Filed 1-130 as DCF in Moscow

[username33]

I filed my I-130 in Moscow, a Direct Consular Filing. On this board, someone said Moscow doesn't do the DCF; at least for me, they did.

Has anyone else gone the DCF route in Moscow? I filed July 25 and am wondering how long till my wife gets called in for her interview and when she will be given her information packet, telling her what she needs to do and file before that interview.

Any ideas?

[ConnerVT]

I am unsure of the details (I'm sure someone will jump in and fill in the gaps), but I don't believe that it is true that the US Embassy in Moscow won't process a DFC.  Rather, it is that the conditions which they will approve a DFC are much stricter -- requiring both parties to have residence in Russia for an extended period of time.

I hope for both of you it works out OK.

[Maxx2]

I tried a DCF in early April of 2002 at the Moscow embassy. The counsuler official told us "no dice" as we didn't qualify. No residence or work in Russia for me. It took 11 months before she entered the US through a K-3 visa. Then my HELL began.

Good luck,

Maxx
 

[Jet]

I am unsure of the details (I'm sure someone will jump in and fill in the gaps), but I don't believe that it is true that the US Embassy in Moscow won't process a DFC.  Rather, it is that the conditions which they will approve a DFC are much stricter -- requiring both parties to have residence in Russia for an extended period of time.

I hope for both of you it works out OK.

To file a DCF in Moscow and have it approved, you must produce documentary evidence that you have resided in Russia for a minimum of 6 months out of the prior 12 months. This information was available at the Moscow Embassy website in the past, but has been removed.

[Maxx2]

To file a DCF in Moscow and have it approved, you must produce documentary evidence that you have resided in Russia for a minimum of 6 months out of the prior 12 months. This information was available at the Moscow Embassy website in the past, but has been removed.

The CO told me that if I could show I had a legitmate job working in Russia with proof of residence (he didn't specify how long to me) then he could do a DCF. I got the feeling he was saying that jumping through some hoops with just logging in enough time was not enough. They wanted this process for real cases and not for someone using it to bypass the lenthy K-3 process. He also told me a K-3 would only take 2 months when it took 11. Elvira was sure disappointed when we were turned down. Just think I could have divorced her sooner if it had gone through!

Maxx

[username33]

I filed July 25 ...

And now have an appointment for my wife's interview, late October. For those curious about the timeline here.

[Bruce]

Username33, I believe it would be interesting for those involved with a RW today to read the details of your meeting, etc. as well as your reason(s) for doing a DCF as well as the timelines / potential hurdles you are overcomming this year.  Best of luck  .

[username33]

Username33, I believe it would be interesting for those involved with a RW today to read the details of your meeting, etc. as well as your reason(s) for doing a DCF as well as the timelines / potential hurdles you are overcomming this year.  Best of luck  .

Sure thing, Bruce. My wife and I met in Davis, when I was in grad school, two years ago. She came over on a short-term business internship sponsored by the US Gov't. It was her 2nd trip to the US. She'd also been an exchange student. Her time here was short this last time, so after seeing her once in Moscow that same summer, I looked for other ways to be near her. I had always wanted to get a Fulbright Fellowship, but now I had a reason to narrow my search for possible destination-countries to Ukraine: I could come here to study and write about the mail-order bride industry (I'm a writer; click on my name you'll find a link to my blog) and by basing myself in Kharkov, I'd be just 82 km from my eventual wife, who lives in the first city on the other side of the border.

I got the grant. I was based in Kharkov. We dated throughout my year (though she remained in Russia, working at a bank), and then I arranged to do the DCF in Kyiv. I'd been living in Ukraine after all, so I was a resident. But if they took my I-130 in Kyiv, they'd only turn around and forward it to Moscow for my wife's interview, as she's a Russian national not living in Ukraine. Mine was a strange case, involving two countries, and they're not really set up for that. Also, the guy I spoke with said, If I take your paperwork, see you with your wife and get the idea you're married for legit reasons, you want me doing your interview. If it's forwarded to Moscow, you'll be starting all over. So we went up to Moscow to do the whole deal (I'd been living in Russia a few weeks by that time, and had been going back and forth since Day One) and they took the paperwork after I presented them with a letter from the US State Department showing I'd been given my grant and assigned to Ukraine for the 05-06 academic year. They had wanted a lease agreement, a rental contract, but I said c'mon, I'm living with my wife and her family. So they took the other and also photocopied all the pages of my passport to show how much I'd been traveling back and forth b/w Kharkov and Russia.

It went smoothly. The lady who took my papers checked with someone upstairs and they let me through. Now the interview. With my wife's past in America, two trips, I'm hoping it'll be quick and easy. It'd be great to have her here by Thanksgiving.