IR1/CR1 Interview timeframes in Warsaw

[Simplytex 387]

Does anyone here know what the current wait time is:

• between Warsaw embassy receiving a spousal I-130 from NVC to sending the interview date
• how long the wait time is for spousal interviews at Warsaw

 

We just got NOA2 approval from Vermont, so expect in the next few weeks to get NVC/CEAC info, fees paid, and docs uploaded... Hopefully DQ by end of the year. The tricky thing is for us - my wife has never had a Schengen visa, so as many in this forum know there is a big logistical problem for Russians going to Poland. It seems like Schengen visas are taking up to 6 weeks to issue, and appointment slots are not easy to get in a timely manner.

 

My thought on times is something like:

• Early Nov - pay fee/upload docs at NVC
• Early Jan - DQ'ed at NVC, case sent to embassy
• Mid Jan - embassy receives case
• Late Jan - embassy schedules interview
• ??? - interview

 

But since Schengen interview spots are few and far between, I'm not sure if my wife does one of the following:

1. look for a Schengen appointment with Spain/Germany/Greece/Italy asap, and then we just book a 'practice' trip in late Dec/NYE; and then hope that this visa is good for 1 year with multiple entry.... or
2. try to 'guess' when the Warsaw interview would be, and try to get a Schengen visa appointment "just in time" for the Warsaw interview (early to mid Jan?)

[JeanneAdil 6,489]

doesn't quite work like that

after dq'd NVC works with the embassy to schedule the interview so when you get the notice ,  it will tell you date of interview

 

and your timeline is off by many months

Poland is backed up 

she has time to get that Schengen visa appointment

[smoothoperaytor 40]

Unfortunately, you're looking at 2-3 years and that's if the process isn't cancelled before then. 

[Crazy Cat 41,806]

22 minutes ago, Simplytex said:

Does anyone here know what the current wait time is:

• between Warsaw embassy receiving a spousal I-130 from NVC to sending the interview date
• how long the wait time is for spousal interviews at Warsaw

 

We just got NOA2 approval from Vermont, so expect in the next few weeks to get NVC/CEAC info, fees paid, and docs uploaded... Hopefully DQ by end of the year. The tricky thing is for us - my wife has never had a Schengen visa, so as many in this forum know there is a big logistical problem for Russians going to Poland. It seems like Schengen visas are taking up to 6 weeks to issue, and appointment slots are not easy to get in a timely manner.

 

My thought on times is something like:

• Early Nov - pay fee/upload docs at NVC
• Early Jan - DQ'ed at NVC, case sent to embassy
• Mid Jan - embassy receives case
• Late Jan - embassy schedules interview
• ??? - interview

 

But since Schengen interview spots are few and far between, I'm not sure if my wife does one of the following:

1. look for a Schengen appointment with Spain/Germany/Greece/Italy asap, and then we just book a 'practice' trip in late Dec/NYE; and then hope that this visa is good for 1 year with multiple entry.... or
2. try to 'guess' when the Warsaw interview would be, and try to get a Schengen visa appointment "just in time" for the Warsaw interview (early to mid Jan?)

This is how the interview process works for immigrant visas, once documents and fees are submitted to NVC:

 

1. Case is DQ'd by NVC.

2. Case then enters NVC queue for your consulate and waits at NVC.

3. Consulate informs NVC of available interview date for upcoming month.

4. NVC schedules interview when case reaches the front of the queue for that consulate.

5. NVC notifies person of interview date via email.

6. NVC then sends case to consulate.

After the interview is scheduled, it can take several days to several weeks for the consulate to receive the case.

Edited October 12, 2022 by Crazy Cat

[Simplytex 387]

4 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

doesn't quite work like that

after dq'd NVC works with the embassy to schedule the interview

Thats... what I put? My timeline might need adjusting but "Late Jan - embassy schedules interview" 

4 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

and your timeline is off by many months

This is the information I'm looking for - do you know of any spousal filers with actual dates recently that you can point out?

