Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	where did every respectively 'pop the question'	Oh We were in St. Issac's Cathedral (St. Petersburg, RU) and I had the ring in my pocket and wanted to ask her there but there were so many people I wanted it to be a little more private. So I chickened out. When we came out of the Cathedral she asked if I wanted to go see the Neva River. I said sure why not and we walked a little ways to the river through the park. A little bear sitting on a park bench sucking on a bottle of juice was there and we walked past the bear and in front of the Statue of The Bronze Horseman. The Re-enactors of Peter the great and his wife were bothering us to take our picture (with my own camera haha) There were just married couples taking pictures on the grassy area. I looked off in the distance and saw the Cathedral, park, bear, Neva River. I told her to stand in front of the Bronze Horseman and took her picture then got down on one knee and asked her to marry me. We had talked about it before and I had been there three days and hadn't asked her. She said "what took you so long, yes!" Then I told her to help me up haha	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-05-27 01:54:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	What were the first few things you learned to say in Russian, and why?	Cheburashka haha Ok not really. I learned about 10 words or Phrases back in high school. However the first word I learned from my Natasha was Cheburaska. Does anyone know what this thing actually is? looks like a mon chi chi Frank	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-04-27 02:26:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Clothing Conversion from Russian to US	My Natasha has always told me,"there are American sizes, European sizes and Russian sizes.	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-06-24 10:39:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Pet Travel Health Certificate	My Natasha who is from St. Petersburg and recently took her cat (Rizhik) to the Vet and the vet had all the paperwork there. Rizhik actually got what looks like a passport with information about his rabies shot and when he got it. He also got a deworming medication before he went to the vet. There is also a requirement that the animal be chipped. Natasha has to take him back to the vet 3 days before they leave the country and then she is given a health certificate. There was some talk about some government entity where she needed to take him to confirm or not confirm that he was an exotic animal, this turned out not to be true, this is done at the airport. At the airport she has to take him 1 day before the flight to have their vet check him out and make sure everything is in order and measured and weighed to ascertain how much they will charge poor Rizhik for his plane ride. Apparently the U.S. actually doesn't even require a rabies shot to enter. This coming from my brother who is an animal control officer. The animal will be allowed to enter, however they must get vaccinated within 10 days and be quarantined (at your home) for 30 days. It is better to have everything done before the animal enters. Of course none of this relates to Hawaii or any islands held by the U.S. Well this is how I understood Natashas explanation, there are many things about Russia I don't understand (apartment registration for one) but this seemed pretty straight forward.	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-09-29 22:56:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	why american men detest american women	I don't prefer Amercian or Russian Women. I just happened to fall in love with a Russian woman. We can't help who we fall in love with, whether they be Russian, American, or Martian. Hmm I remember that Martian girl. Frank	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-10-09 15:26:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	How long untill interview????	I emailed the Embassy asking if they had received the case yet and they wrote back within 3 days and told me they had and when and that the interview was scheduled for Nove 13th. At the time that was only a month and a half. It seems like they are trying to catch up on emails they seem to be slow so I would try calling them instead.	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-10-11 23:29:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Mailing forms to embassy	Natasha FINALLY got her instruction packet after I was told two weeks ago that her interview would be on Nov 13th. That was confirmed with the packet 3. However, nowhere does it say to mail any DS-230 or DS-156 to the embassy. In fact it says to bring everything with her to the embassy. I'm confused did sending anything to them change? Are they getting more efficent? It seems like they automatically set an interview date without having to receive anything from packet 3. Not even a confimation saying she was ready? Am I right to assume she needs nothing but the medical and to show up for the interview? She has the appointment letter.	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-10-13 14:50:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	I-134 Notarized ?	