U.S. Embassy in Kyiv to process fiancé visas

KYIV - Beginning Monday, June 2, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv will begin processing fiance visas (K1 visas). This move will eliminate the need for these applicants to travel to Warsaw for their interviews. It also is the first step in moving all immigrant visa cases for Ukrainian citizens from Warsaw to Kyiv.

Additional immigrant visa processing is expected to begin in early 2005.

This service will apply only to new applicants, not those with pending petitions. If an applicant's petition has already been sent to Warsaw, that case will not be transferred to Kyiv.

Those just beginning the fiancé visa process are advised to consult the Embassy's website at www.usembassy.kiev.ua for information, instructions and downloadable application forms. Further questions may be e-mailed to the Embassy at ivkiev@state.gov.

The Embassy noted that the Department of State and the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services are the most reliable sources of information on how to process fiancé visas. Private companies that charge a fee for their services are not affiliated with the U.S. government, and it is not required that applicants go through an agency to obtain a fiancé visa.

In addition, applicants are advised to be aware that the petition needs to be filed in the United States, not at the U.S. Embassy. Petition approval may take several months to obtain, but the Embassy in Kyiv will contact the applicant to schedule an interview once it receives the approved petition.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, June 1, 2003, No. 22, Vol. LXXI

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