Interview question

[Reagan]

My girl has her interview on December 4th. She told me that the documentation she received from the embassy, says it is not necessary to have the Affidavit of Support. However she listed off some other items that I must send such as a W-2 form. Does anyone out there have any up to date information?

Thanks in Advance

Kevin

[Chris Bart]

... in response to Interview question, posted by Reagan on Nov 11, 2001

You don't say what embassy your lady is going through. A lot of this stuff is embassy-specific. Mine is going through Moscow next week.

I called and spoke to a staffer there, and was told that the affadavit of support is not required. I replied that I am self-employed, and was wondering if they would "appreciate" banks statements and such. She said that I could send those along if I wanted to, but that it was not required. I interpreted her tone as indicating that it might be a good idea. I have a friend who was turned down because he used a 1040-PC, which only prints out the numbers, not the text. I beleive the Russian employees at the embassy are given clear instructions: when it doubt, turn it down. Why give them a reason to stop you?

In short, since I am an entrepreneur, I have no W-2s, so I elected to do a full affadavit of support as well. It took a few hours and a visit to a notary. You can download the form on the web, and if you have Adobe 5.0. you can fill it out and print it directly from the web. Slick. I also attached various credit line information, tons of bank statements, etc. Russians are impressed by size. Never forget that. Our strategy is for my lady (I will be there, but don't even know if I can get in the building or not) to present exactly what is required, and have the rest ready to go if asked. I have put post-it notes on the top of each section of additional material, so she can immediately pull out just what is relevant to the questions. Therefore, I have a segment called "e-mails," which has more proof of contact, a a segment labled "$," etc. If you have an income nicely above the poverty guidelines, I think you can limit yourself to what is specified in the packet, as far as finances are concerned.

By the way, I think my data from the staffer is solid. I speak Russian, and was able to establish enough rapport to get her to laugh with me a couple of times.

Good luck, and good loving.

Colorado Banjo
Chris Bart

[apk]

... in response to Re: Interview question, posted by Chris Bart on Nov 11, 2001

For the Moscow embassy, the I-130 affidavit of support is not required. I am self employed and the Moscow embassy web site indicated that for those of us that are such are to submit last 2 years 1099 and also 12 months bank summary indicating average daily balance. The bank statement was not a problem, but it took a week to get it after I had ordered it by phone..then I needed the bank manager to notorize it for authenticity.
When my fiance was at her interview back in September, they took the bank records and the 1099's without any other documents requested.

Make sure your fiance's have at least a few pictures with her of both of you togeather that were not submitted with your petition, they will ask for her to produce them to prove you have both met in person.

Good luck guys, I hope things at the embassy will soon get back to normal.

[Goofpod]

... in response to Interview question, posted by Reagan on Nov 11, 2001

Kevin,
My fiancee also has her interview on Dec 4th. (Rescheduled from Oct 18th when they closed.) Her documentation also says the Affidavit of Support is not required at the interview, but the most recent 1040 is DEFINITELY required, along with the letter from your bank and the one from your employer. (Self employed is a different issue.) I sent her copies of the w-2 as well just to be safe. And, in the spirit of comprehensive redundancy(!), I sent along notarized copy of the Affidavit anyhow. From my experience in this crazy process so far, "The only thing you know for sure is that you don't know anything for sure."

Best of luck at the interview. Maybe our ladies will meet?

~Ralph
Petaluma, CA

[Reagan]

... in response to Re: Interview question, posted by Goofpod on Nov 11, 2001

What a coincidence concerning the interview dates. My girl's name is Olga Strukova. She is from Penza. Where is your girl from?

Thanks for the information. It jives with what she read me from the embassy packet. Her english is good, but she is unfamiliar with financial terminology.

Good luck

Kevin

[Goofpod]

... in response to Re: Re: Interview question, posted by Reagan on Nov 11, 2001

My lady's name is Lioubov (Luba) and she is from Kazan. It's the capital of Tatarstan on the Volga River. She's suffering emotionally from the letdown of having to return to Kazan empty-handed at the closing of the embassy in October, but we are slowly becoming more optimistic again. If all goes well, she should be here in CA by Christmas. Are you anywhere near the SF Bay Area, by any chance?

~Ralph
Petaluma, CA

[Reagan]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Interview question, posted by Goofpod on Nov 11, 2001

I live in Texas, but I worked in Santa Rosa for a few months. I passed through Petaluma on my way to the city. It is really beautiful where you live. I am sure your lady will be very happy there. She will probably get a kick out of the Russian river. She will probably give you a funny look if you take her to Guerneville!

I travel alot with my job and the bay area is on the must see list for my girl after she gets here.

Cheers

Kevin

[Goofpod]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Interview question, posted by Reagan on Nov 11, 2001

Heh... I work in Santa Rosa, live in Petaluma. Yeah, I didn't think about that, but the Russian River should be a kick for her. I'll take her up to Fort Ross, on the coast, which is the only actual Russian colony ever established in the lower 48. They came down the coast in the 1800s and built a fort (just a little north of the Russian River), where they harvested seals, whales, and timber for several years until the old empire stopped sending supply ships. Many of the settlers apparently intermixed with the local Indian tribes and settled throughout the area. There's a pretty cool restored compound there, with a lot of historical context. More interesting now that I've been to the motherland...

~Ralph

[JohnG]

... in response to Interview question, posted by Reagan on Nov 11, 2001

Kevin,

Visit the American Embassy Moscow website, it tells you everything you need to know.

http://www.usembassy.state.gov/posts/rs1/wwwhci4.html