My Interview Experience

[Inna & Brian 11]

Great write-up. Thanks!

@James

I've heard the term "Russian dollar" before. As I understand, it means US money that is almost new. The money should be crisp, no tears, no folds and security strip in place. I've really had a problem exchanging money but one time I got the stink eye and asked if i had better bills for some $100 I was trying to exchange. I thought the money was in good shape just a little worn.

[AmyWrites 593]

I know it's out of topic, but what medical stuff do they ask for? I called the embassy and no luck. I want to get my documents as ready as possible before I start this.

[james&olya 1,121]

I know it's out of topic, but what medical stuff do they ask for? I called the embassy and no luck. I want to get my documents as ready as possible before I start this.

At the embassy or at the medical exam itself? The embassy only wants to know that you have passed the medical and have the sealed envelope! At the medical exam they will want all your vaccination records. Everything else will be just questions and the usual cold things, lights, turn and cough, whatever! They WILL be interested to know about all of your mental illnesses and psychiatric hospitalizations! JK

You really need not stress about this, it is actually difficult to fail this exam unless you have an active communicable disease like tuberculosis!

[Pinenut 1]

At the embassy or at the medical exam itself? The embassy only wants to know that you have passed the medical and have the sealed envelope! At the medical exam they will want all your vaccination records. Everything else will be just questions and the usual cold things, lights, turn and cough, whatever! They WILL be interested to know about all of your mental illnesses and psychiatric hospitalizations! JK

You really need not stress about this, it is actually difficult to fail this exam unless you have an active communicable disease like tuberculosis!

I think there is a big difference between how women go through the medical and how men do... Keep in mind that, like the OP's experience with the Russian woman taking her documents, a Russian clinic does the medical exam. Just like OP dealt with some woman's jealousy/ bad day issues, this can happen at the exam too.

Men are asked for their военный билет (military service record card). If he served in the army and was dismissed for any reason, or he didn't serve, this will be written as a code, A, B, etc. Some people got out of military service for having minor physical problems, others real or invented mental instability. My husband was asked in detail about why he didn't serve in the army (excused for university studies) but if there is a code written there, I would try to deal with it before the exam. He was also asked about every scar, with leading questions like, "oh you had surgery on your knee, didn't you?". I agree that it is hard to fail the exam though... just be ready.

[Derek & Rita 6]

Great write-up. Thanks!

@James

I've heard the term "Russian dollar" before. As I understand, it means US money that is almost new. The money should be crisp, no tears, no folds and security strip in place. I've really had a problem exchanging money but one time I got the stink eye and asked if i had better bills for some $100 I was trying to exchange. I thought the money was in good shape just a little worn.

My experience is the opposite. They wouldn't take the "so straight it looked like I ironed them" bills, but they would take the slightly worn ones.

[Slade&Natasha 7]

I know it's out of topic, but what medical stuff do they ask for? I called the embassy and no luck. I want to get my documents as ready as possible before I start this.

They ask for the sealed envelope that you get after passing your medical exam, you also get a chest x-ray done but you needn't bring that to the interview. As for the medical exam, you need a list of all the vaccines you have ever had done as well as a possible slip written out by a doc in the event that there have been vaccines that you are exempted from for some sort of medical reason.

[Slade&Natasha 7]

At the embassy or at the medical exam itself? The embassy only wants to know that you have passed the medical and have the sealed envelope! At the medical exam they will want all your vaccination records. Everything else will be just questions and the usual cold things, lights, turn and cough, whatever! They WILL be interested to know about all of your mental illnesses and psychiatric hospitalizations! JK

You really need not stress about this, it is actually difficult to fail this exam unless you have an active communicable disease like tuberculosis!

Actually, they're not particularly lenient if you have any of the required vaccines missing, (I witnessed some of that whilst there) and albeit there is an opportunity to have vaccines done on the spot they are neither cheap nor can I say for certain that you will be able to get them all done on the spot, should you, say, require 3/4 vaccines due to not having record of them being previously administered to you/never having had them administered.

The medical for me for a breeze, but I don't think it should be taken lightly either

~Natasha

[Slade&Natasha 7]

I think there is a big difference between how women go through the medical and how men do... Keep in mind that, like the OP's experience with the Russian woman taking her documents, a Russian clinic does the medical exam. Just like OP dealt with some woman's jealousy/ bad day issues, this can happen at the exam too.

Men are asked for their военный билет (military service record card). If he served in the army and was dismissed for any reason, or he didn't serve, this will be written as a code, A, B, etc. Some people got out of military service for having minor physical problems, others real or invented mental instability. My husband was asked in detail about why he didn't serve in the army (excused for university studies) but if there is a code written there, I would try to deal with it before the exam. He was also asked about every scar, with leading questions like, "oh you had surgery on your knee, didn't you?". I agree that it is hard to fail the exam though... just be ready.

