ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusToday's interview: neither YES nor NO
I wish you luck. I think it will all work out but I know first hand how frustrating it is when you have had such high hopes and complications occur.

I will keep this short. I have to finish packing and am heading for Russia in 4 hours. I hope there is good news soon. Yes, I hope your need for tickets is over before the tickets get too high. I think I will be helping the airlines to increase their profits for a while.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-04-11 06:53:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusToday's interview: neither YES nor NO
Semga, I have been thinking about your post all day. Much of it is feeling some empathy for you, it is also being worried a bit more about my own after seeing what you have gone through. I'ts my second and we have a pretty good age difference.

I mentioned before contact your congressman.

I think if they wanted a letter from the child's father they would have given you a 221-G asking for it. I don't see that as the problem.

I think they are going to approve it but want to make you sweat a bit to make sure you are not back for a 4th K-1

I would also suggest sending an E-mail to the Embassy. Outline the proofs of relationship you have, profess your dying love and ask if there is any information you can provide that might help them in their decision.

As long as they did not give the passport back there is hope.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-04-10 14:16:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusToday's interview: neither YES nor NO
One thing I would recommend is to get in touch with your congressman's office or senators office right away. They can help!
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-04-10 07:49:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusToday's interview: neither YES nor NO
Wow, that really is both a shocker and it really sucks. With my first fiancee I thought it was bad enough when I came out with a 221-G and had to work my tail off to get it approved.

It sounds to me like you had everything to prove a relationship beyond what they customarily see. I can't say it really makes sense.

I think I am also a lot more concerned with my own situation than I was before reading your post. In my case it is my second and also the second for my fiancee. If we ever make it to the interview stage I will likely have far less proof than you did. I am heading to Russia tomorrow but that will only be my second visit to her there. We had additonal time together in Egypt and Thailand but as of today only one visit to Russia.

Did she miss any questions? My first fiancee missed two which lead to the 221-G.

Well hopefully they will come to their senses and issue the visa.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-04-10 07:15:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusMeeting in Italy :)
I have been both places but alone. They would be great places to be with someone you love and I am sure it was great. Yes, the more proof you have the better.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-22 21:08:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusK-1 visa & sealed envelope
We did that with my first fiancee. There are two DHL offices in Moscow. One is right next to the embassy. You can buy your mailer there but the main office which is the other is the only one that can hold it for pickup. If I recall correctly you just do the delivery address as the main DHL office in care of your fiancee's name. The people at DHL do it all the time and can make sure you do it properly.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-26 08:46:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusK-3
Maybe the rarified air did something to his brain. He should move to Anaheim. There is more fantacy in his brain than in the Magic Kingdom.

Well, if he doesn't move I have a feeling his congressman may, to get away from him.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-27 11:19:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusIs a Visa Required
Until she has her citizenship and the blue passport she is a citizen of Russia and subject to all the travel hastles that go with a red passport.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-25 23:25:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusInterviews
It is always a breeze when it goes smoothly and a nightmare experience when they go badly.

As far as the process she just goes to the North Entrance of the Embassy and gets in line. She needs to be on time. Being late is the same as not going. They will take her through security and check her bags etc and she goes in and takes a number. They will call her to the window and as for her info. Probably between 10-11 she will be out with a smile on her face.

She does need a prepaid mailer she can get from the DHL office next door the day before. It is about $ 30.00. As are as the questions you never know but there are a number of lists. Sometimes they can give what should be an easy one that is tough like your mailing address and many of us have only used phone and e-mail. If all goes well and they don't put you in A/P you will have the visa in 3-7 days but don't buy any tickets until after you have the visa.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-28 00:01:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusVisa in the mail
Maybe he is worried that those of us who are not sailing through the visa process with the luck and speed of others will get jealous and start doing away with those who were more fortunate. Don't worry, we are not that distraut yet.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-24 08:10:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me

Go Bengals!!! WHO DEY! WHO DEY! WHO DEY think gonna beat them Bengals?

