Possible Birth Certificate Problem

[Zip and Barbara 0]

We are trying to head off a possible hang up during our interview at the embassy in Kiev. My fiance's friend recently had problems getting a visitor's visa. Here is the scenario: The friend was born in Ukraine and their birth certificate said Soviet Union. They were told that the successor to the Soviet Union is Russia and therefore were considered a Russian citizen unless they obtained some processing of the birth certificate. This processing would then show 'official' birth country as Ukraine. The friend obtained some stamps on their birth certificate from the Russian Embassy to clear up this matter.

Has anyone encountered this during a K-1 visa interview or any other visa application process. We would prefer to iron out this possible wrinkle very soon as our interview is on 21 October. Thanks in advance.

Cheers!

[slim 1,530]

Does your fiance's passport say "Soviet Union" or "Ukraine"?

Either way, a visitor's visa is usually way harder for someone to get and that was possibly why the friend was delayed. You may find that during the K-1 interview, it's a non-issue.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

We are trying to head off a possible hang up during our interview at the embassy in Kiev. My fiance's friend recently had problems getting a visitor's visa. Here is the scenario: The friend was born in Ukraine and their birth certificate said Soviet Union. They were told that the successor to the Soviet Union is Russia and therefore were considered a Russian citizen unless they obtained some processing of the birth certificate. This processing would then show 'official' birth country as Ukraine. The friend obtained some stamps on their birth certificate from the Russian Embassy to clear up this matter.

Has anyone encountered this during a K-1 visa interview or any other visa application process. We would prefer to iron out this possible wrinkle very soon as our interview is on 21 October. Thanks in advance.

Cheers!

This is horsesqueeze

Alla does translations for the consulates in Kiev and Moscow. Their official position is that they accept ANY official government issued birth certificate. In our family, we have represented one Soviet (Alla), one "Russian Federation" (Sergey) and one Ukrainian birth certificate (Pasha) All were presented to the consulate in Kiev all were accepted for K-1 and K-2 visas. Alla has translated dozens of these of all three flavors (and two flavors for Moscow) and has never had a problem. The consulates accept ANY birth certificate and ANY reasonable spelling transliteration of names.

All three types of Ukrainian birth certificates list the "nationality" of the citizen of Ukraine. This is NOT their citizenship. However Russia has been offering to, and has BEEN, issuing Russian passports to any person whose nationality is listed as Russian on a birth certificate. They also just recently passed alaw that allows Russia to use military force to "protect" Russian citizens wherever they are in the world. Who do they think they are...the USA? This make Ukraine nervous as they do not want to be the next country invaded to "protect Russian citizens" as was Georgia last summer. Almost the entire population of Kharkov and Donetsk Oblasts are ethnic Russians. Not to mention a large majority of the population of east and southern Ukraine.

The government of Ukraine has banned dual citizenship and is encouraging Ukraine citizens to get new birth certificates. In fact some Oblasts demand new birth certificates for such things as Police certificates, new passportts, yada, yada. THIS IS AN INTERNAL MATTER.

The US Government could not possibly care less about such things. Her birth certificate in any version is acceptable by the US consulate. That said, as I mentioned there may be the possibility she would need a new birth certificate NOT for the consulate but in order get a police certificate. The closer she lives to Kiev or western Ukraine, the more likely this is.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

We are trying to head off a possible hang up during our interview at the embassy in Kiev. My fiance's friend recently had problems getting a visitor's visa. Here is the scenario: The friend was born in Ukraine and their birth certificate said Soviet Union. They were told that the successor to the Soviet Union is Russia and therefore were considered a Russian citizen unless they obtained some processing of the birth certificate. This processing would then show 'official' birth country as Ukraine. The friend obtained some stamps on their birth certificate from the Russian Embassy to clear up this matter.

Has anyone encountered this during a K-1 visa interview or any other visa application process. We would prefer to iron out this possible wrinkle very soon as our interview is on 21 October. Thanks in advance.

Cheers!

The consulate in Ukraine is notoriously a "#######" when it comes to issuing visitor visas and notoriously a cinch for K-1 visas. There is no comparison between the two and any attempt to relate a visitor visa experience to a K-1 is useless. Alla applied for a visitor visa 2 years before I met her. She owned TWO flats, free and clear, in Donetsk, had a job paying 5 times the national average income, was leaving two kids and a mother behind AND the trip was a 9 day trip to New York sponsored by an internationally known manufacturer for her to be a translator at a business convention. They had purchased round trip tickets for her.

She was not only denied...she was flatly denied and basically unceremoniously TOSSED from the consulate and scolded on the way out. As she puts it, "treated like a dirty monkey". She was petrified to go back for the K-1 interview where we were treated very professionally, very courteously and were issued the visa without a question asked. I am as certain as I can be. that had I not gone to the interview it would have taken the Budweiser Clydesdales to drag her into the consulate because of the way she was treated before.

