GP1977

Was the OP asking for immigration advice or counseling/marriage advice?

Was the OP asking for immigration advice or counseling/marriage advice?

You might want to double check the leaving part.  I have a friend who lives in America and just travelled to Odessa, Ukraine to meet his girlfriend who lives in Russia.    Its a popular beach town.  He would be familar with it.  Although as a Russian male it might be difficult for him to travel to Ukraine  because of their conflict.
 
 

The embassy is open for emergency matters but if you went to their website you will see the following:
"We will resume routine visa services as soon as possible but are unable to provide a specific date at this time. The MRV fee is valid and may be used for a visa application in the country where it was purchased within one year of the date of payment. If you have an urgent matter and need to travel immediately, please follow the guidance provided at https://www.ustraveldocs.com/ua/ or send an email to support-ukraine@ustraveldocs.com to request an emergency appointment."

No need to go the embassy before she gets her medical done.
 
YOu will need your KEV number from the NVC so make sure she has that.
 
As mentioned above the visa expires 6 months from whatever date you do the medical so take that into account.
 
Pre-covid Kyiv has had a pretty good history of relatively quick turnaround times for interview appointments.  Who knows what the backlog will look like and how many interviews they will do per day during Covid times.
 
 
 
 
 

I am a very persistent individual and have lived my life by when there is a will there is a way.  And you really can't accept no for an answer.
 
I wanted to give an update on my wife obtaining her Green Card.  For those of you that aren’t familiar with Baltimore they are unlike many offices in that they do not approve a GC on the spot.  Their standard MO is to give a letter saying that they need to review the case and to allow them 120 days to make a decision.   There are some exceptions but this seems to be done the majority of the time.  The letter which we were given actually told us to please wait at least 120 days and at that point we may make an inquiry through the national customer service center or we may request an infopass appointment.  The letter was had the name of the local field office director in Baltimore.   At 122 days I called the national customer service center requesting an infopass appointment, was routed to tier 2, and was told its not a thing to request an infopass for case update.  I asked for him to please explain to me why the field office director would have letters issued with his name and title on the bottom of the letter if its not a thing?  They Tier 2 officer kept on talking in circles and really couldn’t give me an answer.  I asked him for the email address for the officer handling my case so I could reach out directly.  He said he didn’t have it.  I asked for him to call the local Baltimore field office.  They said he can’t do it but maybe he supervisor could.   So he put me on hold and got his supervisor.
 
This supervisor told me the same thing.  That the prior officer was correct and that infopass appointments are not for case status updates and he couldn’t speak to the letter that I received.  He told me I could complain to the ombudsman about the letter.  I told him I have no interest in making a complaint as that does not solve my issue at hand.  He then advised for me to make an online inquiry.  I told him we both know that it’s a waste of time and it wont get anyone moving on the case.  He didn’t acknowledge this directly but seemed to agree with me.  I asked him to call the local office and the officer handling my case to see what was going on.  He said he couldn’t do that.  I asked him what else I could do.  He advised for me to write a letter to the local field office director that was listed on the case.  I basically did a pre writ of mandamus letter.  Outlined my concerns and said I was reaching out prior to filing a writ of mandamus and that I wanted the case to be adjudicated as its been over 120 days since the interview.  I found the email address for the field office director online and sent it to him via email and also sent signed receipt certified mail delivery via USPS.  That letter was received on Monday and this morning the case was updated to “New Card is being produced”.
 
Hope this helps someone else.

You are very welcome!
 
just don't forget to get Apostille on your Marriage Certificate  - pretty sure you'll need it once in Ukraine.
 
 

Seems like no, there is no "basis" to change your wife's last name in Ukraine through marriage. 
 
 Answering your question - yes, you still can get Ukrainian residency through marriage in Ukraine.  It's not required for a woman to take her husband's last name.
Usually, yes, that's what Ukrainian women do, but it's BY CHOICE. There is no Law and it's all up to a woman - to change her last name or not. Well, I've seen few couples there a man took his wife's last name
 
So, no worries - you won't be denied the residency because your wife didn't change her last name. 

Really sorry your wife had to deal with someone like that....Sushi an ignorance and disrespect
 
That "lady" probably doesn't know green card has nothing to do with name change. It only serves as a proof of the residency. 
Lady also, seems like,  is not familiar vith the Law. Although she should be. Anyway, One is allowed by Ukrainian Law to have TWO passports at the same time if ithey issued under the same name. So really shouldn't be a problem at all for the Embassy to process ANOTHER, second passport for your wife, under sane name as her old /current one is. 
 
