vopilka

Thanks for the replies, guys! That was very helpful. Cheers!

I had my interview initially scheduled for July 7, 2010. Since my 2 year home residency requirement (after J-1 visa) wasn't over at that moment, I asked the Moscow Embassy to reschedule the interview for a later date. After a little bit they just sent me an e-mail with one line "New date is February 9, 2011". The date is cool with me, but how am I going to enter the embassy on that day? Should I just bring the print out of that e-mail? Or should I request some other document?

I had my interview initially scheduled for July 7, 2010. Since my 2 year home residency requirement (after J-1 visa) wasn't over at that moment, I asked the Moscow Embassy to reschedule the interview for a later date. After a little bit they just sent me an e-mail with one line "New date is February 9, 2011". The date is cool with me, but how am I going to enter the embassy on that day? Should I just bring the print out of that e-mail? Or should I request some other document?

That is my understanding. You can in fact see that a shipment was made, but cannot really verify that your file was in it. Kind of a waste of time.

I agree with you 100% - people shouldn't have false hopes that it was their case that was mailed but I can understand how desperate you can get after waiting for months and years.

I've heard quotes that it takes somewhere around 2 weeks. I believe some individuals in the CR-1 forums know how to figure out the shipping number, or ways to see when packages are arriving. I don't have any information on how to do this; but again, check with the people in the CR-1 forums.

Everyone else,

CR-1 does not work like K-1. Vopilka is right about having the appointment date before the package arrives at the embassy. The appointment is also assigned roughly one month after the case is complete.

If you're still confused, look at the CR-1 process; we spend a lot more time in document processing at the NVC.

Thanks for the tip. I tried doing it and there were some cases that were shipped to Moscow around June 4th, but I am not sure if my case is there, too.

It usually takes no longer than a week or two.

And usually, you won't know your interview date until after they have the case. I'm wondering how you found out your interview date already? And wow, that seems fast that it was shipped on the 4th and you're already scheduled for July 7th. That's very quick. What's your secret?

Edited - just noticed you're doing IR/CR-1. OK, now that makes a little more sense.

Yeah, as you're right, IR-CR is a little bit different in that our schedules are set by the NVC.

We found that the embassy had our file for some time before logging it into the computer. Until your file appears in the system, the people who schedule appointments can't see it or schedule you. Don't worry just yet - it may just be a few days of administrative backlog.

That's exactly what I was thinking. I imagine it to be somewhere in a corner at the bottom of a pile that is menacingly leaning to one side. And those officers typing away - NO! we do not have your case yet! Because instead of sorting through the mail we have to answer your e-mail the 100 billion time!

Thanks for the input

Hi guys,

Was wondering how long it might take for the case to arrive to Moscow? What was the longest span from your experience?

According to NVC our case was mailed from them to the Embassy on June 4th, my interview is scheduled for July 7 (!). So far the embassy hasn't received the case. How long can it take for them to get it? I mean, it's shipped by DHL and I have sent 3 e-mails to the Embassy and their response is always the same - as of today we don't have your case. The latest info is from June 11th. Of course, I sent another e-mail and am waiting for yet another response.

My problem is that I need to reschedule my interview for a later date, but they refuse to do so until they have the case. I am worried that I will just miss the interview and that will cause some trouble.

So frustrated!

Thanks!

Just called NVC and got my case is complete message!!!!!!! Anyone know what the wait is?? I guess it is different in each country. Anyone know what it might be in Colombia!!!!!

It usually means they will now schedule an interview for you.

If you are talking about the 2 year foreign residency requirement that is in place with some J-1 applications, then yes, the visa will be denied because the 2 year FRR has not yet been met so the beneficiary is ineligible to receive a visa. Since the application would have been processed from start to finish and a decision made, you would not be able to 'wait' until this condition is met and then have them consider the 'new evidence'. You would have to re-start the application process with a new application once the 2year RR has been met. If you are able to delay this current processing until after the 2 year time period has been satisfied, I believe the visa could be granted at that time. I don't think the whole application process must take place after the 2 year period has been met as long as the beneficiary has satisfied the 2 year Foreign Residency Requirement by the time the visa processing has reached the stage for approval - although I may be mistaken on that.

