Justinc87

Thanks everyone for your replies, my wife won't have time to change it before her interview I found. For her it takes a little more than a month, even if they were to change it. By then she would already have the Visa stamped into it.

Victor, what you say gives me some peace of mind, so since it's in the Russian passports, the US doesn't pay much mind to the spelling? Since they really have no say so over how the Russian government decides to do the translations?
It would make sense to me that they would understand that this is a common thing, as you said it is with your name as well, And that their main thing would be for the visa to be correct, because that's the only thing the US govt really has any control or say so over.
Really hope this is the case!

Again, thanks everyone. Means a lot to have people to go to for advice!

- Justin

I dont think it will be an issue. Everyone understands that the same name can have few different spellings in foreign languages (like Victor and Viktor) and as far as I know it's fine if English spelling of her name in Russian passport will be Kraft instead of Craft. Btw even if you change your passport in Russia, you may not reqest specific spelling in English per request. Russian passport service has to use their own transliteration chart and they will use current chart they have, not what applicant wants. I don't think they care how your name spells in the US because it has nothing to do with Russian citizen's national documents, all that matters that Russian citizen's (your wife) name spells "Крафт" in Russia and that's what they work with.

- Victor from Russia

Everything is done in my correctly spelled last name, Craft. The only document that is different is her foreign passport.
I'm hoping that when they put her visa into the passport, which should be spelled Craft, she can explain the discrepancy as just how it was translated.
If we can get through the interview, get the visa, and get her here without any issues we will definitely try to get it corrected at a Russian consulate here if that's an option!

What last name did you put in your visa papers? If it`s Kraft and Embassy doesn`t mind you both having different spellig, problem might go away when she gets her American passport on correct name. Her Russian travel passport with Kraft name will be OK to travel to Russia oк anywhere else. I think you should just keep that in mind and may be warn services about such issue.

I think you can apply for passport changing in Russian consulate being in USA. Explain them a mistake and have it reissued. At least you can try and call them to figure that out.

Just don`t forget that you should put in tickets a name from passport no matter if it`s correct.)))

I didn't think about that, possibly, but I read of some where it takes a week or even up to a month for the embassy to actually send it. That may work though. I will have to talk to her and see if that's an option when we get there!

Hello!

Can`t you make it so passport and visa would stay at Pony Express office so you can pick it up yourself later? I think there is such option when you choose where your visa should be sent.

Ah, well at least we are not alone in this issue!
The interesting thing is, my wife's local Russian passport has Vesta Craft while her foreign passport has Vesta Kraft. She was told this is how it's suppose to be, I guess because if she were to travel to Germany or France they would still be able to read her name and pronounce it correctly.
Maybe we can try to get it changed, but I don't think we will have time before the interview. I'm wondering if this is going to be an issue. I really hope not!

Hello!

I had the same problem, my new last name is Crews, but when I applied for travel passport on my new name I decided to ask prior what last name spelling I would have in it (because once I got a bank card with spelling Kryuse and it didn`t match my actual name and I made a bank change it on a card). As I got to know we use a French transliteration, not American. Officer in Migration Service didn`t want to hear anything but then I showed her marriage sertificate and my husband`s passport copy. There is an extra application to tell a desired spelling of a name. So I have now passport and all the documents with correct name.

Once I was yelled at by a lady at Russian airport that my ticket was invalid because it had the wrong name, Crews instead of Kryuse (I assume they got used to check it with European spelling) so I had to show her passport and problem was gone.

I don`t know if this difference in your last names would be a problem. You are spouses but last names are different. What if services in USA decide you are not related? They will have her passport as an example for all the documents, so this mistake will be everywhere. What last name do you have on her visa papers in Embassy? Maybу it is worth changing travel passport on correct name especially if it can be done faster with additional fee.

I have a similar question regarding last names on passports, hope it's ok I tag on here...

My last name is Craft but my wife's foreign passport is spelled Kraft. They will not change this, my understanding is... For foreign passports the C sound of many languages is that of the English S like both Russian and German.
From what I understand, this is correct due to differences in spelling among foreign nations. Can someone verify this for me, just for my peace of mind. Our interview is on Feb 17th so I would hate for this to be a hindrance of her getting her visa or coming home.

Thanks!!

If you think you're getting the visa right after the interview I've got some bad news for you, if that's what you mean.