The new form does not need to be notarized..in fact there is no place to put the notary stamp....having said that, the Moscow Embassy website still says it has to be notarized. Contacting the Embassy they took more than two weeks to respond with "As per the website it needs to be notarized".., however calling they told me no it didn't need to be notarized..guess what I did....I notarized it! If it is not required and I don't have it no problem, if it is required and I don't have it problem so, better to be safe than sorry.	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-10-15 18:24:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Questions about Police certificate	Hi Ed, My Natasha lives in St. Petersburg and she went and got her police certificate. Yes they told her it would be ready in a month but if your fiancee has lived in St. Petersburg all her life and has had no other problems (criminal activity) it could possibly be ready in a week or two. After she applies she can just call them to see if it is ready. Sometimes they answer the phone but be patient she says. They are actually very helpful. Natasha wound up going to the KGB which is actually close by and other police stations , they were very helpful in telling her "its next door" The following is the address and times they are open, straight from Natasha, I hope this helps... St. Petersburg ul Chaykovskogo d.14 metro Chernyshevskaya (10 minute walk) Phone: 573-34-26 Monday 15 -17 Tuesday 10 -13 and 15-17 Wednesday 10-13 and 15 -17 Thursday 15-17	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-10-25 14:43:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Hotels in Moscow?	Hi, My Natasha is going there on November 10th and staying until the 13th however I had to pay until the 14th because checkout time is at 12pm (they have check-in whenever) and her plane leaves at 9 pm. Like my Natasha says "if it's near a metro line everything is close".. Anyway I booked 4 nights at the Izmailovo Vega Hotel. It is an olympic complex that used to house athletes but has since been turned into hotels, this is one of them. It was the cheapest we found very close to a metro line and a direct line to the embassy as far as IOM. I don't know where that is but Natasha assures me "its close by metro". The cost for me was 72.00 a night however if you are going after the 13th of November I think it drops down to 56.00 a night for a simple single bed..I was upgraded to a double for 20.00 more (total) I booked everything through www.moscow-hotels.net you can search for other hotels there the direct link is www.moscow-hotels.net/izmailovo-vega hotel. They can charge your card right away or 3 days before. They also supposedly have 24 hr cafes on various floors. This is not luxurious but as my Natasha said I need a place to sleep and a shower before the medical and interview thats all..oh and food. The problem is they don't have airport pickup but Natasha said she found an express bus that will take you to the metro station and that station to within one block of the hotel. Shes got her moscow metro maps and even a McDonalds map haha	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-10-23 23:51:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Moscow Embassy	First, there is NO Russian Mafia..haha Second, email the Embassy, then email the Embassy, then Email the Embassy, and finally email the Embassy 2 or three times a day they will answer one email. Include all the information plus the MOS number your name, her name, and birth dates, also mention that you are the Petitioner. I have only had one problem where it took them two weeks to answer me, however once I started emailing 3 times a day I think they got tired of me and decided to answer. I even half jokingly have told my Natasha when you show up for the interview they will say "Oh you are THAT guys fiancee"!	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-11-06 09:54:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Waiting for Interview	I thought waiting for the petition to be approved was long and stressful. Nothing like waiting two months for the interview, this seems like such a long wait. Worse than waiting for the petition to get approved I think and the closer to the interview date the longer the wait seems haha I am so anxious, nervous but hopeful. Today the hotel in Moscow charged my credit card. Another step closer. Ok just had to vent a little. I'm going crazy have to keep busy. Thanks for letting me share. Frank	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-11-05 12:37:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	G-325A	Yes you can fill it out as long as it's not her signature, its fine. My Natasha lives in St. Petersburg and it typically takes 3 weeks or so for mail to make it here. If she mailed it 3 weeks ago I think you should expect it any time now.	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-11-06 13:05:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Interview Nov 13 Tomorrow!	