Russia Specific FAQ

[aspettando 0]

Dear Group,

A few more questions:

1. My Masha, always inquisitive , has been "told" by "experts" that the international passport should be biometric for the visa granting. There is nothing in the official requirements mentioning the need of a biometric passport. Is there really a need for a biometric passport for the visa interview and subsequent entry to the US of A?

2. Some time ago there were complaints about IOM's treatment during medical exams . But for non Moscow residents this a good deal since they give the medical results the same day. Have there been any recent complaints at IOM?

3. Please bear with me . The DHL mailer is basically a prepaid envelope in which the US Embassy will mail passports back to the beneficiaries. Right? If so, must the addressee be the beneficiary her(him)self, and must the fee be from sending something from Moscow to the beneficiary's place?

Thank you for your patience .

Javier

[Bobalouie 0]

Dear Group,

A few more questions:

1. My Masha, always inquisitive , has been "told" by "experts" that the international passport should be biometric for the visa granting. There is nothing in the official requirements mentioning the need of a biometric passport. Is there really a need for a biometric passport for the visa interview and subsequent entry to the US of A?

2. Some time ago there were complaints about IOM's treatment during medical exams . But for non Moscow residents this a good deal since they give the medical results the same day. Have there been any recent complaints at IOM?

3. Please bear with me . The DHL mailer is basically a prepaid envelope in which the US Embassy will mail passports back to the beneficiaries. Right? If so, must the addressee be the beneficiary her(him)self, and must the fee be from sending something from Moscow to the beneficiary's place?

Thank you for your patience .

Javier

My fiancee had her interview on April 2nd, and she applied for her international passport in Mid January. Her passport is not biometric and it was not an issue. No one even mentioned anything about it.

My fiancee had her medical exam just before her April 2nd interview, and she did it at IOM. She said that there were no problems at all and that it was a normal exam.

The prepaid mailer does not have to be the beneficiarys address. My fiancee put the address of her local DHL office in Sochi and arranged for them to call her when it arrived so she could pick it up. You should have it sent to the most reliable address.

[aspettando 0]

Dear Group,

A few more questions:

1. My Masha, always inquisitive , has been "told" by "experts" that the international passport should be biometric for the visa granting. There is nothing in the official requirements mentioning the need of a biometric passport. Is there really a need for a biometric passport for the visa interview and subsequent entry to the US of A?

2. Some time ago there were complaints about IOM's treatment during medical exams . But for non Moscow residents this a good deal since they give the medical results the same day. Have there been any recent complaints at IOM?

3. Please bear with me . The DHL mailer is basically a prepaid envelope in which the US Embassy will mail passports back to the beneficiaries. Right? If so, must the addressee be the beneficiary her(him)self, and must the fee be from sending something from Moscow to the beneficiary's place?

Thank you for your patience .

Javier

My fiancee had her interview on April 2nd, and she applied for her international passport in Mid January. Her passport is not biometric and it was not an issue. No one even mentioned anything about it.

My fiancee had her medical exam just before her April 2nd interview, and she did it at IOM. She said that there were no problems at all and that it was a normal exam.

The prepaid mailer does not have to be the beneficiarys address. My fiancee put the address of her local DHL office in Sochi and arranged for them to call her when it arrived so she could pick it up. You should have it sent to the most reliable address.

Got it. Thank you so much!

[Tars 0]

Ok, group. It is my turn to ask for advice/help again. I, too have "experts" that are telling me things (by experts, I refer to Russian women friends that are in my hometown). The I-134 "Affidavit of Support" clearly states that tax records are only needed if you are self employed. I did not send tax records to my fiance'e because I am employed. I sent four months worth of pay stubs, a copy of my W-2, a letter from my employer, a letter from my bank, and current copies of my IRA account.

I'm being reamed right now from the "experts" because I didn't send my 1040. Should I send the 1040?

Any input would be helpful.

Edited May 12, 2008 by Tars

[aspettando 0]

Ok, group. It is my turn to ask for advice/help again. I, too have "experts" that are telling me things (by experts, I refer to Russian women friends that are in my hometown). The I-134 "Affidavit of Support" clearly states that tax records are only needed if you are self employed. I did not send tax records to my fiance'e because I am employed. I sent four months worth of pay stubs, a copy of my W-2, a letter from my employer, a letter from my bank, and current copies of my IRA account.

I'm being reamed right now from the "experts" because I didn't send my 1040. Should I send the 1040?

Any input would be helpful.

I am sending to Masha all of the above including the 06 and 07 tax records. I don't want any surprises. Your interview date is 6/30 so you have time. Why taking a chance? You could scan them and send them to her by email...

This is what I would do.... Best luck to you

[Tars 0]

Ok, group. It is my turn to ask for advice/help again. I, too have "experts" that are telling me things (by experts, I refer to Russian women friends that are in my hometown). The I-134 "Affidavit of Support" clearly states that tax records are only needed if you are self employed. I did not send tax records to my fiance'e because I am employed. I sent four months worth of pay stubs, a copy of my W-2, a letter from my employer, a letter from my bank, and current copies of my IRA account.

I'm being reamed right now from the "experts" because I didn't send my 1040. Should I send the 1040?

Any input would be helpful.

I am sending to Masha all of the above including the 06 and 07 tax records. I don't want any surprises. Your interview date is 6/30 so you have time. Why taking a chance? You could scan them and send them to her by email...

This is what I would do.... Best luck to you

Thanks for the input aspettando.

