tinygreengoblin

wow, thanks for the information, do you know if it's worth transferring to budapest hungary? if it's easier to get a schengen there, i just don't want the risk of poland.  Would you recommend any other countries that a transfer would be quickly accepted?

About a dozen of Russian citizens (that I know of) attend their interviews in Warsaw on a monthly basis with zero issues on entering Poland. At least 5 fiancées had their interviews on January 2, 3 and 4. 
Mine interview (CR1/IR1) is also scheduled in Warsaw. 
The keys for russian citizens are:
1) apply for a tourist Schengen visa with a visa center of loyal countries: Italy, France, Spain or Hungary (in Russia). Act like a tourist don't mention Poland on your application. 
2) enter Schengen area by flying in the country that issued you a visa (best option for both short-term and long-term visas, but critical to short-term visas nowadays). Again act like a tourist, you're there for Colosseum or Champs-Élysées.
3) enter Poland by air or by land (train or car) from that European country, even the same day. If by air, buy a separate ticket from that European country to Poland. For example, if you book a ticket Moscow - Istanbul - Rome and a separate ticket Rome - Warsaw, then you enter Schengen area in Italy (go through border control (visa check)), pick up your luggage, check-in, drop off your luggage again and then head to a assigned gate without any additional border control, as there are no administrative borders within Schengen area. 
So the citizens of Russia are allowed to enter Poland only from other Schengen country (not through the external border of Schengen zone).
 
As for interview time frames for CR1/IR1 in Warsaw, NVC usually sends an interview letter in 35-45 days after DQ. An interview date is in 85 days after DQ on average. 

Hello all! Long time lurker, first time posting so please forgive any weird formatting and my litany of questions!
 
My husband is Russian and his case is currently assigned to Warsaw. We just got DQ'd today and we're awaiting the interview email.
 
We have seen many people on this forum successfully transfer to Almaty or Bishkek but we would like to know what documents you provided to facilitate the transfer? Which embassy (Almaty or Bishkek) has been more accepting of Russian IR1/CR1 transfers? Have some of you needed to go ahead and get denied for a Schengen visa to Poland to prove the applicant can't attend the interview there? Or would this email from the Polish Embassy in Saint Petersburg (attached) suffice for the Almaty and/or Bishkek embassies? What other hardship did you show to demonstrate the need for the transfer? 
 
Also, how long did it take for the transfer to happen and how long after did you receive your interview date (and when was that interview date from when you got transferred)? Did you do the medical exam in Moscow or did it need to be done in Almaty or Bishkek?
 
Sorry for so many confusing questions but I hope that someone could provide some advice and that this thread can help others in the same situation! 
 
Thank you all for your help!
 

We applied for a Schengen and were given single-entry and argued we could not legally enter Poland and were not willing to break the law, Jerusalem accepted a transfer in our case after that. Others did not have to even get a Schengen visa to obtain transfers. We also cannot apply at our current country of residence (Armenian embassy is small and already overloaded with local and Iranian cases) but we didn't bother mentioning that. 

Hi, the email from the Polish Consulate won't do anything for you unfortunately. The State Dept is well aware of the situation, but hasn't provided a solution for IR/CR-1 applicants. If your husband is in Russia, try to get a Schengen visa. Hungary may be one of the better options to try for. Almaty stopped taking transfers a long time ago (except for IR-5). We successfully transferred to Bishkek but I suspect that was because our case was in Jerusalem when the embassy suspended operations there. Jerusalem is processing cases again but I don't know if they are taking transfers. They were the only embassy that was consistently taking transfers prior to the war. If an embassy accepts a transfer it happens quickly, like a few days or less. The IR/CR-1 cases are electronic so there's no physical mailing.
 
If your husband is not in Russia, he'll have to return there to apply for a Schengen visa if he doesn't have residence anywhere else. 

Hello all! Long time lurker, first time posting so please forgive any weird formatting and my litany of questions!
 
My husband is Russian and his case is currently assigned to Warsaw. We just got DQ'd today and we're awaiting the interview email.
 
We have seen many people on this forum successfully transfer to Almaty or Bishkek but we would like to know what documents you provided to facilitate the transfer? Which embassy (Almaty or Bishkek) has been more accepting of Russian IR1/CR1 transfers? Have some of you needed to go ahead and get denied for a Schengen visa to Poland to prove the applicant can't attend the interview there? Or would this email from the Polish Embassy in Saint Petersburg (attached) suffice for the Almaty and/or Bishkek embassies? What other hardship did you show to demonstrate the need for the transfer? 
 
Also, how long did it take for the transfer to happen and how long after did you receive your interview date (and when was that interview date from when you got transferred)? Did you do the medical exam in Moscow or did it need to be done in Almaty or Bishkek?
 
Sorry for so many confusing questions but I hope that someone could provide some advice and that this thread can help others in the same situation! 
 
Thank you all for your help!
 

Hello all! Long time lurker, first time posting so please forgive any weird formatting and my litany of questions!
 
My husband is Russian and his case is currently assigned to Warsaw. We just got DQ'd today and we're awaiting the interview email.
 
We have seen many people on this forum successfully transfer to Almaty or Bishkek but we would like to know what documents you provided to facilitate the transfer? Which embassy (Almaty or Bishkek) has been more accepting of Russian IR1/CR1 transfers? Have some of you needed to go ahead and get denied for a Schengen visa to Poland to prove the applicant can't attend the interview there? Or would this email from the Polish Embassy in Saint Petersburg (attached) suffice for the Almaty and/or Bishkek embassies? What other hardship did you show to demonstrate the need for the transfer? 
 
Also, how long did it take for the transfer to happen and how long after did you receive your interview date (and when was that interview date from when you got transferred)? Did you do the medical exam in Moscow or did it need to be done in Almaty or Bishkek?
 
Sorry for so many confusing questions but I hope that someone could provide some advice and that this thread can help others in the same situation! 
 
Thank you all for your help!