I am traveling to Krasnoyarsk, Russia in late October to marry my Russian fiancee. I know a tourist visa is only good for 30 days...not nearly long enough. Also, I would like to stay in Russia after we marry and do a DCF visa for her to come to the USA with me. I have been told by the US Embassy that I can file the 130 at the embassy in Moscow.

I talked with a passport & visa company and they said that I can get a "business visa" for 90 days without any trouble. But I wonder if it is trouble to go to Russia on a business visa...when, in reality, it is to get married? And US-Russian relations are not so great right now. I don't want to visit a Gulag!

Also, is 90 days long enough to get married AND get her I-130 processed? I have heard DCF takes a lot less time than a fiancee visa or a K-3 through the USCIS offices stateside. Is this true? My fiancee has talked with the people at the local Palace of Marriage and they said we could get married in 10 days...not 30.

A final question: After I get married in Russia, will my visitor status change so I can stay in Russia longer as a spouse to a Russian citizen?

Any thoughts or experiences on how best to stay in Russia for longer than 30 days is appreciated!

PS: I know many folks will say i should just go the I-129F route, but I prefer marrying her in Russia.

There now might be a minimum residency requirement of 6 mos. before the consulate will accept a DCF I-130. If true then none of your scenarios would appear to work for that route.

Get a one year business visa before you go, they are not hard to get but you must get a HIV test; I had one and never had any problems-except the normal problems you have in Russia. I was all over Russia, including Siberia. Getting married will not be a major problem but will not change anything concerning your visa; your visitor status will not change. BTW, get a one year visa before going to Russia because they will not grant a one year visa while you are within the borders of Russia; you must leave Russia to get the one year visa. If you decide to stay over a year, you must leave Russia to get another one year visa.

Registration of your status will be another problem; it will depend on your local agency if they allow you to stay past 90 days; the fact you have a one year visa does not matter; they can limit you to 90 days for your registration; but again that is not a problem, just leave the area, register in a new area and then return for a new registration in the area that would not allow over 90 day registration.

The State Department's website states the following regarding filing an I-130 from inside Russia (DCF):

St. Petersburg U.S. Embassy Site: you must reside in Russia for SIX MONTHS in order to file a immigrant visa petition.

http://stpetersburg.usconsulate.gov/visas_petitions.htm


Vladivostok U.S. Embassy Site: SIX MONTHS also.

http://vladivostok.usconsulate.gov/wwwhacspetition.html


I don't know how you can find a way to remain in Russia temporarily for at least 6 months--that is, without an emloyment or other basis for being there. I'm not sure I would want to interview at a consulate if there's a chance they will believe I'm claiming residency to "beat" the slower processing times in the States.

You also should try posting in the Russia (regional) forum. Lots of feedback from members who travel to Russia.

we just got a reply-email from the embassy in frankfurt, germany that they just now start to enforce the 6-months rule of residency. apparently many couples used the more-relaxed-embassies as loop-holes for DCF instead of K3, and they are closing these holes now.

i don't know abt russia, but in germany they got really serious abt it within 4 weeks.

Directive from SOS to institute the 6 mos. minimum was about March time frame.... Many if not most consulates have been serious since that time.....

It's probably clear to you from other answers that staying in Russia longer can be arranged but DCF will not be your fastest option of being reunited in the US. You can file for the same visa from Russia by mailing the petition to the US Service Center from inside Russia.

Hey man - I don't know about a lot of what you are asking, other than to say that getting married there isn't hard to do. I thnk you need to be there a few weeks beween getting the license and then actually having the ceremony.

I would like to say though, best of luck to you - I too have fallen for a lovely Russian lady, my heart beats fast just thinking about it.

Seriously - best wishes

Yep, it will almost definitely work out faster in the end to file from Russia to your relevant US service center instead of waiting to be eligble for DCF. However, it does mean a bit of separation, so if your main reason to want to do DCF is just to not be separated, it's still the way to go if you can get a visa that allows you to be in Russia for at least a year and then you wouldn't have much time to wait in the US alone.

I am aware of the posted rules about 6 mo residency requirements...so I contacted the Moscow US Embassy and they said I could file the I-130 despite not meeting the 6 mo residency requirement. I did have some reasons for the exemption as I am retired military and also a disabled veteran...but I am not certain exactly why they granted the exemption. I heard from them on August 1, and I think nothing has changed since then concerning residency rules. I hope not!

So, I think direct filing with the consulate should be much faster than going through the USCIS in the states. Yes?

My initial reaction to your original post was that your filing was possible (exclusive of residency requirement) only because Moscow also has a USCIS satellite operation. However, when the poster from Germany spoke up that Frankfurt (also having a USCIS satellite office) cracked down on the residency issue in the last few weeks would make me very wary of what you were told by Moscow almost 6 weeks or so ago.

I hear you. But I have an email statement that they would except my I-130, so I think they will honor it unless they are willing to hold up some legalistic statement from HLS that allows them to withdraw their promise. I have sent them another email so I hope to get assurance that they will honor their earlier statement.

Don't expect them to honor it if Condi said "NO MORE" !!!!!