I see my Natasha has been posting so the visa took 6 days to get to her and can be tracked at the DHL website. I emailed her this morning and told her NOT TO OPEN THE BROWN ENVELOPE haha She didn't. She lives in St. Petersburg so from Moscow to St. Petes was 6 days, I'm sure they wait until they have enough and then call DHL. However they picked it up from Moscow on Thursday and delievered it on Friday before noon.	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-11-20 23:37:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Interview Nov 13 Tomorrow!	My interview was on 13th November. I got my visa delivered today at 10:10 am so it really took a week. Good luck to everyone!!!!	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-11-20 11:05:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Interview Nov 13 Tomorrow!	That's true but can immigration officers at the airport read an X-ray (I don't think so:)) or do they simply have to make sure you have it?	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-11-19 14:03:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Interview Nov 13 Tomorrow!	Well that "BS" is what the medical secretary tells you to do. I will put my X-Ray at the bottom of one of my suitcases even if nobody will ever ask me for it in the US. They always ask you for something when you don't have it so it's better to be on the safe side and not to give them a chance to make your life miserable . Good luck to everyone!	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-11-18 13:09:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Interview Nov 13 Tomorrow!	Ok Natasha asked me to post this , perhaps to try and ease anyones anxiety. "Hi baby, Please post it on visaJourney for me. I forgot how hahaha. I thought I would share my medical experience with the other girls. I know how nervous everyone must be right now. I love you my future husband. You future wife Natasha More about the medical exam! OK guys let your fiancées know how it goes. Everyone who has an appointment at IOM is in good hands! The IOM office is located near Ulitsa 1905 Goda metro station (about 10-15 minute walk which is nothing for a Russian girl from a big city ). It opens at 8:30 am. You go upstairs and to the first window (which is actually sort of a little cabin) right opposite the top of the stairs. You tell the guy (it was a guy in my case) behind the glass that you have an appointment at 8:30 am (well it was my appointment) and he asks you what your name is. Then he gives you a form to fill out and tells you to come back to him when you are done. You go back to him and he looks at the form and tells you to go to windows 15 or 16 (Sorry, I might be mistaken about the numbers). There is a woman, she asks you for your international passport and a picture (a color picture 3*4). She also asks you for your vaccination certificate (a little blue book that you can get at your regular clinic in Russia). I thought everything was fine with my vaccinations but she told me I still missed some. She told me I had to have mumps and rubella. I informed her that my doctor had told me that I was too old for rubella (they give it to you until you are 25) and they didn’t give you mumps in Russia at all. She said it didn’t matter, the American side requires them anyway. So she told me she wouldn’t give me a vaccination certificate paper. She told me to go to Immunity Center in St. Petersburg, pay money and have those missing vaccinations done, then translate the little blue book and take the translation along with the book to the US. OK I don’t really like this idea so I’m not going to do that. I’m just telling you what I was told and of course it’s up to you to decide what to do. Remember, nobody will ask you about the vaccinations at the interview. K-1 visa doesn’t require vaccinations. However, I recommend doing them here in Russia, at least those they can give you here. Just go to your clinic by “propiska” and have them done for free. They are not so cheap in the US as far as I know. OK then she prepares all the papers for the doctors to fill out and puts them in a huge white envelope. Be careful with it because Moscow metro is always overcrowded and you will be packed like tiny pickles in a jar. However, don’t be afraid, they also give you a huge black plastic bag to carry that envelope. Then they tell you to go pay $160.00 or 4720 rubles (notice $1 is 30 rubles at the Embassy). You pay (the cashier is right there a couple of steps away) and go back to the woman. She gives you a paper (A4) with a copy of Moscow map (oh they call it Rapid Transit System of Moscow in Moscow haha Here in St. Petersburg we call it “Metro”. Well I like things simple haha), and she explains to you how to get to the clinic (this place is just an office). The information about the clinic you can find online is obsolete. It’s a different place now! So you go back to the metro (Ulitsa 1905 Goda) and go to Kuznetsky Most, change trains to Lubyanka and go to Biblioteka Imeny Lenina (the red line), you get out of the metro and walk along Vozdvizhenka st, then you turn to Romanov pereulok (on your right) and walk along it to iron gates (on your right), then you see a wooden door with glass “boards” on it, on the left (on the building) you will see a plate that says “Medical Center”, you come in and open the door on your right which says “Buro propuskov” (they give you a pass (a little piece of paper) at the IOM office). You give the pass to the security guard and walk out of the building and find yourself in the yard (it all is actually the Kremlin hospital) you go to the door number 5 on the right, walk upstairs to the 2d floor and to room ? 