Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Damn damn damn	I heard from the Embassy - got Packet 3 days ago - but I told Paul they mentioned that they require I-134, 1040 and W2 for the year 2004. It does not say this anywhere on the website; Paul wrote to the Consulate about 10 days ago and they responded last night saying it is required. So now it seems more than likely it will take another month before I have all the documents. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Am fed up!!! If you send copies, they should be fine. The IRS will fax you transcripts of this stuff - email a PDF and you should be okay. (The G325 and I134 are really the only things from the states that must be original. I sent almost everything else as a PDF, which was fine in Russia)	russ	Male	Russia	2006-04-20 17:18:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Too much?	dont send em that stuff. Their only interest at this point is that you have the right to petition (USC), that you have met at least once in the two previous years, you are free to marry.....and nothing else. I sent none of this - wasn't a problem. Save all of that for the interview (even then, it would still be overkill). Take your stack of paper and drop it in the mail (so it gets there in time). I emailed all of this stuff in PDF to my wife, though she didn't end up needing it.	russ	Male	Russia	2006-05-17 14:10:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	What happens if I move after I file?	Thanks to all of you for your help. Jerzboi Not a problem, we did too.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-05-19 03:00:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	What if we can't meet financial requirements?	In July '06 I attempted to fly to UK, and was stopped at the gate. After a year of personal research, I thought I was set. I get to the door and immigrations stops me because we're too poor. After an evaluation of both of our skills and income potentials, I was denied Leave to Enter. Wow. I have flown into the UK at least 50 times, probably more. Usually they just flip through my passport and say "nice to see you again" or "have a nice trip, it's been a few weeks." I don't think that I have ever been asked any questions about anything (while I always do get the third degree going to Canada where much of my family lives.) Also - the secret of flying into Heathrow. Waste 15 minutes and get on the bus to the domestic terminal before doing immigration. There is no one in line there. This will avoid the 2 hour line of the 747s from India and Pakistan that just arrived at Terminal 3 or 4 and always seem to be in front of you in line...	russ	Male	Russia	2007-05-19 03:39:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	What if we can't meet financial requirements?	Everything will be okay. You will be able to do it. Many people here have, facing much more difficult hurdles. As they say in Russia - ??? ????? ??????. (everything will be okay). When I started out, I worked about 90 hours a week. It was worth it in the end, but not easy. In school (that I paid a lot for), it was more than that -- 14 hour days 7 days a week most of the time. And I worked during breaks to help pay for it. The money is just that. Money. You will have it if you want it. I have a friend who is a full time college student. He managed to do this working two jobs. You can too. Find all the work you can, even little side jobs (but make sure you document your income). The goal is that number. Make sure you beat in on your taxes this year. I know someone that cleans apartments here for about $40/hour on the side to supplement her income from her day job. Look for things like that. It counts just as much on your taxes (you report this income on form Schedule C). Even without a paper trail, they will believe this (since you are paying taxes on it, after all ) Good Luck! In fact, my anger was in the assumption that they	russ	Male	Russia	2007-05-19 03:26:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Fiance's 17 year old daughter is pregnant	was intending to file for a visa for her 17 year old daughter when I filed for the fiance visa for Noemi. At 17, even getting the AOS for her is not totally guarenteed. I know nothing about this myself though. I hope someone can give you a better answer.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-05-19 02:59:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	6 WKS FROM CSC TO NVC?	QUOTE (Danno @ Nov 3 2007, 03:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> How in the world do young couple just starting out, buy a first home in NYC or many other parts of the country? Certainly Housing is a "basic human right". Why is not the Govt helping these people get safe affordable housing? How do we allow the rich to have three car garages when some of us don't even have a house? It's amazing people even survived the first couple of hundred years in this country without the Govt doing it's "Fair-share" for them. The government has created the rules, we must live within them. I can't just hang up a shingle and call myself a doctor, or lawyer, or engineer like I could 200 years ago. I am required to be licensed, insured and educated to the standards set by the state and federal governments. This is true of most professions now. The government did not tax your income heavily 200 years ago either. Medical insurance wasn't a necessity 50 years ago either, since a few days in the hospital did not cost several years salary for the average American paying out of their pocket. The states also dictate how insurance companies may