I felt this was worthy of a new thread... I am pleased to announce:

DHL delivered all the visas today! After the 24 hours post interview that felt like torture, I can now confidently state, the highest hurdle of the K-1 process has been jumped!

Congratulations



Wishing you a sweet reunion with your beautiful future wife!!!!

Kind Eyes,

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! to you and your Alla!!!

Congratulations, Jeffrey! when will alla arrive?

Congrats Jeffery ! Glad to know that you and Alla will be together soon !

Wonderful news!

Congratulations!!!! Good Luck to both of you!

Puzdravhlyahyoo!

Congratulations!!!!

Being that we have to buy three tickets (for her and the two kids), we are thinking in the early fall as soon as peak travel season ends to save some money. She'll need the time anyway. Already she can't decide want to take and what to leave behind! Those are our thoughts for the moment, of course, all is subject to change!

Congratulations !!!

Congratulations Jeffery and Alla!!!! Now, YOU finally have some control over the timeline for her and the kids to get here!

Congratulations!!!

CONGRATS!

Congratulations!!!

Congradulations!!!!!! I m very happy for the two of you!!!

***Sneaks in***
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm beyond happy for you both!!
When is moving day?

Congratulations on getting your visa!!!

Congratulations!!!

At this time, we are talking early fall, as soon as the airfares drop. With three tickets for us to buy, we need to save some money! Of course, all subject to change!

Did you check into that student airfare that Russ posted a long time ago? I forget which one it was but there's a special rate for students. Maybe it was Chuckles or someone else talking about it too, can't remember. Either way, check it out.

Congratulations! Glad everything worked out!!!

Congratulations! I can imagine the good feeling after the little hickup from the Interview! I also had to wait for 5 months after the visa was granted. It was January and they wanted to wait for the end of the school year for her daughter. So, in this case it actually cost me more in plane tickets. Oh well, it is only money!

CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Couldn't happen to a nicer couple.

Buck & Nata

Congratulations

congratulations

Thanks for all the congrats, comrades! They are all very appreciated.

Congratulations!!!

Other Jeff, my wife has told me that shipping soft goods from Russia is much cheaper to send here than for us to send the same to Russia. Any chance that Alla of the fun hats can ship some of the indispensables prior to arriving? And make sure she loads up on pharmaceuticals when she comes, because my wife constantly bemoans the meds she can't get here. And as Slim has so wisely suggested the absolutely necessary toilet seat cover!!!

Fortunately, Alla seems to walk her own path on many things I always hear discussed on this forum as necessities. I already told her about medications, but she doesn't really believe a lot in their "usefulness." She is more into "good production" vitamins and minerals, which are plentiful here. Never quite understood the deal about the toilet seat cover. We never had one in our flat nor were they in use at Alla's parents or her extended family's homes. To be honest, I have yet to even see one!

I will have to look into shipping some items here. She has already mentioned that to me. I also have an acquaintance that will be traveling to Kazan' sometime in the near future. I am hoping to give him a bag (or two) and have him bring back a load.

If she doesn't have an international DL yet, have her get one. Ohio will recognize the international DL from Russia.

Even if she doesn't drive, have her "buy" one and bring it here, that way you guys can get practicing right away and don't have to mess with getting her a permit. It's also easier once she's ready to get her Ohio DL because she just takes the written test (in Russian) and then a driving test.

Not that it's easy.... (heading back to the BMV next week for, I hope, the final time) but at least she can get a jump on it. And who knows, maybe they'll actually teach her to drive!

Me again. What age are her kids? If they are still k12, maybe you want them here asap so that they start school on time. I know that means lots of 26xrubles but may be worth it. Sasha, my future step son has HS orientation the 8th of August and I am praying they will be here the 7th the latest.

Having done this before, I'd recommend not putting the child into Public school right after they land anyway. It doesn't matter how much English they know. Give them a month to acclimate. Even though kids adjust faster then adults, being in a class full of strangers you can't understand (even if you know English) is tough on a kid.

If they are typical Russian kids a month or 3 will not make much difference to them, because they will probably be ahead (curriculum wise) of the other students anyway. Although the American curriculum does tend to catch up to the Russian system around high school.

Interesting thoughts Slim! I shall ask Alla how much an international DL is going for these days. She had never even come close to driving a car. I know not one person in her family that owns one. She has made it clear she wants me to teach her. I have taught three of my children thus far, so I consider I'm up for the task.

We will definitely allow the children some acclimation time. I know they are far ahead academically. Alla's daughter is one year younger than one of mine but studying two years ahead in some subjects. I want them to feel comfort in their home and environment prior to shipping them off to a classroom full of complete strangers.

Have them stop walking everywhere, start eating potato chips and drinking Pepsi and playing lots and lots of video games. 3 months of that and they oughta fit right in!

Congratulations, Jeffery and Alla. Have a happy reunion and a happy life together. We are extremely happy for you and wish you all the best.
Sasha and Jason

No Pepsi, Coca-Cola! Alla has already said, "We can to drink this "not useful" Coke only on special days or if we go to café. Chips we can have one or two times on week." As for the video games, "This they can to play every day" as they already do! (Although she is not very keen on her son's fascination with GTA.)



Thanks Sasha & Jason! When Alla gets her, we may want to share your title, "Infectiously Happy Members!"

Hey, I took the pills for that and they worked, so there shouldn't be a problem anymore, right?

Based on personal experience and other relatives who have come here as minors, the best thing you can do is throw them into school the next day. They will learn English ASAP and will do just fine. Sitting around the home does not help the acclimation process.
Also American high school is way behind Russian high schools. The real catch-up is done at the College level. At the top universities especially. Unfortunately our children are so unprepared for these schools that the catch-up is very difficult. Personal experience here, in terms of math and science.

good advice.

When my ex and her son came over, we put him in school immediately. In fact, we got the interview moved up so that he could start school at the beginning of the semester. We felt it was the best thing from both academic and social aspects, and we never regretted that decision. He was 13 at the time and already fluent in English.

Alla looked into it. At $1000, it is far too pricey to consider. She said they have made it much more expensive and complicated to obtain through the normal channels, thus the "purchase" price has followed suit.

Hi Kazan,

Congratulations.

Shape

Thanks you Shape!

No sweat, she'll just have to get the learners permit like everyone else. I think it's only like $16 or something like that.

The bad thing is you'll have to be with her whenever she drives. But, if she's never driven before, you'll have to be with her anyway. Just remember to wear your safety belt and hold onto that little handle.

Good luck!

I'll probably do the same as I did with my children. A lot of preliminary school / church parking lot practice, followed by drives in the country where a car passes every half hour or so!

Great strategy.

Jeff, CONGRATS! If you wait until the fall, the 3 months of summer will pass both quickly (because you have the visas) and slowly (since you are still apart), but I know you guys will endure.

We arrived on a Tuesday and Vika was in school the following Monday, and she adjusted very quickly and very well. She only knew a handful of English words when she arrived, and her progress has been remarkable. I agree with the comment on pharmaceuticals - Natasha brought quite a stash and though she bravely tests the American OTC stuff, she still (secretly and not-so-secretly) prefers the stuff she knows and grew up with.

I'll also be teaching Natasha to drive, along with my son (17, and getting a late start!). It ought to be a hoot!

GOOD LUCK AND GOD SPEED!!!!!!

Thanks a bunch Kevin!