Embassy location has been changed

[odellmar 6]

Hello Members,

Congratulations! To all who have been approved. It good to see CSC getting the numbers up.

Okay to my question, Originally my petition was filed to have our interview at the Kiev, Ukraine embassy, which is 150 miles from Nadia. Just across the border from Gomel, Belaurs, Minsk, "Belarus does not do K1-visa's". It was changed by NVC I'm assuming to Warsaw, Poland. This puts a hardship on both Nadia and I. First it's 450 miles farther away, secondly Nadia would need to get a visa for a Poland visit. All in all add $500.00. My question is, Can I get it changed back to Kiev, and how do I go about this.

Thank you for any help and input, Ollie

[Laurka 65]

Perhaps call the US Embassy in Warsaw to inquire about that. Here are numbers for people calling from Belarus 8 820 0011 0261 or 703 988 7108. Tell your Fiancee to do it on Monday, because today is a national holiday in Poland and the Embassy is closed.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

It sounds like all Belarusian K-1s go through Warsaw. You generally don't get a choice in these matters. Have you contacted other members who are from Belarus?

From the US Embassy Belarus website:

All immigrant visas processing for residents of Belarus is done at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, Poland. For further information, contact Embassy Warsaw.

http://minsk.usembassy.gov/immigrant-visas.html

Edited May 3, 2013 by Harpa Timsah

[Laurka 65]

After having read your post as well as information on the Embassy website, I'm shocked and outraged! It's just ridiculous that in order to obtain a fiance visa to the United States Belarous citizens have to come to Warsaw and they need visas to enter Polad too!! Who came up with this idea?! As if mental and financial strain to deal with USCIS wasn't enough...

[odellmar 6]

Perhaps call the US Embassy in Warsaw to inquire about that. Here are numbers for people calling from Belarus 8 820 0011 0261 or 703 988 7108. Tell your Fiancee to do it on Monday, because today is a national holiday in Poland and the Embassy is closed.

Thank you for the number. I called one ending in 7101, but I think it was just a call center. Sounded like all those times calling CSC,,, LOL...

I will call on Monday, or should say Sunday night my time in Colorado. If we get stuck using Warsaw, It's really gonna suck big time. Neither Nadia or I have been to Poland before, and Nadia doesn't speak any Polish.

Ollie

[Laurka 65]

Does she speak English though? (I should expect she does ) Those numbers I gave are for people calling from Belarus. Calling from US could result in being charged highly.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

After having read your post as well as information on the Embassy website, I'm shocked and outraged! It's just ridiculous that in order to obtain a fiance visa to the United States Belarous citizens have to come to Warsaw and they need visas to enter Polad too!! Who came up with this idea?! As if mental and financial strain to deal with USCIS wasn't enough...

Not every embassy is equipped to deal with K-1 visas. A lot of people have to travel to another embassy. Iranian applicants go through Ankara, Turkey. Many African countries go through Kenya, I believe, and have to travel far there. Even within the same country, people have to travel far sometimes. Most Canadian applicants have to travel to Montreal, an Russian applicants to Moscow. There are good reasons for this... do you think the US should use more of their money to have year-round embassies in every city so that K-1 visa seekers, a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing, have slightly more convenience?

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

A quick search for Belarus consulate reviews on VJ shows quite clearly that all Belarusian applicants go through Poland. http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?cnty=Belarus&page=2&dfilter=5&topic=

This is something easily anticipatable.

[odellmar 6]

Not every embassy is equipped to deal with K-1 visas. A lot of people have to travel to another embassy. Iranian applicants go through Ankara, Turkey. Many African countries go through Kenya, I believe, and have to travel far there. Even within the same country, people have to travel far sometimes. Most Canadian applicants have to travel to Montreal, an Russian applicants to Moscow. There are good reasons for this... do you think the US should use more of their money to have year-round embassies in every city so that K-1 visa seekers, a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing, have slightly more convenience?

Wow! Sorry, By the looks of your Timeline. I don't think you quite understand how difficult this process is or can be, traveling to such foreign lands. We all have our opinions, I was asking for constructive help in the situation, Not condescending ridicule....

Ollie

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Wow! Sorry, By the looks of your Timeline. I don't think you quite understand how difficult this process is or can be, traveling to such foreign lands. We all have our opinions, I was asking for constructive help in the situation, Not condescending ridicule....

Ollie

I am not ridiculing you or being condescending. I was in fact responding to the other person. I am sorry if you think it was directed at you.

You know nothing about me, and I know nothing about you, and I don't pretend to know anything about you.

I am just saying that this is the way it is, and you can't change it. You can anticipate it, though.

The visa and immigration process is sucky in a lot of ways, but you can't change it. Other people have it worse. Do you know that some people people who AOS in Alaska have to take expensive plane rides just to take fingerprints? And you have to take fingerprints many times in the overall process?

