Finally - Interview Date

[bobb]

The final date we've been waiting for.  L's interview at USEM - 23 June.  I don't know why they have people who travel a long distance have interviews on Tuesday's.  She has to allow 2 days for the medical, so she will have to be there for that the previous Friday.  On the interview schedule at the USEM they do have interviews on Wed's - Fri.  Oh well, a minor irritant.

Although, I would like to know if anyone has any experience with the medical at IOM.  At the Panel of Physicians link from the USEM website the instructions do show if you have an appointment between 8:30am - 12:00pm you can receive the results that day.  If accurate she could go for the medical exam on Monday 22 June. 

Appointment hours: Mo-Thu 8:30 am – 5:30 pm; Fri: 8:30 am-4.15 pm
(Those who come between 8:30 am and 12 pm, can obtain the results on the same day)

Does anyone have any experience with this?  It would not be worth taking a chance if this wasn't 'set in stone' policy.  It would shorten her stay in Moscow.  But, if IOM is accurate, I have given her the choice when she goes to Moscow.  She is thinking about it for a few days and will make the final decision.  Maybe she will want a full weekend in Moscow.   

I won't be there for the interview.  We let go the front office person and now I do her work also.  Just another hat of the multiple one's I wear.  I will be paying for a friend of hers, who knows Moscow well, to travel and stay with her.  This will help her a great deal to have her good friend along.

I will arrive in mid-August for her birthday and her son's birthday - 6 days apart.  Then HOME.

[chicagosenso]

bobb,

My fiancee, now wife had her medical exam in November 2008 in the morning at IOM and did receive her results that same day at 4:00 PM.  She said the exam was more expensive than we thought.  It was $160 if I remember correctly.  Good luck.

[Vaughn]

bobb, good to hear this news. There's a little more detail about the exam here:

http://www.iomrussia.ru/medical_services.htm

Best wishes on the interview!

[bobb]

bobb,
... It was $160 if I remember correctly.  Good luck.

If L doesn't want to stay and look around Moscow the extra money for this medical is more than offset by savings for hotel and food.

Thanks for the link Vaughn.  I'll send that along to L.

[Vaughn]

bobb, there's a Russian version, too...

http://www.iomrussia.ru/RUS/medical_services_rus.htm

Often I check both versions - and I'm not really surprised there's a
discrepancy....the cutoff times listed in English are "until 17:00 on weekdays (until 16:00 on Fridays)"

In Russian, it's a different story...

с 17:00 до 18:00 (в пятницу – с 16:00 до 16:45)

from 5 to 6PM (weekdays) and from 4 to 4:45PM on Fridays....

Gotta love all the curveballs  -  which version is truth?

[bobb]

bobb, there's a Russian version, too...
Often I check both versions - and I'm not really surprised there's a
discrepancy....

I have found the same at the USEM website Here! - Visa for a Fiancé(e) (K1).  The 'List of Documents for Fiancé (e) Visa Interview', at the bottom, lists everything that is necessary for the interview.  When I printed this out back in January and left with L we noticed the Russian version item numbers don't match up.  All the info is there, it's just the item numbers do not match one to one.

- which version is truth?

I will just let L ask them for confirmation of times when she calls.

My plan in Chicago is to go through the same line at customs L will have to go through.  I would go in front of her and explain to the agent my fiancee is right behind me.  I am assuming others have done this.

[Vaughn]

My plan in Chicago is to go through the same line at customs L will have to go through.  I would go in front of her and explain to the agent my fiancee is right behind me.  I am assuming others have done this.

That's what we did at JFK. No problems.

[bobb]

I'm still a little wired tonight.  I wonder why?

Earlier today I booked our flights.  Best flights for me were also the cheapest rates.  American from SFO to DME by way of Chicago.

When booking on the AA European site (would have made no difference booking on AA U.S. site) L's round-trip ticket was $200 more than mine.     $960 vs $1150.  C'est le vie.

While talking with L tonight on Skype she decided she wants the quickie.  She'll arrive Sunday, IOM medical on Monday, interview Tuesday, and back home by train arriving Wednesday morning.

So, I just went to a site and booked This room at Izmailovo-Delta Gamma!.  I saw this place mentioned in some old post in some topic here a few months ago.  It's nice to see the search function serve a valuable purpose. 

The hotel is NE of Kazinsky station (5 metro stops).  First stop on one line, then 4th stop on 2nd line.  The hotel can be cancelled up to three days before reservation date, with no fee. 

[ConnerVT]

My plan in Chicago is to go through the same line at customs L will have to go through.  I would go in front of her and explain to the agent my fiancee is right behind me.  I am assuming others have done this.

You both can go through the US citizens line if you are with her (if she was alone, she would have to use the non-US citizen line).  Much faster that way, as they will send you off to the USCIS POE office anyway to process her.

It was several years agom but we also used IOM for the medical.  In and out in one day.  Bring a book (or two!), as it will be a day.