US Embassy in Kyiv (Ukraine) is closed. What now?!

[YuliiaRog 10]

2 minutes ago, NGS369 said:

Thank you all! Our case was transferred from NVC to the US Embassy in Kyiv, so NVC "does not have access to the case anymore and cannot transfer it". Since the US Embassy in Kyiv is closed, it looks like our case is stuck there. So far, the US Embassy in Warsaw, Poland doesn't seem to have a straightforward way of transferring our case either. It feels like we are caught in a loop.

I’d recommend to talk to an immigration attorney! It cannot be stuck! As long as it was sent out of NVC, you have to be able to transfer it to a different country. It will definitely delay an actual interview but better than nothing. 

[millefleur 5,046]

2 hours ago, YuliiaRog said:

I’d recommend to talk to an immigration attorney! It cannot be stuck! As long as it was sent out of NVC, you have to be able to transfer it to a different country. It will definitely delay an actual interview but better than nothing. 

Did you have luck talking to a lawyer yourself? It's actually a Department of State problem and not a USCIS problem, so I don't know what a lawyer can do.

 

I recommend contacting individually embassies in other countries and just asking if you can transfer there. Poland has been backlogged ever since the Moscow Embassy shut down, maybe consider other countries near Ukraine and see if the embassies there will take a case transfer.

[YuliiaRog 10]

Just now, millefleur said:

Did you have luck talking to a lawyer yourself? It's actually a Department of State problem and not a USCIS problem, so I don't know what a lawyer can do.

 

I recommend contacting individually embassies in other countries and just asking if you can transfer there. Poland has been backlogged ever since the Moscow Embassy shut down, maybe consider other countries near Ukraine and see if the embassies there will take a case transfer.

I did! But my case is still in NVC, so that`s why earlier I said that it`s better not to transfer it when the case is being processed by NVC. 

 

Either you`re transferring your case while in NVC or already in the Embassy, you have to contact the Embassy in neighboring country yourself anyway by sending them an email to request a transfer.

[millefleur 5,046]

3 minutes ago, YuliiaRog said:

I did! But my case is still in NVC, so that`s why earlier I said that it`s better not to transfer it when the case is being processed by NVC. 

 

Either you`re transferring your case while in NVC or already in the Embassy, you have to contact the Embassy in neighboring country yourself anyway by sending them an email to request a transfer.

OK that makes sense, good advice.

[NGS369 3]

Could anybody suggest the best e-mail to contact the US Embassy in Warsaw about the transfer? 

[millefleur 5,046]

22 hours ago, NGS369 said:

Could anybody suggest the best e-mail to contact the US Embassy in Warsaw about the transfer? 

UStraveldocs Poland says:

 

Note: Do not schedule your interview date until you receive a letter with the instructions.  If you do not receive the instructions from the U.S. Embassy within six weeks after the notification from NVC about the transferring of your case to Warsaw, you should send an inquiry about the status of your case to support-poland@ustraveldocs.com.

 

 

[millefleur 5,046]

@NGS369 I just saw this on the Kiev Embassy site:

https://ua.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visas/

 

On Sunday, February 13, 2022, the Department of State suspended consular services at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. If you have an immigrant visa case currently pending with U.S. Embassy Kyiv and would like to transfer processing of an immigration case to another U.S. Embassy or Consulate, you must  contact  the  receiving U.S. Embassy to authorize and initiate transfer.  The Embassy will have a list of requirements which must be satisfied in order to begin the transfer process. We recommend U.S. citizens with immediate family members who do not have a U.S. visa complete this online form, and the State Department will respond.

 

So, my understanding is Ukrainians can contact any embassy they want and try to initiate the transfer there. You're not confined to go via Warsaw like Russians are. Given that Warsaw is backed up right now, you might want to consider other embassies in Europe. Worth a shot.

Edited February 23, 2022 by millefleur

[NGS369 3]

@millefleur Thank you! We saw that too and tried to contact the Embassy in Warsaw, but they said that Kyiv would have to initiate the transfer. But the embassy in Kyiv is closed.

Would you happen to know how long the wait time would be for an interview in the embassy in Warsaw?

[millefleur 5,046]

4 minutes ago, NGS369 said:

Would you happen to know how long the wait time would be for an interview in the embassy in Warsaw?