sell their products, which dictates the cost. I paid much less outside the US for private insurance with better coverage. If the market was truly competitve here (it isn't) costs would decrease and care would improve. Expensive housing is a problem fundamentally caused by the government - giving away money in tax breaks, setting interest rates too low, and buying mortgages (fannie and freddy) and assuming the risk. The real estate bubble was caused by the government, the speculation was just a symptom of the rules they put in place. High health care expenses are also caused by the government, as they are the ones setting the rules an paying most of the money. Government spending and tax breaks are heavily tilted towards two groups - retirees and families making between $80,000 and $150,000. These tend to be those who vote the most. It is much harder for 20 somethings starting out now. Buying a house in your twenties for a married couple is near impossilbe in much of the country. Staring out several years salary in debt makes it very difficult. My parents could afford to buy a house (at 25 years old) where I grew up in Boston with blue collar jobs. True - we do choose to spend our money differently than my parents. Far more on education (they spent nothing, no school for Mom and the Navy paid for Dad). The biggest expenses (housing, insurance and education) have grown far faster than inflation, and this hits younger people harder. We are also on the hook for retirement savings (parents had pensions, we have to save in IRAs and 401ks). We also work much longer hours than our parents did. I don't remember mom or dad ever working over 40 hours a week. I have never had a salaried job were I was expected to work less than 60 hours (except for my current one, which I have no plans to leave). All that being said, if you are smart and willing to work hard, the US is still one of the best places in the world to get ahead in life.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-03 16:02:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	6 WKS FROM CSC TO NVC?	QUOTE (Satellite @ Nov 3 2007, 01:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (slim @ Nov 2 2007, 10:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> So $130K for school is reasonable but paying a couple hundred bucks a month for insurance is not? Both are unreasonable. But I don't want to manufacture plastic bags either, no offense. This 130k debt will hopefully open the door to more money in the future. The health insurance costs / outrageous debt you can acquire if you need services when you are sick will bring no such future benefit. If you want to open another discussion we can talk about how Federal Stafford Loans vary from 6.8% to 8.5%! Your car loan and mortgage loans have smaller percentages! What is wrong with this administration. The average student finishes now with something like 20k debt and that is only for undergraduate! http://www.azcentral...ntdebt0415.html Both are unreasonable. For the first few years I was in school, the Air Force was picking up the tab and paying me. About $40,000 a year for tuition, room and board and books, plus what they paid me. After my discharge, I was on the hook paying this myself. I worked with no benefits 40 hours a week to do that, and it wasn't easy. Fortunately it wasn't for very long. I was an Electrical Engineering / Computer Science major. This was a good career 10 years ago, but these days, much of this work is being moved to India and China. An engineering education is becoming so expensive in the US that is is difficult to graduate enough engineers. At the same time, those that do graduate here have so much debt that it is difficult to pay them enough. As a result, I do mostly consulting and sales work now - very little actual engineering. That being said, what I do pays quite well for my age, and has great benefits. You really don't have much choice, though. My wife's masters degree is at a state school, which has the lowest in-state tuition in the US. We wouldn't be able to afford it otherwise. A US master's degree makes you far more employable here. It will cost less than $7,000 for the MA degree, which is a good deal (from a pretty good school by Florida standards). As for the debt for law school - the better firms pay starting salaries of about $135-150K a year to associates now. It is a fair trade to take on that debt for future earnings. On the other hand, those jobs go primarily to Harvard/Yale/Duke/etc grads in the top 25% of thier class. This also tends to be Corprorate/Tax/Patent/IP work. Many lawyers end up doing contract work that these firms farm out for $25-$40 an hour (or less). Given how much university degrees increase earnings, they are worth the money. I have a bigger problem with the poor job done by US high schools, which do not prepare students adequetely for University level work. Comparing the rigor of mathematics my fellow engineering students did to future mathematics teachers in education was a joke. Unfortunately. having your kids adequetely prepared for college requires a huge investment to live in an affluent area with good schools. This is the real crime.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-03 12:48:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	6 WKS FROM CSC TO NVC?	