biggish data

That is comforting to hear...

What about the stamp for subsequent trips to Ukraine / USA... if traveling on greencard will passport control give trouble (are they looking for such stamp?) for not having the "stamp" in her international passport... at this time We're planning to come back to Ukraine for a visit every few months once we get greencard (we may consider going on AP but the time differences to greencard seems not too bad).

Vika has been back to Ukraine twice on her GC, and once with AP. She has no stamp anywhere in any passport that says she lives elsewhere. They don't care.

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-24 07:36:00

Good idea about the ATM cards. If you have the time and the patience, it seems a risk-free approach :thumbs:

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-23 07:44:00

Hmm. Ok. Here's our situation...my wife and her mother own their apartment. We plan for her mother to come to the USA in a year or so, once my wife gets her USC and is able to apply for her mother's visa. What's the best way to avoid problems/fees? Put it all in her mother's name before she becomes a USC? Or does that not matter so long as there is at least one Ukrainian owner?

In a related topic, anyone have a good way they trust to get the money out of Ukraine? I think banks over there are only insured up to like $3,000 or something scary like that if I recall. And even beyond that, I'm not sure I'd trust them...my wife knows people that have been screwed over by major banks...even after one of these friends took them to court and won, they still haven't paid up...the police don't do anything about it either of course. I can't remember if I already asked about this or not in the past.

I think you are on target by transferring all of it into mom's name until she becomes a USC (big ups for helping MIL through the process and beyond, by the way). I would not put that much cash into a Ukrainian bank and try to transfer it to the US. Try a foreign bank with Ukrainian branches perhaps. And I would try to get the cash out in increments from there. The key is going to be finding out if the bank will give you sums of cash in dollars to carry back. That would be ideal, but you may wind up with a gazillion withdrawls in Euro or something. Honestly I don't know how to research that - but I would bet there are Polish banks in Lviv that transfer money to Poland cheap all the time.

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-22 16:44:00

So it seems fairly clear that once a Ukrainian citizen becomes a U.S. citizen, they automatically lose Ukrainian citizenship. I wish that wasn't the case...my wife would like to be a dual citizen. Anyone know a way around that where she could keep both? Also, if she owns an apartment, does anyone know how that will be affected? Is there going to be some ridiculous tax by Ukraine once she becomes a USC or when she tried to sell it?

Yes, there is a HUGE tax on property owned by foreign nationals. It appears to us that the only solution is to place the property into the name of a relative. If there is a sale, you have to trust the owner to send the money to America. Apparently there are lots of stories about people doing this and the the family member somehow fails to transfer the cash. Vika says parents are best.

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-22 12:29:00

#######! I reread the above and see that I also did not make the point that the dual natioality discussion does not mention residency as a problem. In other words it won't effect your USC status to reside elswhere (even permanently).

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-21 08:39:00

Whoops! I left out the most important part;

A citizen of Ukraine's residence or temporary sojourn abroad shall not terminate his/her citizenship.

Consulate General of UA

You can see that Vika and I have looked into this.

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-21 08:16:00

I can see where there might be a problem having two travel passports from two different countries, but not a GC from one and a passport from another. I know a USC with a permanent residency in Ukraine who keeps and travels on an American passport, and lots of Eastern Europeans who have a GC and keep their citizenship and necessarily their passport from their home country.

In fact, in the US, there are specific provisions under the Immigration and Nationality Act that cover this for USCs. Citizenship. Here is an excerpt from the US Dept. of State website regarding residency in a foreign country and the effect on US citizenship.

Dual nationality can occur as the result of a variety of circumstances. The automatic acquisition or retention of a foreign nationality, acquired, for example, by birth in a foreign country or through an alien parent, does not affect U.S. citizenship. It is prudent, however, to check with authorities of the other country to see if dual nationality is permissible under local law. Dual nationality can also occur when a person is naturalized in a foreign state without intending to relinquish U.S. nationality and is thereafter found not to have lost U.S. citizenship: the individual consequently may possess dual nationality. While recognizing the existence of dual nationality and permitting Americans to have other nationalities, the U.S. Government also recognizes the problems which it may cause. Claims of other countries upon dual-national U.S. citizens often place them in situations where their obligations to one country are in conflict with the laws of the other. In addition, their dual nationality may hamper efforts to provide U.S. diplomatic and consular protection to them when they are abroad.

