A few thoughts on the Embassy in Moscow

[paws057 9]

I went to the interview with my fiancee last Thursday in Moscow and saw a few things that might be worth telling.

1) DO NOT take a laptop or backpack! You will make that Russian woman at the holding area flip out and it's not pretty! Cell phones are alright and they will hold them for you, they will hold the laptop as well but you are going to get chewed on for a minute about bringing it. You would be amazed at the things people brought to the Embassy.

2) Get there early. We were there at 7:30 and the line was already 50 yards long.

3) If you go with your fiancee/fiance, when they call her/his name just go to the window with them. They will interview you both at the same time. Really not that many questions. After all the waiting you did to this point it is pretty painless and quick.

4) Be prepared to wait. The line moves quickly and you will be told where to go (if you bring a laptop you will be told where to go alright!) but it is pretty simple. First hand in your interview conformation letter, next to fingerprints then to waiting room.

5) If your paperwork is in order, relax it's your time to shine!

[paws057 9]

I went to the interview with my fiancee last Thursday in Moscow and saw a few things that might be worth telling.

1) DO NOT take a laptop or backpack! You will make that Russian woman at the holding area flip out and it's not pretty! Cell phones are alright and they will hold them for you, they will hold the laptop as well but you are going to get chewed on for a minute about bringing it. You would be amazed at the things people brought to the Embassy.

2) Get there early. We were there at 7:30 and the line was already 50 yards long.

3) If you go with your fiancee/fiance, when they call her/his name just go to the window with them. They will interview you both at the same time. Really not that many questions. After all the waiting you did to this point it is pretty painless and quick.

4) Be prepared to wait. The line moves quickly and you will be told where to go (if you bring a laptop you will be told where to go alright!) but it is pretty simple. First hand in your interview conformation letter, next to fingerprints then to waiting room.

5) If your paperwork is in order, relax it's your time to shine!

For some reason I can't edit this post?

After your fingerprints you go to the waiting room and when they call your name you will hand in all your documents. When they call your name again it's for the interview itself.

[Hollyday 122]

Er, don't you have a time-specific appointment? In the queue from my experience with tourist visa there are sections by time, so if you're at 8 and there are already people who are scheduled at 9 in the queue you join the people who are scheduled at 8.

[paws057 9]

Er, don't you have a time-specific appointment? In the queue from my experience with tourist visa there are sections by time, so if you're at 8 and there are already people who are scheduled at 9 in the queue you join the people who are scheduled at 8.

Yes, we had an 8am appointment but not much you can do when people that are scheduled for 10am appointments are ahead of you in line. I suppose we got inside the embassy around 8:15 so not to late really. We only waited about 15 minutes for her to hand in the paperwork but that was after the fingerprints and all of that. Most of the people there were trying to get tourist or other types of visa's. In our section there was only two K1 visa's scheduled for that morning.

[Hollyday 122]

Yes, we had an 8am appointment but not much you can do when people that are scheduled for 10am appointments are ahead of you in line. I suppose we got inside the embassy around 8:15 so not to late really. We only waited about 15 minutes for her to hand in the paperwork but that was after the fingerprints and all of that. Most of the people there were trying to get tourist or other types of visa's. In our section there was only two K1 visa's scheduled for that morning.

Again, just from the US tourist visa experience (and a couple of other embassies with time-specific appointments): there are only so many time slots at a given time. Normally people at ten allow people at 8 to stand in front to be there when their time slot is coming and not make them stand after them because they will not be handled earlier anyway. So usually there are little groups in the line like 'at 8', 'at 8:30', 'at 9', etc. and you just join yours (of course after politely checking that it is and all that).

[paws057 9]

Again, just from the US tourist visa experience (and a couple of other embassies with time-specific appointments): there are only so many time slots at a given time. Normally people at ten allow people at 8 to stand in front to be there when their time slot is coming and not make them stand after them because they will not be handled earlier anyway. So usually there are little groups in the line like 'at 8', 'at 8:30', 'at 9', etc. and you just join yours (of course after politely checking that it is and all that).

, I didn't know that? We just waited in line and it all worked out for us anyway! Like I said the line moved pretty fast.

[Hollyday 122]

No worries, just trying to add a bit so people know about it too.

[jft 12]

Thanks for the tip! Our interview is only a little over a week away so any helpful advice is welcome!