Requesting interview outside of fiance's own country?

[JoeMama 0]

I tried searching around the forum and the USCIS website for an answer, but had no luck. I was wondering if it is mandatory that my fiancee' has to have her interview conducted at a US Consulate inside her own country? Or is it possible to write on I-129F another US Consulate outside her country? I only ask this question because Ukraine has only 1 US Consulate inside her country. It is in Kiev. I've heard very many undesirable things about this particular US Consulate. People that had gone through the US Consulate in Kiev said they would recommend going through a US Consulate in another nearby country. For example, Warsaw, Poland. Do I need good reason or must file something to ask state another US consulate outside of my fiance's country? Or will this throw up a red flag for wanting to have interview outside my fiancee's own country? I was under the impression that one US Consulate is the same as the next US Consulate as in any other country around the world. I would love to hear your thoughts on this one. I know I must not be the only person who must have this question in mind.

[LookyWhatIFound 38]

I tried searching around the forum and the USCIS website for an answer, but had no luck. I was wondering if it is mandatory that my fiancee' has to have her interview conducted at a US Consulate inside her own country? Or is it possible to write on I-129F another US Consulate outside her country? I only ask this question because Ukraine has only 1 US Consulate inside her country. It is in Kiev. I've heard very many undesirable things about this particular US Consulate. People that had gone through the US Consulate in Kiev said they would recommend going through a US Consulate in another nearby country. For example, Warsaw, Poland. Do I need good reason or must file something to ask state another US consulate outside of my fiance's country? Or will this throw up a red flag for wanting to have interview outside my fiancee's own country? I was under the impression that one US Consulate is the same as the next US Consulate as in any other country around the world. I would love to hear your thoughts on this one. I know I must not be the only person who must have this question in mind.

I've thought about this before but found no clear answer. USCIS seems to say you can request any consulate you wish, but its the consulate which can choose not to take your case. I would suggest checking with the consulate that you wish to do your interview with. The NOA2 approval notice from USCIS says that once your petition is sent to a consulate you can then request the consulate to forward your files to a different consulate. The other option is to file a form with USCIS I-824 I think it was, pay the $200 fee and they will notify a different consulate.

Good luck!

Edited January 30, 2007 by LookyWhatIFound

[payxibka 10,045]

I tried searching around the forum and the USCIS website for an answer, but had no luck. I was wondering if it is mandatory that my fiancee' has to have her interview conducted at a US Consulate inside her own country? Or is it possible to write on I-129F another US Consulate outside her country? I only ask this question because Ukraine has only 1 US Consulate inside her country. It is in Kiev. I've heard very many undesirable things about this particular US Consulate. People that had gone through the US Consulate in Kiev said they would recommend going through a US Consulate in another nearby country. For example, Warsaw, Poland. Do I need good reason or must file something to ask state another US consulate outside of my fiance's country? Or will this throw up a red flag for wanting to have interview outside my fiancee's own country? I was under the impression that one US Consulate is the same as the next US Consulate as in any other country around the world. I would love to hear your thoughts on this one. I know I must not be the only person who must have this question in mind.

I would like to know what you have heard because all the reported experiences I have about Kiev is very much the opposite

[JoeMama 0]

Thanks LookyWhatIFound! It makes sense to me what you have suggested. I will research further down that avenue!

[JoeMama 0]

I would like to know what you have heard because all the reported experiences I have about Kiev is very much the opposite

I have spoke to some married couples here in my area where their spouses are from Ukraine. They spoke of the consulate staff trying to roadblock them at every turn, causing delays, and monetary bribes they had to do. One couple I can understand. They are fairly thoughtless and chaotic in their life here and their negativity does show. So I don't take too much of what they say seriously. I personally do not know because my fiancee' and I have not had the experience yet. All of them suggested applying for a consulate in a neighboring country, like going to Warsaw, for the interview. I do not wish to take a few people's word at the situation. This is why I ask this question of going to a consulate outside the beneficiary's own country. I would prefer to believe all the good things you have heard from people you know who have gone through Kiev and the consulate staff do conduct themselves as one of the same.

Edited January 30, 2007 by altimixdj

[payxibka 10,045]

I have spoke to some married couples here in my area where their spouses are from Ukraine. They spoke of the consulate staff trying to roadblock them at every turn, causing delays, and monetary bribes they had to do. One couple I can understand. They are fairly thoughtless and chaotic in their life here and their negativity does show. So I don't take too much of what they say seriously. I personally do not know because my fiancee' and I have not had the experience yet. All of them suggested applying for a consulate in a neighboring country, like going to Warsaw, for the interview. I do not wish to take a few people's word at the situation. This is why I ask this question of going to a consulate outside the beneficiary's own country. I would prefer to believe all the good things you have heard from people you know who have gone through Kiev and the consulate staff do conduct themselves as one of the same.

Interesting, I know 6 or 7 guys who have gone through Kiev and have all said the Consulate is friendly and helpful (though sticklers on proper paperwork). Everyone has suggested if you do your homework and arrive at the facility properly prepared then you should have no problems. Have you checked out the reviews here on VJ about Kiev?

[JoeMama 0]

Interesting, I know 6 or 7 guys who have gone through Kiev and have all said the Consulate is friendly and helpful (though sticklers on proper paperwork). Everyone has suggested if you do your homework and arrive at the facility properly prepared then you should have no problems. Have you checked out the reviews here on VJ about Kiev?

