Russia Specific FAQ

[aspettando 0]

Yes, welcome to our nutty Russian group!

Oh. BTW, Just to help you out, it's spasibo bol'shoye in transliterated latin characters.

My first post here. Apologies in advance for the many mistakes I am sure I will make. Is there a similar FAQ list for Saint Petersburg (SP)? Does the SP consulate interview for K1 visas? Anybody willing to share his/her experience? Does anyone recommend a medical establishment in SP for the exam? Is there somebody in SP that is familiar with the interview process, somebody similar to Ms Pomazan in Moscow? My girl lives very close to SP and we hope she does not need to go to Moscow for her interview. Spasiba valshoi. Really, thank you for all your help. And if anybody interested in my experience, please let me know and I will share the very few things I know.

Then "spasibo bol'shoye" for the correction.

[aspettando 0]

My first post here. Apologies in advance for the many mistakes I am sure I will make. Is there a similar FAQ list for Saint Petersburg (SP)? Does the SP consulate interview for K1 visas? Anybody willing to share his/her experience? Does anyone recommend a medical establishment in SP for the exam? Is there somebody in SP that is familiar with the interview process, somebody similar to Ms Pomazan in Moscow? My girl lives very close to SP and we hope she does not need to go to Moscow for her interview. Spasiba valshoi. Really, thank you for all your help. And if anybody interested in my experience, please let me know and I will share the very few things I know.

Welcome to the forum!

Sorry to burst your bubble, but all K-1s go through Moscow. No biggy though, we've all done it so feel free to jump right in on all these topics.

Hope to hear more of your story and help out if we can.

Thank you for the reply and the info. Moscow will be fine I hope. I still have a few questions if you guys don't mind.

1. My girl [Masha] has lost her vaccinations records (organized she is not...). Will she have to get all the shots again?

2. She has a history of health problems and she is afraid to get new shots. I know these are not required for the K-1 visa, but they are for the AOS. Is there a way for USCIS to forgive the shots?

3. Are instructions for package 3 in Russian? Not the forms. I am mingling with them now and I believe I have time as our NOA2 will happen at the end of April.

4. How is Masha supposed to send back the DS2001 to Moscow? DHL too?

5. I have downloaded DS2001 forms from the US embassies in Britain and Brazil, but I cannot find one from Moscow. Does anybody know where I can get a copy?

Again, thank you so much for all your help. I am glad I found this place as I was a nervous wreck.

Spasibo bol'shoye.

[Satellite 1]

2. She has a history of health problems

Just to give you and everyone the heads up. If health problems include any of the following she will be deneid a visa:

The following communicable diseases render a person inadmissible:

1. chancroid

2. gonorrhea

3. granuloma inguinale

4. acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS)

5. Hansen’’s disease (infectious leprosy)

6. lymphogranuloma venereum

7. infectious state syphilis

8. infectious tuberculosis (TB) (clinically active)

Physical or mental disorders which render one inadmissible include the following:

1. Current physical or mental disorders, with harmful behavior associated with the disorder.

2. Past physical or mental disorders with associated harmful behavior that is likely to recur or lead to other harmful behavior.

Harmful behavior is behavior that may pose, or has posed, a threat to the property, safety or welfare of the applicant or others. A person who mentally retarded is no longer inadmissible unless there is a determination that the applicant is exhibiting or has exhibited in the past, associated harmful behavior.

According to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, alcohol abuse or dependence resulting in alcohol impaired driving may serve as a basis for determining whether an immigrant has a mental disorder associated with harmful behavior. Section 212(a)(1)(A)(iii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act discusses the inadmissibility in cases where an applicant for an immigration benefit has a significant record of alcoholrelated driving incidents.

Drug Abuse or Addiction

Drug abuse or addiction applies to the nonmedical use of a psychoactive substance that is part of a pattern of abuse. There is an exception for experimentation. Clinical judgment is used to determine abuse or experimentation when the applicant’’s medical records indicate past nonmedical use of a psychoactive substance.

Lastly:

When a person is found to be inadmissible for health reasons, it does not definitively prevent the person from being issued a visa or entering the United States. A physical or mental condition can be corrected or one can prove that they do not fall into the categories. Waivers are also available for most of the medical grounds of inadmissibility.

For original source see:

http://www.lexisnexis.com/practiceareas/im...pdfs/web475.pdf

Edited February 20, 2008 by Satellite

[aspettando 0]

2. She has a history of health problems

Just to give you and everyone the heads up. If health problems include any of the following she will be deneid a visa:

The following communicable diseases render a person inadmissible:

1. chancroid

2. gonorrhea

3. granuloma inguinale

4. acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS)

5. Hansen’’s disease (infectious leprosy)

6. lymphogranuloma venereum

7. infectious state syphilis

8. infectious tuberculosis (TB) (clinically active)

Physical or mental disorders which render one inadmissible include the following:

1. Current physical or mental disorders, with harmful behavior associated with the disorder.

2. Past physical or mental disorders with associated harmful behavior that is likely to recur or lead to other harmful behavior.

Harmful behavior is behavior that may pose, or has posed, a threat to the property, safety or welfare of the applicant or others. A person who mentally retarded is no longer inadmissible unless there is a determination that the applicant is exhibiting or has exhibited in the past, associated harmful behavior.

According to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, alcohol abuse or dependence resulting in alcohol impaired driving may serve as a basis for determining whether an immigrant has a mental disorder associated with harmful behavior. Section 212(a)(1)(A)(iii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act discusses the inadmissibility in cases where an applicant for an immigration benefit has a significant record of alcoholrelated driving incidents.

Drug Abuse or Addiction

Drug abuse or addiction applies to the nonmedical use of a psychoactive substance that is part of a pattern of abuse. There is an exception for experimentation. Clinical judgment is used to determine abuse or experimentation when the applicant’’s medical records indicate past nonmedical use of a psychoactive substance.

Lastly:

When a person is found to be inadmissible for health reasons, it does not definitively prevent the person from being issued a visa or entering the United States. A physical or mental condition can be corrected or one can prove that they do not fall into the categories. Waivers are also available for most of the medical grounds of inadmissibility.

For original source see:

http://www.lexisnexis.com/practiceareas/im...pdfs/web475.pdf

Thank you for the heads up. None of this applies to her.

[Satellite 1]

Will she have to get all the shots again?

As a K1 applicant she will not need any shots until Adjustment of Status. One way to avoid taking all the shots again is to have your doctor here do a blood titer tests for immunity. Get ready to pay several hundred dollars for this.

Is there a way for USCIS to forgive the shots?

Yes, there is. Certain vaccinations are only appropriate depending your age, medical history, and current medical conditions. A civil surgeon can make this determination and no other waiver is required. For example if you are pregnant certain vaccines are excused. Likewise if you do not meet any of the above criteria you can seek a waiver I-601 based on your religious or moral beliefs against vaccinations to otherwise overcome your inadmissibility.

See original source:

http://www.***removed***/greencard/vaccinat...quirements.html

[slim 1,530]

Thank you for the reply and the info. Moscow will be fine I hope. I still have a few questions if you guys don't mind.

Again, thank you so much for all your help. I am glad I found this place as I was a nervous wreck.

Spasibo bol'shoye.

Well, you can stop worrying! We're here for the main purpose of helping you through this process. Our secondary, (and perhaps even tertiary or qua-whateverthewordforfourthplaceis) purpose is to ease the transition and help in all issues surrounding your Russia-specific Visa Journey.

All of us have either gone through it already or are in the process of going through it now, so there is some really good advice on here. The Journeyman (big ups to Jason for dropping the term!) who's been answering your questions thus far, Satellite, is our MVP (most valuable poster) here in the Russia forum so pay particular attention to what he's saying. He'll steer you in the right direction.

And don't be hesitant to ask questions, even if it's something crazy like "does anyone else's girl know how to drive a car, because mine doesn't?" Someone out there is probable asking the same question or it's been asked and answered already somewhere else. There's a lot of history on this forum, and a pretty broad spectrum of knowledge and experience.

So, ask away! And don't be scared to post in the other topics either!

(and just to maintain our on topic/off topic association here... We're doing "driving lessons" at our house this week. Fun. Very fun. A little scary, kind of like when you're on the roller coaster. It's fun, but it's scary at the same time. And that's what makes it fun. And scary. And then fun again. And back to being scary.)

[Blues Fairy 0]

1. My girl [Masha] has lost her vaccinations records (organized she is not...). Will she have to get all the shots again?

2. She has a history of health problems and she is afraid to get new shots. I know these are not required for the K-1 visa, but they are for the AOS. Is there a way for USCIS to forgive the shots?

Here's what I did in the same situation. I went to the children's clinic in my home town to which my school was attached, and asked if they could help me recreate my vaccinations history. The head of the clinic turned out to be a very understanding and cooperative lady and she quickly filled out a typical vacc. report for me, in English! Immunization shots were uniformly administered to all school kids back then, so she just wrote down a typical vaccinations history for a person my age, with years and all. And since I did not have rubella shots (they were not given before 2001), she had a nurse give it to me on the spot, for free!

[Don E 0]

Here's what I did in the same situation. I went to the children's clinic in my home town to which my school was attached, and asked if they could help me recreate my vaccinations history. The head of the clinic turned out to be a very understanding and cooperative lady and she quickly filled out a typical vacc. report for me, in English! Immunization shots were uniformly administered to all school kids back then, so she just wrote down a typical vaccinations history for a person my age, with years and all. And since I did not have rubella shots (they were not given before 2001), she had a nurse give it to me on the spot, for free!

Thanks for the sharing this! I believe that Tania will try to do something similar.

[Don E 0]

Here's what I did in the same situation. I went to the children's clinic in my home town to which my school was attached, and asked if they could help me recreate my vaccinations history. The head of the clinic turned out to be a very understanding and cooperative lady and she quickly filled out a typical vacc. report for me, in English! Immunization shots were uniformly administered to all school kids back then, so she just wrote down a typical vaccinations history for a person my age, with years and all. And since I did not have rubella shots (they were not given before 2001), she had a nurse give it to me on the spot, for free!

Thanks for sharing this! I believe that Tania will try to do something similar.

[aspettando 0]

1. My girl [Masha] has lost her vaccinations records (organized she is not...). Will she have to get all the shots again?

2. She has a history of health problems and she is afraid to get new shots. I know these are not required for the K-1 visa, but they are for the AOS. Is there a way for USCIS to forgive the shots?

Here's what I did in the same situation. I went to the children's clinic in my home town to which my school was attached, and asked if they could help me recreate my vaccinations history. The head of the clinic turned out to be a very understanding and cooperative lady and she quickly filled out a typical vacc. report for me, in English! Immunization shots were uniformly administered to all school kids back then, so she just wrote down a typical vaccinations history for a person my age, with years and all. And since I did not have rubella shots (they were not given before 2001), she had a nurse give it to me on the spot, for free!

Thank you so much. We'll give a try.

[aspettando 0]

Priviet!

Two questions about the medical exam.

1. I assume the blood test is to check for drugs and/or sexually transmitted diseases. But is there something else they check for?

2. I was reading about somebody's experience at the medical the other day and the lady was saying that they asked her if she had had an abortion. Why is this important? I don't want to make this political or religious but if women have different rights somewhere else why asking this?

Again, I am just looking for the reasons. Thank you and paka!

PS I there are FAQs for this, I apologize and will appreciate very much if you direct me there.

[slim 1,530]

Answers to your questions -

1. I'm not aware of what they check for exactly, but I'd assume they're checking for blood and RH type, viruses, infections, even things like sickle cell. AIDS is most likely on that check list too since that's kind of a big deal. Of course drugs and STDs will be on there but it's probably not going to come back with your sugar or cholesterol levels.

2. Abortion is important simply because it could very possibly alter a woman's internal parts. Also, sometimes abortions aren't done under the best of medical conditions so things like Hepatitis and other communicable diseases can be contracted. Those all must be checked out.

[mox 298]

PS I there are FAQs for this, I apologize and will appreciate very much if you direct me there.

Welcome aspettando, feel free to post in the main forum for faster responses. A lot of people don't think to check replies to the FAQ thread on a daily basis.

[anka 1]

1. My girl [Masha] has lost her vaccinations records (organized she is not...). Will she have to get all the shots again?

2. She has a history of health problems and she is afraid to get new shots. I know these are not required for the K-1 visa, but they are for the AOS. Is there a way for USCIS to forgive the shots?

Here's what I did in the same situation. I went to the children's clinic in my home town to which my school was attached, and asked if they could help me recreate my vaccinations history. The head of the clinic turned out to be a very understanding and cooperative lady and she quickly filled out a typical vacc. report for me, in English! Immunization shots were uniformly administered to all school kids back then, so she just wrote down a typical vaccinations history for a person my age, with years and all. And since I did not have rubella shots (they were not given before 2001), she had a nurse give it to me on the spot, for free!

Thank you so much for this tip! We'll definitely look into this ))

[aspettando 0]

Dear Group,

One more question. If the beneficiary has a child, does (s)he need permission from the former spouse to take the child to the US? I haven't seen any such requirement from the USCIS, but when I take my daughters out of the country, the airline requires a notarized permission letter from their mother allowing me to take them outside the US.

In my particular case, the ex lives in the Ukraine, whereas my Masha and son live in Russia (Petersburg).

Thank you for the help and support.

Javier