ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Russia, Ukraine and Belaruspls help about my evidence
QUOTE (tayoff @ Sep 5 2007, 12:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
hi we have to send out I751 with our evidence Is these enough?
Copy of our money order for our rent payment. **8 is that ok ? if we don't have lease agreement or the letter from landlord***
Copy of the income tax for 2006.
Copy of our life insurance.


Far more than we had, you should be fine. The rental insurance should be fine in lieu of a lease (not everyone has signed lease agreements).
russMaleRussia2007-09-05 11:33:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusWedding Invitations

ceremony, but we would like to invite about 4 people from Russia (3 friends & my fiancee's sister).
Do you know how long it will take for them to get a visa? what they will require? I think that will fall under Tourist visa? help!!!! I thought that our Oddisey was almost over obtaining the visa.. and now I found about the AOS, SS, etc, etc, etc... well ces't le vie.. and is certainly a constant journey... B)

By the way.. anybody in Atlanta from Russia?? let me know...


They need to apply for a B visa (tourist). Lead time is about 2-3 weeks. $100, and they need to go to an interview in Moscow. The approval rate for such visas is not particularly good.

There are plenty of Russians in Atlanta (or any other big city for that matter)
russMaleRussia2007-08-17 14:54:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusI-134 question
QUOTE (slim @ Sep 5 2007, 01:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (bruc @ Sep 5 2007, 11:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Prenup:

Yesterday I was in a trout stream with a lawyer


Is that like being up $#!T creek without a paddle?


Reminds me of the old joke about the lawyer and the catfish.
russMaleRussia2007-09-05 12:43:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusI-134 question
QUOTE (bruc @ Sep 5 2007, 12:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
The only thing that could be in favor of a spouse would be any monies, properties, etc that were in my name or our names together not inherited.


Many states have fairly generous protections for any asset that can be considered to be a 'family business' that existed before marriage.

The anecdotal evdience that I have seen is that judges are relectant to order alimony, in particular with short marriages when both spouses have advanced degrees. Alimony is a double edged sword, if you are awarded it, and your income increases faster than your former spouse, you may end up paying it instead. Child support is a totally different thing, and has nothing to do with pre or post nups.

The laws vary by state. For instance, here in Florida, the guidlines include what the spouse recieving alimony should be making, and any contribution the other spouse made to their education. So for instance, if you put your wife through medical school, the court will look at what a doctor should be making, and the contribution you made to her education. Choosing not to work would not entitle such a spouse to alimony payments. THIS IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE.
russMaleRussia2007-09-05 11:52:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarusmoney transfer to Russia?
QUOTE (apgk @ Sep 9 2007, 12:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I was wondering if some one can recommend any other ways (besides Western Union) of sending money to Russia - quickly, reliably, cheaply, hassle-freely? any experiences?


Mailing a physical debit card from an account that you can fund in the US would be the easiest way. You are still looking at fees for cash withdrawals of typically 1-3%, plus some transaction fee (typically $5-10). Purchases using a debit card are a bit cheaper (1-3%).

Bank wires are no cheaper than western union, as they charge you on the sending and recieving sides, and are generally difficult with Russian banks.

There are cheaper money-sending methods, of questionable legality. You would generally be violating the Patriot Act by using them, since as we all know, not paying high bank fees helps terrorists. Western Union's ~5% comission is not really that bad, given the convenience.
russMaleRussia2007-09-09 11:37:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusMore Interview Evidence questions
QUOTE (CountCet @ Sep 8 2007, 10:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
After reading about others evidence I am getting worried about some of our own evidence for the interview in Moscow.


We had relatively little, and it was fine. Speaking the same language and knowing each other well is the most important part.

K visas are almost never turned down at the embassy. The worst case is that they ask for some additional evidence, which you provide, and then the visa is approved. So, worst case, you are looking at a delay of a few weeks.

The bigger things to worry about are criminal history, financial stability, and past immigration petitions. If your case is normal, don't worry about it. Good luck.
russMaleRussia2007-09-08 13:20:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusLoans...
QUOTE (Satellite @ Sep 12 2007, 10:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Think long and hard before you use your property as collateral for a loan. The marriage better last, because if something goes wrong, she just transferred the debt to you and is in the clear as well as her parents if the money you borrow pays off her high interest loans.


