B2 Visa Warsaw (merged)

[slavaskii 885]

Hi all!

 

I was looking to schedule tourist visa appointments for my fiancee's family so they could join us for the wedding in the US. I recognize Poland has a significant delay after allowing other applicants to process in Warsaw (and with everything else that has been going on), so I would like to get an idea of when the next appointment will be. On TravelDocs, I'm told that the next appointment for them is May 6, but this is before I pay the $500 scheduling fee to actually see the calendar. The State Department's website, however, lists a 150 day wait time.

 

If you are scheduled with a B2 in Warsaw, would it be possible, please, for you to check the scheduler and see when the next appointment actually is? If nobody's available for that, I have two other questions: 

 

(1) I understand that MRV fees are non-refundable. However, if the scheduler tells me the next appointment is May 6 (as it does), can I screenshot this and ask for a refund if it turns out this is patently false after paying the fee?

 

(2) There are 3 people in my fiancee's family wanting to come to the wedding. If a single spot opens up earlier than what's currently available (say, a cancellation), can one of my fiancee's family members switch to that independent of the others? We are scheduling the appointments together, so I presume they take up 3 interview slots; if not and they only take 1, I guess this isn't so much of an issue, but I was just interested in how we'd go about switching to a cancelled appointment if one arose.

 

(3) Side question, but is there any concrete statement on who is allowed to interview in Warsaw? A few months ago it was confirmed anyone could, now that Minsk/Moscow are shuttered, but I haven't seen anything else. In any case, my fiancee's family members will have Polish residency in 4-6 months (appx.)

 

(4) Bonus question - the DS-160 rejected two of the three photos, but let us continue without so long as we bring a 5x5 to the appointment. I guess, it is not imperative for a photo to be on the DS-160 itself? 

 

Thank you so much in advance!

Edited April 25, 2022 by slavaskii

[Chancy 6,233]

1 hour ago, slavaskii said:

I understand that MRV fees are non-refundable. However, if the scheduler tells me the next appointment is May 6 (as it does), can I screenshot this and ask for a refund if it turns out this is patently false after paying the fee?

 

No refunds.  The availability of interview slots change frequently depending on demand, sometimes by the minute.  DOS is serious about MRV fees being non-refundable.

 

[slavaskii 885]

7 minutes ago, Chancy said:

 

No refunds.  The availability of interview slots change frequently depending on demand, sometimes by the minute.  DOS is serious about MRV fees being non-refundable.

 

Thank you! Much appreciated. Unfortunately Warsaw's scheduler in particular seems to be 'glitched' to always show incorrect dates; for example, scheduling the K1 was months off, and none of us can figure out what it's pulling the incorrect date from (not even the resident queue correctly corresponds). 

[slavaskii 885]

Hi! I posted a similar question in the dedicated B2 forum but maybe R/U/B was better for my more specific inquiry. Has anyone (Belarus or Russia) made an appointment for a tourist visa in Warsaw recently, or still has access to the scheduler? TravelDocs is telling me the next appointment is May 6th but I'm extraordinarily doubtful of this; I also can no longer find confirmation that Warsaw is still taking Belarusians (even those who are now living in Poland). Thank you! 

 

(Also, a bonus question: if three people are interviewing together, and are scheduled together, do they take up one space or three for the appointment? I recognize I have to pay 3 non-refundable MRVs, but was interested if one person on the scheduler cancels, I could move my whole 'group' to that earlier, free spot)

[millefleur 5,035]

**Similar threads merged.**

 

VJ Moderation

[slavaskii 885]

As an update, to all those who may stumble across this thread: 

 

After paying the visa fee, you are only then able to choose between non-resident or resident. Upon choosing non-resident, the next available date jumps to December 2023. I don't know who would schedule for over a year in advance, but there you have it I guess. Sad that the appointment fee cannot be refunded; I'm not scheduling anything yet, but that delay is hard to believe. 

Edited April 27, 2022 by slavaskii

[millefleur 5,035]

36 minutes ago, slavaskii said:

After paying the visa fee, you are only then able to choose between non-resident or resident. Upon choosing non-resident, the next available date jumps to December 2023. I don't know who would schedule for over a year in advance, but there you have it I guess. Sad that the appointment fee cannot be refunded; I'm not scheduling anything yet, but that delay is hard to believe. 