Throwin salt on a man's team.... that's just mean! So I say a little something here about the mindless hotties, and you gotta bash my boys? Come on! That's a low blow!

Sorry, kiddo, I am a Steelers girl! That's who's gonna beat them (and already has a couple of times!) :P


A Steeler fan in Floridia. Wow, Now I know there is at least one with good taste here.

As far as Anna Nicole Smith having been a trophy, maybe if you are in your 90's.

I have to agree with Voyager, FSU is a common expression in most forums which is easier than saying " a woman from Russia, Ukriaine,
Belarus, etc. This is the first time I have seen it offend someone. I know Voyager well and he is a good guy who respects all women and particularly Russian ones.

Talking about sterotypes, I visited an American Romance forum a while back and the gals were talking about romance between AM and RW and it was funny to see all the sterotypes. One of the posts was hilarious. I may see if I can find it and post it here and the other fourm I go to just to see what kind of comments it gets.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-14 22:09:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me
As far as my situation I was dealing with the A/R calmly, positively and patiently until about two days ago. The first thing that happend was when I made my bi-weekly call to be told nothing had changed in the status. I had another question I asked her. My NOA-2 had an expiration date of May 22nd. Most of us go through that about intenview time and they automatically extend it. I asked the girl about mine and if it would be automatically extended. She told me no. If I don't ask for an extension it will be cancelled on the 22nd. I asked who I should contact to extend it and she said, Dahh, well it's not here so you can't contact us. Dahh, Dahh. Finally she gave me a phone number after 5 minutes of hemming and hawing. I will be surprised if it is the right number to do anything but that bothered me a bit. I have had PM's from a number of others in AR. About then I got a PM from someone who had been in A/R for 2 years and 4 months. That was not real encouraging.

Yes, I wish Marc would come back and give us an update too. Perhaps he feels we were not too sympathetic about the phone bill. I think we do understand that there are times in our lives when we must be very careful with money and he is evidently in one of those. It was not all that much money but still there are times when not that much money is a lot of money.

Thanks for sharing the story of what you experienced Chuckles. It was interesting. I think some people who don't have a lot of understanding think a woman from the CIS will fit in like an American woman would and no matter how dedicated they are it is just not going to happen. I think when they arrive we need to be totally dedicated to helping them.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-12 06:51:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me
That is really helpful. I wonder if it would be possible to get married, get a dutch residency and do a DCF. I am starting to get a little frustrated by the whole thing. I could be in A/R for years. I don't like the idea of withdrawing the K-1, and starting a K-3 which is slower and we could hit A/R again. I may check into the dutch residency thing.

I will agree that I have only ever ran into one person there who was not fluent in English but still it is not the primary language but it may be a good option. Thanks
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-12 00:19:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me
I have been to Holland a number of times. It is one of my favorite countries. My fiancee would prefer to be in an English speaking country so she can improve her English which will help her when she finally ever does arrive. I am not so sure it is that easy to get a visa but I know it can be done. My fiancee had a visa to France at one time and I think one visa for the Shengen countries makes it easier to get another.

I take it Galina is your wife. I too enjoyed her posts and like to hear the perspective of Russian women. My fiancee also has posted at some of the forums I go to and I enjoy it a lot that she participates.

Personally, I think a marriage to a Russian woman is much more challenging than marriage to an American woman but the reward is more than worth it and I think the extra challenges make it interesting.

She seems to object to the term FSU, Former Soviet Union. I never thought of it as derogatory in any way. Perhaps it does conjure up memories of what was one of many rather dark times for Russia (although there are some that wish it was back) I suppose the term CIS would be one option. I would enjoy knowing why she finds it objectionable from a learning standpoint.

I think every couple goes through arguments about some things. Money is a common one.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-11 22:40:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me
Is what you are saying that you object to the term FSU?
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-11 22:04:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me

I guess nobody told your former fiancee that Americans are too honest and law abiding to do such a thing. If she would have known she would have played the being married game up until citizenship or lifting conditions. And when she returned to Russia she was probably the laughing stock of society for blowing her chance at a greencard. My opinion, no offense.


