Today, the American Embassy replied to one of my American friends upon the possibility of expediting a tourist visa for his wife's son. He is married in Ukraine to a Ukrainian woman with a spouse visa interview appointed to the nearest days, and her son became a significant concern.
This case is not the only one I follow closely. Other K1 visas (fiancee visas) interviews booked within the nearest weeks were not so far postponed.
In the first case, in particular, the Embassy sent a prompt reply informing exceptional measures to facilitate a temporary exit of some Ukrainian family members to the United States, as also how to apply to expedite ongoing spouse visas of citizens married to Ukrainian women.
quote:
"If members of your family intend to travel to the United States for a temporary stay and they have a residence in Ukraine they do not intend to abandon, they may apply for a B1/B2 visa for temporary travel to the United States.
We are not currently processing routine B1/B2 visas, but we have a process in place for immediate family members of U.S. citizens to request an emergency B1/B2 appointment. Immediate family members include spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents. It does not include fiancés or other extended family members, although we will try to accommodate as many emergency appointments as staffing and resources allow.
Please see our website at https://ustraveldocs.com/ua/ua-niv-expeditedappointment.asp for more information on how to apply for an expedited appointment."
Moreover, what the United States of America Embassy advise:
Quote:
"This is an automated response to the message you sent to the American Citizen Services Unit at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine.
There are reports Russia is planning significant military action against Ukraine. The security conditions, particularly along Ukraine’s borders, in Russia-occupied Crimea, and in Russia-controlled eastern Ukraine, are unpredictable and can deteriorate with little notice. U.S. citizens in Ukraine should be aware that Russian military action anywhere in Ukraine would severely impact the U.S. Embassy’s ability to provide consular services, including assistance to U.S. citizens in departing Ukraine. U.S. citizens in Ukraine should consider departing now using commercial or other privately available transportation options. The Department asks all U.S. citizens in Ukraine to complete an online form at https://cacms.state.gov/s/crisis-intake so that we may better communicate with you. This is especially important if you plan to remain in Ukraine. For more information, please review the latest Department of State travel advisory for Ukraine.
We encourage U.S. citizens’ families to evaluate their individual situations and decide whether it is better for them to expedite an application for an immigrant visa for their Ukrainian family members, or whether to apply for a nonimmigrant visa that will only allow for a temporary stay in the United States. If you have a question about applying for a nonimmigrant visa for a member of your family, please write to Nonimmigrant Visa unit at kyivniv@state.gov. If you have a question about how to expedite a pending immigrant visa application, please write to the Immigrant Visa Unit at kyiviv@state.gov.
Visa Sections are carefully monitoring their public-facing inboxes for inquiries from American citizens about obtaining visas to the United States for their immediate family members. Please note that American Citizen Services unit provides U.S. citizens with the services that are described at https://ua.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/ only and does not handle visa inquiries. To get a timely response, you should forward your inquiry to the respective mailbox."
Consular Section contacts according to your case:
Below please note e-mail accounts for public inquiries handled by other units of the Consular Section for your reference:
KyivIV@state.gov – for questions on immigrant visa processing;
KyivNIV@state.gov – for inquiries pertaining to nonimmigrant visa processing; or call the call-center +38 044 358 8066
KyivAdoptions@state.gov – for questions on adopting Ukrainian orphans by American citizens.
Please note that the American Citizen Services Unit does not handle Legal Permanent Resident inquiries. If you are a Legal Permanent Resident and you have lost your LPR card, please visit the Embassy website for further instructions at https://ua.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/legal-permanent-resident/. If you are a Legal Permanent Resident and have stayed outside of the United States for longer than a year, please visit the Embassy website for further instructions: https://ua.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visas/returning-resident-visa/.
Due to the very high volume of daily correspondence we receive, please allow up to 3 (three) business days for a reply to your inquiry. In case of a life or death emergency involving a U.S. citizen, please call us at +38 044 521-5000.
Note that all appointments for Consular Report of Birth Abroad, passports and notary services are made on-line. Check our website for the procedure details and for the on-line appointment link at https://evisaforms.state.gov/acs/default.asp?postcode=KEV&appcode=1 . Do not schedule an appointment if this is an adult passport renewal and your previous passport is issued for 10 years and you have it on hands. Be aware that adult passport renewals in most cases do not require personal appearance and are done by mail. Please check this link for details https://ua.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizenservices/passports/passport-renewal-adults/
Ukraine is under an adaptive quarantine until March 31, 2022. Wearing masks is mandatory in public transportation and indoor public places. Individuals and establishments can be fined for not complying. Everyone should carry I.D.
U.S. citizens are encouraged not to travel to Ukraine due to the increased threats of Russian military action and COVID-19. If you decide to travel anyway, note, that U.S. citizens entering Ukraine are required to show either a negative PCR test done 72 hours prior to entering Ukraine; or a negative rapid Antigen Test for SARS-CoV-2, or a document confirming the receipt of a full course of vaccination against COVID-19 with vaccines on WHO’s list of approved vaccines, (Children under 12 years of age are exempt from the PCR test requirement), and – proof of medical insurance covering all expenses related to COVID-19 treatment while on the territory of Ukraine. Ukrainian health insurance coverage can be purchased online – https://visitukraine.today/.
In order to receive timely official updates, U.S. citizens should register with the U.S. Embassy through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. When registering, make sure you add your trip to Ukraine details to be able to get U.S. Embassy to Ukraine notifications.
· For information on COVID-19 in Ukraine, visit the Ukrainian Ministry of Health Website: COVID-19 information page.
· Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information.
· Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
· Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in Ukraine.
· Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the U.S.
All press inquiries relating to American Citizen Services or to the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv must be sent to KyivPress@state.gov.
For detailed information on the U.S. Consular operations in Ukraine, please visit the U.S. Embassy website at https://ua.usembassy.gov/.
Thank you,
American Citizen Services Unit
Consular Section
U.S. Embassy
Kyiv, Ukraine
Tel.: +38 044 521 5000
Fax.: +38 044 521 5544