Ben. Were you going to provide them with DVT (Deep Vaginal Therapy)?

CP

Exactly and also DTT.

Byron:

Sarcastic? Moi? Not really...

I agree with you, I don't think prostitution is a big deal, and certainly do not think it should stop someone from getting a VISA. Congress, however, disagrees, and has made the laws to prevent prostitutes from getting a VISA.

If I knew one chica that had "slipped through" I would accept Ahora007's statement without comment. Even if I knew 7 or 8. But since I know well over twice that many, it makes me wonder about how well the people we depend on to keep the real bad guys out are at doing their job.

Maybe 9/11 already answered that question for us?

Maybe, since checking to see if a girl has a health card has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with keeping "the real bad guys" out, the fact that hookers are able to obtain visas proves ABSOLUTELY NOTHING with respect to national security issues?

By dog, I do believe I am onto something.... Indeed, I would much prefer that the INS spend their time checking to see if guys named Abdul Mohamed Hussein* have links to bin Laden, than checking to see if girls named Maribel Gomez* have links to Adelitas.

*These names are fictitious, and any resemblance to the names of any real people is strictly coincidental.

I got married in the Phils and it took 9 months before my wife could travel to the US. After she arrived should could work, or go back to Phils. at anytime. Her Marriage Visa was good for two years, then you must apply for a perminet Visa. After that she can apply for citizenship.

I would recommend getting the Fin. Visa that is a faster route for her to come to the US. Getting married in Mexico will take longer on the VISA front.

What about a one or two day travel visa? Just to take a girl to the zoo or sea world. Anyone have any constructive input?

CF Hows things going? Let me know when you are going to be around and Ill buy you a brew.

Not sure if you can even get temporary visas any more. With the old "small" border crossing cards it used to be that the immigration officer could issue a visa at his discretion for whatever amount of time.

But I think it is pretty much imposible now. They give everyone who has a laser visa or a "large visa" border crossing card( the visa used just prior to the new laser visa) a B1/B2 good for up to 6 months.

If the chica does not have a Laser Visa or a "large" visa border crossing card she probbaly wont be allowed in.

As the large cards reach their expiration dates they will have to be replaced by a Laser visa.

As far as I know they no longer issue the short term "border VISAs".

But that might not be up tp date, so I would call to make sure.

I expect we will see major changes over the next year or so. Ultimately making it much harder to get a VISA of any type for Mexican citizens. In return Bush will probably offer some more amnesty programs to keep Fox happy.

Is the laser visa equal to a B1 visa? Or how is one obtained? She has no intent on staying in the US just visiting, meeting the parents, etc.

I don't know exactly how it works but even with a Laser Visa you can not go much north of San Diego unless you also buy the $6.00 B1/B2 permit. It is not always easy to get. A few months ago I went to Rocky Point with my chilanaga. We went via Mexicali entirely on Mexican highways. She brought her visa and her passport but forgot her B1/B2 permit.

We decided to return to San Diego Via the US entering at Lukeville Arizona. Immigration would not let her cross without the permit and they would not issue her another even though her passport and visa were in order and they could see in the system that she had a B1/B2 issued.

I don't think your chica can get in unless she has a valid Laser Visa.

An amiga and I are going to Waikiki for a week. She has a 10 year visa (4 years left) and says all she needs is an airplane ticket to explain away the luggage. Hope she's right, she's pretty savvy and comes to San Diego frequently. Maybe I'll walk across to TJ to get her and come back with her.

Anybody think there will be any problems?

A Laser VISA (also sometimes called a "border" VISA) is a limited travel VISA. I know it will not get you past the border patrol checkpoint on I5. I am not sure exactly how far inland it is good for, but it isn't far.

As far as going to Waikiki that shouldn't be a problem. She already HAS her VISA. While it is true that the border agent has leeway as to deciding on a case by case basis IF he allows her into the country each time she crosses, as long as she has tickets (including a return ticket) it should not be a problem.

