... in response to Any Firsthand Moscow Embassy News? n/t, posted by Goofpod on Nov 1, 2001The material below was posted on another list and is copied to this one.
The Moscow Embassy is still closed but the Consular section has moved inside
the compound which is the reason for the closure for a week or so.
Security is tighter as you might imagine and that is extended to US citizens
as well as Russian nationals. If a person does not have an appointment,
such an American accompanying his fiancé, he is not going to be admitted.
This is the policy described to the people waiting in the lines starting at
8:00 am. Two friends went to interviews on the 25th and reported that to
me the next day. I was planning to go for our interview which was also on
the 25th but I was concerned about getting tickets when at that time no one
knew when the Consular section would reopen. I called to reschedule to
early this month when the situation at the embassy would be clearer.
Both men independently related how terribly the women were treated by the
Russian staff of the Embassy. One, being a political type, vowed to have
that investigated. They both said their girl's actual interview was handled
very courteously by American employees despite them being under a lot of
stress. If you do go, remember to dress warmly since it can get very cold
just standing for 4-5 hours.