 

All I can find is info about K1 filers, there seem to have been very few IR1 filers from Russia going to Warsaw in the last 6mo, I think I'm one of a handful on VJ.

[Simplytex 387]

1 minute ago, Crazy Cat said:

This is how the interview process works for immigrant visas:

 

1. Case is DQ'd by NVC.

2. Case then enters NVC queue for your consulate and waits at NVC.

3. Consulate informs NVC of available interview date for upcoming month.

4. NVC schedules interview when case reaches the front of the queue for that consulate.

5. NVC notifies person of interview date via email.

6. NVC then sends case to consulate.

After the interview is scheduled, it can take several days to several weeks for the consulate to receive the case.

Thanks Crazy Cat that clarifies the process for me very nicely. 

 

I guess what I'm trying to understand for Warsaw is the actual backlog for 4 and 5 on your list. Everyone says Warsaw is very backed up, yet most of the info is with regard to K1 interviews (self-scheduled) which are different to IR1 (as you laid out.) 

[JeanneAdil 6,489]

Just now, Simplytex said:

Thats... what I put? My timeline might need adjusting but "Late Jan - embassy schedules interview" 

This is the information I'm looking for - do you know of any spousal filers with actual dates recently that you can point out?

 

All I can find is info about K1 filers, there seem to have been very few IR1 filers from Russia going to Warsaw in the last 6mo, I think I'm one of a handful on VJ.

best to go to the portal for Russia and also Poland /u can see poland if u don't sign in but go to the word portal above and choose Poland

 

on the portal sites there (hopefully) is a list on right side of interviews scheduled and approved 

look at the timelines of those VJ members

that is the best source for info for particular embassy 

also read the posts there /  there will be multiple questions on  wait times 

 

wishing u 2 the best

[Simplytex 387]

6 minutes ago, smoothoperaytor said:

Unfortunately, you're looking at 2-3 years and that's if the process isn't cancelled before then. 

Just wondering, what's your current timeline?

[smoothoperaytor 40]

3 minutes ago, Simplytex said:

Just wondering, what's your current timeline?

We started the process in April 2021. We received our DQ 4 months ago. We're now waiting for the interview date. So overall, it's been over a year and a half.

 

There were two minor mistakes during the process (one was my mistake and one was theirs). Each mistake added 3 months more of waiting since that's how long it takes for them to review the documents.

Edited October 12, 2022 by smoothoperaytor

[Simplytex 387]

1 minute ago, smoothoperaytor said:

We started the process in April 2021. We received our DQ 4 months ago. We're now waiting for the interview date. So overall, it's been over a year and a half.

 

There were two minor mistakes during the process (one was my mistake and one was theirs). Each mistake added 3 months more of waiting since that's how long it takes for them to review the documents.

Yep, I recall seeing your previous posts about the problems at NVC stage so I'm going to make sure all items are perfect before submitting - better to spend an extra week in the front, than 3 more months fixing it. You are applying for spousal visa, right? 

 

 

When I look at recent cases (the four newest from Poland and Russia), I see the following which all seem to indicate about a couple days between leaving NVC and consulate, and then about 1.5 mo before interview is scheduled. The main thing which is unclear to me is the time between "NVC recieved and NVC left" could be slowed by any of the factors of:

• people waiting a long time to submit documents to NVC
• people making some mistakes and having to resubmit documents at NVC
• NVC having a large backlog at embassy, and not able to schedule.

But the reason I don't think its the 3rd point above, is just because there are still several reports here of people able to get the interview done in a timely manner (<3 mo) after consulate receives the case.

[Simplytex 387]

It also looks like Warsaw has been cranking away hard at the IR1/CR1 category for the last few months... https://visawhen.com/consulates/warsaw/cr1ir1

[smoothoperaytor 40]

Just now, Simplytex said:

Yep, I recall seeing your previous posts about the problems at NVC stage so I'm going to make sure all items are perfect before submitting - better to spend an extra week in the front, than 3 more months fixing it. You are applying for spousal visa, right? 

