H1B Visa Stamping

I got this update from Shiv on Mar 24th, 2010 who emailed me his recent experience in Tijuana about H1B Stamping. Here is his experience in his own words. Shiv, thanks for your update and sharing your experience with others

Hi,

Your blog is too useful as I recently made a trip to Tijuana for H1B stamping and I got lot of tips from your blog. I would like to share my experience with Tijuana H1B stamping.

This is Shiv, went recently for H1B stamping at Tijuana. Looks like people are avoiding to go to
Tijuana(Mexico) for H1B visa stamping. H1B stamping experience at Tijuana is a piece of cake if
all the paper work is clean. I made the decision to go to Tijuana because of God's grace.

I booked the appointment on 18th March (Thursday) online. One other friend of mine from the same company where I work also booked the appointment along with me. Its easy to book an appointment online after creating a user account for $8. After the appointment is fixed, I printed out the confirmation page along with the appointment letter page. It gave a filled form of DS-15X (which is old one and not needed any more). After fixing the appointment there was a link to fill DS-160 online. It can be filled many times, and I myself filled it twice. No photo was uploaded and I got 'x' mark in the confirmation page for the form filling. I took the print out of the confirmation page. I fixed an appointment for March 23rd(Tuesday).

For PIMs, I had seen in the blogs that an email can be sent so I did sent a mail requesting for PIMs. However I received a mail after few hours stating that "unfortunately nothing can be done before appearing for the interview"

The very next day (March 19th,2010), went to the Mexico consulate in the downtown San Diego and got their visa for $36. They took one PP photo from me, however they took a photo on-spot and that was the one appeared in the visa. I was given visa for 30 days, multiple entry. It took just 15-20 mnts to get the visa. Downtown metered parking costed about $1-$3.

On 22nd March I called the US consulate at Tijuana between 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM. They said did you send any documents? and I told them that I sent an email on thursday. They traced it and said that "Your informations have been received, you can come for the interview tomorrow".

On 23rd March, my friend and me started from San Diego at 7:36 AM towards Mexico. We reached the last exit and parked our car in the parking lot which charged $8 per day. After parking the car, we crossed the border and by 8:10 AM we were inside Mexico Tijuana. There are plenty of cabs (as you see in our cities railway station, airport, bus-stands). Took one cab and we reached Banamax bank near the Lincoln statue. Usually cabs charge $3 per person if more, for us they charged $6.

We reached Banamax bank at 8:17 AM.

We were the first people to stand in line around 8:30 one more person from our company joined us in the line at the Bank. Even at 9:00, the line had hardly 6-8 people standing in the line. Bank
opens at 9:00 AM. It took 5 minutes to get the cashier cheque for the H1B visa. The charge for the cashier cheque now is $146. We were out of bank by 9:05 AM.

From bank the Hotel where we planned to stay was visible. So we just crossed the road and went to the hotel (Real Del Rio) by walk. Checked in into our rooms and kept all the stuffs inside the
room except the needed paper works. Room costs $65 per day. Left the hotel at 9:20 AM and walked towards to US consulate and reached there by just 3 mnts walk.

We stood at the line. There used to be a separate line for H1B, but not anymore. We were allowed into the consulate with 10 mnts as batches of people are sent in. They verify the passport, previous H1B stamps, visa appointment letter, DS-160 barcode, H1B approval I797 on the entrance.

No electronics is allowed. They ask us to remove the belt, wallet and coins, metals before
entering the detecter door. They also give a number token. "Watch for this number on the screen" is the comment given. Then all of us were allowed to sit in 3rd row inside the a big square hall.

There are counters on all the 3 sides. First 4 rows are allocated for this purpose. Number is called within 5 mnts and I went to the respective counter.

The lady officer took my details I797, DS-160 barcode. She asked me to place the first 4 fingers
(except thumb) for the right hand on the finger print reader, and then the same thing for the left
hand. After that she asked me to place both the thumbs side by side on the reader. They she asked me to take a seat and she took a picture of me. Then she gave me the token and all the paper clipped to me and asked me to wait in the waiting hall. I exited the big hall through the same door in which I entered. The guard said please in the seat on the veranda (along with others) and look for your number again. There were about 2 sets of 8-9 rows of seats with each row having 9 seats. Front row of the first set is called inside and the first row of the second set is the last one to be called. People move from one row to other in an orderly fashion till they reach the first 3 rows of the first set. Every time first 3 rows from the first set was called in. We got
our call around 1:20 PM. We again entered the hall through the same door. There is water available for drinking and there are restrooms inside consulate.

Again after entering the room we were seated in the rows from 4-8 (as first 4 were allocated for
the earlier purpose). Then again one by one was called by the 8 counters on the right hand side of the hall. The front and the left side counters were for the initial entry. My number was called
around 2:05 PM. Interview took place for 5-6 mnts. Here is the details of the interview. I handed over the DS-160 barcode printout, passport and H1B I797.

How many stampings you had before?

Hi can I see your employment verification letter?

When did you join this company?

How long you were with the old company?

Looks like you quit the old company in 2007 and joined this new company in 2008 end. What did you do between that?

What to you do?

Please show me your Degree certificates

Please show me your Tax returns.

What is your green card status? For me through the first company I had I140 approved and the second company had filed I140 and I485 using labor substitution, but then after joining my recent comapany they cancelled it. Now I am back in labor state. I explained this to him and he nodded and it looked like he had all the information earlier and was doing just a cross-check.

Are you renting or own home? Married? Do you have kids?

Please sit for some time, I'll call you.

He came to the counter again in 5 minutes and asked me to come.

You are good, please collect your passport tomorrow after 3:00 PM.

Then we came out, went to the room and kept all the paperworks. Took our cell phone and went for lunch. There are decent eating places in the hotel basement, near the Lincoln statue, ofcourse non-vegetarians have various choices. Each time it costed $10 (max)

We stayed in the hotel and spent time browsing, doing some work logging remotely etc., We did not go out. The next day we went and stood in the line to collect the passport at 2:35 PM. There were already 3 people before us. By 3:00 PM there were about 40 people standing after us in the line. We gave our name and we got our Passport stamped along with I797.

We took a cab from consulate to border. Luckily the queue was less in border and we entered the gate within 5 minutes. There is i94 office on the side and we entered it. Got ourself new I94s by paying cash $6. After that we stood in the line entering US through US customs. Fortunately it was also quicker. By 3:40 PM we were inside US. I heard that the line for crossing the border is huge and it takes like 3 to 6 hours in the queue. But we were fortunate.

Hope this is useful to people thinking about getting H1B stamped at Tijuana. Quick points which I observed in the trip are as below.

1. Getting H1B stamping at Tijuana is 'piece of cake' if you have the necessary documents with you.
2. Its safer in Tijuana (ofcourse near the consulate). There are tales of gang war, drugs, but they are present everywhere
3. Getting the stamping in Tijuana is faster (you get the passport next day itself)
4. PIMs verification is simpler and very convinient.
5. No photo was asked from us.

Hope more people benefit from your blog.

Thanks & Rgds.,

Shiv

Thanks again Shiv;)