K-1 / K-3 visa Moscow Embassy Interview

Everyone should know how important it is to be thoroughly prepared before the interview at the embassy if one is to pass it successfully. Your fiancee/wife is guaranteed to be extremely worried and nervous before the interview. They’ve all heard about the strict rules at the US embassy and of the consuls who scrutinize every document and photocopy. Women who’ve passed the interviews share what they’ve seen inside: that many interviewees were sent back with nothing because some of their documents were not in order or missing altogether. Now, we want to share details about how to prepare your fiancee/wife for her K visa interview and about what she should expect. The invitation for the interview is generally received a month and a half before the date of the interview. And this is where the work for her really begins. She’ll need to gather the following documents to bring to the Embassy on the day of the interview: Her Birth Certificate + photocopy + translation into English Her child’s Birth Certificate + photocopy + translation into English (if applicable) Application fees IN CASH only Prepaid waybill for DHL shipping of International passport after issuance of visa Police Certificate** stating lack of police and conviction records(translation is not necessary) International passport + photocopy (with the child included, or a separate international passport for child, if applicable) Filled out application form DS-156 & DS-156K (they will have been sent from the Embassy in the package or you can get them in the Embassy on the day of the interview) NEW:Effective October 25, 2006, all U.S. visa issuing posts in the Russian Federation, except for the U.S. Consulates General in St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg, will require that all applications for non-immigrant visas be prepared using the Electronic Visa Application Form (EVAF). This requirement also applies to applicants for fiance(e) visas. If your fiancee/wife has some difficulty with English, a Russian language guildline to filling out this form can be found here Medical examination results*** Photos and different documents confirming the relationship and fact that you met with your husband/fiance (though for K-3 visa there is really no point since you’re already married, but take the photos anyway as she may very well be asked to show them) Divorce Certificate (if she has been married before) + photocopy + translation into English Proof of relationship with petitioner - (Marriage Certificate for K-3), Birth Certificate for the children (original, photocopy, translation into English) if applicable. Color passport style photos, 30 x 40mm - 2 of her and 2 of any child applying with her. Financial documents of the husband/fiance (originals, photocopies or computer printouts): Employer letter on company letterhead. (Not required if self employed) Income Tax Return Form (1040) complete as filed or IRS transcript from the last year W-2 form from the last year (any 1099s for self employed) Bank letter showing the state of the husband's/fiance's account over prior 12 months. Affidavit of Support is not always necessary, but can be required at time of interview by Consular Officer, regardless, if she offers it, they will gladly accept. If she knows English well enough, she may translate all the documents into English herself otherwise you should use a certified translator. There is NO need to notarize the translations and photocopies. If all her documents are in order and after she pays $100 application fee for herself and $100 per child (if any) she’ll wait for some time and then be asked to one of the windows for an interview with a Consular Officer. Before being interviewed she’ll be sworn in, similar to court proceedings here in the US. Then there will be string of simple questions (If she can speak in English the Consular Officer will very glad to hear it, because they don’t speak very well in Russian and it takes allot effort for them). If she can answer without too much hesitation, it will end right there, but if the Officer gets the impression something is not as it seems, they can sometimes press on to harder questions, though this is rare. For example: "Where does your fiance/husband work?" What are the names of your fiance/husband’s parents?” "Where did/will your wedding take place?" "What is the date of your wedding?" “Where will you live in the US?” “Do you plan to work?” “Do you plan to attend college?” “Does your fiance/husband have any children? Their names?” “Has your fiance/husband been married before?” Then they will ask to see the pictures of both of you together and any other evidence she wishes to present. That concludes the interview and she’ll usually be wished good luck and family happiness. Though they sometimes don’t advise as to whether or not she’s been granted the visa, she will know immediately because they will return her international passport if they do not intend to issue the K-1 or K-3. **Police Certificate She should apply for it in writing to the Information Center of Chief Administration of the Internal Affairs of the region where she lives. Make up an application to the Head of the Information Center the following way: I ask you to give me [First, Middle, Last Name] the Police Certificate about the lack of any criminal records and lack of conviction which I need to give to the US consul at the US Embassy. She should get the following Certificate in anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks depending on her regional government: Your application for getting the Police Certificate about the lack of criminal records and lack of conviction because of you leaving for the United States of America was processed. The Information Center doesn’t have any records about [First, Middle, Last Name]__________Date of Birth________, born in the city of_____________. The Certificate should have number, stamp in the