Eugenia1984

30 days from the day of POE arrival. Got here on IR1 visa on August 17th, and got GC on Sep 13th

Received Green Card in the mail today - good for 10 years! It took less than 30 days and saw a tiny-tiny baby #2 on the ultrasound today!!! what a day! Though this nausea MUST go AWAY SOON

Thank you all for helping us go thru this long, pricey, but , oh so worth it, process.

you pay for FedEx delivery right outside the door of the embassy (its on their territory). I believe it was 64 grivnas in August. I had my interview on Tuesday, and received my visa by FedEX on Friday and I am from Odessa

forgot to add: my POE was Chicago.

After a long plane trip with a very active 2 year old, we are finally home Since the three of us had tickets at the end of plane we got to the border patrol/immigration line almost last...Things moved rather quickly though; after about 20 min or so we were presenting our passports to the immigration officer, he asked me for my packet from the Consulate and asked us to follow him to the office. While my hubby was getting our luggage, I waited in the room. It took 20-25 minutes or so. Very nice immigration officer came out of the room, asked me to sign some forms, took my finger prints, and welcomed me to America. Very easy and stress free

Very simple procedure: go in by 8:30ish, they will check you in (cant remember all the room numbers), and give you a list of rooms to attend to do Xray, blood work, doc's check up. She will pay $125, get a receipt. Make sure she has grivnas for any shots she may need ( I had to have two, but only got one because I provided lab results to show that I dont need Rubella shot because I have antibodies). IF there is a big line that day she may be done by 12, if not, then earlier. Then she'll have couple hours to spare - result are that same day, after 2 or 3 pm. VERY SIMPLE! Its the easiest doctors visit I've ever had in Ukraine ..and Im from there.

Good luck! and dont stress!

Hello.

If anyone has recently went through the complete medical exam in Kiev, ukraine, please respond. I would like to forward your detailed response to my fiancee in Ukraine and let her know what she's to expect.

Thank you!

i agree with magical - DONT leave!!!! Life in Ukraine is NOT cheap, and I personally heard and saw a guy being denied K-1 visa at the Consulate in Kiev (when I was there for my own interview) because he overstayed his previous visa...I felt really bad for him, he seemed very sincere..the officer was very nice to him though and asked him to proceed to the other window for the instructions on how to apply for the waiver, which his colleague said cost around $600 plus takes a while...so DONT risk it..

Gary and Alla must be right..because at the interview they asked me twice if I have lived in any other country besides Ukraine and US for more than one year..and if I did i would have to present a police certificate from that country...and I also kind of think MVD (miliziya where you get the certificate) go by your "propiska"..not sure though..I did 2 police certificates, 1 in february (12 days - had to pay extra) and 1 in July (5 days - 65 grivnas) just to be sure they wouldnt send me for an updated one...

i'm from Odessa and it took me 5 days - it was around 65 grivnas, you can do 1 day and its about 150 or so, if you have a month to spare - its free! I had to pick mine up...

After 5 years of marriage, one beautiful son, 2 long years of home residency requirement, many tears, millions of Skype calls, tens of thousands frequent flyer miles back an forth, numerous "see you later" and "so happy to see you again" later my immigrant visa was granted!!!!

My interview was Tuesday, August 2nd in Kiev. My appointment letter had 9:00am as a time for the interview, got there 20 min earlier and was told by the guard to wait until 9:25. On their list i was scheduled for 9:30 It was the loooongest hour of my life...waiting and waiting to be able to walk into the Consulate That was the toughest part of the morning. My husband was with me, so we got in at 9:25, proceeded to the immigrant visas area, was called to the window to submit some documents they didnt have, such as proof of my 2 year HRR, child's birth certificate, more proof of relationship. We had a HUGE binder with us (mind you, they already had a TON of pictures we submitted before, I just cant remember when...they returned our albums they had later that morning). I showed the guy our binder, he was startled and asked to give him something small; I started taking out paper articles from our wedding day, engagement, travel documents (iternararies, boarding passes), hubby's passport with stamps, and Ukrainian visa, bills and bank statements in both of our names, more pictures....i cant remember what else I gave him, but he told me to stop and I saw how he wrote on his checklist "she has a lot more!"

After i submitted all this I was asked to wait. While waiting,i was asked to come to one of the windows for finger printing. Since i was the last one who submitted the documents, I was the last one to be called to the interview window. We waited 1.5 hrs to be called. Oh! it was sooooo worth it!

