How long until she gets her visa?

[groovlstk]

Over the weekend I emailed the US Embassy in Moscow to see if they'd received my K1 petition from the National Visa Center. Today they emailed me back and told me she's scheduled to have her interview on December 12. We're both a little shocked as she hasn't even received Packet 3 yet...

Do anyone know the typical wait period from the interview day to when she receives her visa? I'm planning to fly out and spend a few days with her in Moscow before returning together to the US, and the earlier I book my flight the less expensive it will be.

[jb]

Typically, it's a matters of a few days before the visa arrives in her passport.  If all goes well at the interview, and her passport isn't returned to her on the spot, she will get the passport, (with visa), back within 2 days from the Express Agency she had to purchase the shipping label from.  Either Pony Express or DHL.

[Turboguy]

Proir to IMBRA they were coming through regular as clock work on the morning of the second day following the interview if you picked it up at the main DHL office in Moscow.   

I have not watched as close lately but it seems to be more about 4 days now.    Perhaps as they have gotten used to IMBRA it will have speeded up again but I am not sure.

[Jet]

Provided all your paperwork is in order you should expect the passport/visa no later than Dec 15.
Her interview is on the 12th, they'll issue and affix the visa on the 13th and ship it out at the end of that day.

If you guys are staying in Moscow whilst waiting for issuance, you can request that DHL hold the package at the counter for pick-up which would typically mean you'd be able to pick it up at their office after 3pm on Dec. 14.

Something else to keep in mind is that the DHL office on Tverskaya-Yamskaya is VERY close to the AO Medinitsa clinic. If she has her medical done there, it's a short 2 block walk down Tverskaya-Yamskaya toward the center of town and they'll be on the left. A chance to kill 2 birds with one stone...

[BC]

This is the perfect time to use miles bonus tickets.. can usually change the date easily, without penalty as with a full fare ticket.

[groovlstk]

Thanks, guys.

I'm tentatively planning to fly to Moscow on the 15th.

BC, good point on the FF miles. I have about 75k miles with Lufthansa, but since it would be a crapshoot to get my fiancee on the same return flight, I'd have to use my FF miles to buy a one-way ticket. Of course with the airline's draconian rules, I'll consume 47k for a round-trip ticket and 35k for a one-way ticket. And I'll have to pay $250 to cover taxes.

The cheapest one-way flight I found was $460.

I'm thinking of splurging on the one-way flight to Moscow and using all my miles to fly business class... I'm starting to wonder if it's even worth being part of a FF program, that I should simply find the lowest fare and to heck with trying to accumulate enough points for a free ride.