Change embassy

[CelloLover 26]

Our K1 visa application is sitting between the NOA1 and NOA2 stage of the application process. We selected Kyiv, Ukraine (my fiancee's hometown) as the US embassy to process the visa by making this selection in fields 62.a and 62.b in the 129F. I would like to know if it's possible to change this selection at this stage of the application process. We'd like to update to Warsaw, Poland given the current situation between Ukraine and Russia.

[Chancy 6,233]

49 minutes ago, CelloLover said:

I would like to know if it's possible to change this selection at this stage of the application process. We'd like to update to Warsaw, Poland given the current situation between Ukraine and Russia.

 

After the petition is approved and the case gets to NVC, you may try to request for transfer by contacting the IV unit at the US embassy in Warsaw.  But, be pepared for the likelihood that the request will be denied.  Currently, Warsaw only handles visa cases of beneficiaries who are citizens or residents of Poland, Belarus, or Russia.

 

[gregcrs2 1,777]

 

 

Normally you can only interview in a country the beneficiary officially residents in.     

[CelloLover 26]

10 minutes ago, Chancy said:

 

Currently, Warsaw only handles visa cases of beneficiaries who are citizens or residents of Poland, Belarus, or Russia.

 

Thanks

Where did you get this information? Nowhere on the US Embassy of Poland website do I see that they're only processing citizens or residents of Poland, Belarus, or Russia. 

[Dashinka 23,442]

5 minutes ago, CelloLover said:

Thanks

Where did you get this information? Nowhere on the US Embassy of Poland website do I see that they're only processing citizens or residents of Poland, Belarus, or Russia. 

In general, consulates only handle the cases in their general area according to the legal residence of the person applying.  With the consulates in Russia and Belarus effectively being closed except for emergencies, these have been routed to Warsaw.  When you get to the NVC stage, if the consulate in Kyiv is still processing K1s, I can’t imagine being able to get it moved.

 

Good Luck!

[gregcrs2 1,777]

7 minutes ago, CelloLover said:

Thanks

Where did you get this information? Nowhere on the US Embassy of Poland website do I see that they're only processing citizens or residents of Poland, Belarus, or Russia. 

Immigrant visas to the United States are processed for citizens and residents of Poland, Belarus, and Russia at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw.

 

 

[Chancy 6,233]

23 minutes ago, CelloLover said:

Where did you get this information? Nowhere on the US Embassy of Poland website do I see that they're only processing citizens or residents of Poland, Belarus, or Russia. 

 

It's from the official US embassy website -- https://pl.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visas/

"Immigrant visas to the United States are processed for citizens and residents of Poland, Belarus, and Russia at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw."

 

Note that while K1 visas are technically non-immigrant, they are actually processed by the Immigrant Visa unit, so the same restriction applies to K1.

 

[CelloLover 26]

1 hour ago, Chancy said:

 

It's from the official US embassy website -- https://pl.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visas/

"Immigrant visas to the United States are processed for citizens and residents of Poland, Belarus, and Russia at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw."

 

Note that while K1 visas are technically non-immigrant, they are actually processed by the Immigrant Visa unit, so the same restriction applies to K1.

 

Thank you. Wow, it's so easy to miss this important piece of information. I wish the visa appointment registration website (https://cgifederal.secure.force.com/?language=English&country=Poland) had better "guard-rails" for preventing citizens of ineligible from applying.

I already applied to have my fiancee's parents (also Ukrainian citizens) to have B2 visa interview in Warsaw so that they can attend our wedding ceremony which will be held in the United States. Since I now know that they aren't processing Ukrainian citizens, I wonder if it's possible to get a refund on the visa application fee payment or have the fee payment "re-routed" to the US embassy in Kyiv so that we can do an interview there instead (when they resume processing B2 visas).

[powerpuff 6,078]

27 minutes ago, CelloLover said:

I already applied to have my fiancee's parents (also Ukrainian citizens) to have B2 visa interview in Warsaw so that they can attend our wedding ceremony which will be held in the United States. Since I now know that they aren't processing Ukrainian citizens, I wonder if it's possible to get a refund on the visa application fee payment or have the fee payment "re-routed" to the US embassy in Kyiv so that we can do an interview there instead (when they resume processing B2 visas).

I doubt it as it clearly states that the MRV fee is non-refundable and non-transferable.

[Chancy 6,233]

1 hour ago, CelloLover said:

Wow, it's so easy to miss this important piece of information.

 

For your fiancee's case, there's no harm in asking if Warsaw will accept the K1 case transfer after petition approval and you get a case number from NVC.  Just set your expectations low about the request getting approved.

 

As for your fiancee's parents' B2 applications, since the MRV fee has been paid, you can just wait it out.  It's possible, though not guaranteed, that Warsaw could let them proceed with the visa interview.  But be aware that it is much harder for non-residents to be granted a B2 visa as the consulate will have a harder time verifying the applicants' ties to home country.  Best to apply for a B2 visa from a US consulate in the country where the applicant resides.