corner and stamp of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, signature of the Head of Information Center. Very Important! If she has been married before then the Certificate should be given for every name that she’s ever used. Many women have been rejected on the day of the interview because they brought Divorce Certificates and Police Certificates in the last names that they had after they got married and they did not think about their maiden names. Finally, if she has lived in different places for more than 6 months then she should obtain the Police Certificates from ALL places where she has lived for more than 6 months, in all names she’s ever used. ***Vaccination and Medical Examination before the interview All K visa applicants are required to have a physical examination performed by a US Department of State approved panel physician. For K-1 visa the vaccinations at the medical exam are not needed, (for the K-3 they are required). But you will need all the vaccinations in the USA before attending the interview for the Conditional Green Card. That is why we recommend you to have all the vaccination records, with English translation drawn up and certified in her country. Before going to Moscow to the interview and medical exam we suggest she visit her local hospital to collect vaccination records she may not already have. She could also visit the local Infectious Hospital (Isolation Hospital) with her child (if any) and receive any necessary vaccinations still required. Be sure all shots are included in the Vaccination Certificate. The doctors at OAO "Medicina" clinic in Moscow advise that she write down (or type) all the vaccinations on plain paper in her language, and on the other side of the page to write translation of all the vaccinations, then to have the hometown hospital put the stamp of the clinic, and bring it to the medical examination for review by the panel physician. In the case of the K-3 if she has not completed all necessary vaccinations then they’ll be administered during the medical exam. Below is a list of all the necessary vaccinations in Russian and their translation into English. In parentheses are the commonly used abbreviations for the vaccination. English Russian Diptheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DTP) Tetanus-Diphtheria (Td) Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) Polio (OPV/IPV) Varicella Influenza (flu) Haemophilus influenza b (HiB) Hepatitis B (HBV) Mantoux test NOTE: If she has recieved the B.C.G. vaccine, alert any doctor in the future, and do NOT allow them to do a TB Tine test, as the vaccine will produce a false postive result which becomes more pronounced with each administration. дифтерия-столбняк-коклюш столбняк-дифтерия корь-свинка-краснуха полиомиелит ветряная оспа грипп гемофильный грипп гепатит В реакция Манту противотуберкулезная вакцина(БЦЖ) At what age the different vaccinations should be done: By 2 years of age: School entry: Teen years: Adults: 4DTP, 3OPV, HiB Series, 1 MMR +1DTP, +1OPV, +1MMR Td booster, Recheck Immunization record Td booster every 10 years, Annual Flu Vaccination IMPORTANT NOTICE TO IMMIGRANT VISA APPLICANTS CONCERNING VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS Recent changes to United States immigration law now require immigrant visa applicants to obtain certain vaccinations (listed below) prior to the issuance of an immigrant visa. Panel physicians who conduct medical examinations of immigrant visa applicants are now required to verify that immigrant visa applicants have met the new vaccination requirement, or that it is medically inappropriate for the visa applicant to receive one or more of the listed vaccinations: -- mumps -- measles -- rubella -- polio -- tetanus and diphtheria toxoids -- pertussis -- influenzae type b (Hib) -- hepatitis B -- varicella -- pneumococcal -- influenza. In order to assist the panel physican, and to avoid delays in the processing of an immigrant visa, all immigrant visa applicants should have their vaccination records available for the panel physician''s review at the time of the immigrant medical examination. Visa applicants should consult with their regular health care provider to obtain a copy of their immunization record, if one is available. If you do not have a vaccination record, the panel physician will work with you to determine which vaccinations you may need to meet the requirement. Certain waivers of the vaccination requirement are available upon the recommendation of the panel physican. Only a physician can determine which of the listed vaccinations are medically appropriate for you, given your age, medical history and current medical condition. K-1 applicants can do all the necessary vaccinations in the USA but it will cost more than in her country. The Medical Examination itself: Everything is simple. I advise you to take the Medical Examination at OAO "Medicina" (this info will also be included in the packet she receives from the Embassy). Upon arrival to the clinic, she’ll give all documents to the doctor (international passport + the paper with the vaccinations, photos) and wait. Several minutes afterward she’ll be shown where to take blood test (they don’t do it for children under 15 years) and chest X-rays. In OAO "Medicina" all the doctors` rooms are in the same building, but on different floors, however it’s easy to find everything. They’ll take X-rays and she’ll wait 15-20 minutes to get the results. After that she’ll meet the doctor with the results. You give the doctor the X-ray, and then they measure your weight, height, check the lungs and heart, finally they check blood pressure. She’ll be asked if she has had any chronic or inherited sicknesses-and that’s it, the Medical Examination is done! She’ll have to pay when she gets the results-the next day. She’ll pay in Rubles (it’s about $100 for an adult and $70 for a child, the prices can change according to exchange rate).