*IMPORTANT NOTICE*

Most visitors to the United States must have a valid visa.  The visa application process includes: filling out an online application form, the payment of the visa application processing fee, scheduling enrollment and interview appointments, an enrollment appointment at the Applicant Service Center (ASC), and, if necessary, a personal interview at the Consulate.

While individual experience may differ based on factors including visa class, the steps below outline what one can expect in the standard visa application process.

Step 1: Complete the DS-160 Online Application Form
 
Nonimmigrant visa applicants, regardless of visa category, must complete the online application form DS-160 prior to making their enrollment and interview appointments through the Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC).  The DS-160 online application must be completed truthfully and in its entirety.

The online application form DS-160 is available at the website https://ceac.state.gov/genniv.

The form must be completed entirely in English before scheduling your enrollment and visa appointments.  Once the online application is completed and submitted, be sure to print the confirmation page, which will be required in order to schedule the enrollment and interview appointments.  Click here for a sample of how the confirmation page will appear on the computer screen once the DS-160 has been completed.

*IMPORTANT UPDATE*
The DS-160 must be written entirely in English.  A single Spanish language word anywhere on the form, with the exception of proper nouns, will result in the rejection of your application.  This may result in a substantial delay of both your enrollment and interview appointments. 

Step 2: Pay the Visa Application Processing Fee

Visa Processing Fees as of January 1, 2011

Applicants must pay a non-refundable and non-transferable visa application processing fee before scheduling their enrollment and interview appointments through one of the following four methods:

1. CSC's Visa Information Service website by credit card,
2. By telephone at 01-33-4624-0367, 01-33-4624-1978, or 01-44-9462-8591 with a credit card
3. At any Banamex branch or,
4. At any Scotiabank branch.  Applicants will need a visa application processing fee receipt number in order to schedule their appointments.  Applicants must also present this payment receipt on the day of their Consulate interview.

*IMPORTANT NOTICE*

Fee receipts issued by Banamex or Scotiabank must be original copies printed with the applicant’s passport number.  Duplicate copies of fee receipts will NOT be accepted.  Applicants without original receipts will have to reschedule their appointments and may have to pay the application fee a second time.  Applicants should insist on an original receipt from Banamex or Scotiabank when paying their fees. 

Note: For minors under the age of 15, please see the visa processing fee information in the Minors section.

 If you are not a Mexican citizen or are applying for a special visa, you can consult the Reciprocity by Country section of the Department of State's Travel.State.Gov site to learn if an additional visa reciprocity fee is necessary.  These fees apply to various categories of visas and differ by nationality.  Any applicable reciprocity fees may be paid at the Consulate in dollars, pesos or by a credit card at the time of your Consulate interview appointment.

Step 3: Schedule an ASC Enrollment Appointment & a Consulate Interview Appointment

Click here for Average Appointment & Processing Wait Times to learn how long one must wait for an appointment and how long one must wait to receive the visa after it has been approved.  Please be aware that the times given are averages, and that the processing time of a specific case can vary due to individual circumstances and special requirements. 

We recommend scheduling the appointments well in advance of your travel plans, keeping in mind appointment wait and visa delivery times. The visa section is closed on holidays and demand is higher during the months preceding Christmas, Easter and the summer travel season.

To make an appointment via internet please gather the applicant's full name and valid passport information, the DS-160 confirmation page code, the visa application processing fee receipt number, and click on CSC's Visa Information Service website.

To make an appointment via phone, please use the following numbers:

Within Mexico:

• 01-33-4624-0367 (Regular phone charges apply)
• 01-33-4624-1978 (Regular phone charges apply)
• 01-44-9462-8591 (Regular phone charges apply)

From the United States:

• 703-439-2310  (Regular phone charges apply)

Call Center Hours of Operation:

• Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm

• Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Upon calling, an appointments service operator will ask for your full name and valid passport information, the DS-160 confirmation page code, and the visa application processing fee receipt number.  The operator will ask a series of questions to determine if you requiere an ASC appointment only, or if a Consulate interview appointment must also be scheduled.  The operator will give you a time and date for your enrollment appointment at the ASC and, if necessary a time and date for your interview appointment at the Consulate.

Note about the Interview Waiver Program

If you are: a minor applicant under 7 years of age (who has not yet reached your 7th birthday at the time of application) and one of your parents has a valid visa; aged 80 or older renewing a visa that is current or has expired in the last 12 months; or are renewing a H-1B, L, O, R, I or TN visa, you may qualify for our Interview Waiver Program, saving you a trip to the Consulate.  Please see the Interview Waiver Program 

Step 4: Go to your Enrollment Appointment at the Applicant Service Center

The day of your enrollment interview at the Applicant Service Center, contractors will take your picture and collect your 10 fingerprints.  You will be expected to present: section for full details.

• Your DS-160 application confirmation page.

• Your original CSC, Banamex, or Scotiabank payment receipt.

• Your Mexican Passport, which should be valid until at least six months after the appointment. Your passport must have at least one blank page (without stamps) and be in a good condition in order to attach the visa. Otherwise, you will have to return with a new passport.

• Previous passports and visas, if they exist.

Applicants can expect to spend no longer than 30 minutes at the ASC.

Step 5: Go to your Interview Appointment at the Consulate

The interview will be brief but detailed.  A United States Consular Officer will conduct the interview.  You will be expected to present:

• Your DS-160 application confirmation page.

• Your original CSC, Banamex, or Scotiabank payment receipt.

• Your Mexican Passport, which should be valid until at least six months after the appointment. Your passport must have at least one blank page (without stamps) and be in a good condition in order to attach the visa. Otherwise, you will have to return with a new passport.

• Previous passports and visas, if they exist.

The focus of the visa interview is not your documents.  While supporting documentation is not a requirement, the Consular Officer may request to review it if there are questions about your application.  The documentation you submit should be original, and should detail your current employment, current financial status, personal situation, and/or the reason for your trip.  Your documents should support your statement that you fully intend to return to Mexico at the completion of your trip.

*IMPORTANT UPDATE*

Please arrive on time for your visa interview.  You will not be allowed to join the line outside the Consulate more than 30 minutes prior to the time of your appointment, so there is no advantage to arriving more than 30 minutes earlier.  A Consulate greeter will verify the time of your appointment before allowing you to join the line.  Once inside, you should expect at least 2 hours for the processing of your visa application.

Only individuals applying for a visa are allowed to enter the Consulate, with the exception of family members accompanying minors, the elderly, and handicapped applicants.

For reasons of security, please be advised that no food, drinks, or other prohibited items will be allowed into the Consulate.

Step 6: Retrieve your Passport and Visa from DHL

If your visa is approved, it will be delivered to a DHL facility of your choosing for secure retrieval.  We believe that this approach provides the greatest security for visa applicants.  Applicants will have the opportunity to choose their desired DHL location for passport/visa pick-up as part of the appointment scheduling process.