Tourist visa for Russian citizen

[Chauncey 138]

My boyfriend who lives in Russia applied for a tourist visa about two months ago and we are still unable to schedule an appointment in Moscow. The website just says "no appointments available". Has anyone else had this problem?

[DaveAndAnastasia 2,092]

1 hour ago, SommerS said:

My boyfriend who lives in Russia applied for a tourist visa about two months ago and we are still unable to schedule an appointment in Moscow. The website just says "no appointments available". Has anyone else had this problem?

According to the state department's web site ( https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas.html ), the waiting time for tourist visa appointments in Moscow is 300 days.

 

I don't know where your boyfriend lives, but the waiting time in Yekaterinburg is 49 days, and in Vladivostok it's 28 days.

 

Anecdotally, the approval rate for tourist visas for young single Russians is fairly low; Anastasia never even tried to get one.

[Chauncey 138]

22 minutes ago, DaveAndAnastasia said:

According to the state department's web site ( https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas.html ), the waiting time for tourist visa appointments in Moscow is 300 days.

 

I don't know where your boyfriend lives, but the waiting time in Yekaterinburg is 49 days, and in Vladivostok it's 28 days.

 

Anecdotally, the approval rate for tourist visas for young single Russians is fairly low; Anastasia never even tried to get one.

Thank you so much for replying! Well we chose Moscow because that is the only city on my Russian visa with a consulate- so I could go with him during our vacation together. But what route did you go? Spousal or k-1?

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

55 minutes ago, SommerS said:

Thank you so much for replying! Well we chose Moscow because that is the only city on my Russian visa with a consulate- so I could go with him during our vacation together. But what route did you go? Spousal or k-1?

If you are a USC and you are wanting to go with him for a tourist visa interview... imo you are just about signing the death warrant on his visa chances. 

[DaveAndAnastasia 2,092]

42 minutes ago, SommerS said:

Thank you so much for replying! Well we chose Moscow because that is the only city on my Russian visa with a consulate- so I could go with him during our vacation together. But what route did you go? Spousal or k-1?

K-1, mostly because I thought marrying in Russia or setting up a wedding in a third country seemed overly complicated.

 

Turned out okay mostly because

• Anastasia had more patience than most with dealing with the restrictions of life on a K-1
• There's at least a grocery store within walking distance of my place
• We married right after she got here (three days after POE), filed the AOS paperwork less than a month after that, and San Diego is a relatively fast field office (not one of the absolute fastest, but she had her green card in less than six months from filing)
• She got pregnant, so wasn't as in a hurry to start working after that

[Chauncey 138]

2 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

If you are a USC and you are wanting to go with him for a tourist visa interview... imo you are just about signing the death warrant on his visa chances. 

I didn't mean actually go to the interview with him, but be in the city with him. We only have vacation with our jobs twice a year and if he has to spend one of them in a city i can't go to, then that sucks.

[Chauncey 138]

2 hours ago, DaveAndAnastasia said:

K-1, mostly because I thought marrying in Russia or setting up a wedding in a third country seemed overly complicated.

 

Turned out okay mostly because

• Anastasia had more patience than most with dealing with the restrictions of life on a K-1
• There's at least a grocery store within walking distance of my place
• We married right after she got here (three days after POE), filed the AOS paperwork less than a month after that, and San Diego is a relatively fast field office (not one of the absolute fastest, but she had her green card in less than six months from filing)
• She got pregnant, so wasn't as in a hurry to start working after that

Hm.. thank you so much for the information! I live in Texas right now but I am willing to live in Russia if we can't figure something out. I just would some day like him to visit the US, but it seems the tourist visa is impossible. My boyfriend is a lawyer right now in Russia so he is more worried about not working and what kind of job he even could get in the US... and I am studying in the field of IT. It's all just very frustrating.

How complicated is it really to marry in Russia? Is it less complicated if I worked there?

[carmel34 3,633]

16 hours ago, SommerS said:

My boyfriend is a lawyer right now in Russia

With a good steady job in Russia his chances for a B tourist visa to visit the US are higher, especially if he also has other strong ties like an apartment lease or he owns property like a home.  It's worth a try anyway, pay the fee, fill in the form, and go to the interview.  If he is denied a tourist visa, you can continue to visit him in Russia periodically or a third country where you can both travel.  Once the relationship develops further you can discuss options like K-1 vs CR-1, pros and cons of each, and other ideas like living in Russia or another country so that you can live together.  Long distance international relationships are difficult, but if you really love each other you'll find a way.  Good luck!

Edited January 23, 2020 by carmel34

[Chauncey 138]

1 hour ago, carmel34 said:

With a good steady job in Russia his chances for a B tourist visa to visit the US are higher, especially if he also has other strong ties like an apartment lease or he owns property like a home.  It's worth a try anyway, pay the fee, fill in the form, and go to the interview.  If he is denied a tourist visa, you can continue to visit him in Russia periodically or a third country where you can both travel.  Once the relationship develops further you can discuss options like K-1 vs CR-1, pros and cons of each, and other ideas like living in Russia or another country so that you can live together.  Long distance international relationships are difficult, but if you really love each other you'll find a way.  Good luck!

Thank you!! We have already been together almost three years so we are considering all the options. I may try to live there for awhile and then apply for a spouse visa. We did complete the tourist visa form and paid the fee but we made the mistake of picking Moscow for the interview so it looks like it will never happen! 

[Just Paul 4,595]

You can get married in Hong Kong with just a little effort.  You just need to send in the paperwork 2 to 3 weeks in advance and pay with a check in Hong Kong dollars.   You only have to spend 3 to 4 days there.