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My H1-B transfer to a new company was recently approved. However, during my Tijuana Visa Stamping I was issued a 221g and told I have to travel to Ciudad Juarez for a medical examination before I can receive the stamp. I was told the reason for the medical examination is because I was arrested of a suspected DUI in August 2011 (court dates are still pending).
I'm originally from the UK and have booked a trip back to England for Dec 20th-30th. The reason why I was trying to get the visa stamp now was so I could travel to the UK and be accepted back in the country.
When I told the Tijuana Officer I was traveling to England in two weeks, he gave me my I797A and passport back, and said I could apply in London if I was unable to travel to Ciudad Jaurez. He said there are no other approved medical facilities in Mexico and only the two approved facilities in CJ are my only choice. Also, there is currently a British Foreign and Commonwealth Warning to avoid all but essential travel to Ciudad Juarez so I really don't want to go there if there is another option.
What should I do?
1. Should I fly to Ciudad Juarez to complete the medical, wait for TJ to process my results and then fly to Tijuana and reenter the US?
OR
2. Should I travel to London, restart the whole stamping process there and then wait for them to process my passport and visa there? The US consulate is closed on December most days between 20th-30th, so I'm most likely going to be stuck there for possibly up to three weeks while everything gets processed.
3. Or, is there another option? Could I skip the stamping altogether and travel back in to the US with my I797A and passport, plus paperwork. If so, then I could just see out the final year of my H1-B without the stamp. I was only issued this visa until January 1st, 2014 as I am at my 6 year limit for the H1-B anyway and my company most likely won't sponsor me for a green card
Has anyone else been through a similar experience? Any advice you have is extremely appreciated!
I'm originally from the UK and have booked a trip back to England for Dec 20th-30th. The reason why I was trying to get the visa stamp now was so I could travel to the UK and be accepted back in the country.
When I told the Tijuana Officer I was traveling to England in two weeks, he gave me my I797A and passport back, and said I could apply in London if I was unable to travel to Ciudad Jaurez. He said there are no other approved medical facilities in Mexico and only the two approved facilities in CJ are my only choice. Also, there is currently a British Foreign and Commonwealth Warning to avoid all but essential travel to Ciudad Juarez so I really don't want to go there if there is another option.
What should I do?
1. Should I fly to Ciudad Juarez to complete the medical, wait for TJ to process my results and then fly to Tijuana and reenter the US?
OR
2. Should I travel to London, restart the whole stamping process there and then wait for them to process my passport and visa there? The US consulate is closed on December most days between 20th-30th, so I'm most likely going to be stuck there for possibly up to three weeks while everything gets processed.
3. Or, is there another option? Could I skip the stamping altogether and travel back in to the US with my I797A and passport, plus paperwork. If so, then I could just see out the final year of my H1-B without the stamp. I was only issued this visa until January 1st, 2014 as I am at my 6 year limit for the H1-B anyway and my company most likely won't sponsor me for a green card
Has anyone else been through a similar experience? Any advice you have is extremely appreciated!