Trading an unsecured loan for a secured one is always a bad idea.
russMaleRussia2007-09-12 23:41:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarustelegram from Moscow?
QUOTE (apgk @ Sep 14 2007, 11:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
My fiancee got a telegram today saying that her appointment has been shifted by another week and will be in Oct and it just gives the phone numbers of the embassy.

The telegram does not have her case number, it does not say if it is from US embassy....so we are now totally confused.

Anyone heard of this or experienced this?


I would send an email to the embassy to confirm, but yes, these things are occaisonally rescheduled.
russMaleRussia2007-09-14 10:50:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences
QUOTE (slim @ Aug 18 2007, 11:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Which explains why I was training to fight "Russians" and you guys were training to fight "what ifs?" (The Air Force is so funny.... I could spend an entire month writing about the military. My buddy that's an officer in the Navy right now has similar stories about the difference in "training" and "real-world" mission readiness.)


Well, it is a relatively small percentage of officers in the Air Force that are ever likely to be in a direct combat role. Offensive bombers - we don't have that many, so there aren't that many officers crewing them. There are far more tactical aircraft (F15,F16,F22), but even those pilots represent a small percentage of the officers.

Having friendly airfields, permission to overfly other countries, fuel, parts, intelligence, support aircraft, and the politcal problems that come with all of that are the bigger problems for military planners. Blowing things up (which is really all the Air Force can do - weaken ground - it can't hold a position) is something that is fairly well understood. As far as I know from my friends, on the ground, the Air Force serves two purposes. One is base security, and two is to act as a speed bump against a North Korean invasion.

For close air support roles, the Army has far more aircraft than the Air Force anyway.

The strategic mission is still there - the missle guys, intelligence, space, etc. That explains a lot of the "what ifs." For what it is worth, the much smarter "what if" guys I met ten years ago all though invading Iraq or getting rid of Saddam was a horrible idea, as the outcome was predicted to be exactly what we have now.

I just went to college though - wouldn't say that I really know anything about this.
russMaleRussia2007-08-18 11:20:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences

Even when I first joined the Air Force, our big practice missions were set up against a mock enemy that looked a lot like the Soviet Army and the Eastern Bloc forces or Warsaw Pact nations. Every time I encountered (simulated) enemy forces, they were armed with Kalashnikovs and RPGs - Russian weapons.


The war games I remember in the Air Force (late 90s) were mostly dealing with situations that could weaken NATO. Former Soviet states were rarely an issue in these games. Greece, Turkey, Yugoslavia, and IRAQ were frequent topics. We were in officer school - they didn't give us guns.

The general attitude towards Russia was that it would look to strenthen control over Russia first, then closer neighbors. I don't remember many situations that would lead to a US-Russia war. China, India, or Iran (or some alliance thereof) are the scarier outcomes.
russMaleRussia2007-08-16 09:15:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences

why dont you post another topic, like what people should expect to face once they are in the USA:)))I mean culture differences:))))


You can post it yourself :)
russMaleRussia2007-08-14 14:25:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences

if I whistle a tune (and all my money's gone) then offer my ATM card up to the moon ("myesits myesits.....")


The American (or Naval) version of this is don't whistle on a ship.
russMaleRussia2007-08-11 17:14:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences

Here's a new one:

No empty bottles on the table. If we're drinking beer or wine, (or anything else for that matter) once the bottle is empty, it goes on the floor, never on the table.


I'm American and I don't let empty bottles pile up on the table. Other than University drinking contests, I can't say that I remember seeing that anywhere.
russMaleRussia2007-07-05 16:59:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences

I shared the same exact experience with you, except when it was done I ran out of there so fast I hit my head on the top of the door frame, which was insanely low. I think I heard some laughing mixed with the words "Americanksi" and "durak".


I grew up with steam baths, wasn't really a new thing to me. I like dry saunas more though these days.
russMaleRussia2007-07-03 12:49:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences

Myself. Came when I was 6. Read and Write like a first grader. But speak fluently in both.
But I marvel at your example. Unfortunately I have run into more children like my examples than like yours.


3 year olds do not comprehend the concept of different languages. 2-language 3 year olds that I have me use both languages interchangeably. They do understand both. They also speak using both, and come up with the correct word by trial and error. I haven't seen bilingual children tell the difference between languages until 4-5 years old. I'm sure there are exceptions, but fluent proficiency takes more time. Most 3 year olds can't read or spell anything yet.

