Moscow Embassy & Visa release time

[Paul_Sasha 4]

Question for people interviewing in Moscow during Jan, Feb, March 2011.

from the date of interview for K1 and CR1 visas,

how long is it taking for the embassy to release

Visas and send them DHL / Pony Ex ? - assuming approval.

urgent help needed on this one......

[Sergi9 110]

Question for people interviewing in Moscow during Jan, Feb, March 2011.

from the date of interview for K1 and CR1 visas,

how long is it taking for the embassy to release

Visas and send them DHL / Pony Ex ? - assuming approval.

urgent help needed on this one......

A couple days to a week if there is no AP

*that said, do not make travel arrangements or quit jobs before the interview. Its going to cost more for the airfare because its short notice, but the cheap tickets are non-refundable in most cases, so if you miss a scheduled flight due to VISA processing delays you still get "dinged" on the airfare. if for any reason there is AP, your fiance will not want to have quit a job or checked out of apartment then have no income or place to live for several months.

There is no way to know if on security checks you will get AP, so better play it safe.

[baron555 934]

A couple days to a week if there is no AP

*that said, do not make travel arrangements or quit jobs before the interview. Its going to cost more for the airfare because its short notice, but the cheap tickets are non-refundable in most cases, so if you miss a scheduled flight due to VISA processing delays you still get "dinged" on the airfare. if for any reason there is AP, your fiance will not want to have quit a job or checked out of apartment then have no income or place to live for several months.

There is no way to know if on security checks you will get AP, so better play it safe.

Yes and Yes

[james&olya 1,121]

A couple days to a week if there is no AP

*that said, do not make travel arrangements or quit jobs before the interview. Its going to cost more for the airfare because its short notice, but the cheap tickets are non-refundable in most cases, so if you miss a scheduled flight due to VISA processing delays you still get "dinged" on the airfare. if for any reason there is AP, your fiance will not want to have quit a job or checked out of apartment then have no income or place to live for several months.

There is no way to know if on security checks you will get AP, so better play it safe.

I have been wondering the same thing. I would like to take the chance and buy the tickets early enough to get the better price. Olya will not have a problem with job or apartment so the only risk is the price of the tickets. I think the gamble is probably a good one. If the last minute tickets cost twice as much and the chance of not having the visa is less than 50% than statistically it is a wise gamble to take. I would be interested in any information about how likely a delay for AP is for a 'clean' visa application. I am guessing the OP has similar concerns. So, yes, I know the 'correct' answer is to wait for the visa and then pay through the nose for tickets. Probably wise if you are also concerned with job and apartment but I don't see where the issue of ticket purchase justifies such caution.

[Neonred 3,562]

I have been wondering the same thing. I would like to take the chance and buy the tickets early enough to get the better price. Olya will not have a problem with job or apartment so the only risk is the price of the tickets. I think the gamble is probably a good one. If the last minute tickets cost twice as much and the chance of not having the visa is less than 50% than statistically it is a wise gamble to take. I would be interested in any information about how likely a delay for AP is for a 'clean' visa application. I am guessing the OP has similar concerns. So, yes, I know the 'correct' answer is to wait for the visa and then pay through the nose for tickets. Probably wise if you are also concerned with job and apartment but I don't see where the issue of ticket purchase justifies such caution.

I took that gamble. I went over for her interview and spend a little time prior to returning to the US with her. We flew back about a week after the interview. Just to be sure we had the passport with the visa held at the DHL office in Moscow and picked it up there as we were not sure how fast DHL would get it to her home. All worked out well.

[baron555 934]

I have been wondering the same thing. I would like to take the chance and buy the tickets early enough to get the better price. Olya will not have a problem with job or apartment so the only risk is the price of the tickets. I think the gamble is probably a good one. If the last minute tickets cost twice as much and the chance of not having the visa is less than 50% than statistically it is a wise gamble to take. I would be interested in any information about how likely a delay for AP is for a 'clean' visa application. I am guessing the OP has similar concerns. So, yes, I know the 'correct' answer is to wait for the visa and then pay through the nose for tickets. Probably wise if you are also concerned with job and apartment but I don't see where the issue of ticket purchase justifies such caution.

This is not a problem. Remember she can use the visa for up to six months after it is issued. So calculate when you think she will obtain it and then add about two or three months to that, just in case you get a request for more information during the interview, and book your tiks for then. Not a problem. We pulled a 221g for more relationship information and submitted it and had final approval within the same time period as someone who has approved at the interview.

What do you mean clean visa application? We waited until the approval to book the tickets; added one week to the expected receipt from DHL, which came when we thought.

[james&olya 1,121]

This is not a problem. Remember she can use the visa for up to six months after it is issued. So calculate when you think she will obtain it and then add about two or three months to that, just in case you get a request for more information during the interview, and book your tiks for then. Not a problem. We pulled a 221g for more relationship information and submitted it and had final approval within the same time period as someone who has approved at the interview.

What do you mean clean visa application? We waited until the approval to book the tickets; added one week to the expected receipt from DHL, which came when we thought.

You are kidding, right? Wait two or three months?! Not gonna happen!! My idea is to have them here ASAP. We want to be together now and we don't want to wait any longer than we have already!

