Originally Posted by mandpete

We had to book our appointment 40 days in advance at the Embassy in London last summer. There is no chance of just walking in and expecting it to be done. We then waited 7 days for all 4 passports and visas to be mailed to a UK (my parents) address.

Check this web page for waiting times.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wa...itors_wait.php

Originally Posted by snorkmaiden

I know there is a visa forum but it's not the visa as much as the experience of going to Mexico for it that I am interested in, has anyone done it?

Hubby just had his H1B renewed and we need to get the visa in the passports. We are going back to the UK in February next year for my brother in laws wedding, and we didn't want to have to go to London to get it done as we'll be heading to Liverpool and getting the visa's in London will mean getting off the overnight flight with four jetlagged and no doubt grumpy children, taking them into London for the visa appt which took four hours last time and then traveling up to Liverpool. It will no doubt be really cold, which after four years in Texas at that point, will probably come as a bit of a shock to the kids and make them even more grumpy

The lawyer mentioned Matamoros, Mexico and suggested we could get the revalidation done there, possibly in just two days so now we are thinking of driving across Texas, stopping at a few places on the way to break the trip up for the kids and then hopping over to Mexico for a few days.

I wondered if anyone had renewed their visa's outside of the country, but not in the UK?

Originally Posted by MrsG

Hi,
We are on L1 visas and did the Matamoros thing 2 years ago. DH work arranged a lawyer to do all the paperwork etc and he actually travelled with us, never really leaving our sides. We flew Dallas to Brownsville via Houston then drove over the border, stayed in a dodgy Best Western then stood in line at 7.45 am with all the mexicans wanting a border pass. Eventually we were called for paperwork, photos and fingerprints. Left at 12pm, drove back over the border with new visas and flew back to Dallas. Took 36 hours start to finish.
You HAVE to have an appointment at the consulate and ours actually run out in April but the next available appointment in Matamoros is (apparently) June!
So we have no visas from April till June therefore we cannot make a trip out of the US.
Don't know if that's much help to you......

Originally Posted by AdobePinon

What do you need a lawyer for? You pay your cash, usually to an entity such as a bank outside of the embassy. You take the receipt, a couple of mug shots, proof of H1B status, your passport, and a simple form (that can be downloaded ahead of time) to the embassy. You may also optionally take a letter from the employer stating that you are still employed there, a couple of payslips etc to back it up. Nothing to it!

Originally Posted by MrsG

I have no idea why we had a lawyer with us. Never asked. We just presumed that was how they did it. Must admit though, we did feel safer with him there.
Sometimes coming back over the border can be a nightmare. Friends of ours were held up for ours while the border patrol/police/whatever questioned them.

Originally Posted by Elvira

Are you talking about renewing H1b status, or renewing the H1b visa? As far as I know, the latter can only be done outside the US.

Originally Posted by dunroving

Then I think this must have changed. My ever-waning memory aside, I'm pretty sure I had my last visa stamp put in my passport by mailing it with my H1B renewal approval to DC.

[Just checked my passport and H1 visa, and unlike my previous 3 visas, issued in London, London, and Juarez, the latest one was issued in "Department", which I take to confirm it was issued in DC]

Given the choice of Mexico and via mail (I think mine took less than a month), I would mail it to DC if I were you.

Originally Posted by AdobePinon

What do you need a lawyer for? You pay your cash, usually to an entity such as a bank outside of the embassy. You take the receipt, a couple of mug shots, proof of H1B status, your passport, and a simple form (that can be downloaded ahead of time) to the embassy. You may also optionally take a letter from the employer stating that you are still employed there, a couple of payslips etc to back it up. Nothing to it!

Originally Posted by snorkmaiden

No, you don't get the choice to mail it anymore, you have to leave the country and get it stamped elsewhere, preferably your country of origin apparently. They stopped you being able to do it by post in 2004.

Originally Posted by dunroving

I must have just snuck in under the wire then - the date on mine is April 16, 2004.

That's one of the things that has made it so difficult for me to ever see the US as more "permanent" (i.e., the bloody complexity of the work permit/visa process). It seems a little ridiculous if you receive an H1 renewal (thus saying you have been given the right to work here for another 3 years), that you have to spend part of your next vacation abroad waiting in line at a US embassy (which you may also have to spend considerable time and money getting to) in order to get a visa allowing you to get back in!

Originally Posted by Boiler

It was supposed to be a short term work visa, but due has become a way to immigrant status.

My assumption was that they never expected renewals to be the norm.

Originally Posted by Elvira

Is this why it allows dual intent???

Originally Posted by Boiler

For those who changed their minds?

If you look at it if you want to work here there are two routes:

1. Immigrant

2. Temporary

My assumption is that the vast majority use the Temporary route whilst wanting the Immigrant route because of the delays.

Very comparable with the current discussions on Guest Worker Programmes, they will be used mainly by those with no intent of leaving. Just ask the Jerries.