Important Notice
May 6, 2008
Petition-based visas (H, L, O, P categories)

Consular officers may no longer accept Form I-797 as sufficient evidence for visa adjudication.  Petition approval and visa eligibility must be confirmed in the Department of State's Petition Information Management Service (PIMS) database.  PIMS verification takes on average 24-48 hours to complete.  A visa will not be authorized in the interim. 

Beginning in early April, the Visa Appointment Service began requesting the approved I-129 petition receipt number at the time the applicant schedules his/her appointment.  If you scheduled an appointment at the U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana previously, we recommend that you fax a copy of your approved I-797 to the NIV section at least 72 hours prior to your interview date (fax: +52-664-634-3069). Please include the date and time of your appointment, as well as the confirmation number given to you by the appointment call center.  Consular staff will determine whether your petition is registered in PIMS, and if it is not, will request that the petition be verified and added to the database.  Please note that we are able to verify petitions in PIMS only for individuals applying at the U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana.  If you have scheduled an appointment at a different U.S. consulate or embassy, please contact NIV staff there directly with any questions you have regarding processing your petition-based visa.

While the Visa section endeavors to provide the most expeditious service possible, please bear in mind that there is no guarantee of same-day service.  Visa processing can often take days, sometimes longer.  We strongly encourage applicants residing outside Tijuana to plan their trip accordingly.