H1B Stamping Experience by a recent visitor

I got this update from Chirag on Oct 2nd, 2008 who emailed me his recent experience in Tijuana about H1B Stamping. Thanks Chirag for your update and helping others. Here is his experience in his own words.

First of all I would like to thank for your wonderful post. Its really helpful.

The Banamex bank is moved and now it is just 2 blocks from the consulate. The best way to confirm the bank location is the person should be able to see the Abram Lincoln’s statue from the bank's entrance. Also, the fees is US $135.00. (I paid US $270 for my h1 and my wife's h4).

Once done at Banamex, go on the road (Lincoln’s Right Hand side and right side of the road). The consulate is at the end of the road. (You will see few photo and copy shops before consulate). At consulate their are few guards, ask them can you go inside, because sometimes they allows entering even half an hour before you appointment.

There were about 9 h1b (8 indian, 1 chinese) peoples on the same day. There is no any separate line for H1b persons, all are called in sequence, and the day we go there (wednesday) it looks like busy. It almost took 1:30 hour. Everybody's interview goes smooth except mine. The consular who took my interview looks like strict. He take almost 45 minutes for the every person's who go to his window, while other consular just take like 5 or 10 minutes. During my interview he told me to seat and wait until he call me back, and he return after 45 - 50 minutes, then he told me to come back at 3:00 to get my passports with visa. (during that 45 minutes he called my company to verify its existence. he also told the accountant who picked up the phone, that they will not issue me the visa if my company doesn't give the financial documents immediately, but no body had sent those documents - I didn;t even know about this things until next day when I go back to my work, so I think they just call my company to confirm the company's existence and my position).

Also, usually they returns passport early even they tell us to come at 3:00. I get my passport at 2:30.

At the border, as soon as you pass the rotating door you will see a building (Border Security) on right hand side, go there for new I-94, and pay US $6.00 (They issue me I-94 with the same exact information which I had on I-797 bottom part, I don’t think that I is required but I looks like the officer which check my documents are under training so they process them again and issue me i-94 (white card)). and then go ahead there you will see lots of people in queues, and join them. Here officer will just verify information again.

Pretty much it was a good experience except that 45 minutes waiting time at consulate. The information you give such as directions, parting lot, crossing border, taking taxi to banamex, banamex to consulate, consulate to border, and processing at border, are really worderful help.

One more thing is PIMS.
They don't verify the details when you email them, it is better to call the consulate between 3:00 PM and 4:00PM (if you call any other time they will tell you to call at this time) and they will ask for you I-797 petition number. I called about 3 times and it was verified before 3 days of my appointment. I suggest starting calling them before 2 weeks. (The guy which also was there for H1B told me that he just called them once before 2 days of interview and his PIMS was verified, so I think consulate does this for all the petitions, but all want us to call them and verify this before going for interview, so its better to call them before 3 days)

Thanks again for this post.
Chirag

I hope this post helps everyone.