My husband and I both walked up to the window with all of our stuff the officer was very polite and matter of fact. Asked to raise our right hand and give an oath. I think because I was the only wife that morning, he matter of factly stated that we were married, had a cool kid (he saw the pix!), asked if I had fulfilled my 2 year rule ( Yes! i did. Last day was July 26). During this whole time he was signing and signing some forms, etc. Asked me to sign my application. Asked my husband where he works. Told us to go pay for FedEx and that our visa was granted. What a glorious moment it was! My husband embraced me right there in front of the window and we wouldn't let go of each other for about 3-4 min, crying and crying. Before the hugs and the tears, the officer returned my original birth certificate, proof of relationship, etc, etc.

We praise our Lord for all His provision in this matter...we prayed and prayed, and had many of our friends pray with us..God is AMAZING!!! My biggest prayer was to have peace and thankful heart no matter what the outcome of that morning was...God has blessed us beyond what we asked for...

"Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadows" James 1:17

Hello,

We're filling out form DS-156 in Ukraine. We have a Ukrainian passport and an International passport. From which passport do we fill out the information for form DS-156? The reason I ask is, in my USA passport, and most other passports, there is an expiration date. In the Ukrainian passport, there is no expiration date, and the form DS-156 asks for one. To forego any issues, it makes sense to use the International passport, however, this one, has a different name (no middle name) and is sure to cause some headaches. Please advise!

n

international passport! Ukrainian passport doesnt expire, unless you get an American citizenship - then it just gets cancelled

Good evening,

We are preparing to go to Kiev for medical exams prior to the interview, and I want to know if anyone has done this in Kiev and if you can give any insight. I understand what is required for paperwork, photos, KEV #, etc. My question is, can all of the medical exams be completed in the same day? Somewhere I saw that it was a two-day procedure. Is this true? I also understand that it's a first-come/first-serve process, with results being given on the day of completion around 3PM. Again, does this entire med exam process happen on the same day? After completion and payment, what are we given for results, paperwork and what is the exact next step? Do we take this info to the interview or before it?

Any and all info is very much appreciated!

Thanks!

n

all in one day!!! results are the same day as well, pay $125, then have some grivnas on you for the vaccines, if you need them

Curios; what is the process for IR1 visa interview that has been processed thru the NVC ?

When did you submit financial evidence and evidence of relationship (cards, photos, invites, traveling tickets, etc) - in the first window with your passport, application and such? or do they ask for it later when they call you to the window for the actual interview??? THANKS! Just want to be fully prepared, so they do not make a decision before they even call me to the window :/

3:46am my time. 10:46am Ukraine time. I just got the SMS

Wait for your wife soon!!!!!!!!!

I got!!!!!!!!!

I got!!!!!!!!!

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So exciting!!! Please, tell all the details when you can!!! We have one in a week...again, CONGRATULATIONS!

My wife just left Odessa for long bus trip to Kiev. Her interview is at 8am in the morning. I will be up tonight until I hear from her with the news. Keeping fingers crossed.

sending good thoughts your ways!... so anxious to hear how it went, hope it all works out well for you.. We have one in a week...ANXIOUS! Keep us updated.

I have an IR1 interview in a week..super nervous...excited, but nervous...My husband and I have known each other for 8 years, married for 5, have a child together, etc...How many pictures should one have to prove a genuine relationship? We have thousands of picture..i can bring a suitcase full, but worried I might get kicked out of the counsulate...In all seriousness though, how much should we bring and of what? Wedding? Child birth? Graduations? Vacations? too many...just a few? please, advise

Sorry, ran out of time on editing...

What "culture clash" are you experiencing besides that your kids are treated much more lenient than RUB kids? My experience with RUB kids (thankfully other people's kids ) is that a lot of them are spoiled brats. The parents work long hours, leaving "babushka" to take care of them, who usually spoils them rotten. One couple we knew told us that she specifically forbade sweets after a certain time, and that babushka would give them anyway after the kid threw a tantrum. She'd give in and tell the kid he could have a sweet if he promised not to tell mama. You may think you're easy on your kids, but I never got the impression that Ukrainian kids were treated with a lot of discipline. (not counting dysfunctional families, of which there are sadly a lot over there)

So true about babushkas!! My mom does that to our 2 year old!! Only Im a stay-at-home mom, but she finds ways to completely undermine my husband and mine authority...But whatever...too many fights over it...My nerves can't handle it anymore ..and just to be fair - there are MANY dysfunctional families everywhere, including US ..just saying...

