Wife Immigrating from Russia, Need Help

[Michael and Ganna 103]

WOW...you have some options here. File from abroad and it will save you some months in the process.....Or you could do a DCF in Moscow if you are going to be there a couple months

[CRBK92 0]

WOW...you have some options here. File from abroad and it will save you some months in the process.....Or you could do a DCF in Moscow if you are going to be there a couple months

Are you saying that to send it to Moscow will be quicker than sending it to Chicago when I am in the US? Why will it save some months in the process? If I file from abroad won't I need to go to Moscow for the interview with her?

And what is a DCF?

Edited December 20, 2016 by CRBK92

[Michael and Ganna 103]

Filing from abroad = sending your CR-1 package from Moscow to lockbox in Chicago

DCF = Direct consular filing......Look it up for Moscow

[CRBK92 0]

I am planning on leaving Russia soon, so sadly DCF will not be an option for us. Thank you for the information.

One more question: How would filing from abroad differ from filing in the United States?

Edited December 20, 2016 by CRBK92

[Mollie09 1,543]

I am planning on leaving Russia soon, so sadly DCF will not be an option for us. Thank you for the information.

One more question: How would filing from abroad differ from filing in the United States?

It's expedited, but you can't file if you're planning on leaving soon.

Edited December 20, 2016 by F1H1I130

[Roel 7,191]

One more question: How would filing from abroad differ from filing in the United States?

Filling I-130 from abroad? Its literally no different than filling from the USA.

Stop trying to expedite things when you have nothing to based that on.

Everyone have to wait. Its not the end of the world.

[A'n'L 735]

Filling I-130 from abroad? Its literally no different than filling from the USA.

Stop trying to expedite things when you have nothing to based that on.

Everyone have to wait. Its not the end of the world.

It's not a given, but we've seen repeatedly that i130 petitions sent to Chicago from the petitioner's foreign address usually goes through the USCIS stage somewhat faster than cases sent from a US address.

[Roel 7,191]

Seriously? Huh. If that's true then people would be sending their petitions from abroad all the time to speed it up.

[Mamed 18]

With the fee increase there will be a bigger number of petitions submitted to beat it so things will clog up a bit. Figure about a year, And no there is no way to speed it up. You just get in cue and wait like any other government office.

Aren't the fees increased to speed things up a little bit? USCIS been reported awfully slow for years. Read there was another increase years ago, and that didn't change anything. Hopefully something does change along with the fees increase.

[GabbyBird 53]

My wife and I had no issues with the Moscow embassy and I was never required to be there for any interviews. All of our issues came on the US side where they kept delaying and conveniently losing our information to the point the NVC even granted us an expedite because they screwed up so many times.

In the end took us about 10 months to accomplish back in 2013 and that was with me being heavily involved and a ton of phone calls.

Edited December 20, 2016 by GabbyBird

[A'n'L 735]

Seriously? Huh. If that's true then people would be sending their petitions from abroad all the time to speed it up.

Yes, seriously. However, most petitioners live in the US - so they don't have that option.

[kris&me 572]

Last 3 years income tax transcripts are required at the NVC stage of process / embassy only most recent year

take time to read the process for I 130 / it is on here or you can find it at USCIS website

it does help emotionally to be there for interview and they may ask if you are there

most embassies do not allow the petitioner into the interview

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Aren't the fees increased to speed things up a little bit? USCIS been reported awfully slow for years. Read there was another increase years ago, and that didn't change anything. Hopefully something does change along with the fees increase.

We actually are from that period and the fee increase caused a 3 month backlog from what was normal at that time.

[Michael and Ganna 103]

I am planning on leaving Russia soon, so sadly DCF will not be an option for us. Thank you for the information.

One more question: How would filing from abroad differ from filing in the United States?

There was somebody here last year.....The name was CharlieXXXXXXX......That couple did a Russian DCF in 14 days....

[CRBK92 0]

How do we send the documents for form i-130 (marriage agreement, apartment lease agreement, etc.)? Do we need to enumerate all our documents that we send? Should we send them in a folder?