Between fingerprints and waiting: the new face of the visa process for Mexicans.
Since the calendar marked the last day of May, something has changed in the already complex ritual of applying for a visa to enter the United States. For thousands of Mexicans, the process—already rigorous, meticulous, and stressful—now has a new twist: the mandatory separation between biometric registration and the consular interview. No more getting everything done in a single day. No more crossing cities in the hope of returning home with the process complete.
The US Embassy in Mexico was clear in its announcement: anyone wishing to apply for a non-immigrant visa must first go to the Applicant Service Center (CAS) at least 48 hours before the consular interview. The measure, announced on its official Instagram account, aims to “streamline and improve the flow of service.” In other words: more order, less chaos. But also more time, more expense, more logistics.
For those who live in states far from the cities where the CAS is located, the news has meant a double trip. Hotels, transportation, days off from work. “It's going to cost us twice as much. It's not just the visa anymore, it's everything that goes with it,” says Ana Gabriela, a teacher from Sinaloa who plans to visit her son in Houston. “You already have your savings counted, and suddenly they change the rules.”
The new procedure has forced the rescheduling of previously booked appointments. Applicants who had already scheduled both steps for the same day are receiving emails with new dates to go to the CAS. If you have not received this email, the recommendation is clear: contact the Visa Service Center as soon as possible through the official website. Now more than ever, it is crucial to have up-to-date contact information so as not to lose track of a process that can take months.
The requirements remain the same: a passport valid for at least six months beyond the estimated date of entry into the US, a completed DS-160 form, and a printed appointment confirmation. At the CAS, biometric data—fingerprints and photographs—are collected, which are considered an essential filter to guarantee the applicant's identity.
The cost has also increased. By 2025, the tourist or business visa (B1/B2) will cost $185, just over $3,500 Mexican pesos at the current exchange rate. Other specialized visas—such as H, L, O, P, Q, and R—have fees of $205, or about 3,935 pesos.
These are not small amounts in a country where the minimum wage is around 250 pesos per day. Amidst all this, some wonder if this new model is not also a veiled way of indirectly restricting the flow of applicants. The hardening of the immigration discourse in the United States—especially after the latest border clashes and media coverage—has created a climate of greater scrutiny. Although the embassy insists that the measure is technical and administrative, ordinary citizens feel it is yet another filter for a dream that was already difficult to achieve.
Social media has been flooded with questions, complaints, and warnings about fake or confusing emails. The authorities recommend verifying that any message comes from the official address
The border is not only geographical. Sometimes, it begins with a form and a photograph taken in silence, amid cold lights, fingerprints, and endless waits.
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