Sorry, ran out of time on editing...

What "culture clash" are you experiencing besides that your kids are treated much more lenient than RUB kids? My experience with RUB kids (thankfully other people's kids ) is that a lot of them are spoiled brats. The parents work long hours, leaving "babushka" to take care of them, who usually spoils them rotten. One couple we knew told us that she specifically forbade sweets after a certain time, and that babushka would give them anyway after the kid threw a tantrum. She'd give in and tell the kid he could have a sweet if he promised not to tell mama. You may think you're easy on your kids, but I never got the impression that Ukrainian kids were treated with a lot of discipline. (not counting dysfunctional families, of which there are sadly a lot over there)

So true about babushkas!! My mom does that to our 2 year old!! Only Im a stay-at-home mom, but she finds ways to completely undermine my husband and mine authority...But whatever...too many fights over it...My nerves can't handle it anymore ..and just to be fair - there are MANY dysfunctional families everywhere, including US ..just saying...

August 2nd! SCARYYYY!!!! But oh so exciting!!

Your obligation is to show that you have returned to your country for 2 years. There is no particular way to do this. A passport is nice but you are not required to have had a Zgranpassport during this time. So obvioulsy it is not the only thing that can be uised to show you were in Ukraine. Internal passport, bank records, prepoerty papers or lease, utility receipts, etc., any and all can be used to establish this. Also your husbands travel records will show that he has been coming back to visit you. Just show "evidence" and sleep well, I think you will be fine. Kiev is a reasonable consulate to deal with, give them something to go by and they will approve you.

Any documents written in Russian, Ukraianian or English do not need to be translated.

Thank you so much, Gary and Alla!!! Even though I have been here for totall of 24 months I dont have anything in Ukraine in my name; we have been living in the apartment my parents own, which is in their names and all the utilities are as well, even though we are the ones paying the bills... I shared your post with my hubby and thought about may be showing our child's doctor's records here in Ukraine, shots, checkups, etc..would that work? Also being a Ukrainian mother I received government money everyone in Ukraine gets when they have a baby (even though our son is US born they still gave us the money)...Its thru one of the local banks, would that be considered a proof (even though Im worried they will think Im a public charge here, but I am not!)?? I had several packages/cards sent to us here in Ukraine by US relatives and friends...Ease my mind, please Any more ideas are welcome!! Less than 2 weeks before THE big day - THE interview!!!

Hi all! I have an interview in the beginning of August. My husband and I have been married for 5 years and have a wonderful 2 y.o. boy The reason we are applying now is that I had to fulfill 2 year home residency requirement which will be done on July 26th. Before we moved to Ukraine (my husband travels back in forth - poor guy :/ ) in 2009, I was finishing up grad school in US and working a year afterwards on OPT in my field of studies.

We believe we have all our ducks in a row ( praying we have it all right)..until today...I went to receive my new passport (the travel kind, not the civil Ukrainian one - my old one is expiring soon, but i paid to keep the old one as well because I have my old F1 visa, and current B2 visa in it) at the local OVIR and they told me they cannot give me my new passport until i bring them my old passport from when I was 16 (called Childs Travel Document - still a passport, where I had my J1 visa, hence the 2 year rule!).I did. And they took it away! They gave me a chance to photocopy all the pages and tore two pages out of it- pages I need to prove to the consular officer that I have indeed stayed in Ukraine for 24 months (my entry stamps)- in that child's passport I had three stamps showing when I left Ukraine for my J1 program and stamp when I came back, third stamp when I left again to go to college. The rest of the stamps are in my "adult" passport that I kept. I know its all confusing by now

My question is: will the CO accept the copies of the old passport (which OVIR took) and only 2 pages that I was allowed to tear and keep as a prove of being in my home country? Im concerned about them not believing its the pages from MY old child's passport...but they really are! the number punctured on the page matches the number on my old J1 visa which confirms my name,etc..

WOW..this was long...so nervewrecking...Please, advice!!!And if anyone has ideas on what else can serve as a proof of stay in the country for two years, please tell!THANK YOU!