I guess not. She even contacted a couple of immigration attorneys to see if there was any way she could stay and they said usually you have to be married to have a way to stay. She stayed up half the night during her last 6 weeks here writing men on the internet. She and some looser from Vegas were trying to figure out a way to do another K-1 without meeting. He could not afford a trip to meet her. She was whacky.

She would argue with me over the stupidest things. We were at my office and sent out for lunch and both got salads. I don't like tomatos and she loved them so I asked her if she wanted my tomatos and she got furious and said she had never been so humiliated in her life. That I had tried to give her my garbage. We were in a WalMart looking for something for her and had trouble finding it. She was looking in one area and I was about 10 feet away. I found them and called her and motioned her to come over. She said that was "calling her like a dog". We were in Virginia Beach and were having breakfast. She asked me what I thought she would like. Since she ate a lot of fruit, I asked her if she would like the fruit bowl. She went running out of the restaurant and would not speak to me for a day. She had wanted to try an American breakfast but had not told me. She expected me to be a mindreader.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-11 20:46:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me

Good lord. You'd think this could come up BEFORE she got here.

Good luck on that one. Jezzz. At least you're in a position to do it. Couldn't you get a business visa and go to Russia for a year? Seems like that would be a better option.

Cheers!
AKDiver


Well, I think his idea was that once he had here here she would be trapped where if he told her first she had more options. She would never have come had he told her that first.

Well, I am not saying I am in a position to do it but I can manage somehow, at least for a while. To do a business visa to Russia I would have to have a business reason and we do sell an occassional machine there but not enough to worry about. It would basically be visa fraud. I would be more confined there. In Barbados I can come back for a few days every month and pay some bills and solve any real business problems where in Russia that would be a pain. Also she would like to be somewhere English speaking so she can start to adapt to life in America. We had talked about living in Sochi and went there 3 weeks ago. We liked it but did not like it for a place to live.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-11 20:36:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me
Sorry AK, I did not want to go back a few pages and look who said that but it is the only comment that she seemed to pick up on and I had thought it was in one of your posts.

Slim, nice post. you and I were posting at the same time so I missed that at first. I agree, If I am racist it is in thinking that RW are pretty special and AW are pretty spoiled. If you treat American women like they are speical they sort of think they own you, take your for granted and turn into users. One of the things I really like about my fiancee is I can treat her like she is special and in return she treats me like I am special.

No, the other one stayed 89 days and went home. As far as the current one we are in administrative review. It can go on for years. someone pm'd me yesterday that theirs was at 2 years and 4 months with nothing happening. I have no idea why or when it will end. A lawyer can not help you. Your congressman can not help you. It is the second k1 with different fiance(e)s for both of us. I don't ususally talk about hers becuase she considers it private but she came here and after he got here, he confided in her that he liked men too and hoped she did not mind sharing him with his boyfriend. She said, buy me a ticket back to russia and stayed 3 weeks total.

We are looking at moving someplace to live together while we wait and right now Barbados looks like the top choice. I think we are shooting for about 30 days from now. I will try to come back for 3 days a month to run my business and count on my employees in the meantime.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-11 19:38:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me

your first should have known what she was getting into before her plane landed at JFK, that she would be all alone here, no friends or family to rely on... The only way is to breathe in, breathe out and realize that "every man for himself" (herself in this case). It takes a lot of strength to be here, to just struggle through everyday (and husbands are not much of a help <_< ), and apparently not everybody is cut for it.

The story of my first fiancee would take hours to tell. It was basically a case of falling in love with someone who only pretended to be in love with me and ignoring some red flags that I attributed to moodiness. All through the fiancee process I kept studying ways to help her adapt and make her happy. When she arrived I had Russian TV, Russian Keyboard, english lessons lined up. Russian people who wanted to be her friend (she refused to meet them) Americans who wanted to be her friends. I took the first two weeks off and we vacationed together and I had enough to keep her busy when she wanted and had time alone when she wanted and tons more. A few weeks after she arrived she asked me if I would help her get a green card and pretend to be married but lead our own lives. Of course I said no. Three days after she got back to Russia she was begging me to do another K-1 with her and said she had made the biggest mistake of her life and her keyboard was covered with tears. To this day she knows she made a big mistake and wishes she had it to do over again.