Even with my astoundingly poor Russian, I am capable of expressing more abstract concepts than a 3 year old. For the 3 year old to become fluent, this reinforcement needs to exist for considerably more time. I read and write like a first grader, though Sat's speech is certainly orders of magnitude better than mine.

So - I agree. Haven't met any such children. I have met many children that at 6 years old started learning English, and have since forgotten their mother tongue.

Also - by the time kids near their teenage years, they will most likely lose interest in speaking other languages, particularly if both parents are fluent and speak the local language at home. This is probably the biggest challenge.

I would try asking some Swiss/Belgian/Dutch/Danish/Swedish folks (places where speaking a few languages is for the most part normal).
russMaleRussia2007-06-23 13:10:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences

I would agree that sending them to an "Ethnic" kindergarten would be the best thing if you are living in America. It's a hard thing, and if they are going to be fluent it definitely takes a lot of work and effort...


In my family, Finnish and Swedish ended with my grandmother. Though the Finnish neighborhoods stayed together for a long time (my Great grandfather lived on Suomi street 100+ years ago, a few blocks from where I grew up), the language disappeared after a while.
russMaleRussia2007-06-23 06:00:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences

Far from it. It will take a lot of effort to expose the child to Russian only before he or she reaches the age of 5. Otherwise the child will understand everything in Russian but speak with an accent in Russian or not at all. And this happens in homes where both the parents speak Russian! I am very familiar with such families. The best tip is no exposure to English until about age 5. This will include efforts like buying and reading Russian children's books, movies, and even sending them to ethnic preschool / nursery school. Options available in large Russian community cities. Otherwise good luck!


My experience in Europe is similar. Much easier for kids to learn the local language, as they hear more of it. I know Americans in Europe with adult children, where their kids speak Italian and French better than English. And they spoke English at home.

The problem in the states is that not speaking any English at 5 years makes it very difficult to keep up in school. Both parents speaking the same foreign language seems to be most effective, but at some point, English becomes more important.

My European friends suggest it is best to speak 3 languages at home - one foreign language per parent, plus both speak the local language.

All this reminds me of a joke.

Someone who speaks three languages is called multilingual.

And someone who speaks two languages is called bilingual.

But what do you call someone who speaks but one language?




















American.
russMaleRussia2007-06-23 05:23:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences

I didn't jump to conclusions, and I see your point, and I agree with you, but I still can feel bad about the fact that ladies like that exist :)


I think one reason that many of us like American, is that behaving like such a lady is much less necessary.

We were at a nightclub a few days ago. Mostly older Italian men. Many more, younger Russian women. We wondered why so many women were there, not speaking the same language. It was not the type of place most of them could afford. We asked the staff about the language issue: "They do understand, $100 -- All night."

It does exist, and I am not saying it is good or bad. When I'm a 70 year old fart, perhaps I'll be one of them. I strongly doubt it though.

When I lived in Holland, there were Eastern European women in windows on the street -- I did think that was bad.
russMaleRussia2007-06-20 17:43:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences

Maybe I should be happy that I'm short, overweight and have zits all over my face. After all I'm sure that no man has ever liked me because of my looks.

I am also afraid you are very wrong about that...


I'll support that. You're wrong. A man can find something attractive in every woman. Even if you don't see it, he will!!! Don't kid yourself, no matter what you think you look like, your man is physically attracted to your looks. We're hard-wired to do that, you know.
...
To me, that's a horrible attitude, and there's no way I would have a serious relationship with someone that thought that way. But, I can see, it's not so much that this is how


I think most of us agree that it is not a healthy attitude.

While most of us would view it as a weakness of Miss Holly Golightly, it was a weakness of Paul Varjak's character as well...
russMaleRussia2007-06-20 10:16:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences

I'm so with you on that - I love Russian ice cream!! It's the best :)


I wish that I liked ice cream, I feel like I'm missing out on something great. There was a thing called the "Scooper Bowl" in Boston where I grew up, all you can eat ice cream. 14 ice creams in 2 hours. I've never wanted any more since (I was about 8 then).
russMaleRussia2007-06-18 18:00:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences

Am I missing something and AW don't eat mayo ever? Does your wife and Russians you meet like it? Does it bother anybody? Or is it the heaviest sin in the world in the eyes of American men to eat a spoonful of it here and there? How dangerous is it healthwise?