It's not shocking at this point. I've seen people in the Tourist Visa forum who've waited a year for their appointment. Covid messed everything up.

 

This is for a B visa at Warsaw right? I heard that Krakow has smaller wait times.

[slavaskii 885]

39 minutes ago, millefleur said:

It's not shocking at this point. I've seen people in the Tourist Visa forum who've waited a year for their appointment. Covid messed everything up.

 

This is for a B visa at Warsaw right? I heard that Krakow has smaller wait times.

Yeah, I anticipated it to be messed up, but I assumed at worst it could only be the 150 day wait on the State Department's website. No idea where that number comes from. If you're a resident of Poland, indeed, there are even appointments early May. Non-resident queue is wild, but oh well.

 

And yes, it was B1/B2. Luckily the TravelDocs site lets you do a whole lot, so I played around with the different queues. So long as you don't schedule something, you can use the MRV fee to look at all the other calendars without being locked into one. Krakow's calendar is entirely booked for non-residents (won't let me view it); even for making one appointment (indeed, a group appointment takes all 3 spots), Warsaw's backed up until November 2023. The resident queues are both open starting next week with a few spots here and there.

 

Oh well. Definitely anticipated this, but not really sure what to do. I thought that, even if they couldn't go to the wedding, at least they could visit us sometime. But an appointment pushing 2024 is a bit hard to swallow, I guess.  One 'plan' I was considering, was that they're on their way to some temporary resident status. The embassy defines what is a "resident" of Poland ambiguously, but I do wonder if I can make something work with that. I need to call for my fiancee's DS-160 update anyway, so while on the line I may field a residency question.

 

Thanks for everyone's support!

[millefleur 5,035]

2 hours ago, slavaskii said:

Yeah, I anticipated it to be messed up, but I assumed at worst it could only be the 150 day wait on the State Department's website. No idea where that number comes from. If you're a resident of Poland, indeed, there are even appointments early May. Non-resident queue is wild, but oh well.

I've heard this about the "non-resident queue"....at least now we know. So the wait times show on the official site are not for "non-residents."

 

Thanks for sharing this info. It's really helpful to any Russians or Belarussians who are looking to apply for B visas right now.

 

2 hours ago, slavaskii said:

Oh well. Definitely anticipated this, but not really sure what to do. I thought that, even if they couldn't go to the wedding, at least they could visit us sometime. But an appointment pushing 2024 is a bit hard to swallow, I guess.  One 'plan' I was considering, was that they're on their way to some temporary resident status. The embassy defines what is a "resident" of Poland ambiguously, but I do wonder if I can make something work with that.

I would try it if you can. If they have residency in Poland, seems only fair for them to get in the shorter line.

[slavaskii 885]

40 minutes ago, millefleur said:

I've heard this about the "non-resident queue"....at least now we know. So the wait times show on the official site are not for "non-residents."

 

Thanks for sharing this info. It's really helpful to any Russians or Belarussians who are looking to apply for B visas right now.

 

I would try it if you can. If they have residency in Poland, seems only fair for them to get in the shorter line.

Of course! It's seemingly quite complicated.

 

When making the TravelDocs account (which anyone can do) and selecting B2, the left side of the screen displays a "next appointment available" date. Before you pay the fee, this is reflecting the resident queue. Only upon paying does it ask you to select between non-resident or resident. Upon selecting non-resident, that left screen will change to reflect the non-resident queue. As of now, the difference between those is this: resident = mid-May 2022, non-resident, November 2023.

 

The State Department's official website says it takes 150 days for a B2 appointment in Warsaw. That's reflective of neither number, unless it's trying to pull from when the 'majority' of appointments are in the resident queue (I believe the May ones may be cancellations)? It is of note, though, that the website explicitly tells you the embassy will cancel your resident appointment if you are not, in fact, a resident of Poland. It must somehow cross-check this with the DS-160.

 

To your second point: I definitely will try. Polish residency is quite confusing, but they are fully entitled to work/stay in Poland with their current documents. Their address in Poland is permanent and for all intents and purposes they are now in Poland; they will not ever return to Belarus and are pursuing complete Polish citizenship. Poland is very generous towards Poles by ethnicity, though, so I'm not sure if such programs count in the embassy's eyes as residency.

Edited April 27, 2022 by slavaskii