US Visa Renewal at Tijuana, Mexico

There is remarkably less information available online on this topic. But Tijuana, Mexico is one of the closest places one can go to from the US to get US visas renewed, specially if you are based in California. Given the short processing times (3 days) it is usually pretty convenient.

Paying Visa Fees

Each applicant for US Non Immigrant Visa has to pay the visa application fee (MRV) to schedule an appointment. When we scheduled our appointment mid 2017, Mexico Embassies and Consulates were not accepting Credit Cards and the only way to pay was to pay physically at a Banamex or Scotiabank which was painful. However, this might have changed now and credit card payment might be ok now. Once the fees are paid, one can use the 'MRV Fee Receipt Number' to secure visa appointments online.

Travel to Tijuana

Tijuana is just across the border from San Diego in Southern California. While one can fly to Tijuana, it is easy to drive across the border or cross the border on foot from San Diego, California. There are two Port of Entries (POE), San Ysidro and Pedwest and the latter is lesser known and recommended due to being newer, cleaner, faster and noticeably safer. On the US side the Pedwest entry point offers a huge face-lift compared to the the San Ysidro POE which is the world’s bussiest land broder crossing!

My family and I took an Uber all the way to the border and crossed on foot- it was quick and hassle free and we were able to find an Uber on the other side just as easily to get to the hotel. There is no payment required at the border but one needs to have valid documents to be able to enter Mexico - if you have a valid US visa that is sufficient to enter Mexico. If you don't, look for guidance here.

One can also reach the border by taking the San Diego trolley - the blue line goes all the way from American Plaza to San Ysidro border crossing. Pedwest is a brisk 20-min walk from the last station on the line.

Stay and Getting Around

Tijuana is not widely recommended as a place to go to due to historical incidents of violence (between 2008-2012). However, from our experience it is like any other place unless you are seeking drugs or prostitution. It is recommended to cross the border on foot as against driving because it is faster and there is lesser chance of getting into a situation where someone might try to use your vehicle to smuggle drugs back into the States or where you may get into some car trouble with your vehicle in Mexico (for example: In Mexico, they do not recognize your US car insurance as valid!).

In Tijuana, one could chose to stay in a decent hotel in a safe neighborhood if you can pay for it. I'd recommend the Hyatt or other nearby hotels (in Blvd. Agua Caliente)  because they are closer to places you can eat and very close to where you need to go for your visa fingerprints. Lot of folks going to Tijuana for US Visas stay at the Hyatt and it may be possible to pool in with others for rides to the Consulate or for company in general. There is a supermarket called ‘Super’ right next to Hyatt for things like water, milk, snacks, etc. There is also a small pharmacy within Super for basic medicines.

Ubers are widely available - the app offers you to choose from English speaking drivers at the same cost as Spanish speaking drivers so choosing the former may be helpful as you want to get around to the embassy or otherwise. Uber is almost always cheaper than a local taxi. With Taxis, you can negotiate the prices in Mexico.

Fingerprinting, Photos and Visa Appointment

You can check for details around US Embassies and Consulates in Mexico here and details specific to Third Country Nationals requiring Visa renewals here. When you set your visa appointment online, you will have to select two appointment slots- one for the fingerprinting and photos and the second for the actual visa appointment which happens typically the following day.

Fingerprinting happens at a different location from the Tijuana Consulate. The place is 5 mins walk from Hyatt. The process for fingerprinting and photos is quick and easy. Visitors are not allowed to carry any electronics so best to leave cell-phones back at the hotel. We arrived at the location early, it is free and we were done with fingerprints and photos ahead of scheduled appointment time.

The following day we had our Visa Interview at the Consulate. The Tijuana Consulate is located centrally, easy to get to and managed well. The staff are polite and helpful and the officers are experienced. It is important to arrive on time to clear security and it is best to not carry electronics. In fact, even Fitbits are considered electronics since they have GPS trackers - best to leave them behind as well.

In case you arrive at the embassy carrying anything that is not permissible inside, there is a small shop within the embassy waiting area which can hold it for you (for a small fee) until you are done.

Once inside, we first received a token number and then had an officer verify our documents (DS-160, I-129S etc). We then had to pay the fraud prevention fees (applicable to L visas only I believe, can be paid by credit card) and wait to be called for interview. This took a while but eventually when we were called the interview was quick. The officer asked us to come by the following day at 3 pm and collect our visas.

Visa Interview Outcome

Once the Visa Interview happens, I believe there are three possibilities- visa granted in which case one can collect the stamped passport the following afternoon and travel back to the US; visa denied in which case the officer should hand back the passport and a slip stating the denial reason - if the visa is denied you cannot get back into the US and will have to travel to your home country which can be expensive and a genuine risk. The third possibility is where the visa is held back for further administrative processing. In such a case, it may take a few days and additional documentation until the visa is either granted or denied.

Collecting the Passport and Return to the US

We went back the following afternoon at 3 pm to collect our visas as asked. There were few people whose passport were unfortunately not ready (both H and L categories) though they were asked to come that day to collect. In some cases, folks got their passports back the following day while in other cases it took 3-4 additional days. There could be additional approvals pending from Washington for select cases which prolongs the visa issuance time. This can be nerve-wracking for those on a schedule but if you are going to a third country for a visa, one should be prepared for this outcome and budget time accordingly.

We were able to cross the border without hassle the following day. The US Border folks were less familiar with L visas and took a while to issue the I-94 document but it was done eventually and I was able to cross-over.

When crossing back, always select Pedwest crossing for the reasons mentioned above. You would need to pay $6 for a copy of your I94 when entering back - change is available and I think credit card payments are also possible.

Hope this has been helpful for those who wish to get their US visas renewed at Tijuana. Mexico!

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