language for documents

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Ok so I have been reading the consulate page for Yekaterinaburg and I can find no mention of whether documents for visitor visas are required to be in English. we can do translations if needed, but are they needed?

Anyone with experience?

Also the webpage regarding documents states that a "letter of support" can be provided by a US sponsor. I already gave her an invitation (another option) but what is anyone;s experience with the letter of support (I-134 I presume) I can provide one if it will help.

[ONA 133]

Ok so I have been reading the consulate page for Yekaterinaburg and I can find no mention of whether documents for visitor visas are required to be in English. we can do translations if needed, but are they needed?

No translations needed.

Also the webpage regarding documents states that a "letter of support" can be provided by a US sponsor. I already gave her an invitation (another option) but what is anyone;s experience with the letter of support (I-134 I presume) I can provide one if it will help.

I believe visitors don't have a "sponsor". People going to some conferences or American hospitals or using a visa for a number of other purposes are also awarded either B1 or B2 visa, they can have sponsors. An invitation letter will be enough.

Edited November 6, 2011 by ONA

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

No translations needed.

I believe visitors don't have a "sponsor". People going to some conferences or American hospitals or using a visa for a number of other purposes are also awarded either B1 or B2 visa, they can have sponsors. An invitation letter will be enough.

Thank you

I have heard of people giving them for visitor visas but also heard they were useless for that purpose. The website says it can be provided but that the case is judged on its own merits. Actually, if one os returning in three weeks, what would they need it for????

[Neonred 3,518]

Thank you

I have heard of people giving them for visitor visas but also heard they were useless for that purpose. The website says it can be provided but that the case is judged on its own merits. Actually, if one os returning in three weeks, what would they need it for????

We recently were successful getting a tourist visa for my wife's uncle, from Kyrgyzstan. I sent an invitation letter with the usual info and stating I would pay all his expenses while he was here. I did not send an I-134, but I did send a copy of a bank statement to show I had enough money to actually pay any of his expenses. He told us they DID look at it and seemed to be happy to see it. Seemed to be helpful as they did not ask him any further questions and he got the visa. He is pretty much dirt poor and without any good ties to his crappy village other than a $hit job.

[ONA 133]

Thank you

I have heard of people giving them for visitor visas but also heard they were useless for that purpose. The website says it can be provided but that the case is judged on its own merits. Actually, if one os returning in three weeks, what would they need it for????

In the invitation letters for each of my parents my husband stated that he would cover part of expenses in case they needed medical treatment. That was it.

A lot of times in Russia they don't even look at the supporting documents. In case with my parents, I think the CO only looked at their applications and the invitations.

Edited November 6, 2011 by ONA

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

In the invitation letters for each of my parents my husband stated that he would cover part of expenses in case they needed medical treatment. That was it.

A lot of times in Russia they don't even look at the supporting documents. In case with my parents, I think the CO only looked at their applications and the invitations.

I would have to look at my letter. I did not specifically say I would "pay all her expenses" I DID say she was welcome to stay with us in our home during the visit. I presume they know that means she is staying without charge and I did mention she is our son's friend,and will be visiting with him, so it is not like a stranger is staying here.

She already bought her round trip ticket. I warned her not to, but OK she said she wanted to. She loses some money if she has to cancel. she also has a bank account with some money, not wealthy but certainly enough for a brief vacation at a friend's family's home.

Is there some "order" we can/should put the coudmnets in so when she hands them over they do not have to shuffle trhough them, I know they do not spend much time on this. Put the scholarship on top with the invitation letter under, or vice versa? I mean what do they do? Do you hand it all over at once or do they ask for things one document at a time?

[ONA 133]

Is there some "order" we can/should put the coudmnets in so when she hands them over they do not have to shuffle trhough them, I know they do not spend much time on this. Put the scholarship on top with the invitation letter under, or vice versa? I mean what do they do? Do you hand it all over at once or do they ask for things one document at a time?

You don't hand in any documents until you're asked to. I mean, they can ask something like "Are you enrolled in a university program?" - she can say "yes, here is a letter from the university" (or proof of scholarship), or they can ask "Do you have an invitation letter from your boyfriends' parents?"... or they might not ask directly, but say something like "Do your boyfriends' parents mind that you're going to stay with them?" - "No, here's an invitation letter". If they don't, she won't have to show anything.

