Ask the U.S. Consul:
US Visa
By Lisa Vickers, Principal Officer
April 2006

Editors Note: We felt this article might be of interest to anyone traveling to or living in the Yucatan who has Mexican friends who want to go the United States, or who are just curious as to what it takes to legally travel there.

Today, as in the past, most travelers to the U.S. must obtain a visa. The process still includes application forms and interviews as well as the collection and cross-checking of names in a highly sophisticated U.S. Government database. As a visa applicant today, it is important that you recognize that these name-checking and registration processes are necessary and crucial elements helping to protect our citizens and our visitors.

Because of this process, many visas take at least several weeks to process. Therefore, please allow sufficient time to apply for and receive your visa. While individual experience may differ, here are the basic steps you should follow and what you can expect throughout the process.

For more information on the visa process, you can go to www.usembassy-mexico.gov/merida, where you can get information on visas other than tourist visas, as well as the application form, and other basic information about applying for a visa or other consular services.

The Consulate issues visas for any number of purposes, including tourism, business and study. Must you have a lot of money in the bank or several cars or houses, or a job with a high salary? No. Financial solvency is only one of the many ways that applicants can demonstrate that they have "a residence abroad that they have no intention of abandoning" as U.S. immigration law requires to get a visa. This means that applicants must show that they have compelling economic, social or family ties to their homes here in Mexico that would require them to return after a short trip to the United States.

I cannot stress enough that no applicant should accept or purchase any information or document from a private individual who promises that they can help you obtain a visa. The only official source of visa information is the U.S. Embassy or Consulates in Mexico, and the use of documents that are not authentic or do not belong to you can result in a permanent denial of a visa.

The first step in the application process is making an appointment for an interview. To make an appointment, call 01-900-849-4949. You will be given a date and time for your appointment. The most important thing to remember is: PLAN AHEAD. It is not uncommon to wait between a month to three months for your appointment date, and if the visa is approved, it takes an additional month to arrive at your home.

On the date of your appointment, please arrive at the time stated. Arriving early will not get you in the door faster, and will just mean you will wait longer than necessary. Please have with you the following:

• Valid Passport
• Banamex proof of payment of the visa fee
• Completed application including any supporting documents—pay slips, bank statements, letters from your employer, house documents—that demonstrate your ties to Mexico.

When you are called to be interviewed, the best advice I can give you is, take a deep breath and relax. You know the answers to any questions that we can ask.

Address & Info
Calle 60, No 338K x 29 y 31
Colonia Alcala Martin
Merida, Yucatan, Mexico  97050
Tel: (999) 942 5700
Fax: (999) 942 5759
Email: ConsularMerida@state.gov

More Information
 The US Consulate General website
 What Visas are Required to Enter Mexico

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