Recent Moscow Interview Questions?

[Larry and Maria 0]

Hello Russia area VJers!

Maria and I woud appreciate any assistance with recent Moscow interviews and questions asked.

We're aware of avoiding MOM for the physical.

Which of the other three is most preferable?

Suggestions, caveats, experiences, opinions, links for preparation appreciated!

Is there any pattern to day of the week or time of the month such as first, middle, end?

What about holidays?

Thanks!

[bwaaderant 0]

Yes, I agree! Any info, experiences, obstacles, hurdles, nightmares, pleasant surprises, advice, etc., that anyone has to offer for those of us getting ready for the big event at the Moscow Embassy would be greatly appreciated!

[centurion 0]

This list is possible qustions that could be asked at the interview. Something to keep in mind is that the Embassy knows only the information provided in the I 129 / I 130 , biographical data and Application for visa. If your significant other does not know or forgets the answer to a question, they could just about give a convincing answer. I think the biggest factor is that they appear confident in their answers.

# How did you meet your fiance?

# When did you meet in person?

# How long have you known each other?

# When was the last time you met your fiance? Where?

# When did your fiance propose?

# What do you love about your fiance?

# When are you going to travel to the US?

# Have you ever been to the US?

# If so, on what kind of visa did you travel to the US? How long did you stay? When did you return?

# What is your birthday?

# What is your fiance's birthday?

# Where was your fiance born?

# What does your fiance do for living?

# Where does your fiance work?

# What is your fiance's designation at work?

# Does your fiance have any brothers and sisters?

# Where does your fiance live?

# Where do your fiance's parents live?

# Do you have any brothers and sisters?

# What do your parents think about this engagement? Do they approve of it?

# When did your fiance divorce?

# Why did your fiance's first marriage not work out?

# Does your fiance have any children? How many, how old? Do they live with your fiance?

# Are you willing to take care of your fiance's children if they live with him/her?

# When and where are you going to have the wedding?

# How much time have you spent together?

# Did you have an engagement party?

# Did you make a formal announcement of your engagement to family and friends?

# How do your families feel about your plans to get married?

[Voyageur27 0]

Larry and Maria,

My wife went through the Moscow Consulate last August, for her K1 interview. She was prepared and earnest. We had a real relationship so there was really nothing to worry about. The Consular Officers (COs) there look foremost at whether there is a real relationship. Bring phone records - a friend of mine TurboGuy (who posts here occasionally) also had his interview at this time and they looked at his telephone records and ignored his thousands of SMS and emails. Have your fiancee know your address and if you were married before . My wife spoke English during the interview but I have heard that this is not necessary.

The other thing that they look at is your W-2's and financial information (i.e. yearly salary - not Bank Statements).

Go to the Medicina clinic, it is first rate. Just have your fiancee be prepared and it will be obvious to the COs. Good luck!

[Turboguy 6]

Hi Voyager,

Thanks for the good words. Yes, I thought I was going to have the best documented relationship they ever saw but getting the visa turned out to be a big struggle. It was funny to calm her nerves before the interview I tought her a new slang American expression "Piece of Cake" Everytime she would seem worried I would say Piece of cake. After we didn't get the visa she would look at me and say "piece of cake" and we would laugh.

We did get the visa about 3 weeks later. Most of the guys here find the happiness they want. In my case it did not work out. Luda stayed 89 days and went back to Russia. I made some good friends with the guys that were going through about the same time, Voyager, AKdiver, Spadude, Skywolf. Skywolf didn't make it either. Natalie ended up going back to Russia too. I don't think he comes here anymore. I am sure he would not like me telling his story but it is a little funny. He caught her doing naked web cam with about 20 guys she had met on adult friend finder while he was at work.

My recommendations are to make sure she knows as much as you can. You may find some new questions since IMBRA. Be prepared. I was reading one report at a different site about an interview in Kiev a few weeks ago. It was sure not like they were a year ago. It was more like a grilling. Some of the questions they asked were things I had not heard before. Like how many times he had been to her country and how many of those were to see her. I am sure there are some guys who have made trips looking for thier dream girl that they never talked about that much and it could catch up to you. In the case of the guy I read about he had a very minor run in with the law and was sentanced to 30 days of community service and there was a really intesive grilling about that and how aware she was of what happend and that he had the problem.