....

Unfortunately, as hard as it is to wait, it looks like your best bet would be to try and delay the current application until the 2 year Foreign Residency Requirement has been met. If you are not able to do that, then yes, you will have to start the application over again from the beginning unless you can get a waiver, although it might be faster at this stage of the game to restart (although not cheaper).

Good luck.

Hey Kathryn44, so great to get a somewhat certain answer, although a very disappointing one Thank you!

I have to think what to do now. I really don't want to have to do it all again, that would be a pain plus so friggin expensive. And seems like rescheduling the interview might cause a bunch of troubles too. Stupid immigration laws

Hi vopilka

My wife is in the same situation. She is Rusian and came to the US on a J-1 visa that has a 2 year HRR. She returned to Russia 2 years ago yesterday, but she has left the country many times over the last 2 years for business and pleasure, including coming here last Summer for 3 months to marry me (she had a valid B1 Tourist visa). If you add up all of the time she has been out of Russia for vacations and business (Italy, France and the US) then you add an additional 5 months. We submitted the I-130 application in February and got our NOA1 on March 2. We are hoping to get our I-130 approval in the next 4 weeks. The average time to get a visa interview in Russia after I-130 approval looks to be about 5 months, which would be in November for us. So, her additional time out of Russia will be fufilled by then anyway. We would like to have an interview earlier and hope they don't count all of her travel against her, but it is a big risk to take. We are within 6-7 months now, and like someone earlier said, if they deny the visa at the interview you probably have to start the process all over. That is why we aren't going to submit our paperwork to NVC TOO quickly, because we don't want an interview before November. If we DO get a date before then, I am afraid that asking for a later interview date will put us way back in line again. Not sure how that works, but it doesn't seem worth the risk now.

I don't know if I gave you any help, but just thought you might want to know someone else is in your shoes and feels your pain!

Good luck!

Hi FLPilot!

Thanks for the response, it sure is good to know that we're not the only one with this weird complications I have also left Russia two times during my 2 years here and if you add them up, you get around 3-4 months. Which actually moves my date from October to January next year. Which of course sucks And, yeah, I have no idea how people at the embassy are treating this sort of cases. I have e-mailed them before asking a question and what they told me was wrong. So now I'm kind of hesitant if I should e-mail them asking about the interview date and such.

Hope everything goes great for your wife at the interview!

Hi guys,

I was wondering if anybody has any ideas about what happens if you go to the interview at the embassy and the 2YHRR is not fully completed. I was told visa get refused. But what happens next? Do we have to start all over again with the USCIS and NVC and such or do we just wait for the 2 years to be over and then just go to the embassy with the same paperwork? (I have around half a year left, so I guess, we could reschedule to a later date just to make sure that it's a sure thing, but I just can't wait anymore )

My fiance has yet to fulfill her 2yr HRR and I filed the I-129F and we are already up to P3 and should have an interview scheduled in the next couple months. She will interview with the 2yr not fulfilled. She also had numerous visits to the U.S. which technically should be counted against it. As mentioned earlier, I have seen cases here where a few months were forgiven and others where a blue slip is issued and you need to send in proof when the residency is fulfilled and they will check and tell you to come get your visa. The latter is what is technically supposed to happen.

Hey DModeMD, was wondering if your fiance had her interview already? And if she did, what where the results? I am planning on going to the interview with some time of these 2 years still left, just not sure when exactly it will happen. Would be absolutely amazing to know what happens...

That's funny. NVC misses someone who has a HRR and I get snagged for RFE to prove no HRR.

They didn't miss it. I actually wrote a letter about it. I just read VJ a lot before sending all the paperwork and was prepared.

