I'm hoping to schedule for an earlier interview date so Polina can start school on time. Any thoughts? I called Moscow which was a waste of time and money.

We're also planning to be in Moscow for about a week (2 days for medical + 1 day interview + 3 days to wait for visa in hand). Is that about right? I guess this is reasonable though of course, we wish it would be faster. Has anyone gotten their visa in less then 3 days?

You can move your appointment back up to two times but they will never let you move it ahead. People used to get the visas in two days but three seems more common now.

You can do the medical in one day at MOM + DHL payment in one day and the interview on the other other day. Expect 2 to 3 days for the visa if you are picking it up. However, this plan doesn't always work because if you get a Monday interview, you'll have two wasted days on the weekend where you can't do the medical. Likewise I suspect a Friday or Thursday interview might also delay the embassy in processing the visa.

The other two clinics still seem to have weekend hours...

AO "MEDITCINA"
2nd Tverskoy-Yamskoy Pereulok, bld. 10, rm. 420
125047 Moscow, Russia
Metro: Mayakovskaya
Tel: (7-095) 250-9190, 250-9900, 250-9903
Fax: (7-095) 250-9180
Appointment Hours: Mon-Fri: 8:00-20:00; Sat-Sun: 9:00-15:00
Medical Examination for children under 15 years: $75
Medical Examination for applicants 15 years and older: $100

Filatov Clinic
Sadovaya-Kudrinskaya Street, 15
103001 Moscow, Russia
Tel: (7-095) 423-7780
Fax: (7-095) 423-7780 fax
Appointment Hours: 24 hours/7 day service available by appointment
Medical Examination for children under 15 years: $95
Medical Examination for applicants 15 years and older: $95

I stand partly corrected. You only lose one day, in such a case, because you still have to wait for the results the following day. I don't think Sunday medical results would be available prior to the 8:00 AM Monday interview. Limiting your days in Moscow are crucial if you are on a budget!

I don't think the budget is always that big a deal but if someone is staying around Moscow unnecessarily they are just wasting their time that they would rather be doing other things. Particulalry if your gal is there alone I would think she most often would want to get there, get done and get out.

Yeah, Elena was going to wait to pick up her visa rather than wait for it to be delivered. But instead she went back home after the interview. It saved some money and because of her Friday interview she really didn't want to stay in Moscow another 3 or 4 days...

I'd start saving the money you're using to call the embassy attempting to move up the interview for a good tutor that will catch Polina up once she arrives a few weeks later.

Almost no chance they'll move the interview up.

Good luck in trying though, who knows, education is pretty important!