Why isn't the K1 visa issued the same day @ embassy?

[melchieor 0]

I was just wondering why isn't the K1 visa issued the same day at the Moscow embassy? Isn't everything ready after the interview?

[SMR 368]

I was just wondering why isn't the K1 visa issued the same day at the Moscow embassy? Isn't everything ready after the interview?

Don't ask why. It's the government. Does anything take less than three times what it would take a normal person?

[mox 298]

They still have to process the paperwork, print the visa, and affix it to the passport. Once you see what the visa looks like, you'll understand why it takes a little time. If they were dealing with a small number of visas per day then yeah it might only be an hour or so. But they do a lot of volume every day. It's actually pretty impressive that they turn it around as quickly as they do.

[melchieor 0]

I see.. heh.. well whats in the processing of the paper work .. just data entry stuff ? The printing shouldn't take too long.. I guess it depends on what kind of printer they have

[LIFE'SJOURNEY 970]

They do finger print and name check with the FBI system also.... This is the very first time they get the SO finger print.

[bainbridge558 0]

I was just wondering why isn't the K1 visa issued the same day at the Moscow embassy? Isn't everything ready after the interview?

Wow Mel,

I was just noticing your timeline ....... It really is taking Moscow 2 1/2 months to schedule an interview after they receive the petition ?????

Damn ! Mine just arrived there today

[Bernie C 24]

Yes, there is more than meets the eye that occurs after the interview.

We were approved on December 15th 2009 and told to return a week later to pick up the visa and passport. When we returned we received a 221g to resubmit fingerprints (it was nothing of our doing, we later found out that when they sent the fingerprints to the US to be checked they were not readable).

So we ended up waiting two more weeks. Then after returning to the consulate and being told that the visa was printed, we had to wait another week for them to assemble the package.

Finally - almost a month later we were able to pick up the visa.

So there can be delays even after you get approved

It varies from consulate to consulate how long it takes. Some still do it in a few days, some take a week, and some have mandatory AP for weeks.

CRAZY

[SMR 368]

They still have to process the paperwork, print the visa, and affix it to the passport. Once you see what the visa looks like, you'll understand why it takes a little time. If they were dealing with a small number of visas per day then yeah it might only be an hour or so. But they do a lot of volume every day. It's actually pretty impressive that they turn it around as quickly as they do.

I disagree. Sure, the visa looks nice and it has quite a bit of security built into it. But either they have the technology set up and the capability to make the visas or they don't. We're essentially talking about printing stickers. All of the security is either incorporated into the blank sticker before it gets printed, or is printed on in the process.

I suppose if they are printing the stickers somewhere else, I could understand that there is a day of turnaround. But I would be surprised if that were the case since that would mean that the technology to print official US documents is located outside of the embassy and thus on foreign soil.

In terms of paperwork and volume, I think you're exaggerating. We're talking about a couple dozen a day. Affixing them to the passports is also not a matter of more than a couple hours for all 12.

But, if the visa process was evaluated in terms of reasonable customer service and a consideration of what is actually being done, it would take about 3 weeks, tops. It takes time because you can't go anywhere else and they don't really care if it inconveniences you.

[melchieor 0]

So you are saying the printing of the sticker is done in the US and sent along with the package over to the embassy and then they affix it to the passport.. so whats with all the extra stuff? I am guessing they run a criminal check .. thats why they need the finger prints and they have the police records. Shouldnt take them long right? Unless I am missing something else.

[mox 298]

So you are saying the printing of the sticker is done in the US and sent along with the package over to the embassy and then they affix it to the passport.. so whats with all the extra stuff? I am guessing they run a criminal check .. thats why they need the finger prints and they have the police records. Shouldnt take them long right? Unless I am missing something else.

No, the printing is done locally.

All kinds of variables are going to affect this process: staffing levels, bureaucratic process (who has to sign off on what), distribution of workload, etc. I get the impression that Moscow is one of the fastest, but even if they have it ready in a couple hours, they'd be wasting a lot of time handing them out. To me, from a resource management perspective, it just makes more sense for them to mail them out.

[Minya's wife 24]

I disagree. Sure, the visa looks nice and it has quite a bit of security built into it. But either they have the technology set up and the capability to make the visas or they don't. We're essentially talking about printing stickers. All of the security is either incorporated into the blank sticker before it gets printed, or is printed on in the process.

I suppose if they are printing the stickers somewhere else, I could understand that there is a day of turnaround. But I would be surprised if that were the case since that would mean that the technology to print official US documents is located outside of the embassy and thus on foreign soil.

In terms of paperwork and volume, I think you're exaggerating. We're talking about a couple dozen a day. Affixing them to the passports is also not a matter of more than a couple hours for all 12.

But, if the visa process was evaluated in terms of reasonable customer service and a consideration of what is actually being done, it would take about 3 weeks, tops. It takes time because you can't go anywhere else and they don't really care if it inconveniences you.

Its not just K-1s or IR/CR immigrant visas that are being issued and printed...non-immigrant visas are a printed "sticker" as well. I don't think Mox was exaggerating volume either. According to the DOS FY09 annual report, Moscow issued 115,807 non-immigrant and 3,883 immigrant visas during that time. Add those two numbers up...divide by roughly 250 work-days, and you get 478...a touch more than a 'couple of dozen'.

[baron555 934]

I was just wondering why isn't the K1 visa issued the same day at the Moscow embassy? Isn't everything ready after the interview?

The interviewing CO has to finish their paperwork, after you leave and submit that. Then they have to take the passport photo you provided at the interview and get that scanned in or whatever and affixed to the visa document and then print that document.

They do not have tons of clerks working down in the subterranean bowels and therefore are a few days behind the interviews.

After waiting for months, you can wait a few more days.

[melchieor 0]

After waiting for months, you can wait a few more days.

Yeah definitely!

[Cixelsyd 1]

2 weeks may be a sort of going standard for any embassy to print/affix any visa.

Every time I get a visa from the Russian embassy here, it takes them about a week and a half to 2 weeks before I can go get my passport.

[bklalaw 0]

2 weeks may be a sort of going standard for any embassy to print/affix any visa.

Every time I get a visa from the Russian embassy here, it takes them about a week and a half to 2 weeks before I can go get my passport.

I would be interested to hear from anyone else if the two weeks is an approximate time for them to affix and send out a K1 visa after successful interview. I was hoping that we could get the visa in hand within a week after interview..