Irina and Chris

In that case you will wait roughly 3-4 months until you're notified via email or snail mail that you have an interview date. We waited 135 days from the date DHL delivered the application from NVC to interview at CD Juarez. Status remained "Ready" this entire time and only changed to "Application Received" on the day of the interview. We didn't get an email as they sent notification to my home in the US. Luckily we called the consulate and found out we were scheduled 2 weeks prior.

In the same boat. Hope someone will respond. According to the wait times website, they only have a 2 day wait for some non-immigrant visas. I would imagine that our K-1 applications should be reasonably quick.

My NOA2 was January 10 and I didn't get confirmation that it was received until February 24, which was 45 days later. Still waiting for data entry 😫

We are American/Russian and live in Mexico as well, currently living in San Miguel de Allende, GTO. we originally selected Mexico as preferred embassy location on the I-129F. AFAIK, temporary or permanent legal residency in Mexico is required in order for the Embassy to accept the interview. Even then it is still at their pleasure to accept or deny. This may have changed, there may be some flexibility as its difficult for Russians to get Schengen visas and into Poland currently. I have had a conversation with my senator's immigration aid who is assisting us with our visa regarding this. Its a problem and I'm not sure State Dept has a blanket solution for where Russian applicants can go. I know of one of my fiancee's friends in Moscow that recently, and quite quickly too, obtained a B-2 tourist visa by going through the embassy in Tashkent Uzbekistan. Also, I read that some applications are getting shuttled to the Almity Kazakhstan embassy. Even with residency, we worry that the State Department will still send to Poland... We are according to VJ, the only Russian K1 application ever entered here with a Mexico requested embassy.

My research doesn't indicate this is true. K-1 visa holders are apparently exempt for mandatory vax under the law. Where did you get the information that it was required at the land border?

Indeed. Embassy and consulate website both say K-1 is processed in Mexico City however they also say Juarez is resuming processing "all visa types". So I'm taking it that the other consulates are not at this time as there hasn't been any similar proclamation. We'll likely be placed in line at Mexico City, which is fine. I have a Taco place selected to wait it out.... Orinoco is incredible! Also, further news out regarding the vax requirement for foreign travellers via air and sea. Thomas Massie just introduced legislation that will be likely voted on next week. Could go either way passed or not, vetoed, or delayed implementing. But something those farther back in line could have on their radar. https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/185?s=1&r=29 In it it states, "To terminate the requirement imposed by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for proof of COVID-19 vaccination for foreign travelers, and for other purposes”

Thank you! I look forward to hearing what the Juarez consulate tells you regarding whether or not they'll require the vax at medical. I have also sent an inquiry to my Senator. We really do not care to have the jab given the information regarding terrifying side effects that are beginning to come out in the press. We're at 16 months+ currently and presently awaiting NVC. We estimate another 4-5 months, so we'll be lucky to get to interview at 20 months, approximately middle May or early April likely. Best of luck to you! We are also going through Mexico as we have been able to obtain residency and have lived here since late 2020. Last I heard, Mexico City was the only place that the embassy was conducting K1 interviews. Has this changed?

