ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusToday's interview: neither YES nor NO

Just an update, for completeness:

My fiancee and her daughter received package with visas in their passports, and sealed packets by DHL yesterday!!!


Congrats! So what happened anyway? Was there any further communication between you or your fiancee and the Embassy? Or did they just all of a sudden decide to approve it and send them their visas?
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-04-18 17:04:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusToday's interview: neither YES nor NO
Wow, that's terrible Segma, I hope they do their "thinking" quickly and this gets resolved. Are you going to call the Embassy to see if they will tell you more about what happened?

Did you have your previous two K-1 petitions listed on your I-129F application? What happened with those? Were they approved or denied?

I have only been to Russia once to visit my fiancee, but that has nothing to do with how much I love her or my intent to marry her! It's simply a matter of economics - it's too expensive for me to travel there to visit her, and I can't take the time off from work. I hope the interviewer doesn't look at this as a negative.

I guess the situation with your fiancee's daughter could be a problem. I don't know much about that, or how strict they are about getting the father's written permission before the child will be allowed to leave Russia.

Good luck to you. Please let us know how it works out.

James
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-04-10 06:39:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusVisa approved

Ticket prices to Moscow change with the time of year -- and it is getting to the expensive time of year. Around $1000 isn't cheap, but not exhorbitant. Is the Air France ticket actually using Delta equipment? Sometimes they codeshare ...


My fiancee's Air France flight is actually using Aeroflot equipment on the Moscow to Paris leg, and then Air France equipment for the Paris to Atlanta leg.
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-24 05:10:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusVisa approved

Many congrats... but I would like to hear about that interview :)


Well I don't have all the details, but Katya said the interview was fairly quick and easy. It only lasted about 5 minutes. I think it was so easy because this was our second time applying for a fiancee visa, and we had a very good reason why we didn't get married the first time. Her grandmother became very ill the first time she was here (last July), and it was very upsetting to Katya. So rather then get married when she wasn't totally into it mentally and emotionally, we decided it would be better for her to return to Russia to be with her granny, and we knew we would file for another visa at a later date.

The supporting evidence of our relationship that she took with her to the interview was about a half dozen recent e-mails, about 10 photographs of us together, a few used pre-paid phone cards that I had used to call her, and some MoneyGram receipts to show that I was helping her out financially. She also took a notarized letter from her grandmother's doctor explaining her grandmother's health situation, and that was key for the interview.

Katya said they asked a few basic but serious questions like "Are you sure James is the man for you, and that you love him and plan to get married this time?" (or something very close to that.) Before the interview I coached her to just be calm, confident, and decisive with her answers to their questions, and everything would be fine. I told her to never answer anything with "I'm not sure" or "I don't know" - it's better to think of something quickly to say in that situation (even if it isn't 100% accurate) then to answer with something indecisive! She memorized everything on the I-129F, my G325A, and the letter that I had sent to the USCIS with our petition. I told her to do that because it would be possible they could ask any questions from those documents.

That's about all the info I've got... Good luck to everyone with upcoming interviews!
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-22 18:39:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusVisa approved

We are excited for you both!!! I have searched for tickets and hve found a similar rate into NYC on the fouth of July. All the other are very expensive.

QUESTION: I am having trouble copying the Barcode onto the forms to use James shortcuts. Is there a trick...right now it is just a little frustrating.


I found the $1,027 airfare on good old Yahoo travel! They actually have better deals then all those other websites you hear about on here (www.kayak.com, etc)

Unfortunately I don't know what you are talking about with the "Barcode" - please explain...
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-21 18:58:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusVisa approved
My fiancee had her interview this morning, and everything went smoothly and her visa was approved! :)

Next step is for me to order her airline ticket. She can't come until after July 1st, so the best deal I've been able to find is a one-way Air France flight from Moscow to Atlanta on July 3rd for $1,027.
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-21 04:44:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus3812 Wachovia Avenue, Oxford, Tennessee
Us men are quite simple creatures when it comes right down to it... All you've gotta do is keep our bellies full of good food, make love to us every now and then, and try not to bother us too much on Sunday afternoons when we're watching the football games, and that's it - we're good to go!
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-21 19:58:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusNOA2
Congratulations Milenka! The NOA2 is roughly the half-way point in the visa process, so you're looking good!
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-25 16:32:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarusjust starting pls help

Are you serious?


Yep, believe it or not, I'm a Republican and one of the small percentage of Americans who still support Bush and our war on terror. B)
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-23 09:26:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarusjust starting pls help

I would even try posting this in the Canada or U.K. forum, they seem pretty knowledgeable about EVERYTHING!


I agree.

In fact if I were you, I would post it anywhere in this community, not only because UK forums think they have all the anwers, but because they post everywhere, especially if they are not welcome.

Gogal.

