biggish data

Sad Day for hockey fans

????? ?????...

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-09-09 22:06:00

One of my friends told me that both me and another foreigner friend of his always have accents in Russian... except when we speak mat. I guess because it's something we both picked up naturally, rather than being taught in class?

My theory is: that might be happening because of your emotional state. Everybody tells me and my friend that we have no accent when we're angry and we yell at somebody in English. I mean... my acent is pretty slight anyway, but I only have chance of having no accent at all when I'm really mad.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-09-07 10:54:00

Well, I don't like when there is a lot of "mat" around me. I mean, I don't mind it when it's to the point, like if somebody's telling a joke, or is being really frustrated - something like that... but when half of what a person says is curse words... I won't say anything, but I'm going to avoid talking to this them. To me it just means that they lack vocabulary and we probably won't share similar interests and views anyway, so why bother?

When a foreigner says something like that - I laugh, cause it does sound funny.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-09-07 04:41:00

We risk admonishment from a Moderator, in that the on-topic purpose of this thread is Wedgies, really man.

Dont's worry, it's RUB :lol:

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-08-23 08:05:00

I don't think there is a term for it in neither Russian nor Ukrainian (the RUB languages that I can speak). You just have to explain what it is every time you're trying to talk about it.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-08-18 05:33:00

Congrats!!! :thumbs:

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-09-14 11:23:00

Made the appointment for September 12, at 10 am. Wish us luck!

Oh, it's really soon! Good luck to you both!

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-09-07 04:43:00

I personally don't think saying, "they do not want to stay in the US and will not overstay their visa" is a good idea either. Better to say something like, "They will return XX days after arrival in order to get back to work and familial duties at home."

As for covering costs, a simple statement of "My husband and I will cover all costs while they're here." is sufficient.

I don't know, but it worked for us. Anyway, the invitations in our case were written based on the examples I could find online, so looking for sample invitations can be an option too

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-08-31 09:17:00

I don't think that paying for travel insurance prior visa interview is a good idea.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-08-31 04:25:00

I don't know if to write that also given he's got enough money to cover for himself. Maybe I could add that, in the case of an emergency, me and my family would cover his expenses?

Yeah, I think that they mostly care about having enough money to cover the medical expenses in case something happens.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-08-30 16:20:00

Meh, I don't want it to sound too "I'm a USC I DESERVE this" blah blah blah, does it come off that way?

Doesn't sound like that to me

When my fiance was making the invitations for my parents, he also included this in his letter (apart from the information that they're coming for the wedding and they're going to stay for 2 weeks):
"He/she will be staying with us at the above address.

I will personally cover part of expenses including medical coverage, for the duration of his/her stay in the United States. I will take all the responsibility for him/her during her stay and his/her departure from United States at the end of his/her vacation.

I can state, with absolute certainty, that Mr./Mrs. ... has no intentions to stay in the United States beyond the legal limitations of his/her visa. I would appreciate any assistance that you may render in the timely processing of his/her visa application.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Yours truly, "

Man, I keep saying "my fiance" - that's funny :lol:

My husband, of course :star:

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-08-30 10:35:00

Wait you mean a copy of my passport with the letter I'm writing for him?

Yes.
They need it to prove that the person, who writes the letter is (or is going to be) in the US legally.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-07-19 06:00:00

A bank statement will work.
When he applies at PONY EXPRESS, they are going to give him a paper with some of the possible "proofs" listed on it.
Also, you might want to make a copy of your passport or something that proves your US Citizenship - it goes along with the invitation letter :yes:

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-07-19 03:40:00

How long in advance did you have to make an appointment? The consulate says to apply for the visa about 30 days before planned travel but how far in advance do we need to plan to make an appointment?

PONY EXPRESS (the mail service, that works with the Embassy) recommends to get all the paperwork ready and sent to the Embassy 1,5-2 months before the actual visit to the USA.
Average wait till the interview appointment can be looked up here: http://travel.state..../wait_4638.html
It's pretty accurate and gets updated very often.

I've been working on my parents' visas, hopefully, they can fly to the States with me for the wedding, since we have the date and everything already set (I know, I know "don't plan till visa in hand", but it's impossible not to plan with my fiance, who likes everything being planned 5 years ahead :lol:

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-07-17 17:52:00

I was just wondering, would a letter I write saying he'll stay with me, I live in Moscow, it's just to visit my folks for two weeks, etc, help at all?

I think it can be helpful, especially cause you actually live in Moscow and will come back with him.
All I know that they don't really like fancy super official notarized letters. A simple letter might be really helpful.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-07-14 05:52:00

My fiance tried to visit me on a tourist visa in August, and they denied her. She didn't have a job, but was a full time student, but that wasn't enough proof that she would return. So I just got a visa and visited her instead. But now I have a question, she wrote on her tourist visa application that I was her friend, and now we are applying for a K-1 Visa. Do you think it will be an issue that she put friend and not boyfriend? They didn't mention that in her interview, but they did say something like "You haven't known him long enough to visit him"

I don't think that it will be a problem, really. I know some people, who have been trying to get a visa to see a "friend", but got denied, and then didn't have any problem in getting a K-1 visa. A friend can easily become a boyfriend, especially since you've visited her. Good luck to you guys!