Well Galina, I agree with you that not everyone is cut out for it and I think that applies to both the men and the women. It sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders and a lot of determination. It sounds to that you are adapting well to life in America. Actually you remind me a lot of my current fiancee in the way you think. She has a lot of drive and determination as well. She tells me that she wants to try hard to adapt to life here and wants to be an American from Russia and not a Russian living in America. She has a degree in psychology but wants to go to school and take up another field here. I would like to see her stay in school long enough to get an advanced degree. Because we can't get our visa we are going to try to find a place to live together and she wants it to be someplace English speaking so she is not wasting time while we wait and wait and wait.

The only thing you have commented about was AK saying his FSU wife. That one statement does not seem like as big a deal as you are making it out to be. Were there other comments that I missed?
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-11 18:05:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me
Yes, FSU stands for Former Soviet Union. Probably most of the guys wanting to look for a woman go to Ukraine or Russia, but there are some who find the woman of their dreams in Belarus, Kazahkistan, Ajerbaijan, and so on. FSU is what would be currently the CIS states or what was the USSR. When we talk about looking for a wife there we don't want to leave guys and women out of the discusson who happen to be from someplace besides Russia.

Galina, Yes, I am an American. Sometimes it is good to understand a little more than people think you do. It can make things very interesting.

Galina, for most of us marrying a wonderful woman from Russia is not something we do often so we sometimes don't know what to expect and we can all be stupid sometimes and do wrong things.

There are men who want what we call a "Trophy wife" They want a beautiful woman on their arm so that others will envy them and be jealous and it can make them feel important, just as you said like a shiny new luxury car in the driveway. I don't think that is a good thing and most people don't.

Personally I don't care what others think of me and would rather they like me for the way I am and try to treat people and trust me because I seem honest and like I can be trusted than to have them even think about the wife (if we ever get our visa) I have as someone other than someone I love very much and have a wonderful marriage with. I don't need people to envy me.

Yes, there are people that way and your husband may be one. Sometimes though we just don't understand what doing things properly are. We try, but do things that are dumb. The fiancee I have now is actually my second. I was very much in love with another woman from Russia and brought her here two years ago but her motives were not what I expectd. Origionally I expected here here in early August. We got a 221-g and did not get the visa for several weeks. A few days after she arrived we had our company picnic for the business I own. I had hoped she would be here for several weeks before it but she was only here for days. She went and was very uncomfortable around so many new American women. She ran into the woods crying. I took her home and felt very bad that I had put her into a situation where she was not comfortable.

It could be that your husband hoped you could meet his friends and to help you adapt. Men with Russian wives are a little unique and it is bound to create some conversation and curiosity. It will pass in time but you are new to them and you are going to be something special to them and it may not be that he thinks of you like an expensive car.

It sounds like you have not been here too long. Be patient and give it some time and it may be fine.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-11 15:02:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me
Marc and Olga! Who are Mark and Olga? Just kidding. He probably had to hock his computer to pay his phone bill. Just kidding again. I hope he updates us but perhaps he did not like some of the things he heard.

Galina, I don't know what to say to you. I have a lot of free time as I sit in an endless waiting time for my wonderful fiancee to get her visa so we can build a life together. She is the most wonderful woman I have met in my life and I will think of her that way both before and after she arrives. I will never treat her as property or as a sex slave. She is special and will always be treated as special.

It is very possible that I will be years getting my visa. I spend a lot of my time waiting on forums, both this one and several for RW-AM relationships. I have a lot of friends with Russian wives and I don't see it as a bad thing to "say" they have Russian wives or FSU wives. I don't see any that treat their wives badly or as property. They all seem to devote their lives to each other far more than I see with men with American wives.