Yeah, there's a return ticket, but if there's a way we don't use them that would be great. I love Hawaii, without a doubt the best state to live in, and she's pretty OK too! :-)

I agree with Curious. I have never had a problem with flying out of San Diego with my girl. Probably done it 10 times over the last year and a half. The airlines never ask immigration status. But just in case she always has the B1/B2 permit to accompany her 10 year visa (large visa).

Last time we flew out was the 17th of August and there were immigration agents looking at people in line in the Delta terminal.That was a first. They were asking some people for documentation. My girl is as morena as they come, but they did not even say a word to her.

Have a good trip. It sounds like a blast.

I just want to take a girl to the zoo and out on the town in San Diego. She has no passport or visa at this time, sparse employment history, and doesn't own property. Good luck eh? Her little brother went to Universal Studios for a day with his school and she is hoping she can get some kind of one day pass like that. I don't know of one but was hoping one of you might.

A chica friend of mine has two kids born in the U.S. (She is a Mexican citizen.)

I'd like to take them to Disneyland in a year or so.

I called San Ysidro and they said no way I could bring them up, period !

Does anyone know anything about this ?

There are ways.

I believe you will need, at a minimum, the following pieces of paper for each child:

First, certified copies of their birth certificates from the County where they were born. You will need ALL the names that appear on the certificates (including knowing if there are blanks), DOB, birth place, etc. if you have to go and get these.

Second, take those to the California Secretary of State's office and have them certified with the apostille stamp. (Check the hours they offer this service at your local office, as it often only happens during limited office hours.)

Third, get a signed letter from the Mother giving you the right to have the kids in your custody, INCLUDING when and where you plan to go with them. It should also give you authority to have them treated medically if that becomes necessary.

The law actually says you need such a letter from BOTH parents. Unless the Fathers name is on the birth certificate, I suggest that you tell the people at the border that YOU are the Father of these two kids. You probably should mention that in the letter signed by their Mother.

If a Father is named on the birth certificate, you will need to get a letter from him as well.

Fourth, you will need some form of ID for each child, if possible.

A lot of this is gonna depend on your ability to present a strong face to the people at the border. If you act like you know it is all OK, and that you are perfectly within your rights, you will probably be OK. Act like it is old hat.

Small touches can help. Carry a picture of you, their Mother, and the kids in your wallet. (Make sure you carry it for a while so it is well worn!) Make sure the kids know what to call you.

Good luck!

Telling anybody the kids are yours is a big mistake. That is unless you would like to start paying child support until they are 18.

Also lying to the INS is probably not a good thing.

Just my opinion...

Well Ben, maybe (in my case, anyway) I wish the kid WAS mine. *sigh*

And lying to anybody is not, IMHO, a good thing. But for any of these working chicas, or ex-working chicas to get into the U.S.A. they are going to have to lie. And they are going to lie under penalty of perjury.

I had a European girl friend for many years, who could get on a plane, fly into LAX, and get asked "How long do you want to stay?" as they stamped an entry VISA in her passport. No problem.

If she had been a Mexican citizen she would have had a 8 - 12 month process to go thru during which she would have been treated like shit, insulted, asked to prove all kinds of things about herself, and MAYBE been issued a VISA at the end of it - or more likely not.

All because she is from a different country of origin. Personally I don't think that is right. Would you like it if Mexico treated YOU like that?

"You want to visit our young pussy in Mexico, we need to interview your wife, your children, and your boss."

Curious, you mentioned a "laser visa" and Batster mentioned a "10 year large visa", which my amiga has. Two different things? What hoops do Mexicans have to jump through to get a laser visa vice large visa?? Just trying to gain some insight into my travelling buddy.

TIA,

Ldvee

I call it a 10 year "large" visa for lack of better terminology. It is just a great big card. About 3-4 times bigger than the Laser Visa. My understanding is that they use these big ass visas unitl they expire, at which time they convert over to Laser Visas. If she has a curent visa, and has had no problems, I doubt she will have any problem getting the laser visa.

