US Visas for Mexican Nationals

[tahoe775]

I have been living and enjoying Mexico for a while now. During my time here I have made a fantastic friend who has introduced me to his family, friends, colleagues and business associates.

His family even hosted a Christmas Posada for my large family when they visited. You couldn't ask for a better friend who loves his country and all it has to offer and share.

I and my family were so pleased with the budding friendship that we extended an invitation to host a visit to the United States and share a bit of our country, family and friends with him.

Unfortunately, obtaining a visa turned out to be a nightmare and very hurtful experience for our Mexicano friend. It left deep scars that can only be overcome by find a way to procure a visa.

An interview at the US Embassy in Mexico City was made and paid for - the applications were complete (honest and well done - nearly 2 inches of paper) and guarantees were made for all expenses and a return to Mexico after spending several weeks in the US - many hours were put into the application as good cheer and planning for the visit proceeded. By the way, my friend had never been in trouble, was a good student and is very close to his family (his father died when he was very young and as the oldest son he always worked hard to contribute money and ease the burden on his mother).

Finally the day of the interview arrived. My friend arrived at the Embassy at 6:00 am (carefully groomed and dressed) and waited for 4 hours outside before entering the building - he was all anticipation and smiles at this point.... but that changed.

After nearly 6 hours of waiting he was called to the desk of an Embassy employee who promptly asked 2 questions:

1) What are you going to the US for?
Answer: Visit with my friends (a complete list with full contact information and itineraries were attached); and
2) How much money do you have?
Answer: About 3000 US Dollars for spending money, but ALL of my expenses (round-trip travel, accommodations, food, entrance fees for museums, etc) are completely covered by my hosts).

The Embassy employee (after 2 minutes, 2 questions and some note taking) promptly ripped the official forms from the top of the meticulously prepared 2 inch application (which she did not look at), then stamped the application "Denied". The actions and gruff attitude of the Embassy employee was that of total rejection. My friend would never say so, but to hear him recount the experience I know that tears had come to his eyes and he was heartbroken, not only by the result by the way the Embassy employee made him feel.

Since this happened I have been doing some investigation and have found that 98% of all applications end with this sad result. Embassy officials summarily reject applications in a way that most Americans would not agree with. Bear in mind that these are not Mexicans that want to "fly under the radar" and enter the country illegally - these are Mexicans that want to visit their neighboring country (often times with more money than Americans have when they visit Mexico).

Mexicans (without a visa) cannot even enter the United States to make connecting flights to other countries (at generally lower rates). They are just told and shown by Embassy officials that they are some sort of bad people... guilty before being proven innocent (even when fully documented).

I think this situation is appalling and should be changed. We need the tourism dollars in the United States, we need more people traveling on US flag carriers, we need to reciprocate the generous hospitality and genuine caring between the people of our countries. We are, after all, neighbors and NAFTA partners aren't we?

This discrimination must stop if we ever expect to have a respectful, honest relationship with average Mexican citizens. They are good hearted people.

We are now seeking ways to re-apply with success. If anybody here, or anybody they might know could offer assistance I would truly appreciate it.

[tjfjrabm]

My opinion is that many USA government employee's simply exist to do nothing and collect a paycheck from the taxpayer. Your friends experience was rather pathetic indeed. Perhaps if you direct your situation to the President of the United States, you might get some action? Also, it might be a good newsmedia story that could be told. ie: 60 minutes. Don't give up on the quest because you will become the enabler for that government employee with the reject stamp. Make her name a public figure! Best of luck, Tom

[RVGRINGO]

It is a very difficult situation, and one which is unknown to most American citizens.

[stevenvillatoro]

The 2" stack of papers probably did not help your friend, who may have been overly prepared. Agents hate to be inundated with a sea of paperwork, and over-preparation can paradoxically lead to suspicion. The prime question that must be succinctly addressed by any visa applicant seems to be, "What facts would quickly and strongly convince an agent that I am NOT A RISK for illegally overstaying my visa after entering the US?" High-risk categories of people are carefully profiled by agents. One's risk status is based on a provable NEED to return to his/her home country after the trip. Factors that could play a role are age, marital status, children, real estate ownership, employment stability (length and type of job), community role in home country, measures of success (i.e., no need to flee), etc. Good luck to your friend.

[tahoe775]

Thank You to all who replied so quickly.