There is no telling what the consulate told someone applying for a visitor visa, it wouldn't matter anyway, it is merely a BS excuse to toss them out and deny the visa. There are also so many rumors around Ukraine about this process I cannot believe it. Alla delayed arriving by one month because of business concerns and it was the worst month of our journey. AFTER she had her visa she was told by who knows how many "experts" that it was "no good" without something or another document of some sort and she ran around collecting completely useless documents for every rumor she heard. I wanted to tell her to lock herself in her room and not go out until it was time to leave the country!

When she gets her visa, issued using her Soviet birth certificate, she wil have EVERYTHING She needs to leave the country in her special big envelope. Anyone saying otherwise is WRONG!

[Zip and Barbara 0]

I greatly appreciate your responses. Thank you all. We will feel at ease.

Kudos to VJ members, yet again.

Cheers!

[BluesTraveler 0]

When she gets her visa, issued using her Soviet birth certificate,

she wil have EVERYTHING She needs to leave the country in her special big envelope.

Anyone saying otherwise is WRONG!

Really wish RUB women wouldn't listen to their "friends", sometimes.

Edited October 12, 2009 by BluesTraveler

[Mary and Jeff 0]

The consulate in Ukraine is notoriously a "#######" when it comes to issuing visitor visas and notoriously a cinch for K-1 visas. There is no comparison between the two and any attempt to relate a visitor visa experience to a K-1 is useless. Alla applied for a visitor visa 2 years before I met her. She owned TWO flats, free and clear, in Donetsk, had a job paying 5 times the national average income, was leaving two kids and a mother behind AND the trip was a 9 day trip to New York sponsored by an internationally known manufacturer for her to be a translator at a business convention. They had purchased round trip tickets for her.

She was not only denied...she was flatly denied and basically unceremoniously TOSSED from the consulate and scolded on the way out. As she puts it, "treated like a dirty monkey". She was petrified to go back for the K-1 interview where we were treated very professionally, very courteously and were issued the visa without a question asked. I am as certain as I can be. that had I not gone to the interview it would have taken the Budweiser Clydesdales to drag her into the consulate because of the way she was treated before.

There is no telling what the consulate told someone applying for a visitor visa, it wouldn't matter anyway, it is merely a BS excuse to toss them out and deny the visa. There are also so many rumors around Ukraine about this process I cannot believe it. Alla delayed arriving by one month because of business concerns and it was the worst month of our journey. AFTER she had her visa she was told by who knows how many "experts" that it was "no good" without something or another document of some sort and she ran around collecting completely useless documents for every rumor she heard. I wanted to tell her to lock herself in her room and not go out until it was time to leave the country!

When she gets her visa, issued using her Soviet birth certificate, she wil have EVERYTHING She needs to leave the country in her special big envelope. Anyone saying otherwise is WRONG!

This sounds familiar... Mary had the same problem when she applied for a visitor visa a while back to visit some of her family in the U.S. They treated her very rudely and for her it was a traumatic experience that it took a lot of courage for her to be willing to go there again for hte K1 interview.

I'm guessing once they realize they are dealing with a future spouse of a US Citizen they suddenly show their professional side.

[Brad and Vika 129]

The consulate in Ukraine is notoriously a "#######" when it comes to issuing visitor visas and notoriously a cinch for K-1 visas. There is no comparison between the two and any attempt to relate a visitor visa experience to a K-1 is useless. Alla applied for a visitor visa 2 years before I met her. She owned TWO flats, free and clear, in Donetsk, had a job paying 5 times the national average income, was leaving two kids and a mother behind AND the trip was a 9 day trip to New York sponsored by an internationally known manufacturer for her to be a translator at a business convention. They had purchased round trip tickets for her.

She was not only denied...she was flatly denied and basically unceremoniously TOSSED from the consulate and scolded on the way out. As she puts it, "treated like a dirty monkey". She was petrified to go back for the K-1 interview where we were treated very professionally, very courteously and were issued the visa without a question asked. I am as certain as I can be. that had I not gone to the interview it would have taken the Budweiser Clydesdales to drag her into the consulate because of the way she was treated before.

There is no telling what the consulate told someone applying for a visitor visa, it wouldn't matter anyway, it is merely a BS excuse to toss them out and deny the visa. There are also so many rumors around Ukraine about this process I cannot believe it. Alla delayed arriving by one month because of business concerns and it was the worst month of our journey. AFTER she had her visa she was told by who knows how many "experts" that it was "no good" without something or another document of some sort and she ran around collecting completely useless documents for every rumor she heard. I wanted to tell her to lock herself in her room and not go out until it was time to leave the country!

When she gets her visa, issued using her Soviet birth certificate, she wil have EVERYTHING She needs to leave the country in her special big envelope. Anyone saying otherwise is WRONG!

This sounds familiar... Mary had the same problem when she applied for a visitor visa a while back to visit some of her family in the U.S. They treated her very rudely and for her it was a traumatic experience that it took a lot of courage for her to be willing to go there again for hte K1 interview.

I'm guessing once they realize they are dealing with a future spouse of a US Citizen they suddenly show their professional side.

Very discouraging, as we would like to get my MIL a visa to come stay with us in 2010. Any suggestions? She will leave a husband, property, and maybe a good job to visit.