 

[millefleur 5,039]

3 hours ago, Chancy said:

 

For your fiancee's case, there's no harm in asking if Warsaw will accept the K1 case transfer after petition approval and you get a case number from NVC.  Just set your expectations low about the request getting approved.

I'm afraid Warsaw is probably overwhelmed as is. Worth asking but definitely they've got way more they can handle ever since the Moscow Embassy shut down.

[gregcrs2 1,777]

12 hours ago, CelloLover said:

Thank you. Wow, it's so easy to miss this important piece of information. I wish the visa appointment registration website (https://cgifederal.secure.force.com/?language=English&country=Poland) had better "guard-rails" for preventing citizens of ineligible from applying.

I already applied to have my fiancee's parents (also Ukrainian citizens) to have B2 visa interview in Warsaw so that they can attend our wedding ceremony which will be held in the United States. Since I now know that they aren't processing Ukrainian citizens, I wonder if it's possible to get a refund on the visa application fee payment or have the fee payment "re-routed" to the US embassy in Kyiv so that we can do an interview there instead (when they resume processing B2 visas).

There are no refunds on visa applications.  The reality is that her parents will not get a visa appointment anytime soon.  There is a big queue.  You can always record the wedding for them or they can participate by Zoom.  The timeframe below is an estimate.  Expect the timeframe to be extended as we get into an anticipated 5th wave of Covid in February.

Kyiv

Nonimmigrant Visa Type	Appointment Wait Time
Visitor Visa	240 Calendar Days

 

[SteveInBostonI130 3,330]

16 hours ago, CelloLover said:

Thank you. Wow, it's so easy to miss this important piece of information. I wish the visa appointment registration website (https://cgifederal.secure.force.com/?language=English&country=Poland) had better "guard-rails" for preventing citizens of ineligible from applying.

I already applied to have my fiancee's parents (also Ukrainian citizens) to have B2 visa interview in Warsaw so that they can attend our wedding ceremony which will be held in the United States. Since I now know that they aren't processing Ukrainian citizens, I wonder if it's possible to get a refund on the visa application fee payment or have the fee payment "re-routed" to the US embassy in Kyiv so that we can do an interview there instead (when they resume processing B2 visas).

 

Have your fiance's parents attend the B2 interview in Warsaw.  Since the system let them register and apply, they should be able to interview there.  I believe the wait time over there is about 35 days.  You or they van select their interview date for sometime in Jan or Feb.  They will need to abide by any travel restrictions for Poland/EU.

 

As others have mentioned, the MRV fee is nontransferable to Kyiv.

 

BTW, Krakow might have been a better location for the B2 interview.  Easier to get there by car, train or bus.  It's no real difference when flying, however.

 

If somehow they are not allowed to interview for the B2 in Poland, Kyiv is currently showing August 2022 dates for B1/B2.  A month ago we scheduled our nephew's B2 for Aug, then checked each day to see if we could reschedule to earlier.  Last week a day in May 2022 opened up (I guess someone cancelled or rescheduled).  Now he will interview in early May.

[slavaskii 885]

20 hours ago, CelloLover said:

Thank you. Wow, it's so easy to miss this important piece of information. I wish the visa appointment registration website (https://cgifederal.secure.force.com/?language=English&country=Poland) had better "guard-rails" for preventing citizens of ineligible from applying.

I already applied to have my fiancee's parents (also Ukrainian citizens) to have B2 visa interview in Warsaw so that they can attend our wedding ceremony which will be held in the United States. Since I now know that they aren't processing Ukrainian citizens, I wonder if it's possible to get a refund on the visa application fee payment or have the fee payment "re-routed" to the US embassy in Kyiv so that we can do an interview there instead (when they resume processing B2 visas).

This point in particular is more appropriate for the B2 subforum but Warsaw will not process a tourist visa for non-Polish citizens and won't be doing so for a very long while - most likely years, I'm afraid. Trust me - been there, done that

 

If I'm not mistaken Ukraine is processing B2 visas 240 days out. That's not convenient of course but it's still worth a shot to fill out an application and see if you can move to a quicker appointment when one becomes available. Unfortunately as of this point B2 is incredibly low priority and I would be prepared to tell your fiancee that her parents will not be able to come. 

[CelloLover 26]

32 minutes ago, slavaskii said:

This point in particular is more appropriate for the B2 subforum but Warsaw will not process a tourist visa for non-Polish citizens and won't be doing so for a very long while - most likely years, I'm afraid. Trust me - been there, done that

 

If I'm not mistaken Ukraine is processing B2 visas 240 days out. That's not convenient of course but it's still worth a shot to fill out an application and see if you can move to a quicker appointment when one becomes available. Unfortunately as of this point B2 is incredibly low priority and I would be prepared to tell your fiancee that her parents will not be able to come. 

Thanks. Do you know if it's possible to have concurrent visa applications at different embassies?