墨西哥签证

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这篇Wiki讨论的是如何在墨西哥申请美国签证

进入墨西哥

中国护照进入墨西哥需要签证,除非持有:申根地区、英国、美国、加拿大、日本的签证或永居,则可进入墨西哥不超过180天。这里只需要签证即可,不需要你真的能进入那些国家。举例就是,你有有效的美国F1签证,但没有I-20,一样可以进入墨西哥,他们只看你的F1签证,不管I-20。

如同美国的I-94一样,墨西哥入境时发放FMM卡。1-7天的FMM卡免费,7-180天的收费约~US$30。

  • 坐飞机入境的,飞机票已经包含FMM费用,所以基本都是给180天
  • 步行入境的,根据情况选择免费的7天卡,或者交费拿180天的。边境人员有时候嫌麻烦,不给卡让你直接进。但除非你待在边境城市不坐任何墨西哥交通工具,否则一定要坚持拿FMM卡。如果你从边境去内陆,没有FMM卡,可能会被当作非法移民处理

填写DS-160

墨西哥的DS-160是不上传照片的,需要到ASC (Application Service Centers) 采集。

DS-160提交以前,每次修改后,有效期30天。提交后无法修改,数据永久有效。

DS-160城市

DS-160上的城市不重要,换城市也不需要重填。参见国务院官网的DS-160 FAQ https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/forms/ds-160-online-nonimmigrant-visa-application/ds-160-faqs.html

What happens to my DS-160 if I select a U.S. Embassy or Consulate where I will be applying for my visa, but end up making an interview appointment instead at another U.S. Embassy or Consulate?

The Embassy or Consulate at which you actually apply should be able to access your form using the barcode on your DS-160 confirmation page, which you must bring to the visa interview. For example, a business traveler intends to apply for his visa at the U.S. Embassy in City X, so he selects City X as the location where he will submit his application when he completes his DS-160. He then has an urgent reason to travel to City Y on business. Because there is a U.S. Consulate in City Y, he schedules an appointment for a visa interview there, using the barcode from his completed DS-160 application for appointment scheduling. The U.S. Consulate in City Y is able to accept his DS-160 even though it lists the U.S. Embassy in City X as the location where he originally intended to submit his application.

修改DS-160信息

如果是不重要的信息,比如 intended travel dates,不需要修改。

如果是重要信息,比如换了学校,有三个选择

  • 重新填DS-160,不改预约,然后在ASC拍照的时候让工作人员换DS-160
  • 重新填DS-160,取消预约,然后重新约(不需要重新缴费)
  • 在面试的时候把新信息告诉面试官,面试官手工帮你修改

ASC

ASC因为不是使领馆,所以安保没有使领馆那么严格,部分ASC允许带手机进入(需关机)。具体ASC规定可以参考网上的数据点,不是每个ASC都一样的(比如蒂华纳的ASC比较严)

签证被撤销

根据联邦法规 § 41.122 Revocation of visas.

(b) Provisional revocation

(2) Pending visa eligibility determination. A consular officer, the Secretary, or any Department official to whom the Secretary has delegated this authority may provisionally revoke a nonimmigrant visa while considering information related to whether a visa holder is eligible for the visa.

即,领事官员在考虑是否能够给你X类签证的同时,有权撤销你目前的同类签证。实际操作中,撤销有两种方法:

  • 在电脑系统,即 Consular Lookout and Support System (CLASS) 里撤销
  • 在签证上盖撤销章

如果是前者,个人无法立刻知晓,只有到了海关才知道。后者是很明显的被盖章了。

有些面试官也会比较通情达理的告诉你,你的签证我不撤销,你可以回美国等结果。

SAO

如果签证需要Security Advisory Opinion (SAO),则需要等DOS/FBI进行背景调查,确认可以签发签证。这个流程在中文网络里又被称作check。

常见的SAO包括以下几种:

  • Visas Mantis 签证螳螂: 防止技术转移,包括敏感技术,以及军民两用技术。Visas Mantis里一半以上的审查对象都是中国人,中国俄罗斯一起则占了3/4
  • Visas Bear 签证熊: 外交、国际组织成员等
  • Visas Donkey 签证驴: 名字和恐怖分子相同
  • 以及各种动物...