TJFJRAMB - So right you are, it was/is pathetic the way Mexicanos are treated when they try to do the right thing legally. No wonder people will pay $1000 to have somebody help them get into the US illegally. I'm solidly of the opinion that it's better to register US visitors and know who's in the country rather than encouraging the opposite, which is what our government workers are doing. I wish there were more who wrote about the subject.

RVGRINGO - You're right, very few people know about this - even many Americans who live and travel in Mexico with relative ease. The disrespect shown (by the government) for our neighbors is truly a subject that should see the light of day more often.

STEVENVILLATORO - I understand your point, but the 2" stack of papers is what showed the NEED to return and the variety of upstanding US citizens who were willing to guarantee his timely return. "High-risk categories" being profiled is clearly discriminatory under a variety of US and international laws.

Wouldn't it be easier and more representative of the American people to carefully review applications, sort out the criminal element and in some cases require a "return bond" of some sort? For heavens sakes, most of these folks just want to see the country that they learn about in school, see in television programs and hear on the news everyday. What if the same standard was applied to US citizens visiting Mexico and other countries?

The billions of dollars we spend in trying to keep Mexicans out of the country could be better spent representing the values of our citizenry, in my humble opinion.

Thanks for the encouragement everybody! If you know of anybody that could help with making and presenting the perfect application process, please let me know.

[playagrandma]

this happened to a friend of ours. She was going to the states for four days only-a gift from her American bosses that have a restauant in Playa del Carmen and she is their manager. She had a round trip airplane ticket-hotel she was staying etc etc. They found out that she had worked on a cruise several years-that was based in Virginia and she had quit. They based her denial on that fact alone which did not make any sense. Told her she should come back in a year and try again.

[circle110]

Reading all your stories makes me feel all the more lucky... and I was feeling petty lucky already!
I'll tell my completely different story:
Last Thursday my fiancee and I traveled to Guadalajara from our home in Guanajuato for her visa appointment. We arrived for her 7:45 a.m. appointment at 7:30 and, since she is on crutches with a broken ankle, we were sent to the front of the line by a pleasant security guard. Another guard at the front of the line allowed her to enter in front of everyone else and I was politely told that the process would take about 2 hours and, after asking me if I needed a visa too (I felt proud of my accent since he thought I was Mexican!), he pointed me toward the downtown of Guadalajara where I could find a cafe or something to eat and pass the time. He told me that he would let her wait at his post after her interview and I should look for her there in 2 hours.

I returned in 2 hours and she was waiting for me exactly where I was told with a big smile on her face... she was approved for a visa!!!

Here's what we did:
We took a simple and straight forward approach. I sent a letter explaining that we wanted the visa so she could go to the states with me to meet my family before we get married and it is easier for the 2 of us to go there than for my whole family to travel to Mexico. I explained that we live in Guanajuato and plan to return here after the trip. I also explained that she has no family in the US and knows no one there and could never leave her extended family behind here in Mexico. The whole letter was less than half a page. I included a printout of my financial statement to prove my solvency. I also included a sweet letter from my mother inviting my fiancee to visit her in Missouri. It was written in a fine "mom style".

My fiancee said that the young man doing the interview read everything carefully and nodded his head but when he read the letter from my mother he broke into a big smile and his demeanor relaxed and she was sure that it was at that moment he decided to giver her the visa. She honestly answered his questions and, since she wasn't fibbing at all, she came across as genuine.

Now, everyone won't have a nice letter from mom and it's fortunate that my fiancee is 33 and pretty and she lucked out with a 30 year old young man for her interview - plus she had the sympathy factor from the crutches and broken ankle. However, I agree with stevenvillatoro that a minimalist approach is best and the 2" of paperwork probably made the interviewer suspicious even though it was all legitimate.
Everyone we talked to said Mexico City is the worst possible place to go for you visa appointment and that's why we chose Guadalajara.
I also agree that it should not be so difficult and that some sort of bond should be an option.
Anyway, best of luck to your friend if they try again (but not in el DF!), keep it simple.

P.D. - Don't ever pay any of the "immigration experts". They don't know any more than anyone with an internet connection and charge money for false hope.

[tahoe775]

Circle110,

Sincerely, thank you for your story and Congratulations to you both!

Originally, the application was prepared as an opportunity to see and participate business operations in the United States that could help improve an employees future and that of the Mexican branch office. Letters of expense and return guarantee's were written by all of the company principals in Mexico, the US and Australia. The trip was to be a learning and tour combination which made the tourist visa most applicable.

The company has since been sold, however, so those conditions no longer apply.