Someone gave me the advice that I listened to that I should not grill Luda before the interview. To let her go in relaxed and at ease and going over the questions would only make her uptight. Had I not listened, we probably would have had the visa on the first try. Luda missed a couple of questions. My advise is to talk about anything they possibly could ask and make sure she knows as much as she can. Good luck.

Hopefully before long I will be having a timeline again with a new gal and going through this again myself.

Centurian, I just went back and reread your post. The interview I read about on another site had a different take on things than I believed. I also thought they only knew what was on the 129-F and the 325. According to that post they had about a 20 page computer print out with the guys whole history on it.

In my former fiancees interview last July 29th she told me she missed two questions. She never told me what one was but the other was the names of my two kids. She knew I had two grown kids and one was my son and the other my daughter. When ever I talked about them I usually said my son this or my daughter that and I did not use their names a lot. At the time I thought she could have made up any two american sounding names and passed that one but these days I think it might not fly to do it that way. Better to be prepaired.

[Larry and Maria 0]

Thanks so much to all who've helped out!

Maria and I really appreciate it.

She's printed out the info and is reviewing it and we'll be going over all the tips, suggestions, and sample questions.

She's already gotten her police report.

[slim 1,523]

Talked to Elena a few hours ago..... interview passed!!!

We were on the mobile phone, so we only talked for just a few minutes. We're going to talk again Saturday, so I should have an updated list of questions asked then.

So far, what I got was she started the interview and the woman was looking at the letters I sent to her, and said "oh, he can write Russian? Do you guys speak in Russian... and in English? Can you speak English too?" Then everything else was done in English. As far as actual questions, it seems like the woman basically only chatted with her about the "proof" she had (some letters, photos, etc.) and concluded that we really did love each and have a relationship, and the visa would be issued because of this.

Early conclusions... if you have time to send your girl some letters, do it. And do it in Russian if possible. Write her address in Russian on the envelopes at a minimum, and maybe copy some translations off of free internet sites, etc. I think Elena also printed out a copy of her e-mail inbox to show the dates of e-mails sent, and the number of e-mails that we've traded the last couple of years. I don't think she had any phone records at all, and the only pictures were of us together when we "met" in the last two years.

Once again, I'll post more on Saturday.

[Cliff_Ksenia 0]

Slim,

Big Congrats to you and Elena!

[slim 1,523]

Update: Elena's Interview Experience

She flew to Moscow from Vladivostok (medical check already done in Vlad) on Wednesday and was picked up by a driver at SVO (arranged through Olesya - Russian Girl Friday) who charged her 1300R to take her to Olesya's apartment, where she dropped her bags and then took the Metro to/from the DHL office. The next day she took the Metro to her interview, PASSED IT, then walked around (Red Square, Tverskaya, downtown Moscow) for a little bit before going back to Olesya's apt. The last day, she took the Metro and the bus to SVO for $2. (She wanted to save the $45 fee the driver charged her the first time, and said it was good to have the driver to take her upon arrival becuase she didn't know where Olesya's apartment was, but was unnecessary on the way out.) Then she flew back to Vlad where she is now trying to get caught up on some sleep.

At the embassy:

Standard walking in, handing the documents to the two windows then waiting for her number to be called (two hours) then starting the interview with a woman who spoke both English and Russian.

Elena had a Visa from Korea in her passport and the woman asked her about this first, "why she was there, what she did, etc?"

Elena answered: - "I was there to visit her friends and just be a tourist, etc."

How were you introduced to your boyfriend?

- Through her girlfriends in Korea while I was there in the military.

Then the woman started looking at the "proof" and noticed that some of the letters that I wrote to Elena were in Russian, and she inquired if I spoke Russian and if Elena spoke English.

- We understand each other very well through Russian and English. (She said the lady was very impressed by this, then conducted the rest of the interview in both English and Russian, asking most of the questions in English and Elena answering in Russian. Apparently, the woman was impressed that Elena could understand English and reply in Russian, and vice-versa.)

Where do you work?

- She doesn't work now because she's preparing to move to the US.

When do you want to get married?

