Rules Changed for Visa from St Petersburg

[RfB]

Last year my Mother-in-Law got a Visa for a visit in one trip, and picked it up the next day. This year she picked up the paperwork last month, and yesterday she tried to submit it at the consulate and was told the rules had changed. She now had to go a DHL office, give them the papers (and an additional $30), and she was given an appointment for early June for an interview to see if she would get the OK to travel. This puts a crimp on the plans to get plane tickets for mid June, with 'in season' airfare rates starting in late June. Do you hope that she gets the visa, and buy those non refundable tickets, or wait and hope to find a reasonable airfare?

[Rags]

... in response to Rules Changed for Visa from St Petersbur..., posted by RfB on Apr 22, 2004

My FIL & MIL just got their visas in Kyiv this week. I don't know if we just got lucky or what but here's what happened...

I filled out their DS-156s, downloaded, and mailed to my MIL "global express" along with a notorized affidavit of support. They already had their international passports, letters of employment, copies of the deed on their flat, etc.

I went to the US Embassy website as all interview appointments must be requested electronically now and on the top of the page (in RED letters) it says that interviews requested now will be scheduled for the week of May 23. Further down it states that it should take 4-6 weeks to do the background checks before a visa is issued.

(We were planning on the first week in July so that's cool as long as it doesn't take longer.) I state in the comments section of the e-form that I have mailed the paperwork to my MIL and that it should be there by 4/21 (later I thought "well that was kind of lame" since the top of the page had told me the when interview would be scheduled). I put down my (business) e-mail as a point of contact in case they had questions. We call the in-laws and tell them that the interview has been requested and that they need to get their photos done before mid-May. Everythings covered, right?

Well I come back from my weekend off and check my e-mail, there are two letters from the Embassy. Cool. Wait a minute, I read it again... "your interviews are scheduled for 1030 hr on 4/18". Thats the next morning, they don't have their paperwork yet, and there is no way that they can get photos done before the interview. Dermo! I fire off an e-mail full well knowing that it probably won't even get read for 2-3 days explaining the situation but stating that they will be there for their appointment regardless.

The inlaws go to the Embassy, a guy helps them fill out the applications, takes their photos, they interview for about 15 minutes, they collect the fees, and a courier delivers their passports w/visa two days later. I'm stunned to say the least.

The visas are good for 6 months but they could have gotten 5 year visas for only twice the fees ($260) if they wanted. I don't know why they didn't go for it. My MIL was probably as stunned as I was or she was just taking the bird in the hand.

They didn't ask for any deeds, letters, affidavit of support, or anything. Just "Why do you want to go? Where will you stay? How long do you want to stay? Here you are, approved."

Wow, what service? I doubt that things would have gone like this in Moscow. Ukraine must have gained a little more favored status lately with their support of the coalition in Iraq.

[davet]

... in response to Rules Changed for Visa from St Petersbur..., posted by RfB on Apr 22, 2004

The visa rules evidently changed early in the year.  My father-in-law is just starting the process now.  He contacted the local ELF agent who has all the paperwork and info.  The guy came out and gave my father-in-law the paperwork.  About a week later he came back to collect the completed application, etc.  $30 is the fee.  A description of the process is on the US Moscow embassy website.  The next step for my father-in-law is to travel to Moscow to get fingerprinted.  This is a day trip each way from Ulyanovsk.  He may or may not have to go to the embassy for an interview (possibly another trip).  ELF will deliver the visa (along with his passport which he also has to submit) to him when it has been approved.  When he has the visa in his hands, then we will be looking for travel arrangements.  Hopefully it won't be too delayed as we would like him to travel in July and August -- probably peak travel times.  Right now the fares for that time period are ok -- I imagine they will increase dramatically in the next 6 weeks though.

[RickM]

... in response to Re: Rules Changed for Visa from St Peter..., posted by davet on Apr 23, 2004

Does it (finger-printing) "have" to be done "before" the visa is issued in Moscow OR can it be done on the way out of the country to Moscow "after" the visa is issued?

