Expediting consular processing of K1

[conny 0]

We have finally found out that out case was forwarded to the Kiev consulate yesterday. We have very little time left until my fiance has to depart (on Aug 24 he has to show up in the college which is very strict about all deadlines, crazy, don't ask), so we're looking at ways to move as quickly as possible through the process. Gary&Alla gave a bunch of suggestions on how to do this with Kiev consulate, but I'm wondering if two specific steps can be sped up and if so, then how - scheduling an interview to an earliest possible date (how to find out when they put our case in their system so we can call right away?) and collecting the documents from the consulate after they approved it (currently procedure takes 2 days with Fedex. Any way to convince them to personally pick it up or expedite the processing of the visa and delivery?)

Edited August 7, 2009 by conny

[payxibka 10,047]

We have finally found out that out case was forwarded to the Kiev consulate yesterday. We have very little time left until my fiance has to depart (on Aug 24 he has to show up in the college which is very strict about all deadlines, crazy, don't ask), so we're looking at ways to move as quickly as possible through the process. Gary&Alla gave a bunch of suggestions on how to do this with Kiev consulate, but I'm wondering if two specific steps can be sped up and if so, then how - scheduling an interview to an earliest possible date (how to find out when they put our case in their system so we can call right away?) and collecting the documents from the consulate after they approved it (currently procedure takes 2 days with Fedex. Any way to convince them to personally pick it up or expedite the processing of the visa and delivery?)

You can call the appointment line each day and see if the case file is in the system... they will NOT schedule an appointment until the physical file in at the consulate and logged into he appointment system... this typically takes 10 - 14 days to get into the system from when it departs NVC.... downside is the call is not free

It is two days plus visa processing time.... so the minimum is two days if you interview on the right day, otherwise it could be 5 or 6 days because it appears that they print the visas in "batches" (not everyday). Email the consululate for details

Edited August 7, 2009 by payxibka

[conny 0]

I'm wondering what people usually specify in Consulate Received field in their timelines here - is it when DHL package arrived or when it was entered into the system? If the latter, the statistics says about 3-4 days (if not on holidays) for Kiev.

BTW, the call was free just until a week ago - this week they stopped responding to free lines where you could find out about delivery of the case and all such calls now go through call center. So, yeah, no luck there for us again.

Do you think consulate will tell us what day they print visas? I doubt it, otherwise people here would already know.

Forgot to mention - my fiance already prepared all paperwork from packet 3 - he said he downloaded it from the website, isn't there something that actually needs to be sent from the consulate there for an interview?

Edited August 7, 2009 by conny

[payxibka 10,047]

I'm wondering what people usually specify in Consulate Received field in their timelines here - is it when DHL package arrived or when it was entered into the system? If the latter, the statistics says about 3-4 days (if not on holidays) for Kiev.

BTW, the call was free just until a week ago - this week they stopped responding to free lines where you could find out about delivery of the case and all such calls now go through call center. So, yeah, no luck there for us again.

Do you think consulate will tell us what day they print visas? I doubt it, otherwise people here would already know.

Forgot to mention - my fiance already prepared all paperwork from packet 3 - he said he downloaded it from the website, isn't there something that actually needs to be sent from the consulate there for an interview?

get the medical done....

before the advent of the call center, you had to submit the KEV-1 checklist to the consulate, but I think that is now unnecesasary...

it has to be entered into the system, because the "lag" from call to available appointment is fairly short nowadays

[conny 0]

get the medical done....

before the advent of the call center, you had to submit the KEV-1 checklist to the consulate, but I think that is now unnecesasary...

it has to be entered into the system, because the "lag" from call to available appointment is fairly short nowadays

Do you know how short? Somehow I see 3-4 weeks between Conuslate Received and Interview in most people's timelines...

Yep, we've done medical already. Thanks!

Edited August 7, 2009 by conny

[payxibka 10,047]

get the medical done....

before the advent of the call center, you had to submit the KEV-1 checklist to the consulate, but I think that is now unnecesasary...

it has to be entered into the system, because the "lag" from call to available appointment is fairly short nowadays

Do you know how short? Somehow I see 3-4 weeks between Conuslate Received and Interview in most people's timelines...

Yep, we've done medical already. Thanks!

Last I heard the wait time was about a week

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

We have finally found out that out case was forwarded to the Kiev consulate yesterday. We have very little time left until my fiance has to depart (on Aug 24 he has to show up in the college which is very strict about all deadlines, crazy, don't ask), so we're looking at ways to move as quickly as possible through the process. Gary&Alla gave a bunch of suggestions on how to do this with Kiev consulate, but I'm wondering if two specific steps can be sped up and if so, then how - scheduling an interview to an earliest possible date (how to find out when they put our case in their system so we can call right away?) and collecting the documents from the consulate after they approved it (currently procedure takes 2 days with Fedex. Any way to convince them to personally pick it up or expedite the processing of the visa and delivery?)

Kiev is running, right now, 3 days on interviews. You will not speed that up much more.

Call the call center at the 1-800-number, preferably early morning Kiev time. You will get Viktoria, a very nice young lady. Follow the prompts to buy a PIN with your credit card and when she answers just ask if she has your case in the system. If she does, schedule the earliest interview you can (about 3 days right now) he can get his medical anytime now, the medical is virtually a walk-in operation, but make an appointment.

