|
October 19, 2005
U.S. Embassy in Mexico Announces New Visa Appointment Procedures for
Third Country Nationals
In a Press Release dated October 14, 2005, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico
announced that, effective October 17, 2005, eligible Third Country
Nationals (“TCNs”) residing the United States who wish to apply for a
visa in Mexico must make their interview appointment on-line through the
website of the Visa Information Services of the U.S. Embassy in Mexico
at www.visa-usa.com.mx. There
are advantages to TCNs in applying for visas at a nearby Embassy or
Consulate in Mexico. Visa processing in Mexico is typically faster, both
in the amount of time an individual must wait for a nonimmigrant visa
appointment and in the amount of time it takes for the actual visa to be
issued. In addition, for many individuals, a trip to Mexico would be
shorter than a trip to their home countries, and may reduce the amount
of time that they are absent from their work in the U.S. A shorter trip
may also reduce costs for companies that reimburse their employees for
expenses occurred during their trip abroad to applying for their visas
(airfare, hotel, taxis, etc.) In addition to scheduling visa interview
appointments, the website also provides for download Nonimmigrant Visa
Application Forms DS-156, DS-157 and DS-158 and provides Mexico
Consulate/Embassy addresses and holidays.
The Press Release states that TCNs eligible to apply for a visa in
Mexico include nonimmigrant visa applicants who wish to renew their
C1/D, D, F, H, I, J, L, M, O, P and R visas and their original visa was
issued in the applicant's home country or at one of the Mexico border
Consulates in the past few years. In addition, those applicants applying
for a nonimmigrant visa that reflects a change of nonimmigrant status
(for example, an applicant changing status from F-1 student to H-1B
temporary worker), provided the applicant originally entered the U.S. in
a nonimmigrant status other than B visitor status and the applicant has
the original Form I-797 change of status approval notice issued by the
Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services. The Press Release states that nonimmigrant visa applicants B
visitor visas issued in their home country may apply for a nonimmigrant
visa in Mexico provided the applicant’s B visa is annotated to show the
applicant’s intent to change visa status (for example, the B visa may
show the annotation "Prospective Student").
The Press Release also provided information regarding those
applicants that are not eligible to apply for a nonimmigrant visa in
Mexico. The applicants who are not eligible to apply in Mexico include:
- Applicants who entered the U.S. with a B visa issued in their
home country that changed their nonimmigrant status to another visa
category (for example, from B-2 visitor to F-1 student or H-1B
temporary worker) but do not possess a B visa that includes an
annotation indicating the applicants intent to change status.
- Applicants who are out of status in the U.S., including those
who have violated the terms of their visas or overstayed the
validity indicated on their Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Records.
- A, B, E, G and Q visa applications, including renewals.
- Citizens of the following countries: Iran, Sudan, Libya, Iraq,
North Korea, Cuba and Syria.
The Visa Information Services of the U.S. Embassy in Mexico website
is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at
www.visa-usa.com.mx. There is a $10.00 charge to schedule an
appointment through the website, payable only by Visa or MasterCard.
Appointments scheduled through the website cannot be changed or
cancelled within 5 business days of the appointment date.
|
|
