IR1/CR1 Case Transfer Help

[tinygreengoblin 3]

Hello all! Long time lurker, first time posting so please forgive any weird formatting and my litany of questions!

 

My husband is Russian and his case is currently assigned to Warsaw. We just got DQ'd today and we're awaiting the interview email.

 

We have seen many people on this forum successfully transfer to Almaty or Bishkek but we would like to know what documents you provided to facilitate the transfer? Which embassy (Almaty or Bishkek) has been more accepting of Russian IR1/CR1 transfers? Have some of you needed to go ahead and get denied for a Schengen visa to Poland to prove the applicant can't attend the interview there? Or would this email from the Polish Embassy in Saint Petersburg (attached) suffice for the Almaty and/or Bishkek embassies? What other hardship did you show to demonstrate the need for the transfer? 

 

Also, how long did it take for the transfer to happen and how long after did you receive your interview date (and when was that interview date from when you got transferred)? Did you do the medical exam in Moscow or did it need to be done in Almaty or Bishkek?

 

Sorry for so many confusing questions but I hope that someone could provide some advice and that this thread can help others in the same situation! 

 

Thank you all for your help!

 

[tinygreengoblin 3]

Also, I wanted to note that I understand there's a lot of similar threads already posted but I have been struggling to find anything current and comprehensive. Thank you all again for your help!

[BenNomad 89]

14 hours ago, tinygreengoblin said:

Hello all! Long time lurker, first time posting so please forgive any weird formatting and my litany of questions!

 

My husband is Russian and his case is currently assigned to Warsaw. We just got DQ'd today and we're awaiting the interview email.

 

We have seen many people on this forum successfully transfer to Almaty or Bishkek but we would like to know what documents you provided to facilitate the transfer? Which embassy (Almaty or Bishkek) has been more accepting of Russian IR1/CR1 transfers? Have some of you needed to go ahead and get denied for a Schengen visa to Poland to prove the applicant can't attend the interview there? Or would this email from the Polish Embassy in Saint Petersburg (attached) suffice for the Almaty and/or Bishkek embassies? What other hardship did you show to demonstrate the need for the transfer? 

 

Also, how long did it take for the transfer to happen and how long after did you receive your interview date (and when was that interview date from when you got transferred)? Did you do the medical exam in Moscow or did it need to be done in Almaty or Bishkek?

 

Sorry for so many confusing questions but I hope that someone could provide some advice and that this thread can help others in the same situation! 

 

Thank you all for your help!

 

 

Hi, the email from the Polish Consulate won't do anything for you unfortunately. The State Dept is well aware of the situation, but hasn't provided a solution for IR/CR-1 applicants. If your husband is in Russia, try to get a Schengen visa. Hungary may be one of the better options to try for. Almaty stopped taking transfers a long time ago (except for IR-5). We successfully transferred to Bishkek but I suspect that was because our case was in Jerusalem when the embassy suspended operations there. Jerusalem is processing cases again but I don't know if they are taking transfers. They were the only embassy that was consistently taking transfers prior to the war. If an embassy accepts a transfer it happens quickly, like a few days or less. The IR/CR-1 cases are electronic so there's no physical mailing.

 

If your husband is not in Russia, he'll have to return there to apply for a Schengen visa if he doesn't have residence anywhere else. 

[tinygreengoblin 3]

4 hours ago, BenNomad said:

Hi, the email from the Polish Consulate won't do anything for you unfortunately. The State Dept is well aware of the situation, but hasn't provided a solution for IR/CR-1 applicants. If your husband is in Russia, try to get a Schengen visa. Hungary may be one of the better options to try for. Almaty stopped taking transfers a long time ago (except for IR-5). We successfully transferred to Bishkek but I suspect that was because our case was in Jerusalem when the embassy suspended operations there. Jerusalem is processing cases again but I don't know if they are taking transfers. They were the only embassy that was consistently taking transfers prior to the war. If an embassy accepts a transfer it happens quickly, like a few days or less. The IR/CR-1 cases are electronic so there's no physical mailing.

 

If your husband is not in Russia, he'll have to return there to apply for a Schengen visa if he doesn't have residence anywhere else. 

Hi BenNomad! Thank you for your response! I’ve read about your rollercoaster of a case with your wife and congratulations on getting approved!

 

i just wanted to clarify, did you mean apply for the Schengen and attempt to enter Poland that way or try to get the case transferred to Hungary? And, yes, my husband currently resides in Russia.

 

The reason we’re concerned about the Schengen situation is because he had several friends who were studying in the Czech Republic and they tried entering Poland on their Schengen visas but they were turned away at the border as soon as the officials saw their Russian passport, even though their visas were perfectly valid and they had gone to plenty of other EU countries. It’s also reiterated on the Russian Consulate in Poland’s website: https://warsaw.kdmid.ru/ru/news/772/

 

If there are any Russian users who have gone through Poland via a Schengen from another country within the last few months, please reach out because we’re both really concerned and confused of both the process and success rates, as well as the timing to receive that visa. How far off was the date of the interview with Poland once you received the interview letter also, if you received one?