I have no idea, I only see people here on VJ posting updates from time to time. It seems like lately people are complaining that it's slowed down a lot, some are waiting for months to get an interview. That was for Russians who have Warsaw as the "official" embassy now, for Ukrainians, who knows, could be different. Maybe they'll prioritize Ukrainians due to the situation or maybe Ukrainians will get pushed to the back of the line. It's hard to say until we see more updates here on VJ. You could try looking for whatsapp, facebook or telegram groups to see if there are people with updates there.

 

5 minutes ago, NGS369 said:

Thank you! We saw that too and tried to contact the Embassy in Warsaw, but they said that Kyiv would have to initiate the transfer.

That's bizarre. Typical right hand doesn't know what the left is doing. If you're open to transferring to a different country, consider contacting them just to see if you get a better response. Some Russians here on VJ had luck with Georgia and Kazakhstan but if Ukrainians can freely enter the EU, you could consider any Schengen country and see what they say.

[RnJ2021 59]

This thread has some recent information from Kyiv IV and Warsaw embassy.

 

[millefleur 5,046]

7 minutes ago, RnJ2021 said:

This thread has some recent information from Kyiv IV and Warsaw embassy.

Things are changing on a minute-to-minute basis in Ukraine right now. I don't think there's any harm reaching out to other embassies beyond Warsaw. It would be great to know if anyone got a response or had success with it.

[CM&KV 72]

So I am reading the security post on Ukraine's website, (https://ua.usembassy.gov/security-alert-attack-on-ukraine-022422/)
 

On February 24, 2022, the Department of State suspended consular operations in Lviv, Ukraine, following the suspension of consular services at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv on February 12, 2022.  U.S. citizens seeking emergency assistance and those who decide to remain in Ukraine should complete this online form and the State Department will respond.  The U.S. government will not be able to evacuate U.S. citizens from Ukraine. Please review what the U.S. government can and cannot do to assist you in a crisis overseas.  U.S. citizens may seek consular services, including requests for repatriation loans, passport and visa services, at U.S. Embassies in the following neighboring countries.

• Hungary
• Moldova
• Poland
• Romania
• Slovakia
  
   

I'm wondering if we are able to use the above countries for visas. My step daughter's petition at the USCIS was approved on Feb 15th and we just got her approval letter yesterday, and now we are confused on what to do next besides the normal NVC stuff. Hubs keeps asking me if there is away to get her sooner, like refugee status etc. I still think the faster way for her is the approved i-130 petition. SIGH. 

Edited February 24, 2022 by CM&KV
Changed the words he to hubs.

[millefleur 5,046]

3 minutes ago, CM&KV said:

I'm wondering if we are able to use the above countries for visas. My step daughter's petition at the USCIS was approved on Feb 15th and we just got her approval letter yesterday, and now we are confused on what to do next besides the normal NVC stuff. He keeps asking me if there is away to get her sooner, like refugee status etc. I still think the faster way for her is the approved i-130 petition. SIGH. 

It doesn't hurt to try. The DoS bit off more than it can chew thinking they can funnel the entire RUB region into one embassy, the very notion is absurd. Other embassies need to start taking RUB applicants otherwise the situation will stagnate while people are hurt and stranded.

 

Don't be afraid to contact your senator/representative about this issue now. Enough is enough. US citizens with RUB family members need to be heard. In the meantime, contact those embassies on your own and see if you get a response. Warsaw has been doing nothing but dragging its feet and giving everyone the run around since this crisis started months ago, I would not wait for them.

[Prizm123 1,086]

On 2/24/2022 at 12:54 AM, CM&KV said:

Hubs keeps asking me if there is away to get her sooner, like refugee status etc.

i am trying to get information on how to get my wife's daughter to be eligible for refugee. the last contact we had was about 12 hours ago, she was in a basement somewhere with air raid sirens going off

 

[millefleur 5,046]

2 hours ago, Prizm123 said:

i am trying to get information on how to get my wife's daughter to be eligible for refugee. the last contact we had was about 12 hours ago, she was in a basement somewhere with air raid sirens going off

What you're looking for is called "humanitarian parole" and here is some info on it:

https://www.uscis.gov/forms/explore-my-options/humanitarian-parole