Completely lost and stuck in Russia

[Don4593 1]

Would be great if we could leave politics out of this completely. Thanks.

I am American. I married my now wife who is Russian. We have a child who is 2.

 

The Moscow embassy is closed. There are no flights out to Poland or anywhere in Europe. We can go to Uzbekistan or Kazakhstan.

We flew to the country of Georgia. We planned on getting my daughters American passport. After we got her CRBA, they told us that they could do her passport that we had to go to Poland, which didn't sound right, but after nearly two months of waiting, we were just happy to leave after getting the CRBA. 

My wife and I have been trying to plan to go to the U.S., not live, but visit, for sometime. Some people have told me it's impossible, since I am American and that she'll never receive a travel visa. Others have said that it's possible. I don't know.

1. Am I forced to go to Poland to obtain my daughter's American passport? 

2. Do both parents have to be there with our daughter?

3. How can we do that when Poland and the EU will not issue visas to Russians?

4. Is it truly impossible for my wife to get a travel visa? She owns two homes and makes a good a salary and our daughter is enrolled in their version of pre-k.

5. Can we not do my daughters passport via mail?

6. Can we visit another country? If so, how do we know which country we can go to do a passport and attempt a travel visa?

 

Thank you.

[Boiler 45,292]

It is not impossible for Russians to get a B2 Tourist Visa but with the situation it certainly is not going to be easy. I assume she could apply at the Consulate in Georgia. Loads of Russians are obviously desperate to get out and with no immediate plans to return, presumably you can see that in Georgia.

 

To get to Poland they would need Schenegen Visa's. I have seen others discuss this on VJ, certainly not impossible.

 

To visit other Countries you need a Visa if required, some countries are visa free for Russians.

 

[Chancy 6,241]

*** Moved from Bringing Family of LPR forum to RUB regional forum, for more attention from others who might have similar experience ***

 

[Boiler 45,292]

I was just thinking about the Schenegen, your daughter will need a visa so I assume both her and her Mother would apply, I think only you are needed, it is your ability to pass on Citizenship that is a factor.

 

I assume the Consulate are correct in that you need to go to Poland, CRBA would be handled in the Country of birth and that is not possible so makes sense it would be Poland.

[Chancy 6,241]

40 minutes ago, Don4593 said:

Am I forced to go to Poland to obtain my daughter's American passport?

 

Now that your daughter has her CRBA, she may apply for a US passport from any US consulate.  No need to travel to Poland.  Note that consulates may now require appointments even for American Citizen Services (ACS).  I suggest you request for an emergency passport appointment from a US consulate in Russia.  Instructions here -- https://ru.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/

 

46 minutes ago, Don4593 said:

Is it truly impossible for my wife to get a travel visa?

 

Not impossible, but it will be very tough for your wife to get one.  She's married to a US citizen, and she has to apply as a 3rd-country national (TCN) because she cannot apply at any US consulate in Russia.  She may apply for B2 visa at any US consulate that accepts TCN applicants.

 

[Boiler 45,292]

OOps I misread the post, I thought the CRBA would be the tricky bit not the passport.

[Lynxyonok 316]

6 hours ago, Don4593 said:

The Moscow embassy is closed. There are no flights out to Poland or anywhere in Europe. We can go to Uzbekistan or Kazakhstan.

Serbs are flying. And neither one of you needs a visa to go there.

 

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/ju651
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/ju653
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/ju655
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/ju657
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/ju659

 

P.S. From Georgia you can go to Istanbul where Turkish can take you everywhere in Europe.

Edited January 19, 2023 by Lynxyonok

[millefleur 5,045]

7 hours ago, Don4593 said:

We flew to the country of Georgia. We planned on getting my daughters American passport. After we got her CRBA, they told us that they could do her passport that we had to go to Poland, which didn't sound right, but after nearly two months of waiting, we were just happy to leave after getting the CRBA. 

It's absolutely bizarre....so the embassy in Georgia just doesn't provide US passport services to US ciitzens? She should be able to get it from any embassy with US Citizen Services. She has the CRBA now so I do not see what the problem is.

 

7 hours ago, Don4593 said:

My wife and I have been trying to plan to go to the U.S., not live, but visit, for sometime. Some people have told me it's impossible, since I am American and that she'll never receive a travel visa. Others have said that it's possible. I don't know.

Chances of getting a B visa for your wife are extremely low. Also in terms of where she can even apply for one, it's a huge issue. Basically the only way to do it right now is go via some third party visa application service in Russia who can secure an interview at a US consulate who is accepting non-resident applicants. The wait times can be very long, from months to years.

 

7 hours ago, Don4593 said:

4. Is it truly impossible for my wife to get a travel visa? She owns two homes and makes a good a salary and our daughter is enrolled in their version of pre-k.

It's simply a game of comparing strong ties to Russia versus strong ties to the US. She has a husband and a child who are US citizens, that's pretty hard to overcome. There's really nothing you can do here except have her go and interview and see what happens. Expect a denial under 214(b).

Edited January 20, 2023 by millefleur

[Gawain 23]

Why aren't you considering going to the US Embassy in Estonia or Latvia for the passport?

LUX EXPRESS travels to Helsinki, Riga, and Tallinn, leaving from Saint Petersburg.

Write the embassies for more information.  Let them know that you have the CRBA.  Emails are easy to look up.

Me personally - I have found the border guard in Finland and Estonia to be responsive, and helpful.  

I've found both the Estonian US Embassy and the Latvian US Embassy to be very helpful during my Visa/Passport journeys.

 

 

[Gawain 23]

On 1/19/2023 at 8:36 AM, Don4593 said:

1. Am I forced to go to Poland to obtain my daughter's American passport? 

2. Do both parents have to be there with our daughter?

3. How can we do that when Poland and the EU will not issue visas to Russians?

4. Is it truly impossible for my wife to get a travel visa? She owns two homes and makes a good a salary and our daughter is enrolled in their version of pre-k.

5. Can we not do my daughters passport via mail?

6. Can we visit another country? If so, how do we know which country we can go to do a passport and attempt a travel visa?

 

Thank you.

 

1. No.

2. Ask the embassy directly.

3. My advice - forget about Poland.

4. I don't know.  If it's not too much, then consider applying.  It doesn't hurt to apply.

5. Ask the embassy directly.

6. Probably.  You need to do more homework.  Many Russians are now getting Schengen visas from Norway and going through Norway, then on to their final destinations from there.  Do more research.  I've been through this and you have to research a little bit every day.  Although there is great information in this forum, you will learn new and helpful information from the US embassies.  My advice is to communicate with them more.  I have found that in an email, I get a response if I keep the questions to a minimum (maybe 1 or 2 questions) and be brief.  After you get a reply, then you can hit them with another email.  And so on...

 

Good luck.

[nekotakacho 60]

Last summer we sent my wife’s parents to Budapest to interview for their B2 visas. It wasn’t fun. They got Covid there, and were

very sick. Anyways, they were approved in Budapest, even though the translator said most of her Russian clients are denied. But Budapest might be an option if they’re still allowing non-residents for interviews. Of course a valid Schengen visa is required, and they did have that prior. They own a house in Greece we visit, so they keep their visa current. Greece loves Russians. 
 

also, Azerbaijan or Armenia can get you to Istanbul. From there, you have direct flights to the USA. My biggest question for you, is…where was your child born? I’m assuming Russia. So you will have a lot of work to get her US citizenship. My wife and I are currently doing the opposite, and getting our daughter her Russian citizenship, so she can receive her benefits in Russia, since they’ll provide you with free food and money and doctors etc. way better than the USA in my opinion! 
 

forget the Poland embassy as they are handling everything now and are notoriously anti Russian, and denying most people there. I would suggest even looking for US embassies that process non residents like Israel was doing, or Thailand. I’d go to Asia before Poland. But that’s just me. Like others have suggested,  you need to email many embassies to determine if they’ll accept you. 
 

don’t lose faith and don’t feel trapped in Russia. I hope you figured it out already. 

 

 

[nekotakacho 60]

It is unfortunate that the embassy in Georgia did not give you a passport with the CRBA, did you apply for both at the same time like recommended?
 

Gawain’s advice is excellent and pretty much my same advice. 
 

“

1. Am I forced to go to Poland to obtain my daughter's American passport? 

nope. Any Us embassy would work. Forget Poland. 

2. Do both parents have to be there with our daughter?

I am unsure and you’ll have to clarify with the embassy. 

3. How can we do that when Poland and the EU will not issue visas to Russians?

you may need to think outside the box. Forget Poland, forget EU and look at Asia. I know a lot of people use Israel especially when my wife paid for an appointment and told the girls chat group about it and it went viral lol 

4. Is it truly impossible for my wife to get a travel visa? She owns two homes and makes a good a salary and our daughter is enrolled in their version of pre-k.

no, it shouldn’t be impossible. Maybe impossible in Poland! 

5. Can we not do my daughters passport via mail?

I doubt it but ask a few embassies and see if they will. Never hurts to email and ask.

6. Can we visit another country? If so, how do we know which country we can go to do a passport and attempt a travel visa?

Use Timatic to determine visa requirements per country:

https://www.iata.org/en/services/compliance/timatic/widget/

 

use the state department website to see what embassies can process your wife’s travel visa:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/wait-times.html
 

Almaty currently has an 11 day wait for B2 interviews according to the state department. You could even take a train there if you don’t want to fly. It’s worth a shot. They could probably get your passport for your child too. Email them!

 

“

** the only way to understand where you can get your wife a travel visa is to email the embassies directly and ask. There is no public information on which embassies process “non-residents”, and they can also change their decision at anytime and stop processing “non residents”. So you absolutely MUST email the embassy first to see if it’s even possible. We did this a few years ago, and they can change their mind and cancel your appointment!!!! They cancelled our appointment in Budapest initially, because they told us there was a glitch in their calendar system and we weren’t supposed to be able to get our interview so quickly. They said it was for residents only, and they process non-residents on different months! So be sure to ask if they process “non residents” and for which months. Good luck  

Edited June 5, 2023 by nekotakacho

[nekotakacho 60]

Is your wife part of the Russian girls chat group for American spouses?? If not, you may want to get her enrolled in the WhatsApp group because those girls have all the info she needs, in Russian

Edited June 5, 2023 by nekotakacho

[Vashezzo 43]

1 hour ago, Gawain said:

 

6. Probably.  You need to do more homework.  Many Russians are now getting Schengen visas from Norway and going through Norway, then on to their final destinations from there.  Do more research.  I've been through this and you have to research a little bit every day.  Although there is great information in this forum, you will learn new and helpful information from the US embassies.  My advice is to communicate with them more.  I have found that in an email, I get a response if I keep the questions to a minimum (maybe 1 or 2 questions) and be brief.  After you get a reply, then you can hit them with another email.  And so on...

 

Good luck.

Do you have a source for this? The Norwegian government website says "If you plan to visit Norway as a tourist, you will normally not be granted a visa." when you specify being a Russian citizen.

[Gawain 23]

8 minutes ago, Vashezzo said:

Do you have a source for this? The Norwegian government website says "If you plan to visit Norway as a tourist, you will normally not be granted a visa." when you specify being a Russian citizen.

 

Yes, I read it somewhere on Shengenvisainfo

Here it is:

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/russian-shoppers-entering-finland-via-norway-despite-entry-ban/

 

This may also be of interest:

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/top-10-easiest-countries-to-get-a-schengen-visa-for-summer-2023/

 

I don't see Don's case as being a tourist case, though.  They aren't going there for vacation.  I see it as a humanitarian reason (the child needs to get the passport).  Many of these Baltic countries that have banned Russians from taking vacation may still allow a Schengen visa for purposes other than tourism.  For instance - Finland may allow one for a compelling personal reason:

 

compelling personal reason:
"...involve a compelling or unforeseeable matter which requires personal attendance,
which cannot tolerate delay, and which would cause undue harm within the context in
question if the person concerned would not attend to it."

 

One has to research each and every country for Schengen visa and then find the loopholes where they still may allow entry.  The legal loopholes are usually listed on the border guard's web page for that particular country.

Then when applying for the Schengen visa, write a letter explaining the compelling personal matter.  This is my best advice.

 

Good luck!