That's 2 seperate trips to Moscow from very far away if the finger-printing is necessary to "get" the USA visa for the Russian passport holder hoping to come here on an invitation...

Any new changes on the invitation process for us (the sponsors) from here in USA to get them here from Russia such as affidavit of support etc. or just a simple letter will suffice still as in the recent past?

[davet]

... in response to About The Fingerprinting..., posted by RickM on Apr 23, 2004

I wrote the US Embassy in Moscow and asked the following questions.

I am a US citizen.  My father-in-law is a Russian citizen.  He lives in
Ulyanovsk.  He is applying for a tourist visa to visit the US and his
daughter this summer through ELF.
1.  We understand he needs to travel to Moscow to get fingerprinted/scanned
for the visa.   Is Moscow the only location?
2. If an interview is required, can the fingerscanning and interview be
accomplished during the same trip to Moscow?
3. If an interview is not required, can the fingerscanning be done directly
(hours, a day) before he starts his travel trip to the US?
Thanks

The Embassy replied promptly below:

        Your father-in-law has to travel to Moscow to be fingerprinted. If
he will need an interview, the fingerprinting procedure and an interview
will be hold at the same date. The ELF-91 office will inform him about the
date and time.

Sincerely,

Customer Service Unit
Consular Section
www.usembassy.ru

I would add to this reply that there are other locations in Russia (St Pete, Vlad, Ekat) that have US Consul offices and they presumably can do the fingerprinting and interview for non-immigrant visa applications.  Dave

[davet]

... in response to About The Fingerprinting..., posted by RickM on Apr 23, 2004

The fingerprinting has not taken place yet so I will post later on the specifics of that.  It would be far more efficient for us too to have the fingerprinting occur during the actual travel trip.  However that would make too much sense and not much in the visa process makes a lot of sense.

I wrote one letter of invitation to "Whom it may concern."  My wife also wrote one in Russian.  The ELF person took my letter and said my wife's letter might be used in the interview step if an interview was required.  Interviews, it seems, are at the discretion of the embassy.  My letter was fairly simple -- just some reasons for him to visit as well as stating some reasons why he'll go back home -- property, other children, etc.

[RickM]

... in response to Re: About The Fingerprinting..., posted by davet on Apr 23, 2004

Thanks for the input...Please keep me informed on how the process unravels for you.I'll be going through this with the wife's parents very soon coming from Rostov,Russia to here USA.
It does seem insane that they'd need to go twice to Moscow,once for finger-printing and then again later on their way out of the country connecting airflights and assumning they obtain the visas with no difficulties.
The in-laws own property,house,car and all the remaining family is there.They are pensioneers.
I guessing best it should not be a problem to get an approval.
Thanks again,
Rick

[davet]

... in response to Re: Re: About The Fingerprinting..., posted by RickM on Apr 23, 2004

To clarify the process as best as we know.
1. You contact the local ELF courier person in your Russian city that is taking care of the visas.
2. He gives you the paperwork and you fill it out and get it back to him.
3. He submits the paperwork and you get the initial approval.
4. You go to the US embassy (Moscow, St Pete, etc) or their designated agent to get fingerprinted.
5. You go the the embassy for an interview if necessary.
6. You finally get the visa stamp or whatever in your passport.

Supposedly this whole process should take about 4-6 weeks from the first submission of paperwork.  This is the jist of what my wife got from a phone call with the ELF people in Russia.  Obviously with the different parties involved (US embassy, ELF, their employees) and the language translation, there may be some points that are not correct.  Right now her father has  given the paperwork and $30 credit to the ELF person.  So we still have a ways to go in this process.

This is somewhat a bad joke as the US is supposed to be so efficient and everything.  My last Russian visa was processed in about 7-10 days including mailing -- and this was regular processing.  Expedited processing would have made it even faster.