??????? ?????


Amen to that.


:thumbs:


Wow, all you guys sure are tough on the British. I actually like Great Britain very much because they are basically the only nation to support us and George Bush in the war on terror, and their troops stand side by side with ours in Iraq!
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-23 04:58:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarusjust starting pls help

Hi iam single mom USC trying to get my mom here. i have recieved the approval notice for her petition april 27... what's next? anything else i need to do to expedite this ... pls help i reaaly need her by my side at this time. thank u.


Well you're post really doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but if you have recieved the approval notice then I would guess the next step would be an interview at the Embassy? Have you contacted the Embassy in your mom's home country (which I'm assuming is the Philippines) to see if they'd recieved the case paperwork and an interview has been scheduled?
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-22 12:37:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusIs a Visa Required
Yes, a visa would be required. Here are the results I got from the Delta website:



National RUSSIAN FEDERATION (RU)
Residence U.S.A. (US)
Destination UNITED KINGDOM (GREAT BRITAIN) (GB)

UNITED KINGDOM (GREAT BRITAIN)


Passport (must be valid for the period of intended stay)
required.

Visa required. For information on minors holding Child
Visitor visas, see: For details, click here .

Minors:
children registered in parent's or guardian's passport:
- may not travel without holder of passport; and
- visa in passport (if required) must indicate that it is
also valid for the child(ren).

Flights from/to United Kingdom to/from Channel Islands,
Ireland (Rep. of) and the Isle of Man are domestic flights.
Therefore, there is no Immigration control.

Non-compliance with entry requirements(incl. forged documents)
will result in fines for carrier of GBP 2,000.- per visitor
and either deportation or indefinite delay for visitor at
point of entry (detention costs at carrier's expense).

A person may be considered committing an offence upon arrival
in the United Kingdom, if failing to produce to an Immigration
Officer a document, which satisfactorily establishes identity,
nationality, or citizenship. A person guilty of this offence
may be liable to up to 2 years in prison, or a fine, or both.
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-25 16:37:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusVisa in the mail
I'll be glad when the Russian Federation drops this nonsense of foreignors needing a visa to visit. You don't need a visa to travel to the Ukraine now do you?
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-24 17:06:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusAge Difference, How you met & How soon you met?
It's good to see I'm not the only one who answered "less then two weeks" to your third question! Actually I didn't correspond or know of her at all before traveling to Russia... we just happened to meet while I was there, and it was basically love at first sight!
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-29 08:10:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me
I think one thing that's very important in a thread like this where economic issues are discussed is you have to be comparing apples to apples. In other words it doesn't make sense for average American guys who make $30K, $40K, $50K, and $60K per year to be discussing family economics with lawyers, doctors, computer programmers, entrepeneurs, etc who are make $250K, $400K, $500K, or $1M+ per year... obviously there are huge differences in family economics and budgeting in these instances!
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-10 11:37:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusViolence Against Women Act and me

I may regret saying this, but I will anyway. Galina can spend the last penny she has on clothes and makeup. She did so in Russia too. It is not only her - many women buy things to feel better about themselves. Since she never plans on working, limits on spending are somewhat appropriate in our case.

A past girlfriend of mine spent about $30,000 on shoes in one year. Most of them she never wore, even once. She just felt good buying them. As a man, this was hard for me to understand. (She could afford them, but still...)

Don't get me wrong here - men can be just as at bad managing money. What things are worth, and what you can afford are different for everyone.

Americans are accustomed to what things truly cost here. It takes time to understand how much you can afford. If you don't work, it can be hard to comprehend how much things really cost. We still fight about "If you can borrow money to get this for me, why can't I have it?"

Money ruins many marriages.



Russ, I've gotta say I envy you because the way you talk on here you must be a multi-millionaire! Either that or you have a tree in your back yard that literally grows money. You've had girlfriends that spend more on shoes in a year then many guys entire salary for a year! You mentioned spending more on entertainment for one day then I (and probably many others) would spend in an entire year! I hope poor chaps like me can still manage to keep a Russian wife happy too. :unsure:
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-10 07:27:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusThe Interview
Congratulations!
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-06-13 20:05:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusPacket 3 for Moscow Embassy

Does anyone know what is in packet 3 and or 4. I would like to have all the necessary documents ahead of time as much as possible. My fiance went to the police station for her police certificate. She will get it in a month. Anything else I can get ahead of time???? Can we do the medical exam sooner rather than later???? :blink:


With Moscow there is no packet 4! There is just one packet (which I guess you could call packet 3) which your fiancee will get in the mail about a week after the Embassy received your case. It lists what she will need to bring to the interview, but there is nothing she has to return to the Embassy ahead of time.