I like mayo. Love it with french fries, ketchup too. It just stood out to me how much was in the stores in Russia. In the states, 1 section of a shelf. Most large stores here, 3 aisles. Someone is eating it. Restaurants serve a lot of it too here.
russMaleRussia2007-06-18 17:38:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences

There is no other nationality more aware of the cost of living anywhere than Russian women. But it's just my opinion. I may be wrong...


I know many Russians, men and women. I don't think that there is much difference in work ethic from Americans. Cost of living is different for everyone, based on their own unique circumstances.
russMaleRussia2007-06-18 12:27:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences

You are just unlucky, are you sure it was the ice cream? I love Russian ice cream. I think it tastes a lot better than the American kind. And the basic cone (very soft) went for just 3 rubles in 2004. Can't beat that!


3.80 rubles at the ????? here (2007). I don't like ice cream at all, anywhere in the world.
russMaleRussia2007-06-18 10:34:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences

Cleanliness --I do know some Russians who keep things much cleaner than I do, but for the most part their standard
of cleanliness when it comes to dishes (dish detergent is optional!) and houses is much lower than mine.


There is no hot water in the summer for much of Russia. This means that dishes are being washed in ice cold water - they always seem to have a layer of grease on them.

It isn't just "not hot," it is ice cold. Those lucky enough to have water heaters here, they are small (30-50 liters), and only go to the shower.

And as Sat said, the common areas of building smell worse than toilets. And look worse.

I'll add one more, about home security. There are 4 steel doors to get in here. The last has 8 deadbolts. I've been on military bases with less security.
Like most American homes, a well motivated intruder could break inside ours in about 30 seconds.
russMaleRussia2007-06-16 05:25:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences

I am also wondering if they get better information about our foods that we do, or if it is just government propaganda (over there) about their foods. My wife is convinced all of our foods are somehow contaminated with hormones, toxins and other unhealthy bacteria. She is constantly criticizing the quality of the food we buy and goes to extraordinary steps to insure we have healthy foods. I want to believe that our food is safe and healthy and wonder if anyone else has this experience.


We don't drink the water here without boiling it. American food is far more likely to have hormones, pesticides, fertilizers, etc. It probably has less bacteria, as so much of our food is packaged/pastuerized. What is worse for you? Who knows. Most bacteria isn't bad for you anyway. As for the hormones/pesticides -- it is the dose that makes the poison.

US Produce (tomatoes are a good example) is generally made to transport and store well, and have a high yeild. Taste and quality are not as good. We go to a farmer's market when possible for this reason at home. Growing vegatables here is very common.

My American opinion about the healthfulness of food - covering everything with gallons of mayonaise is probably worse for health than the small dose of hormones and toxins. The life expectancy of Americans is much higher than Russians. 75/81 to 59/73 (source: CIA) - men live 16 years longer in the States, which I guess is good for your health.

I prefer the taste of fresh orange juice. Living in Florida, it is cheap ($5/gallon).

Mushroom gathering is a common thing here, and I've heard so is mushroom poisoning...

I ate a 1 meter long sausage last night. I'll be ready for a break from the sausage soon.
russMaleRussia2007-06-15 13:00:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences

Where in Russia did you go that you didn't see mops? You come to conclusions based on some limited exposures to Russia that you had, probably in some dumpy places. If I


I was actually suprised to notice this at fairly high-end, expensive places in Moscow. Just my impression and opinion, I could be wrong. Also at stores here roughly similar to Target.
russMaleRussia2007-06-15 12:31:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences

So we only follow the shoes off in the house rule, with exceptions when you are late and need to run back into the house for something quick.


Do you have a mirror by the door for this case?

It isn't just the sidewalks that are dirty in Russia. The cleanliness of common areas of apartment buildings is appalling and continues to amaze me. I doubt they have ever been cleaned. Ever. Not that they were ever clean to begin with.

Mops do not seem to exist in Russia either. Rags wrapped around a stick. Americans are far more likely to pay a maid to keep things clean. (I haven't won this yet, but I do miss it.) I remember how jealous I was of my friends at Univesity in the UK - they even had their dorm rooms cleaned for them!
russMaleRussia2007-06-15 11:12:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusCultural Differences

I'll start us off......