I've thought of going through the K-1 visa route, but the problem is I'll be living in Moscow for the next three or four years, so we thought it'd be easier to get married over there and then get the CR1 visa.

I've love my parents to visit us instead, but my mother has a fear of flying so badly she can't even see an airplane on TV.

I think we'll give the tourist visa a shot. We're thinking of applying for it by next december/january, so hopefully we'll have enough "proof" by then.

I think it's worth trying. Plus denial in B-1/2 visa does not affect the possibility of getting a CR-1 visa in future. And you never know what to expect from the embassy, really. I know some female students, who didn't have a job, weren't married, but their visas got approved for some reason. On the contrary, they can deny somebody's visa application, when they have all kinds of "proof". You never know, that's why I always say that the chances are 50/50.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-02-24 07:08:00

Does having a return ticket also constitute of proof that he'd be coming back?

Moscow consulate recommends people not to buy plane tickets before the interview. they don't really see that as a proof and you never know what will happen - first, they can deny your visa, then, sometimes their printer for visas is broken. My friend had to change her flight date twice before they finally had her visa printed last year - which is always extra money.

You can find this links helpful:
http://moscow.usemba...eqvdocs.html#sd
http://moscow.usemba...gov/nivfaq.html

Your boyfriend can find the same information in Russian on their website.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-02-21 04:39:00

Apart from letter from work he can bring a paper, which states how much money he gets. If he owns a car and a garage, it's good to bring proof that he owns all of it. Chances are always 50/50.

Edited by ONA, 20 February 2011 - 04:27 AM.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-02-20 04:26:00

Car loans are still debts. So is credit card debt, etc. You seem to be talking about government-mandated things.

OK, I'm going to correct myself. In Russian there are 2 words for 'debt' - ???? and ?????????????. You're fine to leave the country if you have a ?????????????, i.e. you're in the process of paying off your car/house/apartment/credit card bill etc. Your ????????????? turns into a ????, when you stop payments and the bank decides to sue you - at that point you're likely to have problems trying to leave the country. Fines, child support etc. are also considered as ????.

isn't the internal passport not supposed to leave Russia? so yeah, if you give up your propiska, it seems like you wouldn't have the internal. I don't know anyone who gabe up the propiska in Russia, though.

No, they put a stamp into the internal passport, something like "???? ? ???????????????? ?????" - then you have to take it with you abroad, they will need it in the consulate, to register you there. I'm not sure what they do next, but i don't think that they take the passport away.
And you can take the internal passport with you - first of all, when a person is going to Ukraine, they don't have to have travel passport at all, most people just take the internal passport to go there. And I always had my internal passport with me, when I was in the US too. Nobody cares.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-08-03 07:26:00

You can't cross borders and leave Russia if you have any debt?
Weird. I know for sure my father has a car loan, yet he travels all over EU all the time...

Car loan isn't a debt... It's a car loan.
I was talking about actual debts - like when somebody didn't pay fines, child support or taxes etc.

Edited by ONA, 03 August 2011 - 04:21 AM.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-08-03 04:21:00

Doesn't this stamp require sacrificing your internal passport?

As far as I know it means only that you're giving up your 'propiska' and become registered in the consulate abroad instead.

So, right now I'm choosing the first option; and will post about the result.

Please, keep us posted, I'm pretty sure, there might be people with the same problem here :yes:

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-08-03 03:25:00

I can only report that none of three Ukrainians in this household have this stamp and all have been back and forth several times (and we are about to do it again) and have never had a problem. We have arrived and departed from both Ukraine and Russia (this year we are going through Moscow as it was cheaper, sometimes it is cheaper to go through Kiev...go figure) Never a question.

Russia is even easier on that matter. Russian citizens aren't absolutely required to have this stamp, not even to find out about the debts, cause you can't leave Russia at all if you have any debt - you can't even go to Ukraine of any other FSU country. So what do they care? It all depends on what you want to do in Russia.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-08-02 15:22:00

Sympathy Gifts

Cash? Seriously? I know folks over there aren't well off, but isn't stuffing a C-Note into a sympathy card more than a little... insulting?

For you as an American - maybe.
In Russia/Ukraine when somebody dies, the first thing their friends and people from work do is gathering money for their family.
Flowers? It's pretty rare there that somebody buys real flowers for a funeral anyway. People use artificial flowers for that.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-09-13 05:10:00

I need to know specifically what is in Packet 3

I'm sure that 99.9% of the time doing the medical exam in Kiev the day before the interview is solid advice. We are thankful that Lena went 1 month before her interview because she was forced to return the next week for 3 consecutive days for AFB sputum tests (TB screening). Apparently the good doctor there saw a questionable spot in one lung. She was cleared after the additional testing the following week and she had her interview 3 weeks later as scheduled. Always plan for the unexpected. Good luck!

The other 0.5%,
Lena and Igor

Right, You need to be sure that everything is fine with your health before you schedule the medical the day before the interview.
I knew I was fine, cause I had to do TB screening for the university every year.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-09-24 10:19:00

I need to know specifically what is in Packet 3

Good idea! I was originally thinking about doing two separate trips. I didn't know you could do the medical so close to the interview. Have you heard of any problems in the past of people doing the medical the day before the interview?