The immigration process is also very expensive. Did you know you have to pay $1070 once your fiance arrives to the US, and then another $590 two years later? You might have to get a new medical too ($200) and pay for travel expenses. It is not for the faint of heart.

I hear you, that it sucks, but personally I think learning about it and anticipating the sucky parts helps a person cope and accept how it is.

You can write letters to people and try to get the system changed, but most people don't care once they get their visa.

You're not going to get to change the embassy to Ukraine.

Best of luck to you.

[odellmar 6]

I am not ridiculing you or being condescending. I was in fact responding to the other person. I am sorry if you think it was directed at you.

You know nothing about me, and I know nothing about you, and I don't pretend to know anything about you.

I am just saying that this is the way it is, and you can't change it. You can anticipate it, though.

The visa and immigration process is sucky in a lot of ways, but you can't change it. Other people have it worse. Do you know that some people people who AOS in Alaska have to take expensive plane rides just to take fingerprints? And you have to take fingerprints many times in the overall process?

The immigration process is also very expensive. Did you know you have to pay $1070 once your fiance arrives to the US, and then another $590 two years later? You might have to get a new medical too ($200) and pay for travel expenses. It is not for the faint of heart.

I hear you, that it sucks, but personally I think learning about it and anticipating the sucky parts helps a person cope and accept how it is.

You can write letters to people and try to get the system changed, but most people don't care once they get their visa.

You're not going to get to change the embassy to Ukraine.

Best of luck to you.

I refuse to remain complacent, The mouse in the wheel is not me,,,, Change only comes from placing the Hot Poker in the correct region.

Ollie

[Laurka 65]

Not every embassy is equipped to deal with K-1 visas. A lot of people have to travel to another embassy. Iranian applicants go through Ankara, Turkey. Many African countries go through Kenya, I believe, and have to travel far there. Even within the same country, people have to travel far sometimes. Most Canadian applicants have to travel to Montreal, an Russian applicants to Moscow. There are good reasons for this... do you think the US should use more of their money to have year-round embassies in every city so that K-1 visa seekers, a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing, have slightly more convenience?

I don't think you get my point. My point is it's a joke that people from Belarus have to first OBTAIN A VISA TO POLAND in order to present themselves at an interview FOR A VISA TO THE UNITED STATES. All I'm saying is they should be granted some kind of waiver -- passport should be enough!

Do Canadians have to have a VISA to go to Montreal? No. Do Russians need a visa to go to Moscow? No. Your arguments are invalid.

I know and everybody here knows it perfectly that the whole process is costly and loaded with difficulties and obstacles to conquer. And we are here because we're in similar situations and the forum is for support and help. Good luck on your journey!

[odellmar 6]

I don't think you get my point. My point is it's a joke that people from Belarus have to first OBTAIN A VISA TO POLAND in order to present themselves at an interview FOR A VISA TO THE UNITED STATES. All I'm saying is they should be granted some kind of waiver -- passport should be enough!

Do Canadians have to have a VISA to go to Montreal? No. Do Russians need a visa to go to Moscow? No. Your arguments are invalid.

I know and everybody here knows it perfectly that the whole process is costly and loaded with difficulties and obstacles to conquer. And we are here because we're in similar situations and the forum is for support and help. Good luck on your journey!

Thank you Laurka for understanding our pain. Nadia is also freaked out by the fact of going to Poland. Never been there, her or I. Her english is slow but Improving with the weeky classes she's been taking at the church. As to why it's this way, I'm sure it's political in some way.

Ollie

[Tosh Love 77]

Not every embassy is equipped to deal with K-1 visas. A lot of people have to travel to another embassy. Iranian applicants go through Ankara, Turkey. Many African countries go through Kenya, I believe, and have to travel far there. Even within the same country, people have to travel far sometimes. Most Canadian applicants have to travel to Montreal, an Russian applicants to Moscow. There are good reasons for this... do you think the US should use more of their money to have year-round embassies in every city so that K-1 visa seekers, a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing, have slightly more convenience?

This is just mean. What was the point of responding to the post if you have nothing constructive to contribute to the OP's question. His issue was having to obtain a visa to go somewhere for an interview to obtain a US visa.

[odellmar 6]

This is just mean. What was the point of responding to the post if you have nothing constructive to contribute to the OP's question. His issue was having to obtain a visa to go somewhere for an interview to obtain a US visa.

Thank you Tosh Love, My point was having to travel 4 times as far, and shelling more senseless money. This is true. You can't get this done in Minsk, Belarus embassy, they are short staffed per the Belarus government. Kiev is 150 miles away, not the 550 miles to Warsaw.

Ollie