Tapochki.


No shoes upstairs in the bedroom. Shoes are okay in my office on the first floor. Shoes in the second floor livingroom/kitchen are optional (but usually no). I prefer to wear socks instead of tapochki - otherwise my toes get cold.

Superstitions.
I don't believe in them, though everyone in Russia seems to. Looking in the mirror if you forget something in the house - I never do this.
russMaleRussia2007-06-15 09:59:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusSchengen visa for France
QUOTE (IrinaNMike @ Sep 15 2007, 01:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
First of all, has anyone on the Forum tried getting a Schengen visa through a travel agent in Russia and then going from the US to France instead of from Russia to France? Logistically this would not be a problem because Irina is already packing to go to Novosibirsk in two weeks to visit friends. The visa requirements for Russians living in Russia appear to be much laxer than for Russians living in America, too. If that is by accident, then it's a loophole; but if it's by design, then when we fly to Paris in the spring, we would risk being turned back. I won't try this idea unless someone else has already done it.


In general, you should be applying for visas in your country of residence, not your country of nationality.

QUOTE (IrinaNMike @ Sep 15 2007, 01:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Secondly, it appears fairly simple to get a Schengen visa to Italy, fly to Rome, and from there fly to Paris. It would add $200 to our travel costs and would add about half a day to our travel time, each way, however. We went to Italy last spring on a Schengen visa and the requirements haven't changed on the website, so getting a Schengen visa to France should be possible this way.


Yes, you can do this. There is no problem. The rule is that either you should enter that country, or plan on spending most of your trip in that country.

Rome is great too, why not have a one night layover there? Greece is an easy place to get a visa as well, and you could spend a night in Athens. We did exactly this, visa to Greece, then on to Paris.
russMaleRussia2007-09-15 13:09:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusTranslations for documents

I think you would find to be really complete it takes a lot of work. I did one for another forum and it was not easy. The forum I did it for is a general forum for men in relationships with Russian Women and I did thier offical guide to the k-1 visa. After I finished I kept thinking of so many things I missed that I could have spent a few more hours on it but it is pretty complete.


A sticky FAQ would be useful. The research is really just looking over the questions here from the last year. I suppose I could put that together, if anyone cares to fact check it for me.

It is only the Russia-specific stuff that matters, so the scope is small enough.

If I'm ambitious, I'll try translating it to Russian as well. Practice is good for me.
russMaleRussia2007-07-25 22:19:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusGood Luck Turbo
QUOTE (Turboguy @ Sep 11 2007, 03:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
YAHOOOOOOOOOOO. I got the word at 3:03 AM. The visa was approved. I guess I can go to bed now but I don't think sleeping will be very easy.


Glad to hear it worked out! Take a deep breath and relax!
russMaleRussia2007-09-11 11:04:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusPolice certificate - where to apply?

I can probably count on one hand the number of homeless chicks I've seen in my life. So, advantage: ladies.

Time to visit San Francisco. I'd say every third one is a female. Likewise, I believe there are better social resources for women and children and they actually utilize them, unlike the men!


50/50 here. There are shelters for women here, but I don't know of any for men. Most of the homeless here choose to buy booze and drugs, rather than being unable to afford housing. I think that it is a flawed example.

As for American men surviving in Russia, there are plenty of expats there. So, assuming that they have professional jobs already, setting up shop in Russia and making 6 figures isn't all that hard. No multinational is going to bother moving you there if you aren't making $100,000+ anyway. If you are an investment banker/accountat/consultant/lawyer/executive, you will probably make more in Russia than you already do in the states. Certainly more than a Russian in the same position. Americans having more money to start with is largely irrelevant. Russian, while useful, is not critial. You can afford a translator. So, I would say advantage American men.

Of course, if said man is reasonably successful and educated, they probably have little interest in either moving to Russia, or marrying someone there.
russMaleRussia2007-07-11 16:13:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusPolice certificate - where to apply?

I would actually start a business of shipping in foreign husbands. We'll see how they compete with our domestic product, in the local environment. Shoes I definitely prefer to buy from Italy, wine from France, why not consider men from the U.S.?

Seriously, I hope you guys are jesting, otherwise this whole banter sounds a bit offensive.