I've been doing some reading on the consulate and state department websites. Apparently the Border Crossing Card has been replaced with the Laser Visa. To obtain a new issue Laser Visa, the applicant has to qualifiy for a B1/B2 Visitors Visa.

The trick seems to be that they would have to have some compelling evidence that would convince the INS weenie handling the petition that they would return to Mexico and not stay in the US. Owning property and/or ongoing employment are examples.

Most bar girls started young and work under the table. This gives them no employment history unfortunately.

Until recently there were additional types of VISAs available depending upon what you wanted to do and where you wanted to go.

There was something called the Border Crossing Card (BCC), which was a limited travel VISA. It was designed to allow border area residents to cross into the U.S. legally for shopping and such in a limited area near the border. Each trip into the U.S. was limited as to time, as well. (I believe 24 hours, but I am not sure.) A passport was not required.

It was easier to qualify for a BCC than for a tourist VISA, which would allow travel anywhere in the U.S., typically for up to six months per trip.

It's kind of like when we go into Mexico - we don't need any VISA as long as we stay within the area near the border, and do not stay for longer than 72 hours per trip. If we exceed either of those we need a VISA - usually called a tourist card - issued by Mexican immigration.

The BCC is no longer available, and they all expired a year or two ago.

Now they issue a small scannable card that has become known as a laser VISA. It isn't really a direct replacement for the BCC, since it is issued based on the same criteria they use to issue a B2 VISA.

The B2 VISA (a "normal" travel VISA) requires that you go thru all the BS to prove ties to Mexico, starting with having a passport. Basically you have to convince the U.S. Consular officials that you intend to return to Mexico, that you can afford the trip you are planning, and that you are a fine upstanding citizen of Mexico.

The real problem, as I see it, is that the U. S. Consular officials have a HUGE amount of latitude in deciding who qualifies and who does not. And, they are faced daily with a huge amount of BS, so they tend to get very cynical, and that shows in how they deal with Mexicans applying for a VISA.

At this point I do not know of an easy way to bring someone over for a short visit, other than getting her a B2 VISA, or giving her a ride in your trunk.

(BTW, that last was a JOKE. DO NOT TRY THIS. It ain't worth the risk! There are scanners that will detect body heat even inside a car trunk. However, according to ABC News, the scanners Customs uses to detect radioactive materials are only good if they get within three feet of the radioactive material, assuming it is shielded well enough so that the courier doesn't get fried.)

Even if you have a "Laser Visa" you still have to stop and get a paper B1/B2 permit to go any further than San Clemente or Temecula. It costs $6.00 and is good for 6 months. If you enter the states by plane they issue a B1/B2 but it is stamped in your passport. Supposedly if immigration snags you further north without the additional permit they can cancel your visa.

I dont know why you have to get an additional permit, because right on the front of the Laser Visa is the inscription USA B1/B2 VISA/BCC. On the back it says B1/B2 VISA AND BORDER CROSSING CARD.

The old style " very large" visas are still accepted up until their expiration date. My girls expires in 2004 at which point she has to trade for a "Laser Visa". There was a lot of conversation about wether only the laser visa would be accepted or if they would continue to honor 10 year visas. But she just got her SENTRI permit using the old visa.

Curios is right about Consular officers having the last say on who gets a visa. The single most important factor in getting the Visa is showing that you have a stable job and a sound economic situation.

whats the best option if your girl is already in the US? Is fiance visa still the best option? What is INS going to say about her being here?

She cannot get a fiance visa while in the U.S

Mark:

Is she here legally or not?

If not, then there isn't much you can do. The assumption is that a foreign citizen would never break the law and actually already BE here - after all, that makes her a criminal. And we certainly don't want to allow criminals to live, work, and get married in the good old U.S. of A., now do we?

Her only real chance to stay legally is if she fits into some kind of amnesty program.

Or, get her a good quality fake ID, marry her, and wait until she gets caught, then go thru the process to get her a fiancee VISA (under her real name, of course) while she is in Mexico.

