Please read the following instructions carefully in preparation for your appointment with the Consulate.
Applicants must not make travel plans to depart Ciudad Juarez or to enter the United States until the adjudication process is fully completed. All applicants can expect to remain in Ciudad Juarez for a minimum three business days, but very possibly longer. Depending on your case, you may need to attend a medical exam at an authorized clinic and a “biometrics” appointment at the Applicant Service Center.
All applicants will have two separate appearances at the Consulate spread over 1-2 business days. It is not possible to adjust or accelerate this process to accommodate travel plans.
Applicants who diagnosed with a communicable disease by the authorized clinics and who miss an appointment as a result of undergoing treatment will be permitted to reschedule that appointment by contacting the consulate through public inquiry form.
Please follow the below steps before your immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.
You need to register your appointment online. Registering your appointment provides us with the information we need to return your passport and visa package to you via DHL after your interview. Registration is free. As part of the registration process, you will be required to schedule an appointment at one of our Applicant Service Centers to take photos and have your fingerprints taken. This must occur before your visa interview at the Consulate.
As soon as you receive your appointment date, you must schedule a medical examination in Mexico. Click the “Medical examination” button below for a list of authorized medical clinics in Mexico. Please schedule and attend a medical examination with one of these clinics at least three days before your interview.
It is important that you bring all required original documents to your interview. We’ve created a checklist that will tell you what to bring. Please print the checklist below and bring it to your interview along with the listed documents.
Read our interview guidelines to learn about any special actions that you need to take before your visa interview.
All immigrant visa applicants, regardless of age, require a medical examination prior to the issuance of a visa. Only a physician accredited by the U.S. Consulate can perform this examination. It is your responsibility to schedule a medical examination with one of the clinics listed below at least 3 days before your visa interview appointment at the U.S. Consulate. Medical examination results from other physicians will not be accepted.
Authorized panel physicians in Mexico:
CLINICA MEDICA INTERNACIONAL
Ave. Ramon Rivera Lara # 9020
Fracc. Las Lunas
CD. Juarez, Chih.,
Mexico C.P. 32543
Tel: (011-52-656) 227-2800
Toll-free from the U.S.: 1-844-624-9447
Llamada gratuita de México: 01 800 801-8585
Fax: (011-52-656) 227-2808
Website: http://www.clinicamedicainternacional.com.mx/
SERVICIOS MEDICOS DE LA FRONTERA
Prol. Ramon Rivera Lara #8950
Col. Partido Senecu
CD. Juarez, Chih., Mexico C.P. 32540
Tel: (011-52-656) 688-2700
Toll-free from the U.S.: 1-844-847-5340
Llamada gratuita de México: 01 800 201-8472
Fax: (011-52-656) 688-2701
Website: www.smf.com.mx
MEDICOS ESPECIALIZADOS INTERNACIONALES
Hamburgo 206, Interior 204, 2nd Floor,
Colonia Juárez, Delegación Cuauhtémoc,
Mexico City 06600
Tel: (55) 2624-0630 or
(55) 5207-3794 ext. 101
Website: www.mei-mexico.com
You should bring the following items to your medical examination:
You must pay all medical examination fees, including x-ray and blood test fees, directly to the examining physician. The examination fee for applicants age 15 years and older is USD $323.00. The fee for applicants between ages 2 and 14 is USD $231.00. Applicants younger than 2 is USD $175.00. A 16% tax will be added to these fees. Cash and credit card (Visa or MasterCard) are the only forms of payment accepted. Any required vaccines or DNA testing will be charged separately.
Please attend a medical examination at least three (3) days before your visa interview appointment. You may visit either clinic in Ciudad Juarez between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.; or the clinic in Mexico City from 7:00a.m. to noon Monday through Friday. Appointments are preferred but not necessary.
The medical examination will include a medical history review, physical examination, chest X-ray, urine and blood tests (for applicants 15 years of age or older). The United States also requires tuberculosis (TB) testing for all applicants two years of age and older. Please be prepared to discuss your medical history, medications you are taking, and current treatments you are undergoing. More information on general medical requirements for U.S. immigrants is available on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website.
Applicants who show signs or symptoms of tuberculosis or who are HIV/AIDS positive must complete a further medical process in order to comply with the regulations of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). This process is designed to detect and treat tuberculosis in order to reduce the risk of spreading tuberculosis within the population of the United States. It may take between three and six months before the clinic will be able to complete the final medical exam for these applicants.
As directed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States of America, beginning on April 1, 2024, all immigrant visa applicants must provide a blood test for tuberculosis screening.
As of September 3, 2021, all applicants whose age is 18-24 years old must provide a urine sample for gonorrhea screening. Applicants aged less than 18 years or greater than 24 years may be tested if there is a reason to suspect infection with gonorrhea.
As of September 3, 2021, all applicants aged 18-44 years of age must provide a blood sample for syphilis screening.
U.S. immigration law requires immigrant visa applicants to obtain certain vaccinations prior to the issuance of a visa. Current immigrant visa vaccination requirements are available on CDC.Gov. You can also read Frequently Asked Questions about our medical examination requirements on travel.state.gov.