Over the course of time my family has visited Mexico on numerous occasions and an open invitation has been offered for my friend (and his family members) to come to the US for a variety of family functions, guided tours, etc.

Your writings gives hope and stimulates a few interesting questions:
1) Was your half-page letter attached to your fiancee's application or sent in advance to a particular person?
2) The profile of "questionable" persons from Mexico is sexist as it specifically targets males. It also appears that may have been a positive factor for your fiancee. Do readers think that is a correct set of observations?
3) Wholesale denials seem to be the standard operating procedure in DF. Can you make a visa application in other locations where there is an embassy/consulate, such as Merida - and does anybody have experiences or advice for selecting an embassy/consulate to make the application? Merida would be convenient - does anybody have experience with that location?
4) Your Mother sounds like she wrote the perfect letter, which helped with the personal appeal for an application approval. Though perhaps not as good, I could also have similar personal invitations written by family members. Could this approach overcome some of the obstacles which necessitate an applicant to demonstrate ABSOLUTE NEED to return to Mexico?

If anybody has some thoughts or experiences with personal appeals for a visa, alternate application locations, etc, I would love to hear them. It's probably safe to say that you can't get the "personal attention" to an application in DF - particularly since it appears they make decisions in 2 minutes or less to facilitate the volume of applicants.

Circle110, I also appreciate you comments concerning "keeping it simple". Making it more personal (rather than business-like with corporate documents) will make that much easier and straight-forward.

Respectfully,

[circle110]

Tahoe775,

I'll answer your questions based on my (albeit limited) experience.

1) Was your half-page letter attached to your fiancee's application or sent in advance to a particular person?

Neither. We filed form DS160 beforehand via the web, so she only carried the letters from me and my mother plus my financial statement to the interview. (Along with the 3 mandatory things: her passport, the receipt of the payment of $131 from Banamex and a printout from the website showing that we had submitted form DS160 previously via the internet.)


2) The profile of "questionable" persons from Mexico is sexist as it specifically targets males. It also appears that may have been a positive factor for your fiancee. Do readers think that is a correct set of observations?

I suspect so. A friend of ours, a doctor with a booming medical practice and a house, was refused a visa because he was divorced. It didn't matter that he had remarried - in Mexico City they apparently reject all divorced males. Because her interviewer was male, I think being female helper my fiancee immensely.

3) Wholesale denials seem to be the standard operating procedure in DF. Can you make a visa application in other locations where there is an embassy/consulate, such as Merida - and does anybody have experiences or advice for selecting an embassy/consulate to make the application? Merida would be convenient - does anybody have experience with that location?

Yes, you can apply anywhere you like except Matamoros, where you must be a citizen of Tamaulipas to apply there. ALl other sites are open to anyone from any location. I checked this out on the US State Department website because we were told we should apply in Mexico City because we live in Guanajuato. I'd already heard the horror stories about applying in el DF so I investigated and I'm glad I did!

4) Your Mother sounds like she wrote the perfect letter, which helped with the personal appeal for an application approval. Though perhaps not as good, I could also have similar personal invitations written by family members. Could this approach overcome some of the obstacles which necessitate an applicant to demonstrate ABSOLUTE NEED to return to Mexico?

Based on my experience, yes. According to the US State Department web site: it's the personal decision of the interviewer as to whether to give a visa or not. He/she has rough guidelines to follow but they make a personal call based on factors presented in the interview and the interviewer's personal read of the applicant. I think the words they use are "extreme likelyhood" and not "ABSOLUTE NEED" of returning to Mexico. There is a FAQ in the State Dept. website where I read all of this. It's what made me decide to take the approach we did.

Again, I wish your friend good luck next time around. Don't bother trying again in Mexico City.

We thought about Merida as well because it sounds like a great place to visit. However, because my fiancee is on crutches we decided to go to Guadalajara instead and make the trip to Merida when she has both legs! We liked Guadalajara a lot during our 1 day visit and we plan to return as tourists. Plus, many Mexican friends have sung the praises of Lake Chapala (in addition to all the good things I've read here in this forum) so we'll be planning a trip there as well!

[Fatbrit]

Originally Posted by tahoe775

We are now seeking ways to re-apply with success. If anybody here, or anybody they might know could offer assistance I would truly appreciate it.

Please do write your senators and representatives. It's the only way it's going to change.

Using an experienced US immigration lawyer is certainly no guarantee of success for a tourist visa but then you'll have given it your best shot.
AILA's Immigration Lawyer Search