QUOTE (slim @ Nov 2 2007, 02:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Exactly why there needs to be a govt. system in place. No money for it you say? Well, I know where we can liquidate about $81BILLION right now..... Politically, it is a nearly impossible thing to do. Those who benefit the most under the current system (those over 65) vote, and will not like any changes that take away from them. Right now, most goverment spending is directed at retired people. Giving the same coverage to everyone would require raising taxes, and retired people generally won't like that either.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-02 13:44:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	6 WKS FROM CSC TO NVC?	QUOTE (slim @ Nov 2 2007, 01:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> This is a classic example of the reason our healthcare system is in the situation it's in. We've developed a dependency on medical care whether we need it or not. I'm not saying yours isn't needed, what I'm saying is we've all been placed into a system that distinguishes between someone with a chronic condition and someone who is a healthy 25-year-old student that needs nothing more than check-ups and emergency coverage. The idea behind all insurance is to spread the risk among many individuals. The risk models for health insurance do not work the same way as automobile or property insurance. There are progressively more costs as people age, which is not random. Any insurance scheme needs the healthy 25 year olds paying in to support the unhealthy 75 year olds that consume most medical services. Even if costs in the US were brought in line with the rest of the industrialized world, 50% of the population would not be able to afford care on their own.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-02 13:11:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	6 WKS FROM CSC TO NVC?	QUOTE (John & Alla @ Nov 2 2007, 09:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> In Florida, they used to have a state run insurance plan for those of us that could not get insurance; because of previous medical conditions and such. It was supposed to be guaranteed insurance; they turned me and my ex-wife down. Short answer - a group plan is the only thing that will work if you have any medical history of any kind. Individual plans will only insure exceptionally healthy people. To get around this, create a group plan. This isn't that hard to do. But really, it shouldn't be like this.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-02 08:20:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	6 WKS FROM CSC TO NVC?	QUOTE (Satellite @ Oct 31 2007, 04:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> As I doubt there are 50 million people in the streets. I am talking about the working folks who work several part time jobs or even a full time one where medical benefits are not offered. Hard to imagine right? So what are those people to do? They can either choose to buy health care, food, or pay for rent each month. Even though I am for smaller government, socialized medicine is necessary. The government has created a system (through laws, licensing, and regulation) that allows only large insurers and the government to get fair prices. Everyone else is charged a 1,000% markup. The current system is horribly inefficient. Too much money is wasted on billing, advertising and administrative costs. The government already spends enough to insure everyone in the US, yet only about 25% of the population actually recieves any benefit from this. Look at the numbers Per capita expenditure Canada 2,519 Germany 3,204 UK 2,428 USA 5,711 We already spend twice as much as the rest of the world per capita. The governement already pays for 44% of all health expenditures to cover just 25% of the country. I think that all of the medicare/medicaid money should be used to provide BASIC and Emergency care for everyone, and let private insurers cover everything else. My private insurance in Europe, by the way, covered far more than my US policy does, and cost much less. (about one tenth the price)	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-01 14:45:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Tourist Visa from Russia to US	QUOTE (mjoy61 @ Nov 8 2007, 06:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Not much positive information regarding agencies. There must be some reputable travel agencies in Russia that can give sound advice to Russians wishing to obtain a tourist visa to USA. No, there aren't. Other than fraud, there is nothing a travel agent can do in Russia - sorry. Meeting in Jamaica will be the easiest thing for you to do if you don't want to fly to Russia. The only opinion that matters is the CO doing the interview at the embassy. Their assumption is that all young women are planning to marry an American as soon as they arrive in the US. They were very clear with my wife that she SHOULD NOT get married (she had a student visa). They see fake documents from tourist companies every day. If you would like, I can arrange for a former Moscow CO to give you a call. Approved tourst/business visas I know of have been granted to: Business men earning over USD 2000 a month, female holders of existing US visas that have not been overstayed, and retired Russian diplomats. I'm only speaking about people I know personally. I don't know any young single women who have gotten what you want, but believe what you want.