Can I just fake it and pretend she is in mex and have all the documents sent to her moms house? I dont want to wait until she caught, or get BS papers. What would INS suggest in this situation? For her to go back to Mexico?

You cannot get a fiance visa when you are already married to her ! LOL She has to go to her appointments in mexico.

I was suggesting he marry her under a fake name. You don't want her to get caught and deported under her real name, since that will adversly affect her getting a VISA later on.

Not the best solution, but....

Yes, technically she would have to go back to Mexico. Then she could apply for the fiancee and in 8-12 months if all goes well she could come to the U.S.A. and you could get married.

Markzzz, sounds like it would be easier the hard way.

Markzzz, you still haven't answered the question as to whether she's in the U.S. legally at the present time.

In either event, if you are really determined to marry her and keep her in the U.S. while she's trying to get her green card, you need to see a good immigration lawyer (not some internet shyster).

Your situation is atypical - everything depends on the facts. There may be a way to do it or there may not be, but only a good lawyer with all the facts can advise you properly.

TG

yes she is here, and I dont want her to have to go to mex. I guess I'll talk to a lawyer

I've been around the block and back on this topic.
es no facil amigos.
Even the marrage option dosn't work if you have snuck her over. The US had cracked down hard on visiter visas.

She needs to own a house, worked at the same place for at least two years & never been arrested.

The fiance visa takes four months and is issued in TJ. Also there is a good chance she will be denied if she had a health card in the last ten years. I have been asked a lot of questions about how I met her from the layers I have inquired.

I am being told now the U.S deports first and asks questions later if she doesn't have her visa.

Bottom line is: She has to return to MX to get the paperwork right.

People on this side think it's easy.....Not So

Markzzz,

Mana is right. She will have to travel to DF to the consulate to get a visa...no choice there. Unfortunately, even having all the necessary paperwork and qualifications she can still be denied for no other reason than because.

In 1992, I met a girl working while working in the interior of Mexico. She was working for a company I was doing business with and basically I requested that I needed some technical assistance (there are laws surrounding this issue but still easy to manuever around) that only she could provide. After a few official letters here and there her visa was granted without any problems. She would go back and forth to visit her parents and occassionaly renew her visa, which I believe was valid for six months.

A couple years later we eventually married and while I did have to pay a fine (I have heard that fine is around $1,000 now) to the INS when submitting her resident papers. She did not have to go back to Mexico while her paperwork was under review and everything turned out OK (except for the typical INS bullshit and ineptitude that everyone has to put up with).

Immigration laws are constantly changing and if your situation will allow you to do something similar to my situation. You may want to consult an immigration lawyer here in the US, either that or pay a coyote. I know someone who just brought someone across (walking through line at the border with paperwork) and it cost him $2,100.

Yikes, it's gone up.

Unless she got a VISA of her own to keep.

If that was just to get her across, I guess 9/11 has had an effect on prices.

Just to clarify - you married while she was already IN the US legally, right?

Yeah, since 9/11 the price to cross illegally has got up due to the increased scrutiny on the border.

At the time that we were married she was technically here illegally since her VISA did expire. We were thinking about going back into Mexico to get married, but the processes to get married there made it much more difficult. We eventually did get married again in Mexico for her family and to baptize our daughter.

Just thinking about it I have a friend whose met a girl in TJ. He eventually got his fiance a VISA to get married here in the United States. I am not sure the entire process, but I remember that it did not take that long...maybe a year?

I can tell you have been thru the VISA process.

Guys, you can tell cause of what he said: I have a friend who ... got his fiance a VISA... I remember that it did not take that long...maybe a year?

Maybe a year.

Taking even longer nowdays, I understand.

Hey that's nothing...you should have seen what it took my wife! After submitting the paperwork and waiting 18 months, it took us 3 months and 2 status inquires for them to tell us that they lost her fingerprints! Then having another 6 months and another 15 status inquiry they tell us that they lost my financial records and I have to resubmit them. Now, you would think that you would get priority, No Fuckin Way!
Man, I've got tons of horror stories and how people have gotten fucked by the INS.

