BajaNomad

US Consulate Otay

Riom - 11-27-2011 at 08:08 PM

Has anybody been to the new US Consulate at Otay?

This is the new building at Paseo de Las Culturas in an industrial park in Otay just southeast of the airport, not the old one near the racetrack. I have to go there later this week.

My main question is about parking. As it's in an industrial zone, is parking on the street, do they have their own lot (maybe not, for security), or is there some other arrangement such as a private lot nearby?

Neither the building (nor the road, even) appear on Google or Bing yet, it's too new, so if anybody does have some exact directions that would be helpful. I can see on the website it's somewhere to the west of the northbound Camino al Aeropuerto, but there's no detail, such as which turning to take into the park. Thanks!

Rob

Hi Riom

Gypsy Jan - 11-27-2011 at 08:22 PM

As far as I can tell, there is no new U.S. Consulate in Otay: http://tijuana.usconsulate.gov/

DENNIS - 11-27-2011 at 08:28 PM

Jan....Here's Rob's link:

http://tijuana.usconsulate.gov/ncc.html

Riom - 11-27-2011 at 08:54 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Gypsy Jan
As far as I can tell, there is no new U.S. Consulate in Otay: http://tijuana.usconsulate.gov/


On the right hand side of that page, see the link labelled "New US Consulate TJ" - "U.S. Consulate General Tijuana is moving" :-) They moved last July.

The purpose of the move was to supposed to be to centralise everything in one place (actually, it was to build a bomb-proof fortress).

With typical government logic though, now it's centralised, half of the visa process has to be done at a totally different office ten miles away on Agua Caliente, the day before (I know how to get to and park at that one OK, but I've no idea what's available at the new fortress).

Rob

[Edited on 2011-11-28 by Riom]

zoesterone - 11-28-2011 at 07:28 AM

This would also be the place to get a passport card, right? Great that there will be a ready lane opening soon for the San Ysidro crossing.

DENNIS - 11-28-2011 at 08:48 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by zoesterone
This would also be the place to get a passport card, right?


Doesn't sound right. It's not a passport agency, per se, however there is one in Chula Vista.

Woooosh - 11-28-2011 at 10:22 AM

The location in Otay Mesa is very isolated from the other buildings. It stands alone on acres of grounds. Since there are no other buildings around it, it would seem logical there is mucho parking at the facility gates. It looks like a prison- you can't miss it.

zoesterone - 11-28-2011 at 12:17 PM

I copied this from a Baja Nomad post a bit ago:

"We live in Mexico and made our application to the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana. $15.00 U.S. per person. We did not surrender our passports, the consulate expedited our app and we pickd them up in three days. The consulate notifed us by mail. The U.S. Consulate in TJ wants to expand their outreach and create a better persence in the expat community and they hold regular seminars in Tj and Rosarito."

So, since it has moved, would assume this still holds true.

DENNIS - 11-28-2011 at 01:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by zoesterone
"We live in Mexico and made our application to the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana. $15.00 U.S. per person. We did not surrender our passports, the consulate expedited our app and we pickd them up in three days.


Application for what? I've renewed my passport many times, having obtained my first in 1958, and each time I had to surrender my expired booklet in the process.
Not to mention, the fee is a lot higher than 15 bucks.....especially for expedited service.

Soooo...I think you're making some questionable assumptions or accepting questionable advice.

wessongroup - 11-28-2011 at 01:32 PM

We renewed our passports while in Mexico .. we drove into TJ from south of Rosarito a piece.. went in and started the process, we had an appointment ... cost $75 dollars per person (plus parking) ... we left and came back after a week or so, they gave us a date to return and received our "new passports" ... just looked at quicken ... 5/10/10 ..

I think they took our passports, but, we had our FM2's plus SENTRI ... so I wasn't too worried about not having it for a while ...

zoesterone - 11-28-2011 at 02:13 PM

The quote I posted was from a Baja Nomad post within the last two months and was for PASSPORT CARDS...not passports. Can't think why anyone would pass out erroneous information about something so benign. I wish I had saved the name of the person who posted, but I only copied it out and saved it for future (as in NOW) reference.

Riom - 11-28-2011 at 07:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Woooosh
The location in Otay Mesa is very isolated from the other buildings. It stands alone on acres of grounds. Since there are no other buildings around it, it would seem logical there is mucho parking at the facility gates. It looks like a prison- you can't miss it.


Found it now on Google street view (under construction):
http://g.co/maps/y3gks

And satellite view (just footings, but it makes it clear which future road it's off):
http://g.co/maps/e7pcz

Certainly looks like it should have it's own parking, or at least there's an empty street outside. Thanks, as you say it'll be hard to miss.

Passport Card info

bajaguy - 11-28-2011 at 08:59 PM

http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppt_card/ppt_card_3926.html

First time applicant (no current US Passport)- $55 for 10 years

Previous (current) passport holder - $30 for 10 years

Minors (under 16) - $40 valid for 5 years