So if you decide to renew the passport through the Embassy, bring wife's old passport, request an application to keep current one (easy form, fills out within seconds while Embassy representative is checking on your paperwork), green card and it's copy, Marriage certificate and it's copy, driver license and it's copy. Also Money order - payment for Embassy service s .They do not take cards or cash - only Money order. The passport will be issued under maiden name.
Fingers crossed you will get a nice and knowledgeable person once you are there!.
 
About changing the last name. Yes, to have it changed she would have to change her last name on her interior passport first. A "basis" required to make such change . Take a look at your Marriage Certificate. There may be (not every State does it) the statement that after marriage last name was changed from XXXXX to. ZZZZZZ. Something like that. If there's no statement - no basis. Nobody will change her last name in her interior passport then. So no change in that one - no change in Travel document/International passport.
Also, it  can take weeks  to process interior passport....  
If there is a statement and your wife wants to change her last name , then plan  a long stay in Ukraine.... 
Also you would need an Apostille on your Marriage Certificate. Can be done at Secretary of State. And then - translated and notorized. Better in Ukraine.
 
Again - so sorry for horrible experience with the Embassy. I see people got replaced and there is a new "crew" there now... 
 
From my understanding quarantine will be extended. Most likely. They are planning up till mid of May. For now. But who knows.....
 
Hope everything will work out for you and your wife!!!
 
 
 

Thank you so much for your suggestion.  My wife sent them an email today with a question about when they would process a new passport and the representative asked for her phone number and said she would give her a call tomorrow.  What great service! 
Stay safe as well!
 

Thank you so much for your suggestion.  My wife sent them an email today with a question about when they would process a new passport and the representative asked for her phone number and said she would give her a call tomorrow.  What great service! 
Stay safe as well!
 

Sorry, didn't realize you are from MD - I saw Chicago first and decided that was it  
Well, it makes things better - DC is actually responsive. Maybe not always the phone calls and I understand now why, after being in there couple times - only few people work there.. But they are pretty good with answering emails. 
 
Good luck and stay safe!

As has already been mentioned you need to talk to James hacking. He has filed many of these petitions and my understanding most of the time he files it, he gets the consulate to adjudicate and move on your case. He has many YouTube videos on this topic, where he says usually the consulate will write back and ask for 30 or 60 days and they will adjudicate the petion within that timeframe. 
 
and yes it’s something you can’t do on your own, he sues everyone that had touched your petiton including the department of state, Uscis and Nvc. That way one agency can’t blame it on the other.
 
also, pretty sure is most cases he doesn’t touch it unless it’s been 6 months or a year. Can’t remember exactly the timeframe he mentioned in his video. 

In order to beat awa you are going to need a good lawyer that specializes in this area. It’s not something for any attorney. You need someone who spends a good part of their practice dealing with these cases.  Be prepareD to spend 10k or 20k or even more to be successful.

Well even an experienced member of the forum @geowriansaid and I quote 
 
“It's impossible for anybody here to know why they likely revoked your visa.
You may or may not know a reason why they would do so.”
 
People can infer or assume but only the consulate knows the reason. 

Yes. I will probably do that, unfortunately I know of 3 other couples
 who are also waiting 120+++ days as well. The Baltimore office needs to fix some things.

I am a very persistent individual and have lived my life by when there is a will there is a way.  And you really can't accept no for an answer.
 
I wanted to give an update on my wife obtaining her Green Card.  For those of you that aren’t familiar with Baltimore they are unlike many offices in that they do not approve a GC on the spot.  Their standard MO is to give a letter saying that they need to review the case and to allow them 120 days to make a decision.   There are some exceptions but this seems to be done the majority of the time.  The letter which we were given actually told us to please wait at least 120 days and at that point we may make an inquiry through the national customer service center or we may request an infopass appointment.  The letter was had the name of the local field office director in Baltimore.   At 122 days I called the national customer service center requesting an infopass appointment, was routed to tier 2, and was told its not a thing to request an infopass for case update.  I asked for him to please explain to me why the field office director would have letters issued with his name and title on the bottom of the letter if its not a thing?  They Tier 2 officer kept on talking in circles and really couldn’t give me an answer.  I asked him for the email address for the officer handling my case so I could reach out directly.  He said he didn’t have it.  I asked for him to call the local Baltimore field office.  They said he can’t do it but maybe he supervisor could.   So he put me on hold and got his supervisor.
 