It appears that for us - the intent to relinquish our citizenship is key. The passage above also clears up some of the discussion on vj about the US not recognizing a USC as a dual citizen. We do. Here is more information about our policy towards dual nationality

Here are the Ukrainian equivalent provisions from the UA Embassy.

Loss of the citizenship of Ukraine
Citizenship of Ukraine shall be lost:

1) if a citizen of Ukraine voluntarily acquired citizenship of another state;

2)if a person is enrolled for military service, security service, law enforcement authorities, judicial bodies or other bodies of state power of foreign state without the consent of the public authorities of Ukraine, and if respective public authorities of Ukraine have made a request thereto;

3)if citizenship of Ukraine has been acquired as a result of submitting information or documents known to be false;

4)if a person residing/sojourning beyond the borders of Ukraine has not, without good reasons, undergone consular registration over seven years. Good reasons shall be the following: absence of diplomatic missions and post of Ukraine in the country of domicile, lengthy illness, hostilities and other emergencies.

For a citizen of Ukraine an affiliation to foreign citizenship shall not be recognized until the decision on his/her loss of citizenship of Ukraine is adopted.

Cite UA Embassy

I interpret this to mean that either a Ukrainian citizen has to renounce citizenship to lose it, or some petition has to be made to the government to lose it. It says nothing about residency - so apparently a GC is OK, as in the US.

All of this fails to address the issue of having different names on differentuments. We work through it by carrying a copy of our marraige certificate when we travel (for the OP).

Edited by Brad and Vika, 21 November 2010 - 08:08 AM.

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-21 08:04:00

Just came to mind...

Are USA marriages recognized in Ukraine?

In Ukrainian Government's eyes.. are we married if married in USA?

Yes and no. The government will recognize that you are married, but you will be unable to do anything legal (like obligate your spouse) without some legal documents. Likewise, if your spouse takes your last name (after you are married, mind), she won't be able to do anything legally binding either without the correct documents/stamps - I think that is true even for herself.

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-16 18:57:00

Inna had mentioned to me that it could be possible to just change her name with her documents before the K1 interview to my name because apparently theres no requirements to what name you have you just submit documents to OVIR and they do the change.

My only concern would be that the I-129F packet would not match when interview comes and raise flags... anyone have any opinion on this 'potential' solution?

I suppose she would have an official document from Ukraine that she would present to the consulate but of course her maiden name then be my name. Then we will have married with same last name...

Do not 1) marry and change names before applying for, or interviewing for, a K-1 (you will be wasting your time) or, 2) change names legally, then proceed with the K-1 process. If I understood that post right, a CO would think you are marrying your cousin or something - and turn you down flat.

Seeing how it's difficult for Ukrainians to get a visa to EU country's (Schengen Zone), not to mention I don't see things getting any better in Ukraine as far as economy and politics (Yanukovych), I would get married with all the proper documents (apostille, translated documents, etc..), and then make name change on all documents including her passport.

Vika got two Schengen visas and a UK visa with her Ukrainian passport still in maiden name. The UK visa came after all sorts of disclosure about her marraige. Come to think, so did the others, because you have to demonstrate how you will pay for the trip. My paystubs + marraige certificate seemed to work.

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-16 14:15:00

We married in Russia and before my wife came to the US both her passports were close to expiring...so she had both renewed with her married name. Of course the Russian translation system was not very exact so the last name on the passports is different. The only thing we have to do is book airline tickets for her using the passport name. Her Green Card, SS card and other US Ids are correctly spelled.

My wife has traveled back to Russia without problems.

Exactly what I was talking about. When we came back from the UK earlier this year, Vika needed a GC, drivers license, and a copy of our marraige certificate to get on the plane. The different name on her passport causes all kinds of hassle everywhere but Ukraine. She does have a great point about taxes and inheritance though being totally screwed up by the name change. My position is that is all going to happen when she gets her American passport in any event.