Email the Embassy, they'll respond within 3 business days. Click on Embassy Info link at top of this page to get to their website.

Thanks! Do they e-mail you the list or they just tell you the last date?

I've e-mailed them before, I was not very clear. I was wondering if there's some way to look at that list they used to have online

Hey

We are filing for CR1/IR1 and I am a J-1-er with the stupid 2-year home stay requirement. I'm sitting it out- I have a little under 10 months left. Basically, when we considered applying for a waiver, we ran into a problem locating some documents. I just decided to come back and get this done and over with. It totally sucks, btw

I don't want to give you any hopes, but if you have some extra money you could try waiving the requirement based on the fact that it has been over 10 years since that. If I were you, I would totally risk it at the interview, if they will schedule it before the 2 years are over.

My requirement is from my recent scholarship in 2006. I still have around 8 months...

Oh hey, another CR-1; we're growing in strength and numbers.

Curious where you are in the time line of events. If you haven't hit the problem of the home stay requirement, then you either slipped through NVC or you haven't hit the interview point yet. We got snagged for a RFE because she had a J-1 visa without the HRR and had to send documentation proving as such (even though it says on the fricken visa).

You're positive you have the home stay requirement? Just want to double check, since most of the visa's coming out of Russia don't have it.

Anyway, if you do have the home stay requirement, then you're going to need to apply for a waiver.

It's called Form I-612. I've heard estimates that it takes between 4-6 months to complete. There may also be a large filing fee attached to it.

Anyway, let me know where you are in the process and I my be able to help out.

Hey! I do have a 2YHRR, actually. And what initially started as CR-1 will probably become IR-1, since we've been married for more than 2 years. I didn't have an interview yet. My case was completed with the NVC. Thanks for the willingness to help But I have become an expert in this after we filed for a waiver and after we got denied

I have e-mailed the embassy about the interview, and you basically just need to get the first date and then ask them to reschedule to a date closer to the end of the 2nd year. I still have at least till October.

Hey guys, basically the question is in the subject line. I would really appreciate if anybody with any info could help.

Also, does anybody here have any sort of experience with applying for a cr-1 visa with a 2YHRR aka 2 year home residency requirement aka 212 (e)? I have so many questions...

Just adding some info. Read yesterday on another forum a post from a girl who went to an interview with 8 months still left. She got her visa approved but the left months were not waived. So she was told to contact the embassy after her time was done and they would mail her passport with a visa to her. The post was from the last year and the thread looked kind of dead, so I have no idea if she did that in the end.

Just thought I'd share, in case there are people here who don't know what to do.

Hey guys!

I have searched on the forum for the answer, but unfortunately didn't find enough info, so I am in need of your help. Our case was recently complete at NVC. They are now going to schedule the interview at the embassy in Moscow. Unfortunately the embassy's site doesn't have the info about the immigration visas interview dates due to some technical problems. So I can't see what are the closest available dates. Different sources are giving different information. Some say it's 2 months, some say it's up to 7 months. I would e-mail them, but probably later, since the case hasn't even been sent out to the Embassy.

Anyway, my case is complicated because I have a 2 year HRR which started in October 2008. But I went to visit back to the US 2 times for a total of 3 months. So, technically, the 2 years shouldn't be over until December-January.

Now, I keep reading that people read here that in some cases somebody still did get their visa even with incomplete 2YHRR because of the 'sufficient fulfillment'. I can't seem to find any such posts though. Does it actually happen? I understand that different embassies have different rules and people, but I would imagine there's some sort of general similarity.

The questions I have are: What exactly happens if I still show up for the interview with my 2YHRR still in full force. Do they just reschedule for a later day with you and then you're good to go? Or something more dramatic happens where they stamp something horrible on your passport and you have to fight it?

And what ARE the chances of getting a visa based on this legendary 'sufficient fulfillment'?

Any information would be greatly appreciated!

Thanx!