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H1B stamping at Tijuana
Thanks for everyone who contributed to this forum.Recently I got my H1B stamped at Tijuana and it was pretty smooth. My experience:
Flew to San Diego. For public transport to San Ysidro/border, catch bus 992 from airport. Get down at Santa Fe station for blue shuttle to San Ysidro. It costs you $5 and takes about 90 minutes. Stayed at Travelodge.
Next day started around 8 am. Walk two blocks along left side to the border. Enter the building, walk along the ramp and bridge. In 15 minutes, you are in Mexico. Cab will cost only $6 to Banamex bank, near US consulate[Abraham Lincoln statue]. Other branch is 3 blocks farther from consulate. Bank opens at 9 am. They wont accept credit/debit card. If you do not have US$, then withdraw cash with card and present it to bank. Show your passport.On the way to consulate, there are couple of shops where you keep baggage for $5. Consulate is an old building with lots of people in queue. H1 stamping has separate small queue.
After security check, you will be given a token. In one office, they will check PIMS, do finger print verification and also take a picture for visa. Once they return your passport with ds 156,157, you are all set for the visa interview.
Lady was asking everyone their employment letter and few simple questions. She asked all 6 of us to wait. It was about 45 minutes and made us nervous. It was only to take finger print. She granted visa to everyone. Asked us to collect passport at 3 pm.
By 4pm everyone got visa stamped & the passport returned. Took cab to the border. Through the right sided entrance, waited in the queue for I94. Its a historical building. They call people in batches& ask little weird questions. Pay $6, get new I94. Walk through another building, where they screen your visa, I 94 and you are in US.
All the best for everyone. This forum has contributed a lot and thanks everyone who did a great job in posting their experience.
Flew to San Diego. For public transport to San Ysidro/border, catch bus 992 from airport. Get down at Santa Fe station for blue shuttle to San Ysidro. It costs you $5 and takes about 90 minutes. Stayed at Travelodge.
Next day started around 8 am. Walk two blocks along left side to the border. Enter the building, walk along the ramp and bridge. In 15 minutes, you are in Mexico. Cab will cost only $6 to Banamex bank, near US consulate[Abraham Lincoln statue]. Other branch is 3 blocks farther from consulate. Bank opens at 9 am. They wont accept credit/debit card. If you do not have US$, then withdraw cash with card and present it to bank. Show your passport.On the way to consulate, there are couple of shops where you keep baggage for $5. Consulate is an old building with lots of people in queue. H1 stamping has separate small queue.
After security check, you will be given a token. In one office, they will check PIMS, do finger print verification and also take a picture for visa. Once they return your passport with ds 156,157, you are all set for the visa interview.
Lady was asking everyone their employment letter and few simple questions. She asked all 6 of us to wait. It was about 45 minutes and made us nervous. It was only to take finger print. She granted visa to everyone. Asked us to collect passport at 3 pm.
By 4pm everyone got visa stamped & the passport returned. Took cab to the border. Through the right sided entrance, waited in the queue for I94. Its a historical building. They call people in batches& ask little weird questions. Pay $6, get new I94. Walk through another building, where they screen your visa, I 94 and you are in US.
All the best for everyone. This forum has contributed a lot and thanks everyone who did a great job in posting their experience.
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