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-09 10:48:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Tourist Visa from Russia to US	QUOTE (dmhweb @ Nov 9 2007, 01:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm sure no one here wants to rain on your parade but what you are suggesting is just not possible for the majority of Russians, let alone an unattached Russian woman. No offense but the first thought I had after reading your post was "scam". It seems you have the impression that a travel agency could help obtain a tourist visa to enter the USA? This I'm afraid is not possible. I have used travel agencies in Russia (reputable ones). They are expensive for what they do, which is primarily created false documents with their own stamps on them. They also expedite Russian paperwork for an outrageous markup - for instance, getting a Russian International Passport. Most charge around $400, something most Russians can do themselves for less than $100. There are no concrete rules about what you need, though tourist agencies in Russia are happy to take your money and make something up. As a general rule, if you are making less than 2,000 USD per month in Russia, you will have great difficulty obtaining any tourist visa in the West (not just the US). There is almost nothing a travel agent in Russia can do that you can't on your own (other than fraud). My wife did obtain tourist visas, and a J-1 visa in Russia, though she did not need to pay anyone. Her employer sponsored the J-1. She applied for the tourist visas - some approved, some not. The answer for the "not approved" ones was - "we do not give visas to young, unmarried women."	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-09 10:36:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Tourist Visa from Russia to US	QUOTE (moxcamel @ Nov 7 2007, 04:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> If this is your first meeting I would strongly recommend meeting her in her home town, even if it's the dead of Learn how to speak Russian first. The trip is far more fun if you can talk to people.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-07 16:29:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Tourist Visa from Russia to US	QUOTE (slim @ Nov 7 2007, 02:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> First off, welcome to the VJ Russia Forum. Second of all..... DO NOT SEND HER ANY MONEY!!! I would second this. Any Russian that can afford to be chatting on the internet can afford the $100 embassy fee and travel to Moscow. From most of central russia, a bus ticket to Moscow costs almost nothing.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-07 14:48:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Tourist Visa from Russia to US	QUOTE (mjoy61 @ Nov 7 2007, 01:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I have been chatting with Masha for many weeks and we both would like her to visit me in the US. She has found the one and only agency in her town and asked for info and pricing on getting a tourist visa. They gave her a quote for helping her with the US Embassy in Moscow and getting plane tickets. Chance of success almost zero. Plan on meeting in another country - cheapest and easiest way to go. Jamiaca is a good choice. So is Egypt. In January, a round trip from Moscow to London (BMI - $390), then London to Montego Bay (Virgin - $900) will set you back about $1300 all together, no visas involved. This is pretty reasonable. I found that in 2 minutes, you can probably do cheaper than that. Jamaica is much nicer than Russia in the winter.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-07 14:09:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	B1/B2 Visa	QUOTE (moxcamel @ Nov 10 2007, 05:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> As I said, there are bound to be a few exceptions, and again, that's not even close to what we're talking about in this particular case. The right thing in this particular case is to apply for K-1. The right thing to do is speak with a lawyer. The wrong thing to do now is file and I-129F petition (K-1). This will complicate travel to the US. This will likely cost her job in Russia (not being able to interview or travel, which necessary to being an MBA). They haven't decided to get married yet, not even a proposal. Not worth complicating her life. It sounds like a very good job, for a multinational, that will easily translate to a good career in the US. Why mess that up? Before I got married, I dated women from many other countries (I was an expat for a while, most of my friends lived outside the US anyway).	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-10 18:33:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	B1/B2 Visa	QUOTE (moxcamel @ Nov 10 2007, 01:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Fair enough, but if you walk up to a customs agent at the airport with your B1/B2 Visa in hand and tell him you're marrying your USC boyfriend, then you're getting back on an airplane right quick. It's ludicrous to think that someone who's planning on entering the US to marry a USC isn't also intending to adjust their status. There are bound to be a very few exceptions of course, but those are the exceptions that prove the rule. I know many people who have married US expats in the US, and then returned home. I also know tons of US expats married to foreigners (I used to live in Holland for a few years). None of them had any trouble marrying in the US, or travelling to the US with their American spouses, or adjusting while they were travelling here. There are only a few exceptions where you can't adjust status in the US. One would be if you don't have a valid I-94 Arrival/Departure record. Another would be if you are adjusting on a K visa with a different spouse.