 

 

When I look at recent cases (the four newest from Poland and Russia), I see the following which all seem to indicate about a couple days between leaving NVC and consulate, and then about 1.5 mo before interview is scheduled. The main thing which is unclear to me is the time between "NVC recieved and NVC left" could be slowed by any of the factors of:

• people waiting a long time to submit documents to NVC
• people making some mistakes and having to resubmit documents at NVC
• NVC having a large backlog at embassy, and not able to schedule.

But the reason I don't think its the 3rd point above, is just because there are still several reports here of people able to get the interview done in a timely manner (<3 mo) after consulate receives the case.

 

 

Yes, a spousal visa. CR1 to be specific. 

 

I checked my docs and the actual date is May 30, 2021. Our DQ was June 23, 2022. It's been crickets since then. 

 

Overall, I'm not as hopeful or in a rush as I once was. I'm together with my wife and we're making the best of the situation. 

 

 

[Strawberrymermaid 346]

1 hour ago, Simplytex said:

Does anyone here know what the current wait time is:

• between Warsaw embassy receiving a spousal I-130 from NVC to sending the interview date
• how long the wait time is for spousal interviews at Warsaw

 

We just got NOA2 approval from Vermont, so expect in the next few weeks to get NVC/CEAC info, fees paid, and docs uploaded... Hopefully DQ by end of the year. The tricky thing is for us - my wife has never had a Schengen visa, so as many in this forum know there is a big logistical problem for Russians going to Poland. It seems like Schengen visas are taking up to 6 weeks to issue, and appointment slots are not easy to get in a timely manner.

 

My thought on times is something like:

• Early Nov - pay fee/upload docs at NVC
• Early Jan - DQ'ed at NVC, case sent to embassy
• Mid Jan - embassy receives case
• Late Jan - embassy schedules interview
• ??? - interview

 

But since Schengen interview spots are few and far between, I'm not sure if my wife does one of the following:

1. look for a Schengen appointment with Spain/Germany/Greece/Italy asap, and then we just book a 'practice' trip in late Dec/NYE; and then hope that this visa is good for 1 year with multiple entry.... or
2. try to 'guess' when the Warsaw interview would be, and try to get a Schengen visa appointment "just in time" for the Warsaw interview (early to mid Jan?)

I really don't understand their timing to be honest.

 

My case was expedited last December and sent straight to the embassy. We never got interview notification even 6 months later when I cancelled the visa due to our divorce. Then it took them like 4 months to update as "refused". 

 

Edited to answer other question: When I was in this process, I recall other Russian applicants waiting until they got their interview date to get Schengen and using special travel agents to help expedite getting the Schengen. And having lots of proof of vacation in other country (greece, hungary etc) and cancelling them last minute to go to Poland. They cancelled their trip details after they entered the county the Schengen was issued from.

Edited October 12, 2022 by Strawberrymermaid

[Zoothie 8]

Here's a concrete data point from us:

1. DQ - Feb 1, 2022

2. Interview - mid Oct

 

Another one from a couple I know:

1. DQ - Jan 2022

2. Interview early Oct

 

It used to be much faster, but after US was forced to shut down most consular operations in Moscow, all case load from Russia went to Warsaw.

So it really got backed up, and I am not sure if they caught up. And this is not the worst case: the cases from May 2021 - Nov 2021 (the "limbo" state for Russian processing, before they were redirected to Poland) waited for 1.5 years for their interview.

Edited October 12, 2022 by Zoothie

[Simplytex 387]

20 hours ago, Zoothie said:

Here's a concrete data point from us:

1. DQ - Feb 1, 2022

2. Interview - mid Oct

 

Another one from a couple I know:

1. DQ - Jan 2022

2. Interview early Oct

Hey, just thinking on this more. At what point after DQ did you get notified of the interview date?

 

It makes a difference if you are sitting in silence for months, or instead had a date and tried to seek alternative embassy to interview at.