Runner19

When started scheduling our appt with IMC, they sent us this list:  Оригинал загранпаспорта на каждого, включая детей 1 фото цветное (на каждого заявителя), размером 3х4, чтобы были видны голова и плечи (просим Вас подготовить вырезанные фотографии) Оригинал медицинской карты с информацией о полученных прививках (для взрослых, если имеется. Для детей обязательно) Информацию о необходимых прививках по возрасту, вы можете уточнить в своей поликлинике по месту жительства. Письмо-приглашение на интервью Паспорт вакцинации от Covid (для проживающих в Казахстане с 12 лет) Средства для оплаты мед осмотра в Тенге (производится наличными или банковской картой Visa/Master Сard)

A quick review of the interview and medical. My parents said everything went more or less smoothly, they had no issues with medical and everyone was very nice and helpful. They had all their vaccines and only had to pay the standard fee. For the interview they said everyone was fine too, maybe the interviewing officer was a little emotionless, but nothing unfriendly either. The person who collected the documents only wanted originals, no copies, no translations. We never even got the translations notarized, so I guess we saved some money there:) They had some standard questions: who are you immigrating to, where are you going to live (city, state). Then he asked about a police certificate from Ukraine as one of the parents lived there until 18. We don't have that and couldn't get it, which we explained and previously submitted an explanation to NVC. He left, and I guess talked to somebody, but when he came back, he just said that the visas are approved! I checked their visa status the next day and they are already issued. So everything went well overall, my parents maybe almost got a heart attack when he left after asking about Ukraine:)

Hi! We filed our petition in June 2021, got approved at the end of July 2022. Submitted docs to NVC July 28, got an RFE in early November. DQ December 20-21. Then our cases were transferred back and forth a couple of times, ended up in Almaty. Interview scheduled on February 28 for March 28. I hope that helps!

Thank you for such detailed review!

Did you email at this address: USAKZ@state.gov? They responded pretty quickly to me - 2-3 days.

Got a reply back from Almaty, both parents are now scheduled for March 28!

KZ embassy now also has this statement on their website, which explains why we were transferred there in the first place: "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."

So, an update on our cases. Previously NVC has set one case to go to Warsaw and kept one in Almaty. I asked Almaty to keep them together and Almaty took the Warsaw case back, so that was good. Then today we got our interview appointments. I don't know what is going on, but they scheduled one parent for March 28 and the other for April 18. I asked Almaty to keep them together for March 28, hopefully they can make it happen. Getting close!

Almaty told us that NVC will contact us, so it really is weird.

My understanding is that Covid vaccines are not required for IR type of visas

No worries. We still have 2 different locations for my parents, so I wrote Almaty to keep them both there, we'll see if that will do anything.

It's parents - so IR5

Well, we are now at one case with Warsaw number (ceac working) and one case with Almaty number (ceac also working). Another weird thing as normally things changed together.

Yep, one case changed its number back to Warsaw. Not sure what is going on at NVC and how long it will take them to schedule now

More weirdness with our cases. This morning we got another email about our interviews being canceled(nothing was scheduled), now the Almaty case numbers stopped working in CEAC. That's how it started 2 weeks ago when they transferred us to KZ. It looks like they are transferring our cases again somewhere.

@stacys, which email did you use? USCGAlmatyInvitation@state.gov?

Thank you for clarifying that. I will go ahead and email them to see if we could schedule it ourselves too.

Thanks! I think I will write them as well, this is interesting that they want you to schedule it yourself. Did I understand correctly that the dates in February are available for scheduling, but you wanted to have the interview in March? I'm just wondering, because February would be fine with us.

@stacys, Did you get any update from Almaty yet?

Travel.state.gov does have this line for Almaty consulate, if I click on it though there is nothing there. It's Ustraveldocs Kazakhstan.

Maybe I'm wrong and it was just for Poland? I remember you had to register to specify where to pick up the passport. I will have to look it up again

Hey! My parents have not received their interview date yet, we were just notified that their interview location will be in Almaty. My understanding is that NVC will schedule the interview and we don't have any control over it. We still need to create the accounts with UStraveldocs once the interview is scheduled. When was y'alls DQ date? Interesting to see what Almaty says.

Thank you for clarifying that! We really weren't expecting KZ and their website is no help!

Thank you! Good luck with your case as well!

The whole consulate page looks ancient. The document that I found seems to be from 2013 and it's the first thing you see in the Russian version. I hope to get more instructions once the interview is scheduled.