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-10 14:16:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	B1/B2 Visa	QUOTE (Fettman @ Nov 10 2007, 08:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well, we are thinking now to postpone apply for the K-1 so she can visit in January, meet my folks and see some of my America. (Orlando is hardly the same as Virginia). Now that she has the visa does she have to show an invitation or something when she arrives? I guess I am in the dark about what the POE will require from her, if anything. Any advice about that would be appreciated. With a valid visa, for a short stay, without overstaying the prior time, she should have no trouble. No invitations or anything like that, they will just want to know where she is staying and when she is returning. They don't need to know anything about you.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-10 14:09:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	B1/B2 Visa	QUOTE (moxcamel @ Nov 10 2007, 01:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Entering on a B1/B2 with intent to marry is though. Not true.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-10 13:54:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	B1/B2 Visa	QUOTE (moxcamel @ Nov 9 2007, 03:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> As the saying goes, it takes 2 to tango. Somehow I don't think this whole marriage thing is going to be news to her. I don't think the law cares on this point. She could meet and marry someone else entirely once here. There could be dozens of people that want to marry you (for purpose of argument, let's say you are a famous model with lots of admirers). What other people want or intend isn't relevant. Most normal people talk about marriage for years before actually deciding to do so (or not in many cases). Says nothing about intent. Also, the assumptions made by USCIS are not the law, just the guidelines they use. What would actually happen in court with an immigration judge is often a different thing. Sat, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe even if you intend to get married in the US at the time of entry, you aren't breaking the law. Intending to adjust status (having immigrant intent) is the key here. Or lets say you are already married and visit the US on a B visa. (This is a common situation for American expats). If you intend to adjust status when you arrive, you are breaking the rules. If you decide not to return home after vacationing for a few months, you are probably not.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-09 16:41:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	B1/B2 Visa	QUOTE (moxcamel @ Nov 9 2007, 03:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I hate to be a wet blanket. I really do. But your last post sounds a lot like you've already made up your mind about marrying this girl. If you intend to marry in the United States, she will be entering fraudulently on the B1/B2. There's no such thing as "technically" being your fiance. If you have intent then that's all that matters, and it sounds like you have intent It is her intent that matters here, not his. There is no B visa now, so this discussion is purely academic anyway. I would suggest she consult with an immigration lawyer in the US to discus options anyway - comments here are not legal advice.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-09 15:37:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	B1/B2 Visa	QUOTE (Satellite @ Nov 9 2007, 01:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Obviously applying for another with a previous overstay doesn't help, but the real punishment begins after 180 day overstay with a 3 year bar on entry and a 10 year bar for a one year or more overstay. There are hardship waivers to USC's to get around this but they take a long time to grand and seldom granted. The failure to show up at work will cause problems as well. Probably better off going the K route for this reason.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-09 14:05:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	B1/B2 Visa	QUOTE (Satellite @ Nov 8 2007, 06:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> 6. Statistically more people Adjust status from other visas rather than K1/K3 visas. Everything Sat said is correct. An important consideration though - if your wife overstays and you don't marry, you will be screwing her life up. I would suspect that one reason your wifes interview is in the US is that they want to make sure she can travel here freely. A visa overstay will likely cost her career. If she gets this job, try to get them to employ her here and go the K3 route. Drug company MBAs do okay, she could end up making more money than you in the next few years. I would make the job priority number one. It may make the K visa issue moot, if she can get herself a transfer to the US. Having a 150K+ a year job in the US puts her way ahead of most of us. She will probably get the B1, as she has more to lose by overstaying in the US.