Tars

[Don E 0]

Ok, group. It is my turn to ask for advice/help again. I, too have "experts" that are telling me things (by experts, I refer to Russian women friends that are in my hometown). The I-134 "Affidavit of Support" clearly states that tax records are only needed if you are self employed. I did not send tax records to my fiance'e because I am employed. I sent four months worth of pay stubs, a copy of my W-2, a letter from my employer, a letter from my bank, and current copies of my IRA account.

I'm being reamed right now from the "experts" because I didn't send my 1040. Should I send the 1040?

Any input would be helpful.

IMHO (and having previous successful experience with the Moscow Embassy), you have provided more than adequate documentation of your income and employment. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about this at all.

JMO.......

[aspettando 0]

Dear Group ,

My Masha, always creative , claims she would need apostille translation (?) of

certificates (birth and divorce). I told her no but I promise to ask in the

forum . In case this makes a difference: She has a boy who will start

high school this year here. Your replies are very very very appreciated.

Thank you

Javier

[Satellite 1]

My Masha, always creative , claims she would need apostille translation (?) of

certificates (birth and divorce).

Don't need them for US immigration. Only need them when trying to prove up a US document to the Russian officials.

[slim 1,514]

First and foremost, there are no such things as "experts" on what is needed for the VJ process located in Russia. They are all here on VJ!

Disregard what the "experts" are telling you/her over there and take the advice of those who've been through the process already here on this forum.

What you've sent already more than meets the needs. Tell the "experts" to get more training.

[bobb 0]

The two links provided earlier for finding out date of interview from the USEM do not work.

Here is what I just found when at the USEM website: http://moscow.usembassy.gov/ivinterv.html

On-Line Appointment Information

The Consular Section is pleased to announce the availability of online information regarding scheduled immigrant visa appointments.

Please note that in order to use this system, you must know the case number of your immigrant visa application. This number was provided to you when your petition was approved (i.e, MOS2002123456, SRC-12-345-67890). You can not use this system if your petition has not yet been approved. Please note that it takes USCIS and the National Visa Center several weeks to formally notify the Consular Section that a petition has been approved.

Appointment schedules are updated weekly at 8:00 a.m. Monday, Moscow time.

All immigrant visa appointments begin at 8:00 a.m. Applicants should arrive at the Embassy's Novinskiy Bulvar gate at 7:40 a.m. (You must already know your case number)

Click here for visas CR1/2, IR1/2/5, E1/2/3/4, F, K1/2/3/4 and V1/2/3

Important: Use your browser's search function to find your case number.

[goncaptive 0]

How long does it take to receive the K-1 visa once the interview is complete? We are taking a trip to Thailand directly after the interview in Moscow, but I'm not sure how many days to allow for the K-1 after the interview? I don't expect to have to provide any additional information/proof, since we've been working together in Russia the last few years. Can I safely schedule a plane flight out of Moscow the day after the interview?

[Neonred 3,446]

How long does it take to receive the K-1 visa once the interview is complete? We are taking a trip to Thailand directly after the interview in Moscow, but I'm not sure how many days to allow for the K-1 after the interview? I don't expect to have to provide any additional information/proof, since we've been working together in Russia the last few years. Can I safely schedule a plane flight out of Moscow the day after the interview?

Not a good ideal as they do not give you back the passport and visa the day of the interview. You must provide a prepaid DHL mailer and they will mail the passport with the visa and document package to the home address given, or you can have DHL hold it at one of the Moscow offices for pick up. Better allow at least two or three days for that.

[LoveWaits 1]

How long does it take to receive the K-1 visa once the interview is complete? We are taking a trip to Thailand directly after the interview in Moscow, but I'm not sure how many days to allow for the K-1 after the interview? I don't expect to have to provide any additional information/proof, since we've been working together in Russia the last few years. Can I safely schedule a plane flight out of Moscow the day after the interview?

Not a good ideal as they do not give you back the passport and visa the day of the interview. You must provide a prepaid DHL mailer and they will mail the passport with the visa and document package to the home address given, or you can have DHL hold it at one of the Moscow offices for pick up. Better allow at least two or three days for that.

Is there any specific information on how exactly to do this (Holding the package at the DHL office in Moscow)? We definitely want to do this because it makes no sense to fly all the way to Moscow and then fly all the way back to get a document the next day then turn around and fly back to Moscow again in route to the US. Not sure why they force this process as it is not the same at other embassies and I know this through experience (Frankfurt you can pick it up that same day as the interview, actually within hours of the interview).

[slim 1,514]

She can request to have her visa held by the DHL office. Part of the interview process is for the interviewee to pay for a DHL airbill that they take with them to the interview and that's what the passport is shipped in. If she simply purchases one from the DHL office that says, "hold at office" or whatever, then they'll ship it from the embassy to the office and hold it until she can come pick it up.

As for making sense for her to fly to Moscow, fly home, fly back through Moscow on the way to the U.S., well, there are several variables. If she has a good place to stay in Moscow and will be ready to go to the U.S. a few days after her interview, then sure, it makes sense. But, if she has to pay (or you have to pay) for a hotel in Moscow for a few extra days, maybe flying home would be cheaper. Maybe she has some "unfinished business" to take care of. What if she gets denied for some reason? What if the plane tickets are for Thursday and she doesn't get the visa til Friday?

Who knows what's going to happen. If you plan it out ahead of time and she's ready to go, then it could make sense. If you have a lot of money, by all means, time it down to the exact second where she can grab the passport and boogy on out of there. But, if you don't have thousands of dollars to waste, maybe she should go home first.