235 (Administrator MOM). You give her your huge envelope and she tells you to go to another room for the blood test (one blood test from your arm), then you go to another building (it’s right there in the yard) for your X-Ray. You have to wait there for the result of your X-Ray. When you get the result you go back to room 235 and give them the huge envelope again (the X-Ray is in it). They tell you to wait until a GP (general practitioner) calls your name. GP asks you general questions about your health and your health history (Have you ever had any communicable diseases? She has a long list of diseases on her computer so she simply reads from the screen.). Then she takes your bp, listens to your heart and lungs (she’s the one who looks at your X-Ray too right there in front of you), looks at your throat, checks your body (touches you ), takes your weight and height and that’s it. No gynecologist, girls! Yeah haha. Then if everything looks fine she tells you to come back at 4 pm for the results. When you get there to pick up your results there’s a line of people. You go back to room 235 when it’s your turn and the medical secretary asks for your name. You sign a paper and get your huge white envelope with the precious sealed envelope in it (it’s a lot smaller). DO NOT OPEN THAT ENVELOPE!!! Whatever happens DO NOT OPEN IT! Even if there is an alien invasion or a fit of uncontrolled curiosity!!! If you got the envelope you are fine! They won’t give you the envelope if there’s something wrong with you. And please believe there’s nothing wrong with you, you will be just fine! Besides, people at the clinic are very nice. Don’t bring the X-Ray to the interview. They only ask you for the sealed (SEALED!) envelope. However, at the clinic the medical secretary (or whoever she is) will tell you to bring the X-Ray to the US with you because it is supposedly valid for a year. Don’t let them X-ray it at the airport. Don’t put it on the conveyer belt. Tell the airport security it is your X-Ray and you can’t have it X-Rayed. OK That’s it. I hope you will find it helpful. Natasha Frank’s fiancée"	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-11-16 22:47:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Interview Nov 13 Tomorrow!	Ok some information, apparently Natasha talked to someone who was waiting at the IOM clinic and she had just come from the Medicina (sp?) clinic. Apparently they only had one licensed doctor and he decided to quit before the clinic opened. When they people showed up to the clinic they were told this and that they were not working with the embassy. They sent everyone with their appointment letters to IOM where they did get their medical without the appointment. Embassy... You show up and make a line outside. Then a police officer comes out and says everybody who's appointment is at 8 am come forward. He says prepare your passports and invitations.Then he takes 3 passports from 3 people and looks at the invitation and takes the passports and he goes to his "little security cabin" and scans the passports. He comes back and hands back the passports and those 3 people move forward in the line. It goes on like this. You move to the other security guard and he looks at the passport. Takes the passport and invitation and looks for your name on the list and gives them back. Then another guard and he searches your bag. Then he does a wand body scan. Then you go inside one person at a time. There is another guard (woman) "evil Natasha says" she said" read this put them here" which meant read a sign which objects you can't bring inside the Embassy. So you put your stuff on a shelf and they give you a little plastic card with a bar code on it to retreive your articles afterwards. You go to another room with more security guards. You put your coat and bag papers on a conveyor belt to get x-rayed. You go upstairs and you stand in line to window 5 or 6 they ask your name and they pull out your petition (yes the one you sent to USCIS). They say please sit down you will be called. Natasha says "the toilet is right there if you need it". haha Also the Embassy in Moscow is SUPPOSED to have a machine that dispenses your number...HOWEVER the machine was NOT working. She went to window 5 or 6 in the immigrant visa area and when it is your turn you tell them your name and they tell you they will call you. They will call you by name and tell you which window to go to, the announcement is very loud you can't miss it. You gie them your international passport and the copy of your international passport, then they will tell you which papers they need. You have to have two copies of the DS-156 (the electronic one) with pictures. They will ask for this paper and this paper and this and this specifically. They have a list and