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-09 11:00:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	B1/B2 Visa	QUOTE (Fettman @ Nov 8 2007, 05:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> So, two questions. One, how much more "riskier" is it for me to make the marriage decision once she is here on the B1/B2 visa than if I asked her to marry me now and go through the K-1 process? Two, if I did decide to apply for the K-1, she can still come here on the B1/B2 visa if I arrange for an invitation and she proves that she has sufficient ties to Russa correct? I was already prepared to pay all the fees and she is already prepared to do all the stuff on her end, so really going the K-1 route is not too much for us to handle. We understand the wait times and that is why we decided that it would be a good idea for her to apply for a job in Russia to pay her bills while I save money for us. However, if for some reason we decided not to make up our minds about marriage until she was here on a B1/B2 and the process after we got married was as "painless" as the K-1 then why not go for it? I appreciate all the feedback and advice. I want to work the system for my benefit rather than the system trying to benefit off of me. Thanks! To stay away from TOS issues, I will put it this way. Hypothetically, should someone legally admitted to the US marry and submit an AOS, it is as likely to be approved as a K1. Procedurely, it raises a red flag with USCIS if such a marriage occurs less than 30 days after entry into the country, but otherwise, it does not screw anything up. As long as an AOS is pending, there is no problem obtaining SS or EADs or anything else. Intending to get married on a non-marriage visa is, of course, against the rules. I would suggest spending about $100 to speak with an immigration lawyer for an hour or so. Prepare your questions in advance.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-08 17:43:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	B1/B2 Visa	QUOTE (Satellite @ Nov 7 2007, 03:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> In the procedural manual followed by the USCIS officers, (FAM code something, too lazy to look it up), it states that if marriage takes place within 30 days of arrival it is presumed that you intended fraud, if it takes place after 60 days it is presumed you did not and it is neutral between 30 to 60 days. So keep that in mind in making any kind of decision. Obviously it is better to have the USCIS overcome a presumption in your favor rather than the other way around. There is certainly a bias towards K visas here. In the case of my wife, it was a choice between a K1 or F1 (she is a full time student anyway). K1 saved us about 10K a year in out of state tuition. Moving in with me while here on an F1 would not break any rules as far as I know, even if we decided to get married some time in the future. The B visa will probably allow for multiple entries, so she can come back to see you in the future. If you decide to get married while she is here, the choice is still to either file an AOS here or a K3 in Moscow. Though I'm not a lawyer, and not telling you to do this, if you do get married and pursue an AOS here, she will almost certianly overstay her I94. She will therefore not be able to travel out of the US until the AOS is adjudicated. The rules as implemented by USCIS encourage a visa overstay in this case. The other alternatives are getting married and petioning a K3 (possibly a good choice, since she will have a good job in Russia), or petion for a K1 (perhaps less of a good idea since she may have the B1). If you do end up getting married, an immigration attorney will probably recommend staying in the US until an AOS is adjudicated.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-07 15:35:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	B1/B2 Visa	QUOTE (moxcamel @ Nov 7 2007, 01:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> It's doubtful that USCIS would be scouring this site looking for "intent," but it needs to be mentioned that your line of questioning sounds a lot like intent. The purpose of the B1 is for a job interview, for a position in a foreign country. This does not show any intent. It is both possible and reasonable to date someone without being sure about marrying them. Getting the B1 for the purpose of marrying would be fraud. That is not what is happening though - it is legitimately for a job. They may break up, in which case the job will be important. Besides, getting married on another visa type isn't the issue. Using it to adjust status is. Even if they got married in the US, they would probably end up going the K3 route and trying to work out a job transfer with the US employer. As long as your intention at the POE is for a job interview, you aren't breaking the rules. I did a lot of research before deciding to get married. Nothing wrong with that. Also, the fact that she is planning for a job in Russia would show that you aren't planning to marry at this time. Edited by russ, 07 November 2007 - 01:59 PM.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-07 13:57:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	B1/B2 Visa	QUOTE (Fettman @ Nov 7 2007, 07:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I am a bit confused by what you mean. Are you saying that she can come her under this visa and then while she is here we can get married and follow a different process? We have said nothing about her or I being in a "fiance/e" relationship. As long as you don't intend to marry when you enter the US, you can marry someone here while admitted under a different visa. If you had intended to marry, it would be fraud, since you had immigrant intent. Proving this either way is difficult. Just don't make any decisions about marriage until you enter the country on a B1 and you would be within the letter of the law. USCIS would prefer that you give up the B1 and get a K1 in another country. If you do get married in the US, you can either adjust status here, or get a K3 overseas.