The consulate USED to update the system every Friday, but I think they are doing it more often now as they are not so busy. You can also call the consular section and ask if they can get your case entered right away. they are pretty good folks for the most part and may do that for you. The phone number for the consular section is on the website and also on every one of their emails. If you don;t find it, let me know I can paste it for you from some other correspondence.

As for your visa, you can beg and plead at the interview and they MAY just get printed for you same day (it HAS happened) but more likely your best bet will be to arrange delivery pickup at the Fedex office in Kiev. You will usually have it in 2-3 days, tops. If you plan to do this, try to get your interview for a Monday or Tuesday to avoid the weekend.

[conny 0]

Gary, I don't know how recent is this trick with consular section, but according to my fiance they just stopped picking up phone at consular section and and redirect them to the same call center number with PIN. We'll try to call of course, but I'm not too hopeful.. and I don't think call center guys can enter the case either, right? Any other number in Kiev that might lead to the right folks who can enter it without waiting for Friday (because I expect it to be delivered to Kiev next Monday already)? BTW, when at the call center they ask you to buy a PIN regardless whether you know your case is there or not, what do you usually say?

BTW, my fiance is in Kiev already, so would it cut any time to arrange for pick up at the FedEx office vs delivery with courier at all? I'm thinking yes, but worried that it might actually be slowed instead as passport would have to wait there for his appointment.

Edited August 8, 2009 by conny

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Gary, I don't know how recent is this trick with consular section, but according to my fiance they just stopped picking up phone at consular section and and redirect them to the same call center number with PIN. We'll try to call of course, but I'm not too hopeful.. and I don't think call center guys can enter the case either, right? Any other number in Kiev that might lead to the right folks who can enter it without waiting for Friday (because I expect it to be delivered to Kiev next Monday already)? BTW, when at the call center they ask you to buy a PIN regardless whether you know your case is there or not, what do you usually say?

BTW, my fiance is in Kiev already, so would it cut any time to arrange for pick up at the FedEx office vs delivery with courier at all? I'm thinking yes, but worried that it might actually be slowed instead as passport would have to wait there for his appointment.

It is not a trick. The consular section has a direct line you can ask questions. I have never had a problem with speaking to them. I spoke to them twice last month, probably 3-4 times in May. They have always been very helpful and polite.

As far as the call center, as recently as a few weeks ago when I was making Sergey's appointment...we had a situation where I needed a particular day for the interview to mesh with his class schedule, etc. Because they are running such short times for interviews it was impossible to call ahead and say "I want June 25" They simply were not making appointments that "far out" and it was only two weeks before the 25th I could even make that appointment, so I was calling a lot. The call center couldn't tell me when the date would be "opened" and I was afraid it would open and fill up, so I was calling every few days. I didn't want to burn up $12 PINs so I simply followed the prompts to BUY a PIN. The SAME person answers each time, to make an appointment and/or to BUY a PIN. (they only have two people for Ukraine at the call center, the call center is in Warsaw, Poland but they operate by Ukraine time) So when she answered, instead of "buying" a PIN, I just asked if the date was open yet (I knew they already had our case from last year) and she would tell me if the date was open. "Good morning Viktoria, it is Gary, can you tell me if you are making appointments for June 25 yet?" If she said they were not, I just said "thank you, when should I call again? She really couldn't tell me, but would give a good guess. Finally, when she said YES, I asked her to buy a PIN, then hung up and called right back to make the appointment. NO, the call center cannot enter the case into the system. You should be doing this calling yourself, using the 1-888 number. The prompts ask you if you have a PIN or not. Press the number for NO. Then it will ask you if you want to buy a PIN using a credit or debit card, press this number, whatever it is. It is not an automated system to buy a PIN you will get Viktoria on the phone. If you call in the afternoon, Kiev time, you will get Vitaly.

In your case, just ask if they have the case number, if yes, buy a PIN and make an appointment.

Yes, it will cut time to pick up the visa at Fedex, probably one day, plus it is a much better assurance you will actually get the visa delivered. If you choose this option they will ask you for your cell phone and tell you they will send a text message when the package is ready for pickup. They will not call or text. Give it two business days from the interview and go to the Fedex office to pick it up OR get to a computer and use the Fedex tracking number to find out if it is there. DO NOT ever depend on anyone in Ukraine to call or text you, DO NOT ever depend on anything to be delivered in Ukraine if you can pick it up yourself. Fedex is better than the mail, but still, they use independent contractors as delivery agents, it is NOT the same as Fedex in the USA.

Appointments times have varied in Kiev, but it seems since early this year they have been running less than a week. It was 3 days just last week and the most I have seen is 5 days since about April, so I doubt anything will change about that soon. If you are trying for the earliest possible arrival to the US, DO NOT buy a plane ticket until the visa is in hand, then you will know exactly when you can leave. That is going to be a busy time for flights as all the foreign exchange students will be coming around that time and Kiev is a hub city serving many others, including Moscow, so the flights to the US fill up fast, especially going to JFK. Maybe you will use another airport, I do not know, just sayin'

Good luck