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-16 07:45:00

I would also wait and see if she *actually* wants to live in Ukraine after spending significant time in the US. Look at Brad and Vika's recent thread...

You got that right sister! :lol:

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-14 20:40:00

I would be very careful. The purpose of a green card is to live in the US full-time not back and forth. Katya had to go through weeks of appointments and documents in the Ukraine to receive the "stamp" that allowed her to legally immigrate to the USA. She also needed the documents from both parents. The green card is a permanent resident card in the USA. You cannot be a permanent resident of the USA and also be a permanent resident of Ukraine. I know several people have 'gotten away with it" but things like this are never a problem until the Ukraine or USA authorities want them to be. It is like driving 58 in a 55mph zone. Police never ticket you but they could if they wanted to. We have tried several times to have her passport changed in the USA at the DC Consulate with no luck. The Consul kept saying he needed a document certified by Apostille specifically authorizing the name change. No they would not accept the marriage certificate they wanted a name change document. We ended up have her name change in the court system and that satisfied them. Good Luck

Did the court name change work for both passports? I was under the impression that the internal one absolutely required domestic (Ukrainian) handling, and probably a long wait.

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-14 15:06:00

Vika took my name, and we did everything (SSN, drivers license, etc.) in her married name. She did not change her Ukrainian passport, as she has early on made clear she wants US citizenship anyway. Also the hassle, and she is conviced that it will goof up her property ownership somehow.

I read here all the time (mostly from men) posts about how they never wanted their wife to take their names, it doesn't matter, etc. Each to his own I say, but it did matter to us. We made a decision to share names as a symbol of a shared life. Just wanted to go on record with that.

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-14 10:19:00

She wanted me to promise her, that I will never make her son cross the Atlantic on a plane.

I hear the train schedule between Eastern Europe and America can be erratic.

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-09 20:20:00

I have a question, how about fear of flying of your FSU partners, fiancee etc?

Vika is fine with flight, but MIL is terrified! Haven't seen her here yet either :whistle:

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-09 07:45:00

Found it!

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-08 20:17:00

I've never experienced the train, but my daughter showed this to us the other night and after hearing all the wonderful tales about the train, I had to post this.

As for my train experience, I am hoping/dreading that my first will be sometime this summer. Kiev to Zaporizhzhya and then a bus to Berdyansk. So much for sleep I guess.

Take your own pillow... and a sleeping pill... beer helps too.

Vika showed me the original song that the OP is spoofing. I will try to find and post it.

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-08 19:22:00

I just showed this to Viktoriya. We laughed hysterically while comparing it to our overnight train to Lviv two years back. The heat, the food, everything. She is sending it to her mom this morning.

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-08 09:48:00

Brings back memories :lol:

Nice one.

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-07 22:48:00

Hotel close to Moscow embassy or medical exam?

Back off Clueless, because you are.

This was a rescheduled interview and therefore the normal advance knowledge was not available.

Just curious - I vaguely remember that she had a problem with the medical exam last time and went back home. It was days before Chris knew what happened, right? What was the deal there? I probably missed a post somewhere.

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-12-02 16:38:00

Hotel close to Moscow embassy or medical exam?

Never been to Moscow, but wanted to wish you better luck this go-round.

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-11-28 11:31:00

Remember Chris M and Tanya?

Now, tell him to get her over here and marry before the 31th to take advantage of tax credits for '10.

That is going to work right?

They won't know until they book the flight (on the 30th) :lol:

Congratulations to both!

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-12-07 15:19:00

I'm outta here!!!!

Definitely keep in touch with us. We're considering doing the same thing at some point.

I also want to ask why. Not an incredulous there is no reason to do this why but just would like to know your particular reasons (of which I believe there are many).

TO my recollection, he said it was because he is retired (and therefore has the time), and that everything is more affordable in Crimea - so his pension goes further. Oh yeah, and the scenery

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-12-13 09:09:00

I'm outta here!!!!

Safe travels Tim!

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-12-13 01:26:00

Ukraine parliament

They must have run out of eggs :lol:

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-12-20 15:42:00

Alan-and-Ira

Hang in there.