Vladimir is a nice city. I've been through there a few times on the way to visit my fiancee who lives about an hour's drive north of there!
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-24 05:39:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusA few questions...
Nope, with Moscow you don't have to send anything back before the interview. Just bring it all with you.
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-03-19 18:24:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarusquestion about embassy

Yes, I noticed your timeline. Annoyed is where I'm headed as well...


I remember I kept thinking if I knew the damn thing was going to take a month to get to Moscow, I would have preferred to drive to NH myself to pick up the envelope, and sent it FedEx to the Embassy! (Too bad you can't actually do that.)
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-23 20:51:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarusquestion about embassy

Well, interviews are generally running 2 months from when the embassy receives the case. The question is just when does Moscow 'receive' the case. My case left NVC on the 11th and I am yet to get an interview date. Is my case sitting at the embassy now waiting to be 'received'? I dunno. Maybe it really does take 2 to 4 weeks for the case to physically arrive at the embassy...


My case took exactly 4 weeks to get from the NVC to the Embassy. It left the NVC on 3/1/07 and arrived at the Embassy on 3/29/07. I was a little annoyed at how long it took because I was expecting it to be about 2 weeks tops.
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-23 20:29:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarusquestion about embassy

I was just curious about how long it takes(generally) from when the Moscow embassy gets the case to the interview date?

I did look at the flow chart but I know these things are region specific

Thanks in advance.


On average it takes anywhere from 6 weeks to 2 months. Usually within a few days after they receive your paperwork, your case number will appear on this website: http://www.usembassy...ar/iv_dates.php
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-23 20:26:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusAge difference survey

Me 49 - She 25, but she is the mature one in this marriage, our friends will agree with this statement in a big way... :D


Man I would almost kill for your timeline.....


Wow, no kidding - visa in only 60 days from mailing the I129-F!
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-06-16 22:38:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusAge difference survey
They have an excellent "age difference poll" thread going on here in the Phillipines forum: Phillipines thread It looks like the range goes anywhere from the same age, all the way up to about 40 years difference! I thought it would be fun to start one here, and I'll start...

I'm 37, she is 20.
17 years difference!
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-28 18:16:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarussad weekend

As far as the name check you have to remember you are dealing with the govt. I wish I could have had mine then instead of now. At least we would be together. This sucks.


I feel for you Turboguy, but at least you have the saving grace of being able to live together in Grenada while you wait it out. I certainly couldn't do anything like that since I have no money saved up, and if I quit my job I would have no income. On top of that, my monthly child support payment obligation would not stop if I moved out of the country for a few months. So unless I could immediately land a very good job in a place like Grenada, I could never do it.
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-06-02 13:14:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarussad weekend

i don't know if she has received her green card...she was on fbi name check...


I just thought of a new but related question here... What could possibly trigger an FBI name check during the AOS phase? Wouldn't anything like that be caught long before while you are in the K1 or K3 visa process?
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-06-02 10:50:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarussad weekend
I'm pretty sure skinsfan was talking about Russian Meeting Place. Here is the thread he was referring to: Surprising Story. I've never visited that site much, but I used to like RW Guide.
Now I rarely visit that one either, and I just stick to VisaJourney.
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-06-02 10:08:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarussad weekend
Sometimes I think I'd be better off if I didn't read the VJ forums... this is a time when I should be excited and happy about my fiancee's success at her interview and arrival in the US in the very near future, but instead I feel depressed and worried, mainly from reading sad stories like from Russ & Galina's, Marc & Olga, and now skinsfan. :(
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-31 20:43:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarussad weekend

Everything was pretty much normal with their marriage for about 2 years, and then all of a sudden one day he came home and she had left and taken all of her belongings (and some of his) with her. Very little warning signs ahead of time that something like that was about to happen.

As a Russian speaker I have spoken to these ladies in the US who have "moved on" after their greencard marriage. As I see it now there are two groups of folks, those that pull the VAWA route and those that bite the pillow a little longer and wait for lifting conditions / citizenship.
These ladies come with a well hidden preconceived intent to marry for the green card for either a better life for themselves or their children.
Slim can chime in on all the usual signs of older guy, lack of mutual communication (relationship's can't work if you can't communicate beyond basic speech), etc.
Good luck in avoiding legal trouble, I-864 obligations, and other state divorce procedures.


What percentage of these ladies that meet an American man through a "marriage agency" or online would you say have these evil intentions from the beginning? Do you think it's more then a third? Or maybe as high as 50%? Unfortunately I think it's quite a high percentage.
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-30 20:56:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarussad weekend
This whole story is very sad, and scary too especially for guys like me who are venturing into a very similar type of marriage with a Russian or Ukrainian woman. I've heard of several stories very similiar to skinsfan's, including from a fairly good friend of mine here in Atlanta. Everything was pretty much normal with their marriage for about 2 years, and then all of a sudden one day he came home and she had left and taken all of her belongings (and some of his) with her. Very little warning signs ahead of time that something like that was about to happen.