Yes, there are some people who are not suited for this who do get involved in it. It is sad but there are both good and bad people in any country. I would like to hear more of your story and more of the things you have seen that make you feel this way. I think if we heard more of the story we could understand your feelings and thoughts more but I think it would help more to hear the facts that made you think the way you do and not so much the conculsions you have reached. I think your story might help us all understand what happens from a Russian woman's standpoint then the relationship is not all it should be.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-11 08:28:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me

Well, about this whole FSU thing... I have seen it before, I do consider it a big problem and since I have a chance to talk about it and be heard I am going to write about it in the local media. It smells like white slavery and it has to be stopped at some point.

I think you are making something from it to be bigger than it is. I don't call my fiancee my FSU fiancee but it is just choice of words. I think there was no insult intended. There is no connction to White Slavery. The wives all came of their own free will and desire, love their husbands, decided to marry them and could return home if they wanted.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-11 00:06:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me
Personally I think we just adjust our expenses to match our income and really end up with little more to show for it.

Yes, that couple with the 2 million dollar house had a water bill of $ 600.00 a month. Most people in Russia live on less than what their water bill was.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-10 20:11:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me
Personally I think it is more important how you manage your money than how much you make. I used to know a brain surgeon who was married to a heart surgeon. They lived in a 2 million dollar house (10 years ago and where houses are cheap). Their kitchen had three refrigerators, and three stoves, their exercise room was larger than some peoples house. They had a fountain etc. All they ever did was complain about money.

For me, I make a very average income but I also have no debts and can do pretty much whatever I want and not worry about money. When you have no payments except utilities and $ 1400 a year in Real Estate Taxes you can do about what you want.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-10 18:09:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me

Mine usually travels with $ 400-500 on her.

Well, to each their own, and I realize that this is just my opinion - but walking around with that kind of cash in your pocket for no particular reason is just foolish. Robbery, loss, spree spending, you name it. It reminds me of the "natives" up here walking around with a pocket full of their free $100 bills (from their "native corp dividends").

For what it's worth, my wife doesn't get $800, $400, or even $100/month to just piss away (neither do I), but we do put $400/month each into a Roth IRA. For monthly spending, we both sit down every month, see what we spent, where we spent it, why, and how we can cut spending and save more, or at a minimum, target our spending into the most useful categories of spending. If anyone is really interested, I can send some blank spreadsheet templates to help with family budgeting.

AK, On some of the trips I made to Russia I started off with 5 grand on me. I have rarely gone without at least three grand on me. I never had a bit of problem. I do break it up and hide some. My favorite thing is called a sock safe that I bought at a travel store. I would not feel comfortable traveling with little cash.

There was a comment "Don't they budget in Russia" Sure they do. If they make $ 200 a month they spend $ 200 a month. If they make $ 300 they spend it. etc.

I don't worry about my gal that way. She is very conservative about spending money. When I made my first trip to meet her I misjudged the weather I would encounter in Siberia. I took a medium weight jacket. She refused to dress warm because she said she would not allow herself to be comfortalbe while I was cold. Well, she got sick. We spent one day in her apartment with a blanket wrapped around her and me just holding her with her head on my shoulder as she drank honey and green tea. My last day I said I could come there, she said as long as felt a little better she would come to my place. I told her it would be ok, but I wanted her to take a taxi and not the trolley and bus she usually used. No matter how much I argued she refused to spend my money on the taxi. She likes to eat in Buffet's. Everything she bought on our trips to Egypt and Thailand would not top $ 100.00

I am the same way. I spend nothing on myself. Maybe $ 200.00 a year for clothes. Nothing for entertainment except some paperbacks. etc. She and I are pretty compatable. We are both cheapskates. Actually I don't mind spending money on her and she doesn't mind spending money on me and I don't mind spending it for the two of us but don't do it for just myself.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-10 18:04:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me
Maxxum, Yes, I think we are about on the same page except for amount. I am probably thinking more along the lines of $ 50-100 a week but if she needs more or less I will adjust it. I can't really think of much she would need any money for. I want her to keep whatever she brings as a reserve and don't want her spending it. If I remember correctly AK's honey brought $ 50,000 with her. Mine is a comfortalby poor average girl. I would not call her poor but loaded with cash she is not. She lives comfortably.