There are only 2 requirements to get a job at the INS.

1.) You completely apethetic about everything in life and,
2.) You are a complete and absolute moron.

Thank God she is finally a US citizen and I never have to deal with this fucking government agency again!

Well, this topic hasn't had heat or light for a while, so I'll stir the coals a bit:

Brazilian chica, in the US "illegally". I don't know if that means "I snuck in" or if it means "I came in okay but my visa expired."

I understand that the fiance visa takes about a year.

I'm unclear what the story is vis-a-vis requesting a status change on an expired visa.

The desired outcome is marriage to a US citizen with minimal TIME spent outside the US. Money isn't quite "no object", but it's less important than time.

What sort of rehabilitation/visa conversion/status change/paperwork options does she have? What's the "best way" to get things fixed up.

(For purposes of this discussion, assume that all the "must have met within 2 years" requirements are met, and that both parties can prove eligibility to marry.)

Dem Curious Gnomes

gnome
Whether she is here legally or illegally makes no difference. You cannot change a visa from visitor to fiancee here. She has to go back and you have to file papers with INS here to be processed in American Embassy in Brazil. They have to do background check and certify she is eligible to come to US all over again. There is no way around this. If you marry her here it could it could be even worse. It is harder to get a visa for a spouse than fiancee and she would still have to go back to Brazil to wait there.
That is what an immigration lawyer advised me when I asked about a Thai girl I lived with for 2 years here in LA. She had overstayed her visa also.

KM,

What did you wind up doing?

DG

I dumped her so that is not helpful to your situation ,sorry. The Immigration laws are ridiculous and complex. I would suggest at least a consultation with an immigration lawyer to go over specifics of your situation and get detailed reliable advice.

It is so easy for the hundreds of thousands of illegal mexicans to come here and never get booted out but it is so tough to get our foreign girlfriends to come here even for a visit... sigh.

Yes, girl friend or wife. I married a Philipina in 1995 and it 9 months to get her over here, now it takes even longer. Illegals have more rights the wives or girlfrends of American Citizens. That's the gov. for you.

Dick, you are just so wrong.

It's okay for millions of illegal Mexicans to come here and never get booted, not hundreds of thousands.

KM,

I'm heading in that direction, but I've noticed that a few of the "advice" columns posted supposedly by "immigration lawyers" on the net have been contradictory.

I was hoping that one or more hombres had been through this, or knew someone who had.

(After all, this is about illegal foreign pussy, and what group is more interested in IFP than this one?)

Dem Disappointed Gnomes

You might try going to a Immigration office near you and asking them, they are more than happy to help you out. Pick up the papers for a fiance visa while your there , depending on where you live in US will depend on how long it takes to process the visa. The northeast is the fastest from what i understand, in less than 2 months and 1 month is not impossible.

If she's extended her visit in the US without permission, she's subject to a ban of 3 - 10 years, depending on her overstay, which is why is would be a bad thing for her to leave without talking to an attorney first. If she were to be in her own country, then you'd need a finace visa to get things started. That's not the case when she's already here, which is why a *good* attorney is needed.

Definately consult an immigration attoryey that is an American Immigration Lawyers Association member (AILA). These attorneys are generally a cut above the average (on average). If you're in the LA area, PM me and I can give you a couple of names to call.

RJ

Fooled again
You would think you would get good advice from INS don't you. Nothing could be further from the truth. While I was going thru the fiancee visa process, again when I filed to bring her daughter here, and yet again when trying to get daughter naturalized , I spent hours on hold for phone advice and hours in line at INS in downtown LA trying to get answers to my questions. I made the mistake of not using a lawyer to do all this for me. I got frequent wrong advice on which forms to use and what paprework was needed. Over 50% of the time when I did what they told me to do , I would get everything returned stating I had done it wrong or used wrong form. They are incompetent idiots who do not care if they help you or not-- just want to move on to next in line and get day over with.