I disagree, based on solely my experience, of course. Perhaps someone has priorly had a different experience at IOM, but my medical exam went really well.

I have a write-up of how things were on here somewhere, but in a nutshell - it was great. Everyone was rather polite and cordial and there wasn't even a hint of envy or rudeness in the air.

The doctor noticed my piercings and asked a few questions about those, as well as some of the scars and scoliosis that I've got, I never felt like I was being interrogated and she was very polite.

Edited March 13, 2012 by Slade&Natasha

[Pinenut 1]

I disagree, based on solely my experience, of course. Perhaps someone has priorly had a different experience at IOM, but my medical exam went really well.

I have a write-up of how things were on here somewhere, but in a nutshell - it was great. Everyone was rather polite and cordial and there wasn't even a hint of envy or rudeness in the air.

The doctor noticed my piercings and asked a few questions about those, as well as some of the scars and scoliosis that I've got, I never felt like I was being interrogated and she was very polite.

I don't know how you can disagree when all I did was describe our experience specifically about *men* going through the medical, because it is a completely different situation.

The point is, most people have a really easy time with the medical. Most people also have a fine time submitting documents, but you were stuck with some crazy woman. Submitting our documents before the interview was probably the easiest thing--they asked for the documents in the order on the website and just checked off each one without any questions at all. The woman who took out documents was very polite and rational. However, in the whole process I would rather err on the side of being prepared for one of the workers to be having a bad day. These people deal with hundreds of cases, and they don't have to be nice to everyone all the time.

[Slade&Natasha 7]

a Russian clinic does the medical exam. Just like OP dealt with some woman's jealousy/ bad day issues, this can happen at the exam too.

I disagreed with that, based on my experience, people at IOM were genuinely very nice and polite on the phone, at the clerical office and at the clinic itself. IOM is not what you'd typically call a 'Russian' clinic, at all given the stereotype and/or stigma that the adjective 'Russian' tends to carry. The difference between them and a typical Russian government clinic is immense..

When I hear the term 'Russian clinic' I picture one of those cold, rundown government ones with a blue sign on the wall - those are terrible and made me want to shudder, and I didn't want people to get the wrong idea, is all.

[beejay 123]

I have never used this emoticon before but ....

Way to keep your eye on the prize. I commend you for not letting the power tripping "I take my issues out on the world" Russian lady get to you. You now have you and your daughter's visa and passport to show for it. Have a safe trip and enjoy your life in America

btw You write english "quite well" also. Quite the storyteller you are

[Slade&Natasha 7]

I have never used this emoticon before but ....

Way to keep your eye on the prize. I commend you for not letting the power tripping "I take my issues out on the world" Russian lady get to you. You now have you and your daughter's visa and passport to show for it. Have a safe trip and enjoy your life in America

btw You write english "quite well" also. Quite the storyteller you are

Thank you! I really wanted to give a detailed description of what happened to us because I wish I had the opportunity to read something like this before the interview, so I figured I'd write it all up and hopefully it'll be of some use to people going through the same.

We've actually already entered the US which in itself was another hurdle to overcome (dealing with a cancelled flight whilst in transit and you've got a restless 4 year old = not fun) but that's all forgotten now and we're working on getting everything else set up and I'm looking forward to being able to drive.

[beejay 123]

Thank you! I really wanted to give a detailed description of what happened to us because I wish I had the opportunity to read something like this before the interview, so I figured I'd write it all up and hopefully it'll be of some use to people going through the same.

We've actually already entered the US which in itself was another hurdle to overcome (dealing with a cancelled flight whilst in transit and you've got a restless 4 year old = not fun) but that's all forgotten now and we're working on getting everything else set up and I'm looking forward to being able to drive.

Cancelled flight! Nothing has been simple or easy for you during this process, has it?! Glad to hear that you and daughter are here safe and sound. Hopefully things have settled down and your days are more boring and less drama filled.

Good luck with driving.

[StarGirl 13]

US embassy workers are some of the worst imo. They were rude jerks in Minsk, and no better in Warsaw. How these people keep their jobs is beyond me.

as a matter of fact, after reading the story about "Ms. Congeniality"( ) I start thinking that this kind of "I can spit on you and you have to love it" attitude is common among Russian staffers in different embassies. I have been a subject for their moody treatment a couple of times but I just learned to ignore them. Disturbing part is that once one jerk wanted me to hand deliver an original of the document that I was missing, stating that yes, I had to take 18 hours one-way train trip and one back to Moscow if I wanted visa. Yet, the moment an officer (the foreigner) heard our conversation (luckily he was standing nearby) he overruled jerk's order and said that a faxed copy was totally acceptable (btw, the document was of no importance). I am sure that such things happen all the time but not everyone is lucky enough to have an officer intervene and stop despotism.

[slim 1,525]

Are vaccines now required for the interview?