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-12-22 20:59:00

Alan-and-Ira

Wow, sad news, I hope it all works out and she is back to good health soon

Absolutely

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-10-31 21:07:00

Alan-and-Ira

Terrible thing. Any news yet?

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-10-30 09:37:00

Thanks for the advice. Yeah, Olga is the fiancee. MIL did go to Egypt once but I am guessing that doesn't count for much. MIL has a good job, owns her apartment, has other family there in Russia so I am hoping that she can come. Olga doesn't trust anyone else to babysit the 21 month old if we want to take a honeymoon so it is looking real important to get her mother over for a visit then!

Keep us posted on your progress

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-12-24 22:16:00

I'm pretty sure that Olga is the fiancee, not the future MIL. As James said, the future MIL has never had a visa to Western Europe (of which Portugal is pretty much the most western part).

To James, no one can really predict if you MIL will get a tourist visa. Naturally, things would be much better if she had previous visas to Western Europe. An invitation to her daughter's wedding would help. I would definitely recommend that it's worth giving it a try. It's only $131 (or has it gone up recently?) and in the whole scheme of things that isn't much.

Thanks - I wasn't clear who was who :lol:

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-12-21 10:01:00

Forgot to say that she (future MIL) has not had a visa to western europe. Only country outside FSU she has visited was Egypt. She has not expressed any interest in ever wanting anything more than a visit here. She seems pretty loyal to the motherland. Olga is the opposite, she has little use for the corruption and other problems that are so common there. She (Olga) got a visa to Portugal several years ago and stayed with a cousin there for 6 months. Since then she has been willing to leave for good.

How long ago? A visa to Portugal, with a timely return should be helpful. A Schengen visa seems to work too. Good Luck!!

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-12-21 04:51:00

Like topics merged

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-12-13 00:43:00

I haven't got to fullfill that fantasy... yet.

Although if my wife brought it up to me as "her idea", I couldn't say no and upset her now could I ?

Sounds of:

1) Laughing really hard
2) Puking into my hat
3) Laughing hard and puking through my nose into my hat

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-12-12 16:49:00

a hot mom - daughter threesome was a close second...

Can I get a ewwwwwww! :lol:

Edited for more ewwwww.

Edited by Brad and Vika, 06 December 2010 - 07:30 PM.

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-12-06 19:29:00

Just a side note, here.. much has been made of the appearance of the female FSU wives, what do the mother-in-laws look like?

**gasp** How about it boys? :rofl:

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-12-04 20:08:00

She didn't have any trouble getting the visa. She had previous trips to Finland and Germany. She is listed as primary resident for her apartment (she sort of owns it but it isn't privatized). She doesn't have any sort of steady job that would be worth going back to if she wanted to stay.

This does seem to make a difference. Vika's BFF got her mom a visa (and mom is still here), but first took her Western Europe on a Schengen visa. The Schengen approval with a timely return to Ukraine seemed to influence the consular officer at our embassy.

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-12-03 15:32:00

Hazah? could you point me in the right direction?
Thanks
Well I hope it works out for both of us man

Here is one Hazah MIL visa thread MIL1

Here is one of mine, where Hazah describes the rejection of his MIL MIL2

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-06-02 18:39:00

As far as evidence proving they have close ties to Russia what would be good? They both work for Gazprom, they own apartments in Moscow and Ukraine, all of their family is in Ukraine, Moscow or Siberia, any other ideas. I am guessing the more they can prove their ties the chances for them getting it are better.

I think this is just a ####### shoot. We are in the same situation, where MIL will apply soon. Lots of conflicting stories here about the B visa proofs, but I think more is generally considered better. See some of Hazah's posts on this forum though, as more information didn't work for his MIL twice. Good luck!

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-06-01 06:39:00

Been there, done that. They didn't even look at ANYTHING other than the letter of invitation I sent her. Have her try to bring more supporting documents of why she will return. That should be her priority.

Now THAT is really good info. I will pass it on to the boss immediately. Thanks!

Brad and Vika

Male

Ukraine

2010-03-31 11:21:00