check everything off. They take fingerprints, give you a receipt and tell you to go pay and its right next to the window. You pay 131.00 USD or RUB they don't take worn out or torn bills.You go back to your seat and wait until the consular officer calls your name. When they call you you get all your stuff and go to the window. You are standing. You can put all your stuff on the counter. They tell you to raise your right hand (Russian or English) and they say I swear that I will tell the truth to the best of my knowledge then you say yes I swear. Then she tells you to sign the forms the CO shows you where. She (CO) asked if she spoke English. She started asking her questions, how did you meet, what does he do, when did you last see him, what are your wedding plans, do you have any photos of you together, do you have any emails or letters, when did he ask you to marry him, and did he give you a ring, can I see it, and when did he ask you to marry you when he was here or when he left. It took her 1 second to look at the photos and 1 second to look at the emails. But that was her case she said she took more time with other people. The she said in Russian "all your documents look good, your visa has been approved, congratulations, welcome to the United States. Then she explained you have six months to use the visa and then you have 3 months when you arrive to get married. Then she shows you the DHL receipt and says you will get your visa in a week and will be delivered to this address you have written here. She says thank you and you are done then you go downstairs and looked for the exit signs. She asked a security guard where to get her cell phone and he said "read this". A sign (printed paper) "EFFECTS PICKUP" it says go outside, turn left, turn left again where the first poilceman was at the entrance, and there is a little window on the side of the building and you put your card there and you pick all the stuff there. Whew If there are any question ask and I will ask Natasha.	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-11-14 16:34:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Interview Nov 13 Tomorrow!	QUOTE (baron555 @ Nov 12 2009, 05:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (norrin @ Nov 12 2009, 05:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Natasha is in Moscow and her interview is today! I am so excited and so nervous. It will be 11 pm here when she walks through the Embassy doors there. I am not sleeping tonight to say the least. The medical went well, she said "simple." She also said that "The hotel is nice and cute. I love my room. I have shower, toilet, a little TV a huge bed and I'm very happy with it. I'm on the 25th floor. I went on a 2 hour bus tour while waiting for the medical results. (she went to IOM) Today I went guess where? haha to the zoo of course!" It was the IZMAILOVO VEGA HOTEL if anyone is interested. Please pray for us for a quick and successful interview and issuing of her visa Thanks Frank You guys will be fine. Please do tell us all how it goes and what questions were asked, etc. Alla goes on Nov 20. Hi Guys, It is 4 am and Natasha just called me to tell me she was approved! Natasha showed up to the Embassy at 7:30 am Moscow time and there were already 15 people in line in front of her. Once inside the Embassy she waited 3 hours for her interview. So I suggest getting there earlier, however this being Russia and 37 degrees today well not too early. She said the girl in front of her was interviewed for 30 minutes. She was finally called up to the window and the consular officer started talking to her in Russian then switched to English. They asked her When did we meet, when did I ask her to marry me, did he give you an engagement ring and she asked to see it and told her it was beautiful, and what did I doI will. Natasha answered in English. She told her that her English was excellent and YOUR VISA HAS BEEN APPROVED..YOU WILL RECEIVE IT IN A WEEK. The whole interview lasted 5 minutes. She said the woman was very nice. I didn't get all the details but will later today and I will post it in the Embassy forum. She said she doesn't remember the womans name but she was skinny and had gray hair. I will ask her about everything once I see her on skype and see her smiling face. Thanks guys...the journey continues haha	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-11-13 05:29:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Interview Nov 13 Tomorrow!	Natasha is in Moscow and her interview is today! I am so excited and so nervous. It will be 11 pm here when she walks through the Embassy doors there. I am not sleeping tonight to say the least. The medical went well, she said "simple." She also said that "The hotel is nice and cute. I love my room. I have shower, toilet, a little TV a huge bed and I'm very happy with it. I'm on the 25th floor. I went on a 2 hour bus tour while waiting for the medical results. (she went to IOM) Today I went guess where? haha to the zoo of course!" It was the IZMAILOVO VEGA HOTEL if anyone is interested. Please pray for us for a quick and successful interview and issuing of her visa Thanks Frank	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-11-12 18:39:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	The Interview	Congratulations!!!	