I pray that nothing like this happens to myself or anyone else on this forum, and I hope everything works out for the best for skinsfan.
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-05-30 20:21:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusQuestion about Russian (internal) Passport

I will check into this and get back to you. If for some stupid reason my girl does not get the fiance visa I am moving to Vladimir. We cannot and will not be stopped!!!!!!!


Vladimir is a nice city! My girl is from right up the road in Ivanovo. Have you ever visited the beautiful, historic town of Suzdal?
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-04-29 17:49:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusQuestion about Russian (internal) Passport
Thanks all for the replies. Russ, I was thinking the same thing like you said in your first post, and that's what I told her. The internal passport is useless in the US, so why wait around for almost two months to get it renewed? But she is stubborn and really doesn't listen to me about things like that. (I guess she feels she is the Russian citizen and therefore is the know-it-all on everything in Russia, and a foreignor would not know anything about this.) Also this silly passport probably feels like a "security blanket" for her, and she would be uncomfortable if it expires.

Your second post brings up a good question - if it expires, is there a time limit to when it could be renewed? I know we can't fly back within a year, but some time in late 2008 or 2009 would be more likely. Would that be too late to get it renewed?
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-04-29 10:54:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusQuestion about Russian (internal) Passport
My fiancee has her interview in Moscow on May 21st, and we had assumed that if everything was fine at the interview and she gets the visa that she would be ready to travel here in early June. Now she is telling me of a new delay that she just found out about. Her 20th birthday is June 18, and she says she has to remain in Russia to renew her Russian passport after her birthday, and then wait an additional month to get the new passport. She won't be able to come to America until the end of July.

Is all of this true, or do we have any other options? Does she really have to stay there for the additional month to get her internal passport, or for example could her Mom go to pick it up when it's ready? Or could all of this be handled through the Russian Embassy in America after she is here? I'm just dissappointed that way have to wait almost 2 additional months for a passport that she will never use in America.
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-04-29 08:20:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)NOA2 to NVC
I'm pretty sure the automated voice system is NOT for K1 filers. K1 filers have to talk to a live operator to get the status of their petition.

My NOA2 from CSC was March 7, 2005, and I called the NVC on March 16, and the operator said they had just received it that day. Then just out of curiosity I called back and typed my case number in the voice automated system, and it said they have no knowledge of my case. I called it again today (March 23) and it still says no record.

For some reason K1 filers have to talk to a live operator to get any info.
JamesTMaleUkraine2006-03-23 09:05:00
National Visa Center (Dept of State)NVC contact number
The NOA2 has the exact same case number as the NOA1. You can call the NVC and give them the number off the NOA1. It took 9 days from my NOA2 date from CSC until my case was received by the NVC, so most likely they have not received yours yet.

-James
JamesTMaleUkraine2006-04-18 18:55:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresk3/ir1 advice
I know this is a bit off topic, but I've always been a bit curious about this..... Doesn't the United States and Canada have open borders so citizens of either country can go back and forth pretty much as they please?

I mean I'm a USC, and I've been on a couple overnight trips to Toronto and Montreal. I didn't even need a passport to cross the border - just showed them my NY driver's license at the border control booth (both when entering and leaving.) Of course the last time was more then 5 years ago, so I'm sure it's possible the rules have changed. I just always assumed it was the same for Canadian citizens coming to visit the United States.

Sorry for my ignorance on the subject, but I was just wondering!
JamesTMaleUkraine2006-04-03 07:18:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionGOT IT!!!!!!!
Congratulations Boris! That's great news! :dance:
JamesTMaleUkraine2006-05-15 15:27:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionPacket 3 and 4 combined into one packet now from Moscow Embassy?
Yes, I'm about 99% sure that is correct. Unless there is something my fiancee isn't telling me :P

Moscow just sends out one "packet", and in that packet is instructions and a list of everything she needs to bring to the interview, and of course it tells the interview date. There is nothing she has to return prior to the interview. Also within a couple days of Moscow receiving your paperwork from the NVC you can find your interview date here Moscow Interview Schedule

Hopefully somebody else will verify this....
JamesTMaleUkraine2006-05-15 23:44:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionDo you know? Quick Russian Police certf.!
Well, I would never be one to suggest anything dishonest... :whistle: but sometimes a Ben Franklin or two slipped to the right person's hand can turn "a month" into a week or less, or maybe just a day or two! I'm not saying that would definitely work with the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, but then again this is Russia we are talking about! :blush: :innocent:
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-01-25 22:41:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionLetter from Employer
I have a secondary question on this topic... Does the letter from the employer have to be notarized?
JamesTMaleUkraine2007-02-15 22:37:00