, you are here for renewal:yes, then same company: yes. Thats it, he handed the slip, to collect the passport next day.
    Note4: (I guess or it looked to me)This VO was training/orienting the other two VOs, so I knew he is very well experienced.

Next day collected passport, came to PedWest, collected I-94(USD $6)

Done.

Overall its a very involved process and went like a breeze

Note5:
    There were one family, they work for Yahoo-like company, got the VISA done
    One guy working in Aeronautics, got it done
    One another guy working for Ericsson-like company, got it done
    And I m Cisco-like company go it done.
    Two other guys(looks like us/TCN) got it done

So overall, I felt Tijuana, Mexico has better probability to get the Visa done, even with this current political turbulence.

Saftey @ Tijuana, Mexico: There is unknown fear, I must admit, Do not panic, take it easy, people are very very nice.
    I will definitely visit Mexico for tourism sometime.
    

Before all these things, we need to go to San-Jose Mexican consulte for Mexico Visa
They need 6 months(not six pay-stubs, it is SIX months) and all pages copies of your passport. 6 months of bank stmt for each applicant, even dependent spouse.
These guys do not budge for it, they are very very strict
Get online appointment for each family member
Take all the docs + copy, even for dependent spouse they need bank stmt with their name on it.
    I understood(at least it looked to me) they do it make it look tougher
    So better go to SFO-Mexico consulate(this is only a word of mouth experience, i got it done only in San-jose, but after three visits), if you are looking for Mexican visa.

Good luck :)

[NgVisa]

Hi

When you went to the San-Jose Mexican consulate for Mexico Visa other than the documents you mentioned above did you have to fill any form? if yes can you send me the link to that?

Thanks in advance.

 

 

[premkalyan521]

On 10/11/2017 at 3:02 PM, BayAreaTechie said:

In short, no need to panic(but I was), have your backup plan, and keep a cool attitude.

We had DS160 submitted for Vancouver, and finally while scheduling we found the appointments were only available on Jan 4 2018(we checked during Aug 2017).
    Note1: On the US-Embassy Canadian site, they say appointments available with in 3-5 working days. This is for residents/Canadians-citizens(I guess).
           We live in the US, we are non-immigrant residents of the US, so we fall into different queue and appointments are not going to be immediate.
    Note2: Also to check[& schedule]the appointments availability, you do not need a fully submitted DS-160, you only need the DS-160 application number to see the availability and schedule the appointment, in case it takes longer time to fill and submit the DS-160, in my case it is.

    Note3: Also if you are not able to link your family members(each one need a separate DS-160), after you submit your DS-160, no need to panic as some times the website doesn't offer the link to file DS-160 for family members as a link
           You can submit a separate DS-160 for your family members and while schedule the actual appointment, you can link  your family members(each need DS-160) DS-160 there. .

Then we changed our plans to go to Tijuana, Mexico; Dates available immediate next week.
    I used the Vancuover-submitted DS-160 to pay the DS-160 application fee(I guess USD 190)
    By Aug 29 2017(not sure the exact date), paying fees online is not available any more for Mexico consulates.
    The only option is to pay by cash in Mexico, no need to panic
    I found Mark from USVISAMEXdotCOM, he offers various services, for TCN(third country nationals)
        I took Mark's help to pay the DS-160 fees in Mexico.
    Finally I scheduled the appointment @ US consulate Tijuana, Mexico, with Vancouver-submitted DS-160 

Again I was nervous about the Vancouver-submitted DS-160 
Then called up the customer care, they advised me to submit a new DS-160 for Tijuana, Mexico(the actual location, where I already scheduled appointment)

On the day of biometrics, We gave the Tijuana-submitted DS-160, though appointment was scheduled with Vancuover-submitted DS-160
biometrics went well.
Came back home and checked online, the details(DS-160 number are update to Tijuana-submitted DS-160), perfect. at this time it was a lot of relief for us.

Next day VO interview, went well, with two simple questions, you are here for renewal:yes, then same company: yes. Thats it, he handed the slip, to collect the passport next day.
    Note4: (I guess or it looked to me)This VO was training/orienting the other two VOs, so I knew he is very well experienced.

Next day collected passport, came to PedWest, collected I-94(USD $6)

Done.

Overall its a very involved process and went like a breeze

Note5:
    There were one family, they work for Yahoo-like company, got the VISA done
    One guy working in Aeronautics, got it done
    One another guy working for Ericsson-like company, got it done
    And I m Cisco-like company go it done.
    Two other guys(looks like us/TCN) got it done

So overall, I felt Tijuana, Mexico has better probability to get the Visa done, even with this current political turbulence.