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-11-20 23:27:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Email from Embassy	Congratulations! Tis great news Frank	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-11-24 11:51:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Soviet era marriage history and the I-129F	Whether she "wanted" to be married or not to the first husband if she went to ZAGS (which you have to do to be legally married, to be able to buy that property as you say) she was still legally married, so she needs a divorce decree for both husbands. She will need these when she goes for the interview. Ok I know this is none of my business however, I find it rather stange that she doesn't remember the husband who allowed her to buy a house. I would remember that guy forever. Either way she needs divorce decrees from both of them. She doesn't want to list him on the forms because it wasn't a "real marriage" sorry this is Russia, if Zags says its real...its real.	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-11-26 19:58:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	She has the Visas	Great, Great news Congratulations!	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-12-01 12:37:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Administrative Review at Embassy!!	Jeff, sorry I just re-read your post can you explain to me the fact that tatiana has an annulment paper? I thought these were only given through the church and are not a legal document outside of the church, perhaps they were confused by this and you would have been better off submitting the legal divorce decree instead of the church annulment or a I wrong about the annulment?	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-11-18 14:00:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Administrative Review at Embassy!!	I have no proof of this of course..however.. I think they are doing a background check on the annulment because they don't see that paper too often. I also think that the decision is made even before they walk up to the window. Why I say this is because Natasha noticed that the stamp was already in her passport when she walked up to the window. I am sure they can revoke it but I don't think that is their aim. They don't want to deny and second guess another U.S. government agency. Like I said I don't have proof of this but I think they are just checking on the annulment if not they would have just denied her on the spot. Think about it seems like this was the only problem.	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-11-18 11:06:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Dr Arnold	is Dr Arnold still operating?	norrin	Male	Russia	2009-12-17 14:13:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	News on the petition...	Nothing but a thing..Congratulations!!!	norrin	Male	Russia	2010-02-11 12:13:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	V-day vs W-day	I was told by Natasha she wants to keep Womans Day and she expects "just a little thing" so I'm doing both, perhaps you should do both to be on the safe side but ask her maybe she wants one or the other	norrin	Male	Russia	2010-02-11 12:37:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Fiancee In The Russian Federation	Hi Jim, I have married my Natasha from St. Petersburg and we are awaiting AOS. Welcome!	norrin	Male	Russia	2010-02-23 20:24:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Moscow interview concern for k1	Neonred is correct she will be given a choice to have the interview done in English or Russian, however My Natasha told me that she noticed that the girls who got the least hassle and the least questions were the ones who spoke English at least well enough to answer the questions. A red flag goes up because they figure how can she communicate with him. Also the CO may start the interview in Russian and just start asking questions in English, not to trick anyone but it is their native language.	norrin	Male	Russia	2010-03-07 10:47:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	How to Mail from Russia.	What everyone said is correct. Now depending on how fast you need it, that would probably decide how to send it typically it takes 2-3 months for a regular mail envelope or package to make it to Houston from St. Petersburg so you probably wouldn't want to do that, depending on the time of year. We have heard in the past couple of weeks that "some mail has not been getting through" We don't know if this is true because we haven't tried sending anything but tea that was sent did get here in the 2 month average.	norrin	Male	Russia	2010-03-29 11:02:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	How many times did you meet before you started the visa application process???	