I did my medical the day before the interview in Russia. No problems at all.

Edited by ONA, 23 September 2011 - 08:48 AM.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-09-23 08:48:00

I need to know specifically what is in Packet 3

K-1 applicants in Ukraine do not have to fill out DS-230 (in Russia we have to, in Ukraine they don't require it).
She will have to call the embassy to schedule the interview in about a week after you reseive the KEV# and the paperwork leaves NVC.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-09-21 08:05:00

51-year-old Russian tycoon Alexander Lebedev, a former KGB agent, punches Sergei Polonsky on live TV

I had sex with a rubber but I never married one

so what?

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-09-25 15:04:00

51-year-old Russian tycoon Alexander Lebedev, a former KGB agent, punches Sergei Polonsky on live TV

... just don't say anything bad about Russia. Well, not to a Russian, anyway.

That is correct :bonk:

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-09-23 08:45:00

Tsar Putin to run for Russian presidency in 2012

Russians in that manner are more akin to their Asian cousins in regards to totalitarian regimes, murdering journalist, politicians, and human rights workers. It's from being under the thumb of the Golden Horde for 300+ years and it had a definite effect.

It's not because of that.
Do you know why prince (knyaz) Vladimir (Vladimir... LOL) decided that Orthodox Christianity is the best religion for what was at that time Kievan Rus? Well, one of the reasons was that it meant more power for Rusian princes (and than for tzars). According to Russian Orthodox Church Tzar was sort of God's deputy on Earth. That's where it all comes from and that's why I don't like church that much.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-09-27 03:57:00

Tsar Putin to run for Russian presidency in 2012

Are you serious?
I remember talking to my history teacher about Putin winning 2012 elections in spring 2007 - I was still in my 1st year of university.
Post something about RUB women - it's more fun :yes:

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-09-24 12:55:00

I'd still like to know whether RUBbettes who are now here use the rags-on-sticks.

I don't.

In regard to the ice cream, the asymmetry isn't the only clue that someone here has been into it unauthorizedly -- if the craters in the carefully molded plateau of chocolate ice cream have traces of strawberry in them, someone has not only been pilfering but has been mixing flavors!

I like mixing flavors too!

Speaking of which, what do RUBbettes think about sharing one's food (between bites of one's own) with the cat, huh man?

Lots of people tend to give something off the table to their cats/dogs.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-09-12 05:17:00

Men who choose from the available RUB women in their area of the USA differ gratly in their relative perspective of RUB women from those of us that have been to RUB countries and know what is available

Sorry... what?

I am not the only one that has mentioned this, I may mention it more often than others, but then I have THREE Ukrainians to keep up with which means I have to be the LAST one to upstairs every night!

It might be just the family. Seriously. My dad's family in Ukraine use their fridges too. And never put their juice to the microvawe.
And I have been to Ukraine more times than you did (the 1st time happened when I was 9 months old) and I grew up and lived in Russia, so I might know better :yes:

Don't be offended...but you always seem more like an American than you do a Russian on here. For a long time I thought you were the USC.

that's why i'm saying "I must be weird".
I don't know, on Sunday my husband's friend's mom kept saying that I needed to be americanized :lol:

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-09-12 05:08:00

I must be really weird for a Russian :whistle:

I had an actual mop back in Russia for years and in my family people always would put everything to the fridge. In fact... I don't think I know anybody, who wouldn't. I know Gary always talks about it, but it's just so weird to me.
The onlything is that Russians don't keep their bread in the fridge. Russian bread can't be good for weeeks anyways, just for a couple of days.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-09-10 12:17:00

Isn't he Mr. ONOV?

My actual maiden name is Serbian, so... I would say probably no

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-08-30 16:23:00

Congrats to you and Mr. ONA.... da man!

Thanks

I'm going to tell Mr. ONA that he got a new nickname :yes:

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-08-30 10:24:00

Thank you, guys! :star:

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-08-26 10:41:00

Wow,now I'm actually glad that my parents went back home on Monday and not yesterday, cause apparently yesterday's earthquake caused a lot of flight delays.

Anyway, thank you, guys! Oh, my weding did happen and it was sooooo fun.
Yeah, I can show you some pics :yes:

I can even show you a video of what happens when a guy catches the bouquet.

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-08-24 05:15:00

My MIL was able to get a tourist visa to be here for our wedding. We wound up marrying earlier but she came for the two weeks anyway. She was of the mindset that things were not that good in the USA, probably believed all the negative stories/propaganda that was and maybe still is on their state-run media. She was very surprised by what she found here! Now she can't wait to come back!

My parents went back to Russia yesterday and they really missed home all the time they've been here. The hardest thing for them was not being able to talk to anybody, they always needed my help. They also missed Russian food a lot, one day we all went to a Russian store, but still... They've seen lots of beautiful places though, that's good. They had fun at the wedding, which is also good (yep, I'm a wife now :star:

ONA

Female

Russia

2011-08-23 08:18:00