Max, are you figuring on her buying her clothes from that. If so it is about right, maybe still a little high. Frankly I think an allowance would help them to learn to budget their money and plastic teaches her what is wrong with amercian fincances.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-09 23:17:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me
Well, If I recall correctly from a few years ago yours brought enough to give you an allowance but mine will not have that situation. Mine usually travels with $ 400-500 on her. Still I don't want her spending her money.

AK, There are cash people and plastic people and I am a cash people. I have not used an ATM machine in 15 years and the only ATM card I have is in Russia. I have a wallet full of credit cards but use them as little as possible except for business. I don't go out for a quart of milk without what a lot of people would consider a lot of money on me.

I guess the money in the drawer thing would work fine. That is what I used to do with my ex long ago. My fiancee asked about an allowance so she did not have to ask me for money. If she is more comfortable with a couple of thousand sitting in a drawer that she can access whenever she needs that is fine with me. In fact I already have that so all I would have to do is tell her what drawers. She is a very conservative gal so I don't worry about her blowing it because it is there.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-09 20:42:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me
Well AK, from the time she arrives until she can work she is about as dependent on you as a child would be, is she not? What if she is hot and want a soda and can't find a soda machine that will take plastic. A credit card can be good and good training in budgeting but it is not the answer to all the problems.

I too plan to give my fiancee an alowance but nothing in the range of $ 200-300 a week. I think that too can create good lessons in budgeting and money management and then she does not have to come to me when she needs money.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-09 17:42:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me
My fiancee and I have already discussed this and we both want for her to have an allowance. She does not like the idea of having to ask for money. We haven't set the amount yet but I think it is a good thing to do. Since I will be with her most of the time when she is out, at least for a while, she probably won't need a lot but I too want her to feel comfortable and not dependent.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-09 13:12:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me
If they are not married filing a domestic abuse charge won't help her. She will have to go back.

There is a guy named Maxx who has been through it all and works with people all over the country dealing with situations like this. He is as expert as you can get. He is active on several forums. I have seen him lately on www.ruadventures.com. Go there and PM him and he can help you. This isn't anything you pay for he just has been through so much and tries to help others.

Edited by Turboguy, 09 May 2007 - 12:12 PM.

TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-09 12:11:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me

But I guess there is much more to your relationship problems than phone bills....

That is not what he said in his post. He said "Everything was fine until he got the phone bill." She was allowed 2 hours a week and used it 8 hours in two weeks which works out to 4 hours a week, twice what she was allowed. She was spending $ 150.0 a month on the phone and was allowed $ 75 so this relationship went to pot over $ 75.00 a month. One gal I know spent $ 800.00 on linens her first day here and they are still married after 2 years (and $ 7,000 for teeth,+ new car + 4 trips home + new lots of other things. ) That husband doesn't have a lot of money either. I am sure there are now other issues in the relationship but I have a feeling they all stem from the phone issue.

Not meaning to be too cynical but it sounds to me like you were not financially ready to do this in the first place. There are courts that could hold that taking the vonage adapter and preventing her from contacting her support group at home could contitute mental abuse.

I know you came here looking for sympathy and support but I think I am on her side unless I hear more reasons why you deserve it. Sorry, I know that is not what you wanted to hear.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-09 07:26:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCrazy new Russia?!
When I have gone sometimes I spent only one night in a hotel and all they ever seemed to look at when I went to leave was that it had a stamp. Still they do make it a pain to travel there.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-24 22:02:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusGoing back to Russia
I am glad you got it worked out. Now you both should just put it all behind you and concentrate on being happy.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-09 20:53:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusGoing back to Russia
I just read the whole thread to bring myself up to speed. It seems like the guys are siding with Satelite and the gals with Olga.

I think my view is 80% Satelite, 20% Olga. I think if the parents have been her for the last three months that it should not be a time for a 3 month visit to Russia. I can also agree that summer is a time that she could be earning enough extra to help improve their lifestyle.

