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Visas to the U.S.
Visa Services
Emergencies
Tourist and Business visas
Student visas
Work visas
Other specialized visas
Third Country Nationals in the U.S.
Delivery of your visa
Frequently Asked Questions

Contact the Visa Unit
via e-mail

 

visas_mexico@state.gov

 

Visa Services

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I do if I find out I can’t make it to my scheduled visa appointment once it’s made? Where can I obtain information about visa denials? Can I apply again if I was denied? How long should I plan to be at the Embassy? How long does the entire process take from beginning to end? If I’m a renewal, do I need to bring supporting documents to the interview? Do I have to leave my passport at the U.S. Embassy if my visa is approved?
How long will it take for my passport and visa to arrive after the appointment? Why wasn’t I issued a “mica” or border-crossing card, like I was issued in the past? What happens when my passport expires but the visa in my passport is still valid? How can I find out if my current visa is still valid? What do I do if my visa was lost or stolen? My family is applying together. Will they interview us as a family or individually?
Can I renew my visa before it expires or do I have to wait until after its expiration date? What do I need to wear for the photo? Why do I have to take my digital fingerprints if someone in the visa system databases has a similar name? How much does it cost? What do I need to bring if I’m going for medical treatment in United States? Do minor-age children need to come to the visa interview?
Is there any way to obtain a visa for my American citizen child? I live in the United States and I want to help my relatives get a visa to visit me. What can I do to help them? What do I do if my visa has an error or incorrect information when I receive it? Whom do I contact to find out why my U.S. visa has not been delivered or if I lost the Pegaso ticket? How can I find more information about obtaining a visa for the United States (for tourism, business, study, work, etc.)?
Where can I turn in my I-94 card that was given to me when I last entered the United States? What if there is an emergency and I need a visa immediately? How do I make a group appointment? What should I bring to my appointment at the Embassy? How do I make an appointment for a tourist (non-resident) visa to visit the United States?
Why did the Department of State increase the nonimmigrant visa application (NIV) fee to $131?
Visa Sections in consulates

Ciudad Juarez   |  Guadalajara   |  Hermosillo   |  Matamoros   |  Merida   |  Monterrey   |  Nogales   |  Nuevo Laredo   |  Tijuana

 

What do I do if I find out I can’t make it to my scheduled visa appointment once it’s made?
• Internet appointments may be rescheduled once, free of charge.
• Telephone appointments may also be rescheduled, but you must pay for the phone call.

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Where can I obtain information about visa denials? Can I apply again if I was denied?
• Yes, you can apply again if your visa was denied. The State Department's Visa Office offers information about immigration law and visa denials at "Visa Denials".

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How long should I plan to be at the Embassy? How long does the entire process take from beginning to end?
• Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time.
• On average, applicants should be prepared to be at the Embassy from 3 to 5 hours.

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If I’m a renewal, do I need to bring supporting documents to the interview?
• Yes, if you are renewing your visa you are still required to bring documents to support your ties to Mexico and financial solvency.
• You are also encouraged to bring your previous passports and visas.

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Do I have to leave my passport at the U.S. Embassy if my visa is approved?
• Yes, ALL visas are now placed in the applicant’s passport. The passport and visa are returned via the Messenger Service together.

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How long will it take for my passport and visa to arrive after the appointment?
• The visa will be delivered to you through the Pegaso Messenger Service in approximately 7- 10 days.

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Why wasn’t I issued a “mica” or border- crossing card, like I was issued in the past? What happens when my passport expires but the visa in my passport is still valid?
• All visas are now placed inside your passport. They function exactly the same as the older border crossing cards, which are no longer issued at the U.S. Embassy.
• If the passport expires before the visa, you must travel with two passports (your current passport and the expired passport with the valid visa inside).

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How can I find out if my current visa is still valid?
• "Indefinite" visas are no longer valid.
• Visas that are not "indefinite" have an expiration date clearly marked on the visa. After that date, the visa is no longer valid and a new application should be made.
• If you wish, you can click on the following to see samples of currently valid visas.

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What do I do if my visa was lost or stolen?
• You must make a new appointment and obtain a police report from local authorities to bring to the interview.

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My family is applying together. Will they interview us as a family or individually?
• The consular officer will interview the family together as a whole.

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Can I renew my visa before it expires or do I have to wait until after its expiration date?
• Yes, you can apply for the new visa before your previous visa expires. Please note that the previous visa will be cancelled or taken up as part of the process of issuing a new visa.