- Maybe 1.5 or 2 months, don't know exactly yet because waiting on visa approval.

Does your boyfriend want babies?

- Yes, he and I both want. (This also really impressed the interviewer.)

Where does your boyfriend work?

- She told her the name of my company and what I do there.

When did you meet in Moscow?

- Last year at this time.

Then the interviewer looked through the photos that Elena had printed out from the various e-mails that I've sent to her over the years. There was one of me with a little kid on my lap (I think it was my nephew, maybe my brother, I don't know.. I've sent so many photos over the years.)

Who is this child your boyfriend holds?

- His brother.

Then she read through several of the messages attached to the photo e-mails, Elena was laughing because she didn't realize that there were semi-personal (sexual references) things in the e-mails. She said she didn't know if the lady understood what we were talking about in our messages or not, but she didn't say anything about it.

How do you know this relationship is for you?

- Because we've known each other for 6 years, and we must make our life together and make our relationship go farther... get married.

What is your boyfriends name? (Elena found this quite funny that she would ask all these other questions first, then ask what my name was at the very end.)

- His name is (my full name) or I call him Slim or my Candy Man. (Cause I'm so sweet.... you know how Russians are with their pet names!)

Then, that was it. The lady told her that her interview would be shipped to Vladivostok on Wednesday or Thursday of next week. (After clearing up why she wanted it mailed to Vladivostok instead of the address on her G-325A, Amursk. Elena is staying (and has been during this process) with her sister in Vlad, so she wanted it shipped there. No problem.)

Hope this is helpful to all of you gearing up for upcoming interviews. And a very special thanks to all who have posted their experiences on here previously, I was able to walk Elena through the process and make arrangements well in advance of the actual interview. Neither one of us had any stress at all over this thing because we were so well prepared by the Russia Forum members. Thanks again.

When I first called her after the interview on Thursday, I said "hey, what's up?.... What's going on?.... What happened? Tell me!!!" and she really calmly said "Oh, I'm walking, and my feet hurt (inside joke from walking in brand-new shoes last year on Red Square) but I'm OK becuase I'm on Red Square and the weather is a little rainy, but the temperature is nice, and" I cut her off... "TELL ME ABOUT THE INTERVIEW ALREADY.... DID YOU GET THE VISA????" She answered very simply "Yes of course. It's very easy. I have everything ready, it is no problem. Don't worry."

She went in that confident because we were that well prepared. (Well, that and she truly believed that since we've had a relationship for the last 6 years that they couldn't deny the visa... "we love each other and have real relationship, for us it is no problem." I hope our marriage is this easy!!!)

Good luck to all of you, and (Russian superstition) don't get too excited until Wednesday or Thursday when the visa actually arrives.

Edited June 17, 2006 by slim

[Eva Malahova 0]

Good luck to all of you, and (Russian superstition) don't get too excited until Wednesday or Thursday when the visa actually arrives.

Thank you Slim for being here and sharing yor experience! Congratulations and good luck for both you .

Natalia

[Turboguy 6]

Congratulations Slim and thanks for sharing that with all of us. We all wish you a lifetime of happiness together.

One nickname my former fiancee never had for me was slim. I remember her rubbing my tummy one time and asking me when I was due.

[Satellite 1]

Talked to Elena a few hours ago..... interview passed!!!

Congratulations...It's about time

[Larry and Maria 0]

Slim and Elena, CONGRATULATIONS! Wishing you both smooth sailing the rest of the way! Thanks for your help. Maria's looking at your story and advice. We've gotten her date and she's awaiting the packet.

[Chuckles 0]

Slim and Elena, CONGRATULATIONS! Wishing you both smooth sailing the rest of the way! Thanks for your help. Maria's looking at your story and advice. We've gotten her date and she's awaiting the packet.

Great news Larry! Good luck with everything.

[slim 1,523]

Thanks to all! (Yes, Satellite, it was about time!) Elena e-mailed me yesterday and said it was officially OK to break out the champagne and celebarte. DHL delivered the passport to her house with the visa in it. (No more superstitions - talking about something before it happens and messing it up. Nope. - We're good now.)

So, the new Journey begins.

Good luck to all who now have dates (Feels good doesn't it?) and those who are still awaiting.