Moscow Interview

[DaveLovesDasha 0]

How long after i successful interview can my fiance expect her visa? I have read they can issue it immediately, and other places say 4-5 days, and i've also read 1-2 weeks..

[baron555 934]

How long after i successful interview can my fiance expect her visa? I have read they can issue it immediately, and other places say 4-5 days, and i've also read 1-2 weeks..

4-5 business days; you can pick it up at the local Pony Express office in Moscow or have it delivered to her hometown, which may be a few days.

Check out the Moscow Embassy website for info.

[DaveLovesDasha 0]

4-5 business days; you can pick it up at the local Pony Express office in Moscow or have it delivered to her hometown, which may be a few days.

Check out the Moscow Embassy website for info.

So it's unrealistic to think they would issue it on the same day?

[ONA 133]

So it's unrealistic to think they would issue it on the same day?

In Moscow - yes.

[sofya 10]

Visas are never issued in Moscow on the same day. Never. However, it may be approved the next day (like mine - I even got a notification text message), but you will still be able to pick it up at Pony Express only on the third day after the interview. The cases with 1-2 weeks usually happen to people who forgot to bring an original document to the interview and have to mail it in or show up again - their visas are put on hold until they do that. So make sure that ALL your docs have been submitted in the form required (originals, translations) to avoid the unnecessary delay.

[baron555 934]

Visas are never issued in Moscow on the same day. Never. However, it may be approved the next day (like mine - I even got a notification text message), but you will still be able to pick it up at Pony Express only on the third day after the interview. The cases with 1-2 weeks usually happen to people who forgot to bring an original document to the interview and have to mail it in or show up again - their visas are put on hold until they do that. So make sure that ALL your docs have been submitted in the form required (originals, translations) to avoid the unnecessary delay.

Even after approval, it takes them a couple of days to print it up and assemble the sealed envelope.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

There. That will bump that disgusting "Vodka" thread off the front page and into 2nd page oblivion where it belongs

Vodka is the leading cause of RUB women leaving their husbands.

[Slade&Natasha 7]

Pony Express? I thought it was strictly pre-addressed DHL at this point.

[ONA 133]

Pony Express? I thought it was strictly pre-addressed DHL at this point.

Since September 1st 2011 it's Pony Express in Russia.

[Slade&Natasha 7]

Since September 1st 2011 it's Pony Express in Russia.

You sure it's not the other way around?

Both http://moscow.usembassy.gov/ivisas_doc.html and http://moscow.usembassy.gov/root/pdfs/iv-packet4-eng.pdf mention only DHL.

[ONA 133]

You sure it's not the other way around?

Both http://moscow.usembassy.gov/ivisas_doc.html and http://moscow.usembassy.gov/root/pdfs/iv-packet4-eng.pdf mention only DHL.

100% sure. My interview was in July - that's when they announced that there will be changes starting Sept. 1st. When I had my interview, it was still DHL, now it's Pony Express.

Those are old guides. Your wife should read the new guides, this guide in Russian has all the information about Pony Express: http://russian.moscow.usembassy.gov/root/pdfs/iv-packet4-rus.pdf

Go to http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ru/ for more information. Your wife will need to register on this website and provide the address for passport delivery.

[Slade&Natasha 7]

100% sure. My interview was in July - that's when they announced that there will be changes starting Sept. 1st. When I had my interview, it was still DHL, now it's Pony Express.

Those are old guides. Your wife should read the new guides, this guide in Russian has all the information about Pony Express: http://russian.moscow.usembassy.gov/root/pdfs/iv-packet4-rus.pdf

Go to http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ru/ for more information. Your wife will need to register on this website and provide the address for passport delivery.

I'm accustomed to asking for the Russian menu at restaurants for fear of the English ones being out-of-date with unintelligible Russlish translation. But I'd never guess that my own embassy would be guilty of the same thing! And somehow we missed the reference to Pony Express while booking the interview date.

Anyway... thank you very much for the help!