SAO的触发条件一般是:

  • 申请人在CLASS系统里被标记需要SAO
  • 申请人曾经有过不良SAO结果
  • 申请人国家是已知的支持恐怖主义国家
  • 签证官认为申请人可以接触到 Technology Alert List (TAL) 列出的敏感技术

对于中国人常见的 Visas Mantis 背景调查,由 国务院 Department of State 和 联邦调查局 Federal Bureau of Investigation 共同处理。Visas Mantis获得的clearance有效期为1年,在签证上会标注 Clearance Received 或者 Department Authorization

如果在上次有效期内去重新签证,在其他情况不变的条件下,SAO可以复用。比如某人2000-01-01面试,面试官于2000-01-05申请Visas Mantis,2000-02-01获得clearance,签证上印clearance received 02-01-2000,则在2000-02-01之前,不改变学校/专业,或雇主/岗位的情况下,再次申请同类签证,可以重用clearance而不必再次申请SAO

面试后的单子

墨西哥面试以后给的纸的颜色很随意,不要纠结于颜色。看上面的字。

DS-160状态

Application Received:面试前的状态。如果刚面试,也可能是还没有在系统里更新。

Administrative Processing:签发签证以前的一些内部工作,或者等待你补充材料。

Issued:签证已经打印,贴到了你的护照上。

Refused:申请被拒(不代表没戏了,见下)

请注意,按照移民法,签证状态是二选一的,不是approve就是refuse,并不存在一个"check"或者"pending"的状态。DOS官网:There are only two possible outcomes for complete and executed U.S. visa applications: the consular officer will either issue or refuse the visa.

在某些情况下,当签证官认为你的材料不足以当场批复,但在进行行政审查或者SAO后可以批准,则会告诉你如何补充材料(或者无需补充材料,坐等SAO结果)。这种情况下,请按照签证官指示操作。当行政审查通过,或者SAO结果为可的情况下,可以推翻refusal,改为approval。如果签证官直接告诉你签证被拒,没有让你补充材料,也没有告诉你要进行行政审查、security clearance 或 background check等,那就是真的被拒了。

Automatic Visa Revalidation

非移民签证持有人,在短期(30天内)访问墨西哥或加拿大,可以持过期签证返美。这个法律条款就是 AVR, automatic visa revalidation。这个法规的意思就是,把你过期的签证当作有效签证使用,所以叫做visa revalidation。有些人可能会误以为这是”凭I-20入境“,这是不对的。

我们来看法规条款原文,22 CFR 41.112(d) Automatic extension of validity at ports of entry.

Provided that the requirements set out in paragraph (d)(2) of this section are fully met, the following provisions apply to nonimmigrant aliens seeking readmission at ports of entry:

The validity of an expired nonimmigrant visa issued under INA 101(a)(15) may be considered to be automatically extended to the date of application for readmission; and

(ii) In cases where the original nonimmigrant classification of an alien has been changed by DHS to another nonimmigrant classification, the validity of an expired or unexpired nonimmigrant visa may be considered to be automatically extended to the date of application for readmission, and the visa may be converted as necessary to that changed classification.

(2) The provisions in paragraph (d)(1) of this section are applicable only in the case of a nonimmigrant alien who:

(i) Is in possession of a Form I-94, Arrival-Departure Record, endorsed by DHS to show an unexpired period of initial admission or extension of stay, provided that in the case of a qualified F student or the accompanying spouse or child of such student, is in possession of a current Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status, issued by the school that the student has been authorized to attend by DHS and endorsed by the issuing school official to indicate the period of initial admission or extension of stay authorized by DHS, and provided that in the case of a qualified J exchange visitor or the accompanying spouse or child of such exchange visitor, is in possession of a current Form DS-2019, Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status (J-NONIMMIGRANT), issued and endorsed by the Department of State-designated sponsor of the exchange program, to indicate the period of initial admission authorized by DHS or the extension of stay authorized by the Department of State;

(ii) Is applying for readmission after an absence not exceeding 30 days solely in contiguous territory, or, in the case of a student or exchange visitor or accompanying spouse or child meeting the stipulations of paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section, after an absence not exceeding 30 days in contiguous territory or adjacent islands other than Cuba;

(iii) Has maintained and intends to resume nonimmigrant status;

(iv) Is applying for readmission within the authorized period of initial admission or extension of stay;

(v) Is in possession of a valid passport;

(vi) Does not require authorization for admission under INA 212(d)(3); and

(vii) Has not applied for a new visa while abroad.

(3) The provisions in paragraphs (d)(1) and (d)(2) of this section shall not apply to the nationals of countries identified as supporting terrorism in the Department's annual report to Congress entitled Patterns of Global Terrorism.

签证有效期

根据签证互惠(即两国给对方同类签证同等时间)以及各种双边单边的条约和规定,美国对于中国人的签证有效期在国务院官网 https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/China.html

目前的规定是

  • F1不超过60个月(5年)。绝大多数需要SAO的,只会拿到1年F1,但不排除给5年的情况
  • H1b不超过12个月(1年)。根据北美自由贸易协定,持有加拿大永久居民身份(枫叶卡),在美国驻加拿大使领馆申请H1b签证,适用加拿大的签证互惠条款,而不是中国的。所以,持中国护照 + 枫叶卡,在加拿大签H1b,是每次3年(不超过 I-797日期)