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-07 11:47:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	B1/B2 Visa	QUOTE (Fettman @ Nov 5 2007, 12:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> This is what I thought. Once she becomes my fiancee would her visa still be valid? I know people have talked about getting visas after filing for the K-1, but in this case she has it beforehand. Also, does anyone know anything about the B visas in terms of what you have to have in order to make another entry? For example could I arrange for a business in my town to write an invite or does it even matter since she has been approved for multiple entries? Thanks! - Steven It is up to the POE to decide how long you can stay and how often.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-05 12:54:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Help!!!	QUOTE (gogal2020 @ Nov 17 2007, 04:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> My wife and I got married and went for our honeymoon to Hawaii. We had the same situation as you, we went right after the wedding. The only difference is that my wife had her state ID at the time, but it does not matter in this case. You dont need anything but your own driver's license, and your wife's ID, I am pretty sure passport will do. In theory, you need no ID whatsoever to travel between the continental US and Hawaii. You will get increased scrunity from TSA at the airport, but that is about it. Convincing the airline that you are who you say you are is the issue - they don't want people using other people's plane tickets. Anything in your name (a hotel reciept for example) is often enough to establish this. You could charter a plane to HI, or fly yourself. In this case, there is no need to prove your ID to anyone. We filed AOS paperwork well after the 90 days from entry. (About a year an a half later). As long long as a K-1 is the basis for your AOS and you married within 90 days, there is no time limit to adjust status. If you don't marry within 90 days, the K-1 is no longer valid, and you must petition an I-130, and upon approval of this, an I-485 AOS. This adds some money in fees and a slight delay.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-17 19:48:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Tourist Visa from Russia to US	QUOTE (edsperfect @ Nov 20 2007, 01:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> My wife, who is from russia, hadher unmarried daughter visit her twice so far. She is in her 20's, single but living with a man, emply]oyed. She had no problerm Agreed. All of the necessary information has been posted here. There are only two possible outcomes from the interview: 1) You get a visa. 2) You apply again.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-20 13:11:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Tourist Visa from Russia to US	QUOTE (rentvent @ Nov 16 2007, 02:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> All these jack-offs who are posting in your thread are just bitter because they had to do all kinds of legal stuff to get their sweethearts over here. Good point. Russians can easily fly to Cuba, then get on a boat and try to dodge the Coast Guard to get to Florida. I live in FL, and know many cubans that made it here exactly that way. No visas - how easy is that? Good luck, let me know how it turns out.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-17 23:42:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Tourist Visa from Russia to US	QUOTE (slim @ Nov 15 2007, 01:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Bengals are going to win-out as well (including beating the Steelers) and will be in the playoffs too. WHO DEY!!! (The Pats seem like they've had a pretty cake schedule the whole year!) Well, they did have to play the Colts and the Charges, not exactly easy games. And the Bengals (sorry) Who would have guessed that the AFC East would just be so horrible this year... Hate to break it to you though, the Browns have a better shot at the wild card. Steelers will lose in New England, but win the next 3 first.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-15 15:45:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Tourist Visa from Russia to US	QUOTE (slim @ Nov 14 2007, 02:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That was the best commercial on Sunday! I laughed my @$ off when that one came on. There are several good ones he's doing with the MasterCard ads. The bigger shirts one is best so far though. As good as Peyton is, I think he should spend a bit more time with his receivers and a bit less time making commercials. I had money on the Chargers, worked out pretty well for me. Fortunately for me, my Patriots have a cake schedule - Miami (0-9), Jets (1-8), Buffalo... The Steelers game in Foxboro will be the only one worth watching. (Steelers are pretty lucky too, their next 3 games are against teams with a TOTAL of 4 wins). The will make the playoffs and get knocked out by San Diego or the Colts...	