NVC approval timeframes

[Bunny Gurl 9]

My mom's I-130 petition was approved, and I've just submitted the second package of personal and financial documents at CEAC. My mother's case was sent to Almaty, Kazakhstan. 
Does anyone know, how long it might take now, before we can schedule the interview?
Or maybe, there's a topic on that, if you could send me the link, where people share their terms?

Thank you!

[powerpuff 6,749]

NVC will schedule the interview themselves after you get documentarily qualified (DQ). You’ll get an Interview letter, for now your mother’s case is still with NVC. Almaty is not a backlogged consulate, if shouldn’t take longer than maybe two months after DQ? That’s just my guesstimate.

 

Check out the regional discussion forum here, there are a few threads on Russian applicants applying in Almaty:

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/98-russia-ukraine-and-belarus/
 

If you’d like me to move this thread there, let me know and I’ll do that.

Edited February 9, 2024 by powerpuff

[Bunny Gurl 9]

  On 2/9/2024 at 5:30 PM, powerpuff said:

NVC will schedule the interview themselves after you get documentarily qualified (DQ). You’ll get an Interview letter, for now your mother’s case is still with NVC. Almaty is not a backlogged consulate, if shouldn’t take longer than maybe two months after DQ? That’s just my guesstimate.

 

Check out the regional discussion forum here, there are a few threads on Russian applicants applying in Almaty:

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/98-russia-ukraine-and-belarus/
 

If you’d like me to move this thread there, let me know and I’ll do that.

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Sure, please do so.

[powerpuff 6,749]

*** Topic moved from Bringing Family members to the US forum to Regional discussion: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus ***

[October 2022 26]

I'm curious if the NVC assigned your case to Almaty right away. I had to fight with them for Almaty, because they insisted on Warsaw.

 

No idea how long it takes for the NVC to schedule a qualified case. My mother's case ended up being transferred, and I needed to schedule the appointment myself. From what I understood, it could be done fairly quickly (within weeks). We got somewhat delayed by logistics and personal circumstances. 

[powerpuff 6,749]

  On 2/10/2024 at 10:54 PM, October 2022 said:

I'm curious if the NVC assigned your case to Almaty right away. I had to fight with them for Almaty, because they insisted on Warsaw.

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How long ago was that? 
 

Last year February they designated Tashkent and Almaty as processing posts for Russian IR5 applicants:

 

Additionally, on February 16, 2023, the Department of State designated U.S. Embassy Tashkent and U.S. Consulate General Almaty as processing posts for Russian IR-5 (parent of a U.S. citizen) immigrant visa (IV) applicants.  IR-5 immigrant visa appointments will be scheduled through the National Visa Center.  U.S. Embassy Warsaw remains the processing post for Russian applicants applying for other IV categories.

 

https://kz.usembassy.gov/visas/important-visa-information/#:~:text=Additionally%2C on February 16%2C 2023,through the National Visa Center.

 

[Bunny Gurl 9]

  On 2/10/2024 at 10:54 PM, October 2022 said:

I'm curious if the NVC assigned your case to Almaty right away. I had to fight with them for Almaty, because they insisted on Warsaw.

 

No idea how long it takes for the NVC to schedule a qualified case. My mother's case ended up being transferred, and I needed to schedule the appointment myself. From what I understood, it could be done fairly quickly (within weeks). We got somewhat delayed by logistics and personal circumstances. 

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No, my mom's case was initially assigned at Warsaw, as, probably, most of the Russian applicants' cases since the war started. That is, I think, really ridiculous - don't they know, that Russian people need a Schengen visa for that? So to go to a visa interview, they have to obtain another visa. Why not assigning all Russian cases at the countries, were Russian citizens can go without a visa? Wouldn't that make a better sense?

I am now working in Germany, and the most convenient for me would be getting my mom's case assigned at Frankfurt - I could bring her over, have her stay here with me in my apartment within a comfortable time, without any hassle. So, I started requesting for transfer. I wrote all over the place - to NVC, to Frankfurt Visa Unit, at its multiple emails, made several phone calls - but those guys only kept fobbing me off with all kinds of kisses off for about 3 months (the petition was approved in October). I was already considering to write to my senator for assistance, but then decided to walk on the path of least resistance. I wrote to Tbilisi (Georgia) and got a reply from them, that they only accept the cases of those who reside in Georgia and Azerbaijan. Since when, I wonder? My friend's mother had her interview there in March 2023. Then I wrote to Almaty and thankfully received an acceptance letter from them. The very next day I received the letter  from NVC, confirming the case reassignment with the new number.
I am not terribly disappointed, for Almaty is the place, where my mom can get the easiest way - no visa needed, and it's a short trip by train for her, since she lives in the city of Kurgan, which is right next to Kazakhstan border. 

[Bunny Gurl 9]

  On 2/11/2024 at 12:52 AM, powerpuff said:

How long ago was that? 
 