That was one of my questions yes, I am fairly certain that it won't happen. But since my lawyer said to ask I wanted to see if anyone had done this.

Hello everyone!

Very happy to finally have our date of February 17th. I'm in the process of getting my Russian visa and getting our place reserved and all of that good stuff.

My question is this, what questions were you guys asked in the interview. I have found a lot of sample questions online, but I'd prefer to hear first hand what other people have experienced.

Following my wife's approval, I'd like to request the visa in person. My lawyer suggested I try so she could come home with me, has anyone here done this?
If not I'd like to have her visa sent to her cousin's address in Moscow instead of her having to return to Kaliningrad. Doe anyone know if this would be an issue?

Any answers or suggestions on these things would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Justin

Thanks Lovemytico, I read the thread and I think I should have all if not most of those covered.

Thanks for your help!! I had a feeling the 5 months was too good to be true. I asked my lawyer but I haven't gotten a response, figured I'd see if some of you could assist. I do appreciate it!!

My wife and I turned in our I-130 on January 30th and our I-129F on March 10th. I am getting some mixed information about the time period I'm looking at till we get our interview. I see on the USCIS webpage it says processing times for each packet is 5 months. It was my understanding that after the 5 month processing time we'd then be scheduled for our interview in Moscow. I was hoping for July sometime but from looking at other timelines here it seems people are waiting almost a year for their interview date.

I have been thinking about moving with my wife somewhere as we are waiting for our interview but if It's only going to be 3 or 4 months we'll probably wait it out, if it will be longer I'd like for us to move together somewhere. With the situation in Ukraine, Russia, and the responses from the US, I would prefer that we are together and somewhere neutral.

Can anyone give me some information about this, is there much more to the process after the I-130's are processed. I'm trying to get my head around all the steps and processes but I'm still a bit behind I'm afraid.

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Steve, thanks for your response earlier. You gave me quite a bit of information. Unfortunately, as you know, I have no photos of us together. I'll try to post one of the each of us soon.

I think you are getting way ahead. Visit first, take it from there.

Thanks, I'll take that into consideration. The post was simply to gain information, I do appreciate your opinion though.

Thanks everyone, this has given me a pretty good idea of what all is involved. It seems as though the best plan would be for me to go there for a week and then try the fiance visa but I'll have to speak with her about what we should do moving forward. I really appreciate all the information, it has been very beneficial!

Ok, not quite the good news I was hoping for haha... So, if I were to go there and spend a week or so there with her and we decide to get more serious, in your opinion(s) would it be easier for her to come here on a fiance visa? I won't get into our relationship details but I do care about her a great deal, not quite marriage level yet but getting slowly getting there. I was hoping to use the time that she is here to get to know her more but it sounds like it will be very difficult for her to get approved on the visitors visa. This is bad news for me cause I won't be able to stay there near as long as she would be able to stay here being that I'd be covering most of her expenses here. Is the fiance visa easier to obtain after providing proof of our relationship?

Husband, children.

Is she paying her own way?

She's single, 24, no kids, lives with her mother and grandmother. Father isn't in the picture. Works Mon-Fri at her school teaching English.

She is paying for her flight, I'd be covering all her expenses while she's here including her visitors insurance. I've heard some say if she pre-orders her tickets and provides them when applying for her visa that it may influence their decision. Anyone know if that is true?

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To the OP: A letter of invitation doesn't mean anything. She has to be approved on her own merits, not yours. I always wonder why people think some sort of letter will get a visitor visa for someone who can't show they have ties to their home country? USCIS wants to make sure she will return home.

I am just going off what I have read. I have never personally traveled outside of the US or dealt with immigration regulations in any way. So her own merits... what does that entail exactly. I don't mean to sound ignorant here, like I said I've never dealt with this and what I find is a bit confusing. She has a good career there as a teacher at a university. Her family isn't wealthy but I don't believe they are poor. What other merits might help her?

I have a friend whom I have been speaking to for about half a year who was planning on coming in July to stay with my parents for a few months. She applied for the visitors visa and was denied. I'm assuming it's because they have many younger women violate their terms and not so much on her credentials. She said she was going to speak with an immigration attorney there to see what she can do. What can she do to better her chances of getting approved? Is there anything that I can do such as write a letter of invitation? I know being that I am a male it may be counter productive. Would my position as a police officer have any merit with them or would it be better for me to get my female cousin, who also speak with her, to write the letter? Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated!