RUS K interview in a third country

[MasterCarrot 9]

Hello have there been any updates in your case? Were you able to transfer to Jerusalem?

[BenNomad 88]

On 9/1/2023 at 12:39 PM, antalia said:

I will also write to my representative/senator, although I am a California resident so highly skeptical about it even being read by anyone at all.

California Congressman Tom McClintock chairs the subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security and Enforcement. Try writing to him even if you're not from that district.

[qwertyqwertyqwert 0]

On 9/5/2023 at 8:50 AM, MasterCarrot said:

Hello have there been any updates in your case? Were you able to transfer to Jerusalem?

Actually no, we are still waiting for the Welcome Letter from the NVC, got the USCIS notification letter over two months ago. I asked around some consulates around the globe where a Russian can enter visa-free, everyone says the beneficiary has got to have at least 6-month residence permit in the country of the interview. Haven't emailed Israel yet. My representative just quoted me the same exact thing the NVC said, your beneficiary's got to have ties to the country of the interview. Unless it's Poland that gives out no tourist visas to Russians at all. They assign Russian K visa interviews to Poland, but F visa beneficiaries are assigned to Kazakhstan - why, and why can't I transfer there even if I plead with them to? Having read on here that they assigned Georgia consulate no questions asked to an American & Russian tourists married in Georgia, I feel so disheartened. We can't even just forget our silly wedding plans and quickly register here just to unlock the local embassy building for the interview, being background checked and approved by USCIS, it will have to be done all over again. I will email the person that BenNomad advised above, also some other consulates, we'll see if anything positive comes out of it. 

[BenNomad 88]

2 hours ago, antalia said:

Actually no, we are still waiting for the Welcome Letter from the NVC, got the USCIS notification letter over two months ago. I asked around some consulates around the globe where a Russian can enter visa-free, everyone says the beneficiary has got to have at least 6-month residence permit in the country of the interview. Haven't emailed Israel yet. My representative just quoted me the same exact thing the NVC said, your beneficiary's got to have ties to the country of the interview. Unless it's Poland that gives out no tourist visas to Russians at all. They assign Russian K visa interviews to Poland, but F visa beneficiaries are assigned to Kazakhstan - why, and why can't I transfer there even if I plead with them to? Having read on here that they assigned Georgia consulate no questions asked to an American & Russian tourists married in Georgia, I feel so disheartened. We can't even just forget our silly wedding plans and quickly register here just to unlock the local embassy building for the interview, being background checked and approved by USCIS, it will have to be done all over again. I will email the person that BenNomad advised above, also some other consulates, we'll see if anything positive comes out of it. 

I found out that according to the rules, a representative or senator can intervene for you personally ONLY if you are from their district. If Tom McClintock isn't your rep, it's probably asking for the moon to get him to investigate the issue and talk to the State Dept people about it and try to make some policy change. But perhaps worth a try? I would call try calling the office before emailing. 

 

Almaty may simply not have the capacity to take on any more cases. I'm afraid that Jerusalem will reach the same point too, of having to turn people away. If the State Dept really wanted to solve the issue, would it be so difficult to transfer staff from one embassy to the other, or hire someone new? 

 

Did you contact the embassies in Bishkek (Kyrgystan) or Dushanbe (Tajikistan)? Or even Ashgabat (Turkmenistan). I haven't heard of anyone trying to transfer there, but they would almost certainly have Russian-speaking staff and the US embassies there are operating and issuing visas (mostly diversity visas). 

 

 

 

[rikko 77]

The Jerusalem Embassy is quite big from what I understand so it will be a while before they have to start refusing. Besides, with how expensive Israel is to stay in, it's good for the economy!

[TBoneTX 44,787]

On 9/18/2023 at 7:53 AM, BenNomad said:

a representative or senator can intervene for you personally ONLY if you are from their district

This is accurate.

On 9/18/2023 at 7:53 AM, BenNomad said:

Almaty may simply not have the capacity to take on any more cases.

This is possible.

On 9/18/2023 at 7:53 AM, BenNomad said:

would it be so difficult to transfer staff from one embassy to the other, or hire someone new?

It's not just numbers of personnel, but having a place to put them.  There are other factors.  I'll see if I can get our expert authority to contribute here.