Please use the list below to determine the items that every applicant must bring to the immigrant visa interview.
Applicants who fall into any category listed in italics below should bring these additional documents:
For family-based visa applications:
If you are married: Your original and a photocopy of your marriage certificate.
If you were previously married: Your original and a photocopy of the certificate that proves the termination of the previous marriage (divorce or death of the previous spouse).
If you are a fiancé: Medical examination results in a sealed envelope.
If you are older than 18 years of age: The original police certificate from your country of current residence and countries of previous residence. Police records from Mexico are only available to individuals 18 years of age and older. Applicants who lived in Mexico for six months or more since the age of 18 are required to obtain a state police record (Carta or Certificado de No Antecedentes) from from the State Police (Fiscalía General del Estado) or a federal police record (Carta de No Antecedentes Penales) from the Dirección General de Ejecución de Sanciones, Comisión Nacional de Seguridad. Police records from the local town or city hall are not acceptable. Please view information online on how to apply for these documents.
If you lived in any other country besides Mexico and the United States for 12 months or more since age 16, you must submit a police certificate from that country. You can find information on when a certificate is required on our website.
If you answer affirmatively to the following three questions, you must bring a new or more recent police certificate to the interview:
1. You are older than 18 years;
2. You obtained a police certificate and submitted it to the NVC more than one year ago; and
3. You still live in the country that issued the police certificate.
For employment-based visa applications: Letter from your U.S. employer dated less than one month ago.
If you have ever been arrested or convicted of a crime: Original and photocopy of all court and criminal records, with English translation.
If you have served in any country’s military: Original and photocopy of military records, with English translation.
If you are adopted: Original and photocopy of adoption documents or custody documents, with English translation.
If you are the petitioner’s stepchild: Original and photocopy of petitioner’s marriage certificate with the biological parent; and original and photocopy of the marriage termination certificates of the previous marriages of both parents.
NOTE: You must bring translations into English of any civil documents that are written in a language other than English or Spanish.
Sending documents to the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez
If you need to send us any documents, please DO NOT mail them to us. Instead, visit ais.usvisa-info.com and ask for information on courier services.
Rescheduling or cancelling your interview
If you cannot attend your appointment, please go to mexico.usvisa-info.com for instructions on scheduling a new appointment date. There may be a significant wait before the next available appointment. For preference visa categories, visa availability is based on the month that the appointment has been scheduled, so we recommend that you attend your original appointment. DV applicants should be aware that visas are numerically limited and must be issued by September 30 of the program year. There is no guarantee that a visa will still be available on the date of your rescheduled interview. Please carefully consult the Visa Bulletin before you request to reschedule your interview. NOTE: You need to register your original NVC appointment online before you can reschedule it. Rescheduling is only possible on a date after your assigned appointment.
Security screening procedures and arrival at the Consulate
All visitors to the U.S. Consulate must follow certain security procedures. Any visitor who declines to be screened by U.S. Consulate security personnel will be unable to enter the consulate. Please read our list of prohibited items before your appointment.
PROHIBITED ITEMS
The following items are not allowed in the Consulate General.
Metal items Electronics |
Personal items Other Cosmetics |
To avoid delaying your entry and that of those in line behind you, please bring only what is required for your interview. The consulate does not provide lockers or storage for personal items. If you leave items in your car, be sure to put them in the trunk and lock your car; do not leave any personal items in the view of the passenger compartment.
On the day of your visa interview, do not arrive at the Consulate more than 30 minutes before your appointment time. For example, applicants with appointments at 8:15 a.m. are allowed in at 7:45 a.m.
Notice for your protection:
Your safety is a high priority for the Consulate. We ask you to avoid waiting on the sidewalks surrounding the Consulate for longer than indicated as it can pose a risk. There have been reports of scammers, and frequent assaults and robberies near the Consulate and the medical clinics where the examinations are conducted. We recommend the following to prevent this happening to you:
Immigrant visa fees
If you have not paid all required fees to either the National Visa Center or via the appointment website, please be prepared to pay these fees on the day of your interview. All fees for visa services are collected ONLY inside the medical clinics or inside the Consulate. Neither the medical clinics nor the Consulate staff will collect fees outside – all fees must be paid at the cashier inside the clinics or Consulate. For accurate information about your visa case, Consulate staff is available to answer your questions at the information windows. If you need to pay a fee on the day of your visa appointment, you must pay in U.S. dollars or Mexican pesos. We accept cash and credit or debit cards. If you are found ineligible to receive a visa, the application fee cannot be refunded. A complete list of fees can be found here.
Accompanying persons
Only the following persons may accompany a visa applicant to their interview:
Should the U.S. citizen petitioner travel to Ciudad Juarez during the interview process, remember that, per the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, all U.S. citizens must have a U.S. passport in order to return to the United States. U.S. citizens are also required to have a valid passport (not a passport card) for all air travel within Mexico as well as any travel in Mexico past the immediate border region. We recommend you secure a U.S. passport prior to your family member’s interview in case you need to travel to or within Mexico. You may access information on obtaining a passport at https://travel.state.gov.