I will certainly check out the Kiev reviews on here. Thanks for the suggestion my good man! I hate to believe people are as horrible as others try to make them out to be. I can say my fiancee' and I are being very thorough with everything involved with this visa process! Every day I am constantly looking over all the documentation to make sure I did not miss anything or made any mistakes! I am fortunate that she shares my desire and gets things done right away! My poor file cabinets are so full of 3 copies of EVERYTHING! I'll be taking 1/3 of the files over with me in a couple of weeks and giving them to my fiancee' to have when the time arrives for her interview. I told her she better hit the gym and work out those muscles! She will be carrying quite a bit when she has to take all those files to her interview!

[Yodrak 7]

altimixdj,

One US consulate is not the same as the next if for no other reason than one country is not the same as the next. The consulates are going to reflect the country in which they are located.

It would be reasonable for a visa applicant to apply at the US consulate in the country where they are residing if not in their country of citizenship. But it would not be reasonable for a visa applicant to shop around for a 'friendly' consulate. There are usually good reasons behind the policies and actions that make a consulate appear to be 'unfriendly', and another consulate is not going to want to deal with those problem issues just because a visa applicant wants to avoid them.

Yodrak

I tried searching around the forum and the USCIS website for an answer, but had no luck. I was wondering if it is mandatory that my fiancee' has to have her interview conducted at a US Consulate inside her own country? Or is it possible to write on I-129F another US Consulate outside her country? I only ask this question because Ukraine has only 1 US Consulate inside her country. It is in Kiev. I've heard very many undesirable things about this particular US Consulate. People that had gone through the US Consulate in Kiev said they would recommend going through a US Consulate in another nearby country. For example, Warsaw, Poland. Do I need good reason or must file something to ask state another US consulate outside of my fiance's country? Or will this throw up a red flag for wanting to have interview outside my fiancee's own country? I was under the impression that one US Consulate is the same as the next US Consulate as in any other country around the world. I would love to hear your thoughts on this one. I know I must not be the only person who must have this question in mind.

[zyggy 9]

Sorry, you cannot go consulate shopping...

Your fiancee must be interviewed at the consulate that has jurisdiction over the country of residence...

The only exception is with a K3, where the alien is interviwed at the consulate that has jurisdiction over where the marriage took place. Many a person who got married in the Carribean, only to find out that their visa interview was in Nassau, Barbados, Caracas, or Kingston...

Edited January 30, 2007 by zyggy

[Aussielad 37]

altimixdj,

One US consulate is not the same as the next if for no other reason than one country is not the same as the next. The consulates are going to reflect the country in which they are located.

It would be reasonable for a visa applicant to apply at the US consulate in the country where they are residing if not in their country of citizenship. But it would not be reasonable for a visa applicant to shop around for a 'friendly' consulate. There are usually good reasons behind the policies and actions that make a consulate appear to be 'unfriendly', and another consulate is not going to want to deal with those problem issues just because a visa applicant wants to avoid them.

Yodrak

I tried searching around the forum and the USCIS website for an answer, but had no luck. I was wondering if it is mandatory that my fiancee' has to have her interview conducted at a US Consulate inside her own country? Or is it possible to write on I-129F another US Consulate outside her country? I only ask this question because Ukraine has only 1 US Consulate inside her country. It is in Kiev. I've heard very many undesirable things about this particular US Consulate. People that had gone through the US Consulate in Kiev said they would recommend going through a US Consulate in another nearby country. For example, Warsaw, Poland. Do I need good reason or must file something to ask state another US consulate outside of my fiance's country? Or will this throw up a red flag for wanting to have interview outside my fiancee's own country? I was under the impression that one US Consulate is the same as the next US Consulate as in any other country around the world. I would love to hear your thoughts on this one. I know I must not be the only person who must have this question in mind.

However, Yodrak, doing 'consulate shopping' is not a smiled upon action that they like either.

[Yodrak 7]

Aussielad,

That is what I intimated.

Yodrak

altimixdj,

One US consulate is not the same as the next if for no other reason than one country is not the same as the next. The consulates are going to reflect the country in which they are located.

It would be reasonable for a visa applicant to apply at the US consulate in the country where they are residing if not in their country of citizenship. But it would not be reasonable for a visa applicant to shop around for a 'friendly' consulate. There are usually good reasons behind the policies and actions that make a consulate appear to be 'unfriendly', and another consulate is not going to want to deal with those problem issues just because a visa applicant wants to avoid them.

Yodrak

I tried searching around the forum and the USCIS website for an answer, but had no luck. I was wondering if it is mandatory that my fiancee' has to have her interview conducted at a US Consulate inside her own country? Or is it possible to write on I-129F another US Consulate outside her country? I only ask this question because Ukraine has only 1 US Consulate inside her country. It is in Kiev. I've heard very many undesirable things about this particular US Consulate. People that had gone through the US Consulate in Kiev said they would recommend going through a US Consulate in another nearby country. For example, Warsaw, Poland. Do I need good reason or must file something to ask state another US consulate outside of my fiance's country? Or will this throw up a red flag for wanting to have interview outside my fiancee's own country? I was under the impression that one US Consulate is the same as the next US Consulate as in any other country around the world. I would love to hear your thoughts on this one. I know I must not be the only person who must have this question in mind.

However, Yodrak, doing 'consulate shopping' is not a smiled upon action that they like either.