By 'clean' I mean one with no borderline or questionable income issues, history of criminal convictions, prior petitions, etc. I know this does not guarantee that we won't get additional review but I would hope it lowers the odds.

[baron555 934]

You are kidding, right? Wait two or three months?! Not gonna happen!! My idea is to have them here ASAP. We want to be together now and we don't want to wait any longer than we have already!

By 'clean' I mean one with no borderline or questionable income issues, history of criminal convictions, prior petitions, etc. I know this does not guarantee that we won't get additional review but I would hope it lowers the odds.

There was a time when my wife had her interview that the COs were asking some pointed questions to some interviewees. Some of the questions were purposefully false made to solicit some sort of repsonse from the interviewee. Your history has nothing to do with what will happen at the interview; what is more important is the evidence you will present to prove your relationshp. Does she speak English? Does she know about how many children you have? What about those past 10 wives? Or, all those criminal convictions? Hopefully your fiancee knows about all of that. How many times have you visited together? The Moscow Embassy is not considered a hard Embassy.

Also is sounds like you need to spend more time on the Embassy website and know the EXACT requirements they want.....if you did you'd know that DHL is the only game in their town (no Pony Express, as you wrote).

Read through the sticky at the top of this forum for a map of the Embassy and the nearby DSL office where to buy the prepaid envelope and the interview/Embassy procedures, which door to use, which line to get in.

What about the medical? Are you two all squared away with that?

What about the 230/156/156K documents? Download the Russian only 156K from the Embassy (the only place to get it from).

What about children to Join or to Follow?

[james&olya 1,121]

There was a time when my wife had her interview that the COs were asking some pointed questions to some interviewees. Some of the questions were purposefully false made to solicit some sort of repsonse from the interviewee. Your history has nothing to do with what will happen at the interview; what is more important is the evidence you will present to prove your relationshp. Does she speak English? Does she know about how many children you have? What about those past 10 wives? Or, all those criminal convictions? Hopefully your fiancee knows about all of that. How many times have you visited together? The Moscow Embassy is not considered a hard Embassy.

Also is sounds like you need to spend more time on the Embassy website and know the EXACT requirements they want.....if you did you'd know that DHL is the only game in their town (no Pony Express, as you wrote).

Read through the sticky at the top of this forum for a map of the Embassy and the nearby DSL office where to buy the prepaid envelope and the interview/Embassy procedures, which door to use, which line to get in.

What about the medical? Are you two all squared away with that?

What about the 230/156/156K documents? Download the Russian only 156K from the Embassy (the only place to get it from).

What about children to Join or to Follow?

Yes, she knows all about my previous marriages and my children from them. She knows my family, my work and educational history, etc. and she speaks reasonably good english. And I don't know where you get the idea I don't know the embassy requirements, I have read all of that. Someone else used the term 'Pony Express' (like the term 'snail mail' as compared with e-mail) which I understand. We thought of looking for the nearest DHL office to the embassy when we were both in Moscow together 6 weeks ago. I had e-mailed the embassy before then and found out we could get the physicals done even before we had the NOA-2 so that was taken care of then! We are much better prepared than you imply but I was hoping to get more current feedback on the average time to receive the visa after the interview. Prior reading of all the recent interview experiences gave me the strong impression that it was the norm to get it in less than one week. Just wanting to get some more current feedback on this!

[baron555 934]

OK, then it sounds like you are good to go.

Where does she live or better, where are you having the DHL packet delivered? That could be an issue. My wife lived just north of Moscow so her packet came within three days of issuance and she had it in about 7 days after the approval.

I would suggest you calculate when she ought to have the visa in hand, add one week and book tiks for then.

Edited March 15, 2011 by baron555

[james&olya 1,121]

OK, then it sounds like you are good to go.

Where does she live or better, where are you having the DHL packet delivered? That could be an issue. My wife lived just north of Moscow so her packet came within three days of issuance and she had it in about 7 days after the approval.

I would suggest you calculate when she ought to have the visa in hand, add one week and book tiks for then.

Thanks for the info! She is from Kazan so DHL delivery should be easy. Just the same, we might have it held in Moscow and pick it up there since we have to go through Moscow anyway.

[baron555 934]

Thanks for the info! She is from Kazan so DHL delivery should be easy. Just the same, we might have it held in Moscow and pick it up there since we have to go through Moscow anyway.

That's what I'd do. There could be a sizeable delay getting out of Moscow and over to that area. You can track it via DHL and ensure they have it and are holding it before you make any plans or begin executing them. Good luck, you'll be fine.

[james&olya 1,121]

Just an update, Olya had her interview on May 13. No problem with the interview itself. She received the passports with visas by DHL on May 18. So our gamble on buying tickets ahead of time for a lower price has paid off it appears. She will be here on May 24!!

[Paul_Sasha 4]

congratulations on your success. not all are successful but if not for VJ we may have all missed the mark

[james&olya 1,121]

congratulations on your success. not all are successful but if not for VJ we may have all missed the mark

Thanks! VJ is really great! I hope I have been able to add a little to the collective wisdom and knowledge here for the sake of those following us!