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-14 20:15:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Tourist Visa from Russia to US	QUOTE (slim @ Nov 14 2007, 01:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (1) The three little words are: 'Hold On, Please...' Saying this, while putting down your phone and walking off (instead of hanging-up immediately) would make each telemarketing call so much more time-consuming that boiler room sales would grind to a halt. Even better, my telephone has a button that says "HOLD." When I'm feeling mean, I guess I could just say "Hold Please" and hit that button. They get to hear some crappy music, with periodic interruptions of "Your call is very important to us, please continue to hold..." Yeah, right, if the call was important, I'd be talking to you, wouldn't I... I'm a softy though, usually I just hit the "straigt to voicemail button", where they hangup. My phone has another option where the caller must state who they are if they call without caller id, or it hangs up on them. Perhaps I should turn that on too. Staying on topic here - use some common sense. If there were a way for anyone to get a US visa for a few hundred bucks, without proving anything, don't you think everyone would have one by now? Would that really stay secret? Even better, with the current Homeland Security situation, I'll give you several thousand bucks to let me know what Russian tour agency has a back door into the US State Department. I'm sure any newspaper will pay me a small fortune for breaking that story (wife is a journalism student, it would make her career). Terrorists could use that to get in! For any Russian that wants to come to the US, it is pretty easy. Just to visit, have a good job. That's it - you need it anyway to afford to visit the states anyway. Other ways are: Get a diplomatic passport (no interviews required), put USD 1,000,000 in a bank here and hire 100 Americans, become a doctor, become an engineer and wait for an H1 or L1 visa, marry an American or European (preferably one who is at least willing to visit you once..), get a job with Aeroflot or Delta, study in the US (J-1 or F-1). But lets be realistic... I'd follow Peyton Manning's advice and buy bigger shirts, and give some cash to an obvious scammer.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-14 14:05:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Tourist Visa from Russia to US	QUOTE (mjoy61 @ Nov 14 2007, 01:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Slim, Moxcamel and russ, I have already seen your opinions on the matter. I have asked for a simple referral. None of you have been able to supply that. I am not interested in hearing anything else so from now on please do not reply to my posts on this site. Sat, I hope you are not offended that you were not included! (Sat is probably the most qualified to offer opinions here) Being serious for a moment. The regulars here (Sat, Russ, Slim, etc) all have been to Russia many times, we all speak and read Russian on some level, we didn't meet our spouses on marriage websites, and we try to offer information without judgement. Why are you asking questions and complaining about the answers? There is no "secret handshake" with the embassy in Moscow. You already know what is necessary for them to approve a tourist visa there. My wife had a visa already (we met in the US), and our fourth date was in France (she got a visa there too, on her own). Think about this for a momet. Honesty. If there were a way to get anyone off the street a visa to enter the US for less than a few hundred bucks, don't you think there would be about 2 billion more people here now? It is pretty clear what you want, but it doesn't exist. Give us some more information - like who Masha is, where she lives, what she does, and we can help you. I'll even call her with some advice if you want - my Russian isn't that bad. Neither is Sat's By the way, how did you like my poem? It really is one of my favorites - green eggs and ham is the other...	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-14 01:52:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Tourist Visa from Russia to US	QUOTE (Neonred @ Nov 13 2007, 08:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I had several conversations with the embassy and they assured me she could apply again (for $100), but no guarantees. This is purely anecdotal, but I have heard it from somewhat reliable sources. Apply several times often works out, on the 3rd or 4th time they sometimes realize that you are serious and not lying to them. It is worth trying at least a few times ( $100 is a bar tab or dinner here, not much lost). Worst thing they can say is no, nothing else happens.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-13 22:42:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Tourist Visa from Russia to US	QUOTE (slim @ Nov 13 2007, 02:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> You could try to PM BluesFairy who was once upon a time issued a tourist visa or Kazan' Tiger who has a little inside information about "visa service companies" inside Russia. The two of them have first-hand knowledge. I believe BluesFairy's advice was the same, have ownership of something in Russia (new car in her case), letter from your employer showing income of 50,000+ rubles a month, a healthy bank statement, and talk a lot about your job. Otherwise, she paid the $100 and did exactly what was described above. No agency involved.	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-13 14:43:00
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus	Tourist Visa from Russia to US	QUOTE (mjoy61 @ Nov 12 2007, 06:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I sent the link to this page to Masha and she was offended. Do not respond to anymore of my posts. I have heard your opinions already. I do not need top hear them again. The information provided here has been complete and factually accurate. Getting a US Tourist visa involves: Filling out this form online https://evisaforms.state.gov/ds156.asp Going to an interview 14-21 days later. Paying $100. Answering a handfull of questions. That is it. If the visa isn't approved, you can: Apply again. Apply for another visa type (F-1, J-1, L-1 are all very good candidates) If you just want to meet, go someplace else (Several countries have been pointed out.)	russ	Male	Russia	2007-11-12 19:28:00