This supervisor told me the same thing.  That the prior officer was correct and that infopass appointments are not for case status updates and he couldn’t speak to the letter that I received.  He told me I could complain to the ombudsman about the letter.  I told him I have no interest in making a complaint as that does not solve my issue at hand.  He then advised for me to make an online inquiry.  I told him we both know that it’s a waste of time and it wont get anyone moving on the case.  He didn’t acknowledge this directly but seemed to agree with me.  I asked him to call the local office and the officer handling my case to see what was going on.  He said he couldn’t do that.  I asked him what else I could do.  He advised for me to write a letter to the local field office director that was listed on the case.  I basically did a pre writ of mandamus letter.  Outlined my concerns and said I was reaching out prior to filing a writ of mandamus and that I wanted the case to be adjudicated as its been over 120 days since the interview.  I found the email address for the field office director online and sent it to him via email and also sent signed receipt certified mail delivery via USPS.  That letter was received on Monday and this morning the case was updated to “New Card is being produced”.
 
Hope this helps someone else.

A brief update:
 
I send out the email on Saturday. And this morning (after long weekend), got a reply from the director saying that "she's not at liberty to disclose any information in regards to the case since this is a privacy issue". She said I can make an infopass appointment if I want to make the inquiry. I replied telling her that USCIS stopped making inforpass appointments for case inquiries. I asked if she can help making that appointment. 
 
I guess the positive sign is that someone is at least looking into my case. I'm not sure if she'll write back to me again. I'll mail my letter tomorrow.
 
Hoping for the best.

Yes, they are free to marry and stay in the us and adjust status. However, there is a presumption of having made a willful material misrepresentation at the time of admission or application for a nonimmigrant visa when that nonimmigrant enters the United States and within 90 days And marries. Therefore, if you are going to marry and adjust it is best to wait till day 91 to avoid this presumption. 

Yes, they are free to marry and stay in the us and adjust status. However, there is a presumption of having made a willful material misrepresentation at the time of admission or application for a nonimmigrant visa when that nonimmigrant enters the United States and within 90 days And marries. Therefore, if you are going to marry and adjust it is best to wait till day 91 to avoid this presumption. 

Yes. I will probably do that, unfortunately I know of 3 other couples
 who are also waiting 120+++ days as well. The Baltimore office needs to fix some things.

Yes. I will probably do that, unfortunately I know of 3 other couples
 who are also waiting 120+++ days as well. The Baltimore office needs to fix some things.

i would still lodge a complaint. that ordeal is beyond ridiculous, and there is absolutely zero excuse for them waiting so long that you had to do all of that just for an easy approval.

I am a very persistent individual and have lived my life by when there is a will there is a way.  And you really can't accept no for an answer.
 
I wanted to give an update on my wife obtaining her Green Card.  For those of you that aren’t familiar with Baltimore they are unlike many offices in that they do not approve a GC on the spot.  Their standard MO is to give a letter saying that they need to review the case and to allow them 120 days to make a decision.   There are some exceptions but this seems to be done the majority of the time.  The letter which we were given actually told us to please wait at least 120 days and at that point we may make an inquiry through the national customer service center or we may request an infopass appointment.  The letter was had the name of the local field office director in Baltimore.   At 122 days I called the national customer service center requesting an infopass appointment, was routed to tier 2, and was told its not a thing to request an infopass for case update.  I asked for him to please explain to me why the field office director would have letters issued with his name and title on the bottom of the letter if its not a thing?  They Tier 2 officer kept on talking in circles and really couldn’t give me an answer.  I asked him for the email address for the officer handling my case so I could reach out directly.  He said he didn’t have it.  I asked for him to call the local Baltimore field office.  They said he can’t do it but maybe he supervisor could.   So he put me on hold and got his supervisor.
 
This supervisor told me the same thing.  That the prior officer was correct and that infopass appointments are not for case status updates and he couldn’t speak to the letter that I received.  He told me I could complain to the ombudsman about the letter.  I told him I have no interest in making a complaint as that does not solve my issue at hand.  He then advised for me to make an online inquiry.  I told him we both know that it’s a waste of time and it wont get anyone moving on the case.  He didn’t acknowledge this directly but seemed to agree with me.  I asked him to call the local office and the officer handling my case to see what was going on.  He said he couldn’t do that.  I asked him what else I could do.  He advised for me to write a letter to the local field office director that was listed on the case.  I basically did a pre writ of mandamus letter.  Outlined my concerns and said I was reaching out prior to filing a writ of mandamus and that I wanted the case to be adjudicated as its been over 120 days since the interview.  I found the email address for the field office director online and sent it to him via email and also sent signed receipt certified mail delivery via USPS.  That letter was received on Monday and this morning the case was updated to “New Card is being produced”.
 
Hope this helps someone else.