We just don’t want to get so close to the interview only for him to be turned away at the border but I’m just not quite sure how to demonstrate that to any of the U.S. embassies because it’s not a true hardship claim.

 

Out of curiosity, on what grounds did you have your wife’s case transferred from Warsaw to Jerusalem?

 

Thank you again for your help and response!

Edited December 28, 2023 by tinygreengoblin
Added husband’s current residence and link to KDMID

[rikko 93]

5 hours ago, tinygreengoblin said:

Out of curiosity, on what grounds did you have your wife’s case transferred from Warsaw to Jerusalem?

 

Thank you again for your help and response!

We applied for a Schengen and were given single-entry and argued we could not legally enter Poland and were not willing to break the law, Jerusalem accepted a transfer in our case after that. Others did not have to even get a Schengen visa to obtain transfers. We also cannot apply at our current country of residence (Armenian embassy is small and already overloaded with local and Iranian cases) but we didn't bother mentioning that. 

[BenNomad 89]

On 12/28/2023 at 6:59 AM, tinygreengoblin said:

Hi BenNomad! Thank you for your response! I’ve read about your rollercoaster of a case with your wife and congratulations on getting approved!

 

i just wanted to clarify, did you mean apply for the Schengen and attempt to enter Poland that way or try to get the case transferred to Hungary? And, yes, my husband currently resides in Russia.

 

The reason we’re concerned about the Schengen situation is because he had several friends who were studying in the Czech Republic and they tried entering Poland on their Schengen visas but they were turned away at the border as soon as the officials saw their Russian passport, even though their visas were perfectly valid and they had gone to plenty of other EU countries. It’s also reiterated on the Russian Consulate in Poland’s website: https://warsaw.kdmid.ru/ru/news/772/

 

If there are any Russian users who have gone through Poland via a Schengen from another country within the last few months, please reach out because we’re both really concerned and confused of both the process and success rates, as well as the timing to receive that visa. How far off was the date of the interview with Poland once you received the interview letter also, if you received one?

We just don’t want to get so close to the interview only for him to be turned away at the border but I’m just not quite sure how to demonstrate that to any of the U.S. embassies because it’s not a true hardship claim.

 

Out of curiosity, on what grounds did you have your wife’s case transferred from Warsaw to Jerusalem?

 

Thank you again for your help and response!

It does seem like it's getting trickier to get to Poland, even more than before, and also more difficult in general to get a Schengen visa (to any country). Did your friends try entering Poland by car, train or air from the Czech Republic? I totally understand the risk of making all those arrangements, paying for tickets and hotels in advance - only to be denied at the border. 

 

It has been discussed over and over what to do in this situation, and I wonder what happened to some of the people who came on here looking for help but never came back to say whether they found a way out or not. I never contacted my Congressional rep for intervention in my wife's case, but sometimes that is the way out, if you have a good rep I guess. It has also been suggested to write a joint letter to the Bureau of Consular Affairs, but in the end there has to be an embassy with the ability to take on cases. There have been isolated cases of embassies taking transfers without requiring residency, but they seem few and far between and not any one in particular stands out as consistently taking transfers - except for Jerusalem, which is not taking new transfers apparently. Jerusalem accepted our transfer on the basis of having a Schengen that we couldn't really use to get to Poland (Greece's explicit conditions). I also explained that our case was simple document-wise (U.S. citizen kids, no previous marriages, no criminal record, etc). 

 

 

 

 

[Olvaranim 24]

On 12/28/2023 at 5:59 PM, tinygreengoblin said:

 

If there are any Russian users who have gone through Poland via a Schengen from another country within the last few months, please reach out because we’re both really concerned and confused of both the process and success rates, as well as the timing to receive that visa. How far off was the date of the interview with Poland once you received the interview letter also, if you received one?

We just don’t want to get so close to the interview only for him to be turned away at the border but I’m just not quite sure how to demonstrate that to any of the U.S. embassies because it’s not a true hardship claim.

About a dozen of Russian citizens (that I know of) attend their interviews in Warsaw on a monthly basis with zero issues on entering Poland. At least 5 fiancées had their interviews on January 2, 3 and 4. 

Mine interview (CR1/IR1) is also scheduled in Warsaw. 

The keys for russian citizens are:

1) apply for a tourist Schengen visa with a visa center of loyal countries: Italy, France, Spain or Hungary (in Russia). Act like a tourist don't mention Poland on your application. 

2) enter Schengen area by flying in the country that issued you a visa (best option for both short-term and long-term visas, but critical to short-term visas nowadays). Again act like a tourist, you're there for Colosseum or Champs-Élysées.