So it doesn't matter in what order her paperwork is going to be organized.

Pony Express in my city let me send the invitations with my parents' passports and confirmations of their applications - I'm not sure that they would've looked at the invitations if they didn't receive them through Pony Express.

[ONA 133]

Also, tell her to print out an extra application confirmation page - they usually ask for it (at least in Moscow they do).

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Also, tell her to print out an extra application confirmation page - they usually ask for it (at least in Moscow they do).

Thanks. I will tell her that. Is it the application confrmation or the appointment confirmation? I can tell her to do both.

OK so I am curious, she walks up to a window, right? She has all these documents in her hand and then what? What do they ask? What if they do not ask her if she has a scholarship? Sorry to sound like such a n00b, but I seriously have no experience with the visitor visas.

[ONA 133]

Thanks. I will tell her that. Is it the application confrmation or the appointment confirmation? I can tell her to do both.

I was talking about application confirmation. But let her do both just in case

OK so I am curious, she walks up to a window, right? She has all these documents in her hand and then what? What do they ask? What if they do not ask her if she has a scholarship? Sorry to sound like such a n00b, but I seriously have no experience with the visitor visas.

They can ask her whatever... Like the first questions they asked my parents were "How old is your daughter?", "How old is her fiance?", "Does he speak Russian?"...

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Dasha left Moscow today to go visit her parents and will go to the interview Wednesday. All her documents are in English as it turns out.

She asked if it is possible to upload and send the documents to the consulate ahead of time but I see nothing about that on the website. It only says to bring originals with you to the interview. She says a friend told her she can scan and submit them ahead of time.

Anyone know? If we can, then she will.

She also just bought a car last week, paid cash for it, so she has documents of that, she has documents from the school attesting to her scholarhip and enrollment for the Spring 2012 session, an approved vacation request from her job stating her return to work date, she did buy round trip tickets, bank statement showing some money in the bank, documents showing she is part owner of a flat in Ozersk (her home)and has Sergey's documents to show that her companion will also be coming back to go to school.

[ONA 133]

I never heard of anybody submitting documents online (unless they got a 221g during their interview for an immigrant or K1 visa). The only way I know to present the documents ahead of time is to try to sent them through Pony Express together with the visa application and the passport.

The tickets are very unlikely to help her, they don't care and they strongly recommend not to buy tickets until the visa is approved.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I never heard of anybody submitting documents online (unless they got a 221g during their interview for an immigrant or K1 visa). The only way I know to present the documents ahead of time is to try to sent them through Pony Express together with the visa application and the passport.

The tickets are very unlikely to help her, they don't care and they strongly recommend not to buy tickets until the visa is approved.

I agree about the tickets, but she went and bought them. I think her other documentation is very good but who knows?

Thanks for the comment, I could not find any way to submit documents either except by mailing but they no longer accept applications by mailing, you MUST do the DS-160 online.

[ONA 133]

I agree about the tickets, but she went and bought them. I think her other documentation is very good but who knows?

Thanks for the comment, I could not find any way to submit documents either except by mailing but they no longer accept applications by mailing, you MUST do the DS-160 online.

I think her documentation is good, I hope they'll have a look at it.

Oh, I guess with the new system they stopped accepting any documentation ahead of time? When I was working on my parents' visas, I was still supposed to mail their passports and copies of application confirmations through Pony Express. I mailed the invitations too. But I guess you don't have to do that anymore...

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I think her documentation is good, I hope they'll have a look at it.

Oh, I guess with the new system they stopped accepting any documentation ahead of time? When I was working on my parents' visas, I was still supposed to mail their passports and copies of application confirmations through Pony Express. I mailed the invitations too. But I guess you don't have to do that anymore...

According to the instructions, no. It says you MUST fill out the form DS-160 online and to bring original documents with you to the interview. A friend of hers had applied for a visitor visa "before" (I do not know when) and she had sent documents ahead of time, that is why Dasha is asking. I see that for certain types of visas they require that you send documents ahead, such as scientific, educational, etc., but not for visitor visas.

I told her to make a copy of everything and bring it and to give them the original and a copy together. They usually will keep the copy and return the original, at least in Kiev they do this.