Most of us are at different stages of life the the others. Satelite is trying to build something that will make your life better for the rest of your life. He needs you both to work as a team. Americans are sometimes a little better at putting off until tomorrow so you can have a better one and I think the russian people tend to be a bit more live for today types. It is not easy to do what he is doing.

I am not sure how much you talked about your life and what it would be like before you were married but if you did not talk about this then you have no choice but to find a compromise. My suggestion would be to forget about going now. You are a Russian and Russians are tough and can do anything they set their mind to. Try to reach a compromise like going for 3 weeks over the Christmas holidays. You parents would have been back for a while and seeing them again would make the trip more special.

I have to say it is nice and different that Olga's parents are helping them financially. Usually the reverse is true. That is pretty cool.

I sense that you both care a lot about each other so I hope you are able to reach a compromise.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-09 15:46:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusGoing back to Russia
To me, there are a lot of things that should be discussed before marriage and even before the K-1. My fiancee and I had that talk long ago, even before we got engaged.

What is right for us is not right for others but just for the record our agreement was that she can go back twice a year but that I want her to go in the spring and fall when the airfare is cheap. I also told her that if she gets feelings of real homesickness she should just get on the plane and go whenever it is because I want her to be happy and to not feel she is trapped someplace and sad. I do want to add something to explain my own reasons for this. My fiancee came here once before on a K-1 and was left alone at home for very long periods. Sitting home, alone and with no friends she experieced a lot of homesickness and I do care very much about her happiness. Sometimes just knowing you can go lets you relax and not worry about things. I also don't plan to let her sit home alone with nothing to do if I ever get here here.

What I just said has nothing to do with Mrs Satelite. However it sounds to me like she has a real psychological need to make a trip home. I have to agree with the other posters 3 months is a long, long time. I like my relatives but would get sick of looking at them for 3 months. I think too they might need a little break from each other and two weeks to a month at home might do them both some good. I have read a lot of stories about first trips home and usually after a month they can't wait to get back here anyway. I have to agree it is not more expensive to go for a few weeks or a month than for a longer period. Often airfares are much higher if you are staying over 30 days. I think that may not be true with Aeroflop (not a typo) but otherwise it is much more expensive to say for 3 months.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-09 07:51:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusPacket 3 for Moscow Embassy
Yes, Moscow combines packet 3 & 4. They have the date assigned when they mail the packet. You asked about the medical. Yes, she can get that ahead of time but sometimes it is easier to just do it while they are in Moscow for the interview. If she has a trip to Moscow before that she can get it out of the way.

A month for the police report is pretty common. The only other things to get out of the way are all your supporting documents such as the tax copies, letter from the bank and your employer, last three pay stubs, I-134 etc.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-05-24 08:05:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusA few questions...
She has 180 days to leave. The clock on the 90 days starts ticking when she arrives.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-03-21 20:28:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusA few questions...
Ray, Your information is correct for many Embassies but not for Moscow. Most embassys have a separte package 3 and package 4. Moscow combines them. He will get one packet. It will tell her what she needs to bring and give her the interview date. The interview date will also be posted online but often she has the packet before the web site is updated.

She will need to get her medical and gather her documents. Being in Moscow should make that much easier.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-03-19 10:49:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusTime it takes to schedule an interview at Moscow Embassy
Thanks Slim. I am sure wherever my file is sitting it has about an inch of dust on the top by now. At least I will be able to spend most of my summer with my fiancee but it is frustratiing when she should have been here a month or two ago.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-06-18 22:23:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusTime it takes to schedule an interview at Moscow Embassy
I have sometimes had the impression of the entire K-1 visa process being that they have a stack of applications they are working on. New ones arrive and they add them to the stack and work through them. When I say add them to the stack I am talking about on the top. It seems like some get processed very quickly and those that keep getting new ones added on top of theirs may sit forever. I have seen interviews scheduled in Moscow as quickly as 8 weeks and as long as 4 months.
TurboguyMaleRussia2007-06-18 08:13:00