3) enter Poland by air or by land (train or car) from that European country, even the same day. If by air, buy a separate ticket from that European country to Poland. For example, if you book a ticket Moscow - Istanbul - Rome and a separate ticket Rome - Warsaw, then you enter Schengen area in Italy (go through border control (visa check)), pick up your luggage, check-in, drop off your luggage again and then head to a assigned gate without any additional border control, as there are no administrative borders within Schengen area. 

So the citizens of Russia are allowed to enter Poland only from other Schengen country (not through the external border of Schengen zone).

 

As for interview time frames for CR1/IR1 in Warsaw, NVC usually sends an interview letter in 35-45 days after DQ. An interview date is in 85 days after DQ on average. 

[aleksey23 8]

wow, thanks for the information, do you know if it's worth transferring to budapest hungary? if it's easier to get a schengen there, i just don't want the risk of poland.  Would you recommend any other countries that a transfer would be quickly accepted?

[Olvaranim 24]

14 hours ago, aleksey23 said:

wow, thanks for the information, do you know if it's worth transferring to budapest hungary? if it's easier to get a schengen there, i just don't want the risk of poland.  Would you recommend any other countries that a transfer would be quickly accepted?

Personally I don't remember any case in Hungary, but might be an option.

Usually couples try to transfer their case to a visa free country (preferably with Russian-speaking officers). As for other countries in Schengen area, I remember the spouse visa cases of non-residents that were transferred to Vienna and Bucharest.

[millefleur 5,047]

1 hour ago, Olvaranim said:

Personally I don't remember any case in Hungary, but might be an option.

The embassy site says "Immigrant visas to the United States are processed for citizens and residents of Hungary at the U.S. Embassy in Budapest" so not really optimistic they would take Russians.

[Olvaranim 24]

5 hours ago, millefleur said:

The embassy site says "Immigrant visas to the United States are processed for citizens and residents of Hungary at the U.S. Embassy in Budapest" so not really optimistic they would take Russians.

As it is usually stated on the website of almost every embassy and still russian cases have being transferred to different countries. 

It's always worth asking if needed 🤷

Personally I don't see a point in transferring from Poland with a valid Schengen visa, as it's a designated embassy, we'll aware of russian documents. 

[JayFromTexas 69]

Reviving this thread...

 

My Russian wife just got DQ'd and we are waiting on our interview letter. Our plan is to meet in Hungary and travel together to Warsaw by train.

 

When you get a Schengen visa, a short term, single entry one, what timeframe does it usually cover? Should we wait to receive our interview letter or should we start the Schengen process now?

 

Thinking out loud, I guess we're going to have to wait because we need to show evidence of tickets and hotel reservations and for that, I need an interview date.

 

My worry is we'll wait for the IL and there won't be enough time to get the Schengen visa and make all the travel arrangements.

 

ONE OTHER QUESTION...

 

What does the collective here think the current, best plan to schedule and attend a CR1 interview? Keep it at Warsaw and do whatever it takes to get a Schengen visa? OR focus our efforts on a transfer to another embassy? If so, where's the best place to transfer, at this time?

 

Thank your for your advice!

[millefleur 5,047]

6 hours ago, JayFromTexas said:

My worry is we'll wait for the IL and there won't be enough time to get the Schengen visa and make all the travel arrangements.

Is there an expediting process option? Usually places are more than happy to speed things up for more money.

[JayFromTexas 69]

I believe I saw one agency that had an expedited service. I’ll look into it. Thanks!

[ah-no 27]

On 3/28/2024 at 10:47 AM, JayFromTexas said:

Reviving this thread...

 

My Russian wife just got DQ'd and we are waiting on our interview letter. Our plan is to meet in Hungary and travel together to Warsaw by train.

 

When you get a Schengen visa, a short term, single entry one, what timeframe does it usually cover? Should we wait to receive our interview letter or should we start the Schengen process now?

 

Thinking out loud, I guess we're going to have to wait because we need to show evidence of tickets and hotel reservations and for that, I need an interview date.

 

My worry is we'll wait for the IL and there won't be enough time to get the Schengen visa and make all the travel arrangements.

 

ONE OTHER QUESTION...

 

What does the collective here think the current, best plan to schedule and attend a CR1 interview? Keep it at Warsaw and do whatever it takes to get a Schengen visa? OR focus our efforts on a transfer to another embassy? If so, where's the best place to transfer, at this time?

 

Thank your for your advice!

1. The length of the visa depends on the country issuing. I'm not familiar with Hungary's typical behavior for Russians here, but there are likely Russian-language resources on it, you can use translator if you're curious. We waited for the IL, but it depends on your spouse's EU travel history if it's worth starting or waiting. That's a big topic to unpack. You may have to reschedule your interview; your worry is valid.
2. As for your question, if I would've had the option to transfer to Bangkok, I would've done this in a heartbeat. They weren't accepting transfers during my time.

 

Good luck.