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| Moscow, Russia |  Review on July 7, 2010: |
Advanced Aardvark
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Arrived at 9:30, for 10:00 appointment. Waited in line outside for about 30 minutes. Screening process outside was orderly, processing seven to ten people at a time.
Pre-screening at door for metal, electronics, large bottles of fluids. Wand was used to scan for concealed metal. Bags visually inspected.
Inside, there was another scan for metal using a door frame type scanner.
Applicants were sorted by visa / application type at one window. K1/K2 were directed to a specific window on second floor. Window was not staffed. After 30 - 45 minutes, a man came and took interview letter and passports. Passports were returned, and instructions were given to wait. Interview letter was put in cubbyhole on the wall. After five to ten minutes, another person came, again reviewed passports, invitation letter and printed list of scheduled interviews. Then asked if visas were paid. Payment sheet was given for two visas, and told at which window to make payment. After payment was collected, fingerprints were electronically scanned.
K1 applicant's passport and documents were collected and reviewed first. Then financial documents were collected. Following a successful review of the K1 package, documents and passport for the dependent K2 visa were collected and reviewed. After this, K1 / K2 applicants were instructed to wait: The wait was ten to fifteen minutes.
Applicant was called by name for the interview. Applicants gave sworn oath to tell the truth. The applicant prior had an interview lasting perhaps three to four minutes (in Russian). Our K1 / K2 was about ten to fifteen minutes in English. About eight questions were asked about fiance: family - siblings; prior marriage and children; employment; and, age difference. Questions about applicant: family - siblings; and, status of K2 applicant's father. About ten questions were asked about the non-IMBRA web site where the applicant and petitioner became acquainted.
Applicant was verbally advised that visas were approved. Then interviewer playfully advised that visas are normally processed in one and a half to two weeks. We were planning on leaving in about one week. The interviewer knew this, and was teasing.  Then petitioner was advised that visas would go to DHL the next day.
The petitioner advises that all interview staff were very nice, polite and demonstrated a professional demeanor at all times. Entering the process, the petitioner was quite nervous. After the process, the petitioner concluded that the process was "not bad", and it was not difficult. Specimen interview questions from VisaJourney were very helpful for interview preparation: All questions about petitioner and applicant were on VJ sample interview listings.
Conclusion: Consulate staff is excellent; facilities were OK; wait times were not bad; VJ preparation materials are very good. If your documents are in order, this will not be a challenging process. A rating of 4 is given because the applicant was "left hanging" for 30 - 45 minutes, with no guidance about what was happening. If this had not happened, a rating of 5 would be given.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #6307