As of 2005 Russia exported 2,600,000,000 bbl. of oil and 220,000,000,000 cu m of gas. This is a lot of fuel. Exporting people would fall under human trafficking, so I do find this in poor taste.
russMaleRussia2007-07-10 10:24:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusMoney transfer from Russia to USA
QUOTE (Blues Fairy @ Sep 10 2007, 11:22 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
friend in Canada and paid $95 commission on it. Cash on board is limited to... 3K? 10K?


You can take unlimited cash into and out of the US, though you must tell US Customs about.

Russia may have its own limitations on the export of currency though.
russMaleRussia2007-09-10 11:40:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusPeople who try to speak Russian to me
QUOTE (Jenn! @ Sep 18 2007, 09:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
You can be as polite as possible, but that's not any indication that people will be receptive. I think most people will be taken aback and confused by your request.


Very few Americans can hold any real conversation in Russian. More likely, they know a few phrases like please and thankyou. This can be annoying.

Speak nothing but Russian to them for a minute (or french, or german, whatever). They will take the hint and speak English.
russMaleRussia2007-09-18 09:26:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusAOS Interview Complete

Card should be here within three weeks, and we should be done messing with USCIS for the better part of two years!

Don't forget to tell her to stay out of the criminal justice system. Or you'll not only be in touch with USCIS, but also the United States Department of Justice - Executive Office for Immigration Review, or short for immigration court (i.e. removal proceedings)!


And don't forget to tell them if you move! Both of you need to send notice by mail -- within 10 days for her, 30 days for you. (Nothing bad happens if you forget, unless as Sat points out, you have legal problems and they are looking for something). Even minor offenses can be enough to lose a green card, so be careful...
russMaleRussia2007-06-15 10:48:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusAOS Interview Complete

Are you checking status online?

"Welcome letter mailed June 8th."

The interview was June 8th, I guess it was approved that day! This is where all the :dance: and some more :dance: come in, but since I'm married to a Russian girl, I won't celebrate just yet. "We must wait until we got it. We never make happy situation before we got it. If we do like this, maybe we mess up our final action and make bad luck and not good energy. After we got it, OK." (I'm secretly :dance: because now we're "done" with VJ for a minute. I'll still be here though.... I'm addicted to the Internet.)


Congratulations. Almost 2 years of not worrying about this at all (or paying for any of it anymore, which is cool too...)

I'm here in Russia still, just as addicted to the internet. At least until the fireworks start in a few hours.
russMaleRussia2007-06-12 10:18:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusAOS Interview Complete

I those who us who fall into Administrative Processing, and espeically those who hang out there for a long time, would take issue with that statement, since those in AP/AR hear nothing at all.


Honestly, I don't understand why it is such a big deal waiting for approval at this point. If it is for
a K-1/K-3, sure. But at this point, you are already together, in the States, able to work, able to travel.
Does it really change anything? -- No.

AOS interviews for bona fide marriages do not get "denied". Worst case - they ask for mor information
and you send it. Absolute worst case (they suspect fraud), you get the third degree. Eventually
they realize there is no fraud and you are still fine (and this is very rare).

In the case of an AOS not bein approved (us), you just submit it again. We were the reason it wasn't
approved, not USCIS. You can keep doing this forever. The second time it was approved with all of 3
questions at the interview for us.
russMaleRussia2007-06-10 14:43:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusAOS Interview Complete

Actually when I told the doctor about the interview he said we should reschedule and he would even give us a note! I tried to explain and tell him this isnt the post office its immigration these people are very funny about stuff like that. The doctor just rolled his eyes and said that if anything happens we could be in trouble. I told him we are going to go to the interview and everything will be fine. :whistle:


Actually, it isn't such a big deal to reschedule an AOS interview. Make an infopass appointment and they
will change it. It is kind of a hassle unless you have a very good reason.

Someone I know personally did this - just delayed things about 2 weeks.
russMaleRussia2007-06-10 08:29:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusAOS Interview Complete

Unless you got the I-551 stamp there is no real proof of being approved until the welcome to America letter comes. I have heard horror stories of "approved files" just getting lost and nobody is able to help generate a green card for years.
Hope all goes well.


I know of a guy from Russia who has been waiting 7 years! He keeps getting the temporary 551 stamps,
lost file I guess.
russMaleRussia2007-06-09 06:56:00