Attorneys are not permitted to accompany clients into the Consulate’s waiting room nor to their interview. Anyone not listed above who accompanies a visa applicant to the consulate will need to wait outside the Consulate and meet the applicant after his/her interview.
Dress appropriately for the interview and for the weather. Some of the Consulate’s waiting area is outside the building. You will not be allowed to bring in food or drink. Snacks and beverages are available for sale in the waiting area.
Do not make travel plans outside of Mexico
A consular officer can make a decision on a visa application only after reviewing the formal application and interviewing the applicant. There is no guarantee that you will receive a visa. Do not sell your house, car or property, resign from your job or make non-refundable flight or other travel arrangements until you have received your immigrant visa.
If your visa is approved, we will keep your passport at the Consulate while we prepare your immigration packet and print a visa for your passport. We will return your passport and complete visa packet to you by DHL courier at a later date (see Step 1). If you have to travel within Mexico while your passport is still with us, please make sure you have a valid picture ID other than your passport.
If more information is needed
Sometimes a consular officer is unable to make a decision on a visa application because they need to review additional documents or the case requires further administrative processing. When additional documents are requested, the consular officer will give you a refusal letter that asks you to submit additional documents. The letter will include instructions on how to send those documents to the Consulate.
Administrative processing takes additional time after the interview. The timing varies based on the circumstances of each case.
What happens after your visa is approved
Passport, Visa, and Sealed Immigrant Packet – We will place your immigrant visa on a page in your passport. Please review your visa to make sure there are no spelling errors. We may also give you a sealed envelope containing documents that you must give to U.S. immigration authorities when you arrive in the United States for the first time. Do not open this envelope. You must carry it with you. Do not put it in your checked luggage. If during your medical examination you received a compact disc (CD) containing your chest X-rays, please keep your records for future medical references. Applicants whose documents are all available electronically will not receive an envelope.
USCIS Immigrant Fee – All individuals who are issued Immigrant Visas overseas must pay an Immigrant Fee to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) prior to traveling to the United States. This fee is for processing your residency status and printing your Permanent Resident Card. The only people exempt from paying this fee are: children entering the United States under the Hague Process, returning residents, and people traveling on a fiancé(e) (K) visa.
When You Should Travel – You must enter the United States before the expiration date on your visa, which is usually six (6) months from the date of printing. Your visa cannot be extended and all fees are nonrefundable. The principal applicant must enter before or at the same time as other family members with visas. Unless they are eligible for benefits under the Child Status Protection Act, children who are issued a visa before turning 21 years of age must enter the United States before their 21st birthday to avoid losing their immigrant status.
Getting a Green Card – Your Form I-551 Permanent Resident Card, also known as a green card, will be automatically mailed to the address in the United States that you write in your visa application form (form DS-260). This document proves you have permission to reside in the United States. If you plan to travel outside the U.S. before your green card arrives: Please consult the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) websites for rules about what documents you need to re-enter the country. We also recommend you check with the airline to ensure you are in compliance with their rules. Once your card is issued, you should not stay outside of the United States for more than one year. If you do, you will lose your status as a Lawful Permanent Resident.
Children’s Issues – In the United States, children are required to have certain vaccinations before they can enroll in school. We recommend that you bring your child’s complete vaccination records with you to the United States. If your child is adopted, you have full custody as a result of a divorce, or you share custody with another parent, you should bring a photocopy of all applicable adoption or custody documents from the authoritative court in your home country. You will need these papers translated into English, for issues such as school enrollment, medical care, and eventual citizenship. If you are accompanying a child to the interview, please bring a government issued photo ID.
Information for New Immigrants – Please visit the USCIS web page for helpful information on moving to the United States. You can read their publication “Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants” online.
If you are interviewing for a Diversity Visa (DV), all of the above instructions apply to you. Please gather the required documents and attend a medical examination prior to your visa interview. Your photo and fingerprints will be taken at the consulate on the date of your interview, and the visa package will be delivered to the consulate.
Below are additional instructions that apply only to DV applicants.
Bring to your interview
In addition to the documents listed on the Pre-interview checklist in this package, DV applicants should also bring the following items to your visa interview:
Review your DV Lottery entry
Prior to your visa interview, we recommend that you review the data on your initial E-DV entry. On your initial E-DV application, you must have correctly entered your marital status. If you are legally married you must have listed your spouse, even if you are currently separated from him/her (unless your spouse is a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident).
Additionally, you must have listed ALL of your living children who are unmarried and under 21 years old. This includes your natural children, your spouse’s children, or children you have formally adopted in accordance with the laws of your country.
Failure to have listed an existing spouse or children at the time of your entry in the Diversity Visa lottery will result in the denial of your visa and visas for your family. Any fees paid to the U.S. government in support of your visa application(s) are nonrefundable. If you failed to include a child who had already been born, or a spouse to whom you were married when you entered the lottery, you should not proceed with the visa application. You can review the eligibility requirements online.
Last Updated: 2/26/2024
Paseo de la victoria # 3650
Ciudad Juarez, Chih. 32543
Mexico