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What do I need to wear for the photo?
• All applicants will be photographed at the time of the interview. Please do not wear earrings, hats, glasses or head coverings for the photo. Only minors under the age of 7 that aren’t present at the interview need to attach a photo to the DS-156 form.

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Why do I have to take my digital fingerprints if someone in the visa system databases has a similar name? How much does it cost?
• The consular officer is required by law to take your fingerprints if there is a person with a similar name and date of birth listed in our databases.
• It is very important to be honest with the consular officer if you have had your fingerprints taken by U.S. Government Authorities in the past. Not providing complete information can result in the denial of your visa.
• There is a cost of $85 dollars to take your fingerprints. All applicants should come prepared for this process. All major credit cards and cash are accepted as payment.

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What do I need to bring if I’m going for medical treatment in United States?
• a letter from a doctor in the U.S. authorizing treatment and specifying all costs of the medical care.
• proof of financial solvency to pay for all medical care.

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Do minor-age children need to come to the visa interview?
• All children ages 7 and above (beginning with the ones who turn 7 on the day of the appointment) need to be physically present during the interview.

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Is there any way to obtain a visa for my American citizen child?
• No. American citizens by law cannot be issued visas. If you believe that your child is an American, please click on the following to go to the webpage of the office of passports and citizenship at the embassy.

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I live in the United States and I want to help my relatives get a visa to visit me. What can I do to help them?
• Individual applicants must qualify for the visa based on their own qualifications. Unless a citizen or resident of the United States is supporting a petition-based work visa application, or an immigrant visa petition, we recommend that you do not try and assist.

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What do I do if my visa has an error or incorrect information when I receive it?
• Please send an email to visas_mexico@state.gov with your information request and we will contact you about how to correct the visa with no further charge.

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Whom do I contact to find out why my U.S. visa has not been delivered or if I lost the Pegaso ticket?
• You should contact Pegaso Express, the messenger service you paid to deliver your visa.
• If six weeks have passed since your visa appointment, and you still don’t have your visa, click on the following: Delivery of your visa

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How can I find more information about obtaining a visa for the United States (for tourism, business, study, work, etc.)?
• For information on all types of visa applications visit the website of the State Department.

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Where can I turn in my I-94 card that was given to me when I last entered the United States?
• If you left the United States with your Form I-94 still in your possession, your departure was not recorded properly. If you do not correct this record, or if you cannot reasonably prove that you departed in a timely way when you next apply for admission to the United States, BCIS may conclude you remained in the United States beyond your authorized stay. If this happens, you may be returned immediately to your foreign point of origin.
If you failed to turn in your I-94, please send it - along with any documentation that proves you left the U.S. to

ACS Inc.
1084 South Laurel Rd.
London, Kentucky 40744
USA

Documentation to prove your departure can include the boarding pass from your flight. If you exited the country by a land border it is much harder to verify that you did- in fact - leave the country on the date you claim. If you have any documentation of your arrival in your home country (i.e. passport stamp), then you should send a copy of that. If the above office does not have any supporting documents to substantiate your claim to have left the U.S. on a certain date, there is no guarantee that you will be entered into the record as having done so. We strongly urge you to keep a copy of what you send to ACS Inc. and to carry it with you the next time you come to the U.S. in case the CBP officer has any questions about your eligibility to enter.

Please click on the following to read detailed information from the CBP website.

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What if there is an emergency and I need a visa immediately?
Go to Emergencies (also in the left column)

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How do I make a group appointment?
Go to Groups (also in the left column)

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What should I bring to my appointment at the Embassy?
Go to Documentation (also in the left column)

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How do I make an appointment for a tourist (non-resident) visa to visit the United States?
Go to How To Apply (also in the left column)

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Why did the Department of State increase the nonimmigrant visa application (NIV) fee from $100 to $131?
The reason for this increase is straightforward - the 100 USD MRV fee was already lower than actual cost of providing NIV services when the cost of service study was revised in 2004. Since the last increase from $65 to $100 in 2002, there have been new security-related costs, new IT systems that have been put in place, and inflation has caused overall costs to rise. The non-immigrant visa fee was increased twice since 9/11, both times in 2002. The incremental increases went from $45 to $65 and then from $65 to $100, the current fee. The increase to $100 was necessary to cover the costs of the enhanced security screening requirements after September 11 that made processing each application more time consuming and labor intensive.

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Embassy of the United States