Saftey @ Tijuana, Mexico: There is unknown fear, I must admit, Do not panic, take it easy, people are very very nice.
    I will definitely visit Mexico for tourism sometime.
    

Before all these things, we need to go to San-Jose Mexican consulte for Mexico Visa
They need 6 months(not six pay-stubs, it is SIX months) and all pages copies of your passport. 6 months of bank stmt for each applicant, even dependent spouse.
These guys do not budge for it, they are very very strict
Get online appointment for each family member
Take all the docs + copy, even for dependent spouse they need bank stmt with their name on it.
    I understood(at least it looked to me) they do it make it look tougher
    So better go to SFO-Mexico consulate(this is only a word of mouth experience, i got it done only in San-jose, but after three visits), if you are looking for Mexican visa.

Good luck :)

thanks alot for sharing your findings. very rarely people like you put the effort and time to give back their findings to this community. Most of the users in this forum just take the information they need and never ever care to give back the new things the find during the H1b Stamping Process.

 

 

Note to All  Users:  Kindly ,please do share your experiences and findings to this forum once you clear the H1b stamping.  Information is valuable, when you to take information from this community. It's your responsibility to give back the new information you discovered during your H1b stamping Process.

 

There would have been no useful information on this forum. If the kindhearted users have not put their effort and time to share their experience.

[BayAreaTechie]

Link here: https://mexitel.sre.gob.mx/citas.webportal/pages/public/login/login.jsf

When Creating account please check MEXITEL

Booking appointment is mandatory. No Walk in

 

Mexico Visa Application Form (https://consulmex2.sre.gob.mx/sanjose/images/PDFs/visa_ingles_2015_form.pdf)

 

 

The docs list(I did not see a list they asked explicitly, but looks like they kind of go with the flow and here is list of docs I carried)

 

Passport

Passport all pages copy

6 months Pay Stub

6 months Bank Statement

Employment Verification letter Original

Employment Verification letter Copy

Passport photo US Visa - 2

$36 Cash as Mexico Visa Fee

Valid I-94(If expired , it will be present in your new I-797)

I-797 Old Original

I-797 New Original(This will have I-94 at the bottom.)

I-797 Old Copy

I-797 New Copy(This will have I-94 at the bottom.)

If Married

Marriage Certificate Original

Marriage Certificate Copy

Repeat other docs given above which ever applicable.

Mexico Consulate at San Jose: 302 Enzo Dr #200, San Jose, CA 95138

[Lipton82]

BayAreaTechie - 

Thanks for sharing your experience at Tijuana! I am in the same boat, i.e. was trying to find dates in Vancouver, but couldn't find any availability. So I am now exploring the option to go to Tijuana or Guadlajara or Mexico City. 

A few questions for you:

1. Does the consulate in Tijuana allow US citizen minors to accompany their visa dependent parents?

2. I heard that, if you have valid H1B stamp (I have one more month left), you might not need Mexico visa stamping in your passport. Is that correct?

3. Can you please share your experience paying for the visa fees? How many days did it take?

4. Assuming that you stayed in Tijuana for couple of days: Any hotel recommendations?

Best,

Lipton

[venkatramrm@gmail.com]

On 9/25/2018 at 10:11 PM, Lipton82 said:

BayAreaTechie - 

Thanks for sharing your experience at Tijuana! I am in the same boat, i.e. was trying to find dates in Vancouver, but couldn't find any availability. So I am now exploring the option to go to Tijuana or Guadlajara or Mexico City. 

A few questions for you:

1. Does the consulate in Tijuana allow US citizen minors to accompany their visa dependent parents?

2. I heard that, if you have valid H1B stamp (I have one more month left), you might not need Mexico visa stamping in your passport. Is that correct?

3. Can you please share your experience paying for the visa fees? How many days did it take?

4. Assuming that you stayed in Tijuana for couple of days: Any hotel recommendations?

Best,

Lipton

1. Yes, Tijuana Consulate allows minors to accompany along with parents to US consulate.

2. If you have valid US or Canada or Japan or Shenghen visa - you don't need to take mexican visa again.

4. You can choose the consulates that are near to US Consulate - Hampton Inn is near by. They also run shuttles every hour or so to the border.

Good Luck !!!

[rohit369]

I once stayed in Hyatt Place, check that out. It's pretty good and in a safe neighborhood with many restaurants around.