Last year February they designated Tashkent and Almaty as processing posts for Russian IR5 applicants:

 

Additionally, on February 16, 2023, the Department of State designated U.S. Embassy Tashkent and U.S. Consulate General Almaty as processing posts for Russian IR-5 (parent of a U.S. citizen) immigrant visa (IV) applicants.  IR-5 immigrant visa appointments will be scheduled through the National Visa Center.  U.S. Embassy Warsaw remains the processing post for Russian applicants applying for other IV categories.

 

https://kz.usembassy.gov/visas/important-visa-information/#:~:text=Additionally%2C on February 16%2C 2023,through the National Visa Center.

 

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I also had to fight for Almaty. Despite what you said, my mom's case was assigned at Warsaw in October 2023.

[October 2022 26]

  On 2/11/2024 at 12:52 AM, powerpuff said:

How long ago was that? 

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Circa November 2023. The NVC was not responsive at all despite the very same quotes from the DOS. Some contractor assigned to the written correspondence unit kept cutting and pasting the same response: You mother can't go to Kazakhstan, because she's neither a citizen nor a resident there. Incredibly frustrating. I ended up on the phone with a Congressional staffer, and the issue was resolved within days. My case was expedited to Almaty, and I eventually scheduled an appointment via ustraveldocs.com.

[October 2022 26]

  On 2/11/2024 at 10:53 AM, Bunny Gurl said:

I am not terribly disappointed, for Almaty is the place, where my mom can get the easiest way - no visa needed, and it's a short trip by train for her, since she lives in the city of Kurgan, which is right next to Kazakhstan border. 

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My mom just returned from Almaty. She loved it there. I regretted not going! 😉

[Bunny Gurl 9]

  On 2/11/2024 at 12:04 PM, October 2022 said:

 

My mom just returned from Almaty. She loved it there. I regretted not going! 😉

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May I ask you, how long it took you to get the interview scheduled after you've submitted all the paperwork at NVC?

[October 2022 26]

  On 2/11/2024 at 2:14 PM, Bunny Gurl said:

May I ask you, how long it took you to get the interview scheduled after you've submitted all the paperwork at NVC?

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Sure. Let's see if I can recall. The case got DQ'd by the NVC shortly after I uploaded the documents. Sometime mid-October 2023. It took about a month to switch from WRW to ATA, so I could schedule an appoinment by early December. The case, however, was an expedite per Congressional request to the NVC. 

 

If you have an ATA case number, reach out to usakz@state.gov. They're picky about subject lines, so make sure you put "Team 11--Case Transfer In--ATA**********" in the subject line. Ask them if they received the case and you're clear to schedule an appointment. If they have your case and are ready for you to schedule, they should respond with a zip file with various instructions. Email to support@traveldocs.com, and they will send you a link with instructions to set up an account. You'll need it to schedule the interview. Navigating this can get confusing, but not too bad. I'll be glad to help if you have questions, because it's fresh in my mind.

Edited February 11, 2024 by October 2022

[powerpuff 6,749]

  On 2/11/2024 at 12:00 PM, October 2022 said:

Circa November 2023. The NVC was not responsive at all despite the very same quotes from the DOS. Some contractor assigned to the written correspondence unit kept cutting and pasting the same response: You mother can't go to Kazakhstan, because she's neither a citizen nor a resident there. Incredibly frustrating. I ended up on the phone with a Congressional staffer, and the issue was resolved within days. My case was expedited to Almaty, and I eventually scheduled an appointment via ustraveldocs.com.

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How ridiculous!!! I’m sorry you had to go through that. I’m glad it worked out at the end

[powerpuff 6,749]

Just as an fyi, In expedited cases, the applicant schedules their own appointment. If it’s a non expedited “regular” case then NVC will schedule it themselves.

[millefleur 5,048]

  On 2/11/2024 at 10:53 AM, Bunny Gurl said:

That is, I think, really ridiculous - don't they know, that Russian people need a Schengen visa for that? So to go to a visa interview, they have to obtain another visa. Why not assigning all Russian cases at the countries, were Russian citizens can go without a visa? Wouldn't that make a better sense?

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They know. The issue is the Moscow embassy was huge and it's hard for them to find a "replacement" to handle the same capacity (this is the supposed excuse.) 

 

I think DoS needs to divest completely from the Moscow embassy and reinvest/expand somewhere else like Almaty because for all intents and purposes there seems to be zero will to strengthen diplomatic ties between Russia and the US, thus meaning the closed Moscow embassy problem is going to linger on for years, maybe even decades? 

 

Warsaw was most likely chosen last minute because it's the default embassy for Belarussians, so they probably had Russian speaking staff and some capacity to process the cases there. However, Belarus is tiny and has barely any applicants compared to Russia so it's obviously not a long term solution at all (not to mention the annoyance of the Schengen visa.)