My Natasha and I only met once and I visited for two weeks. Just document your relationship and keep everything pertaining to your visit. You only have the requirement of having met within the two year period of filing. My Natasha also said that the girls who knew english fairly well had an easier time at the interview (seemed like it to her. It is also not true that it becomes virtually impossible to get a visa if you have been refused, it depends on what kind of visa and for why. Many FSU girls have been refused visitors visa Natasha was refused once and her friend from the University was refused 4 times. They are both in the U.S.	norrin	Male	Russia	2010-05-02 17:21:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	If you have an accent	They should be put in jail they are breaking the LAW by circumventing immigration federal laws. The act of being in the U.S. with false, no documentation or thru non legal channels is ILLEGAL. It is not fair to the rest of us who have spent, time, money, absence of loved ones who have done everything legally to have a president or congress hand over citizenship to someone who broke the law. Those of us waiting for K-1 visas, conditional resident cards, permanant resident cards, citizenship naturalization after years of worry, waiting, money for someone to tell us we can or cannot be together and have someone cross a border, tax our system, and put this country in danger and nothing was ever GIVEN to us is that fairer than asking for identification from someone when they get pulled over for breaking the law YET ONCE AGAIN. Nuff Said, Me	norrin	Male	Russia	2010-04-24 01:33:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Marriage after arrival on k-1	I live in Spring, TX near Houston, and no here you don't need a SS# they just want ID and for you to sign an affidavit saying you are free to marry and are not doing it under duress small one page form you both sign. I would apply for SS# right away and later after you are married go with your Marriage certificate and get the name changed. DO NOT wait until your I-94 expires or they won't let you do anything until you get the greencard. Later you will also have to go back and get the "work with DHS authorization.." removed. SS# is good to have for many reasons (Bank accounts, Drivers License needs two forms of ID, credit cards, working when you get the EAD,).	norrin	Male	Russia	2010-10-20 15:18:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Russian Post..Sending stuff to RU	I always sent... still do packages to St. Petersburg and have never had any problems I send them regular mail but it takes up to three months during Christmas. When I first started sending packages Natasha told me to always estimate the value of less than 50.00 USD if not she would be charged. Also the other thing she told me to do is list EVERYTHING on the declarations form. They are less likely to take stuff out of the package because they are multiple copies floating around. I have sent gold that way also..listed as "Costume Jewelry". Cash is something completely different. Everything will be opened for cash and they know when its in there. Natasha's friends from Florida used to send her cash carefully inserted into unopened music CDs. They would just make a slit and slip in the cash. They snuck more than 2,000.00 that way. For faster service you can go international 2 day delivery by USPS (again list everything)it will get to Russia in two days however it will take a month before it reaches its destination. Depending on where the package goes will also determine reliability. Bigger cities I think are more reliable, though bribery and and theft can be found everywhere. Remember though its a big beuracracy so if there is paperwork that can be traced they are less likely to take something..but don't count on it.	norrin	Male	Russia	2010-11-29 00:35:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	WTF! I cannot believe she said that!!!	Haha very familiar. "Oh in St. Petersburg the Metro is so much better here you have to drive everywhere, I can't find my favorite foods, blah blah blah blah" I have learned that all Natasha wants is to remember, and talk about her old life but she wouldn't want to move back there with or without me. Itold her once if she wasn't happy we would move to St. Petersburg, she told me what? Where would I find tacos!	norrin	Male	Russia	2010-11-08 12:29:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Learning English	I told Natasha when she absolutely freaked out when I would walk into the house with shoes..."I paid alot of money for this wood floor and when it wears out, I will pay alot of money for a new one..let me walk on it." Needless to say I now take off my shoes at the door ughhhhhhhhhhhh Russian accent yes very sexy. Especially when she calls me by my full name(when shes mad)"English is so stupid, stupid American English" this coming from an Linguist in English and an English teacher. My response is stupid Russian Language, you all don't use articles, go to hospital, go to store, you just grunt...go house," she laughs and calls me by my full name haha.	norrin	Male	Russia	2010-11-12 11:07:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	FSU spouse politics	Was there a question Gary? Seems to me she sounds liberal perhaps a liberal republican but leaning more Dem. Most of her views are liberal I think. Frank	norrin	Male	Russia	2012-04-21 13:28:00