Yes, well, there hasn't been a specifically named, "Covid emergency declaration", to my knowledge either. You are correct regarding the complete, (or partial), expiration of Executive Order 10294 in May. My bad, I had the wrong M-month in my head when I typed the query into my phone earlier this morning. Regarding Federal authority to enforce and require a Covid-19 vaccination among foreign immigrants. There are several executive orders going back to 2014 that pertain. Among them are; 13295 - https://www.govinfo.gov/link/cpd/executiveorder/13295 13375 - https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2006-title3-vol1/CFR-2006-title3-vol1-eo13375 13674 - https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2015-title3-vol1/CFR-2015-title3-vol1-eo13674 13674 is very large. I am currently reading to find how it pertains to a vaccination requirement. In or around page 498 of the section titled Subchapter F, Part 70 of the Section titled Title 42-Public Health, the section gives authority to the CDC to determine what constitutes a, "quarantinable communicable disease." Searching the CDC database I found this page; https://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/panel-physicians/covid-19-technical-instructions.html Also, this CDC page references these Executive orders and also Congressional Code title 42; https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2011-title42/html/USCODE-2011-title42-chap6A-subchapII-partG.htm The CDC posted above states therein, (I highlighted the important part); "Applicants*, defined in these Technical Instructions as people applying for immigrant or refugee status, as well as non-immigrants (NIVs) who are required to have an overseas medical examination, are medically screened days or weeks prior to travel to the United States (US). Thus, a negative screening for COVID-19 at the time of the medical evaluation does not guarantee the applicant will not have COVID-19 at the time of immigration to the United States. A combination of vaccination, strategic testing, and routine infection control practices will provide the best protection from COVID-19 for applicants and US communities. These instructions provide requirements for COVID-19 vaccination and testing for applicants. The Instructions in this document are to be followed for COVID-19 when assessing applicants from all countries. These Technical Instructions became effective October 1, 2021, remain in effect, and may be updated periodically. Visit the Technical Instructions for Panel Physicians webpage for more information about the medical examination for applicants for US immigration. *Refugees and NIVs, including K-visa applicants are not required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as part of the immigration medical examination; however, the other components of these Technical Instructions do apply to all applicants." It would seem however, that the code allows exception for all K-Visa applicants however I haven't tracked down the specific subsection of code within Title 42 where this is referenced. (Going by the CDC blurb above.) All said, as we have seen in the news over the past year+, there is a move on to axe Title 42. The current administration has come very close, albeit presently in court. Should Title 42 suddenly disappear, it may also be that Federal authority to enforce any vaccination originating from a CDC declaration of a, "quarantinable communicable disease" will go with it. Although I'd assumed there will be something to replace it. Regarding the other piece of the puzzle, travel requirements for Foreigners to enter the US; Executive Proclamation 10294 of October 25, 2021 - Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the Covid-19 Pandemic. It may be referenced in the Federal registry here; https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/10/28/2021-23645/advancing-the-safe-resumption-of-global-travel-during-the-covid-19-pandemic Some of this has been rescinded by CDC Proclamation, i.e. dumping testing requirement to fly, getting rid of vax requirement entering by land ; https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/fr-proof-negative-test.html https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-01402 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-01403 So long story short... I do not believe foreign applicants are required by US law to be vaccinated against Covid as a requirement, qualification for a K-Visa nor to enter the US via a land border. I am continuing to research for more clarification, the specific section within title 42 pertaining to the exemption for "Refugees and NIVs, including K-visa applicants". It is understandable that personnel at embassy level may not be aware of the exemption for K-Visa applicants. They are likely certainly aware of asylum seekers, refugees, and NIVs exclusion status. This jibes with accounts I have read here where some say it's a requirement and others say it isn't. Understandable as the vast majority will travel by air thus required vaxxed under travel policy above. Would be great to get more opinions, experiences, etc... and nail it all down. Anyone who has first hand knowledge please post it up!

We're in the same situation and hope to find some clarification prior to interview. Currently awaiting transfer to NVC and estimate another brutal 4-5 month wait for interview... It's in the news that Vax emergency declaration will be rescinded March 11. Will this nullify visa requirement??

Mexico is a great county with welcoming people. So many go there to be together when our government cannot function and keeps us apart. I also applied for Global Entry. Took them 9 months to send disapproval letter. No idea why. Flying and going through TSA isn't too bad. However, I usually drive across now. We plan on going back in September. Ironically, we will be elgible for Mexican Citizenship in 15 months... US takes that long just to pick up the Visa application and read it. May I ask you, Mike, how did you go about getting expedited because of war? Although it doesn't seem you are expedited really. I noticed an application with a Ukranian bride that went start to finish in 3 months under the Uniting for Ukraine.l program. Also have noticed others, including Russian applications getting prioritized and moving quickly. I sit waiting for NOA2 for 9 months now. So depressing thinking about how much more wait lie before us. It has cost us so much financially and emotionally. Travel, living together in Mexico, etc... Its like a dystopian story that has come true. Really quite unbelievable so many of us are victims of our own government.

That sucks. My fiance's tickets from Mexico City on Turkish Airlines were listed cancelled but we checked and only her flight Istanbul to Sochi was gone. They changed her to an Istanbul to Moscow flight. Will Emirates cancel without refunding? Regardless, I am currently experiencing the same hopelessness and depression. So saddening to distill down to long chats and video calls. Feels like life is on pause. We aren't even to NOA2. Filed in September '21 and so far nothing at all. Likely another 6+ months just to move another step forward. BTW, It was nice living together in Mexico, but no work or income sucked. She had to go back for her son who's dad tragically died. We both want to go back there, hopefully in September. Hope you get some news.

Look into tickets with Emerates. They have rt $2300 moscow to Mexico City. Turkish airlines has gone crazy with their pricing. However it may be possible to get a much better price booking seperately Moscow to Istanbul on aeroflot or another, then to Mexico City on Turkish.

I'm in the same boat in this ridiculously horrible process. We relocated to Mexico for the past 1.5 years while we wait. It was my impression that Mexico was welcoming Russians and eased immigration. Haven't heard that this has changed? There are Russian communities in Playa Del Carmen, Queretaro and Mexico City, maybe more. We also obtained Mexican residency and are hopeful that she can go to Mexico City for the interview. That said, I notice that no K1 NOA2s have been reported since April. I have to wonder if there is some sort of hold on Russian fiancee visas.