OK so this has been discussed, but as you know the old threads are a mess. I am sending Natasha to get the cash for the ticket. So where to get them, one way or round trip, etc. If you have any links to the old threads it would help. I can't search now here at work but will later tonight. Just wanted to see if anyone has anymore relevant info at this time. Thanks

I really do not know how this one-way ticket misleading info started but you should do what your budget allows you. I came to the U.S. with a one-way ticket and I was not once asked about it.

I never once saw an airfare that was lower in cost for one-way travel to Russia, and believe me I have checked. Also, FWIW, the US Customs people never asked to see the return ticket for my wife or her daughter, who came here on a K-2 visa.

I went with the round trip only because it was cheaper than one-way for the exact flight I wanted for Natalia (Delta Moscow to Atlanta non-stop for $800.00) because I will drive and meet her there.

I am sure I could have found a cheaper one-way to JFK but then I would still need a connecting flight to Atlanta etc. I also did not want her to have to deal with a connecting flight.

When I spoke to the Delta rep on the phone I explained the K-1 Visa situation one-way vs. round trip legalities but she was not exactly sure how the USCIS looked at this but I know if I would have found a cheaper one-way ticket to Atlanta I would have taken it.

Not sure if this helps but I have never seen a requirement for someone traveling on a K-1 to have a return flight and I do not see this in the VJ guides either.

Good luck,
Warren

Galia had a one-way ticket on Aeroflot (about $500), the only good thing being it was non stop. She ended up missing her flight due to a snow storm (flight was delayed). Being Aeroflot, this means, you are out of luck. She ended up buying another (one-way) ticket on Finnair herself. (Nice service, but with a change in Helsinki). It ended up costing us about $1500 in the end.

I would avoid Aeroflot if you can. Buying a ticket in Moscow isn't a big deal, but expect to pay cash.

As for whether a one-way or return ticket makes a difference - it doesn't. Just take the cheaper one. Keep in mind, most airlines will not sell you a return ticket if they expect that you will only use half of it.

My personal preference is British Airways, changing in London. The advantage is that you are not going to New York, you will have a stop about halfway through in London. BA has non stop flights to most of the US. Might be slightly more expensive, but probably worth it. If you need to stay overnight in London to make a connection, it isn't a big deal. Russians can get 24 transit visas at the airport.

Heathrow is an easier airport to get around than JFK (If you had to change there).

Other than Delta, most US Carriers don't even go to Russia.

Also keep in mind, most flights leave from SVO2, which is horrible.

BA leaves from DME, which is new, clean and convenient. There is a train there (1/2 hour, $3 or so) that goes right from the train station. To SVO, you either: pay at least $50 for a cab or take a bus after 40 minutes on the metro. Neither is a great choice.

For me, all things being the same, I'd pay $200 R/T more to fly out of DME. (It will likely save you that much anyway).

Although I agree with you that flying out of DME is convenient, but it is expensive. And times have changed, there are now European buses running from DME to SVOII every 1.5 hours for just 250 rubles. I rather pay 250 rubles and fly out of SVOII then pay $200 extra and fly out of DME
Read about it here:
http://www.domodedovo.ru/en/main/getting/1/bus/
http://sheremetyevo-airport.ru/?act=part&pid=2

Yeah we took that bus, thank goodness it was heated. She will go out of SVO2, oneway ticket if cheaper. Thanks all

I already called Delta yesterday for airfare in May as that is when Janna will come here. The lady quoted $950 round trip and over $2000 one-way, that is JAX-JFK-SVO connections. I told her that Janna is coming here on a K-1 visa and there is no plan for her to go back. She just respond that it better to just buy the return ticket in case she does go back. It's cheaper and Delta does not really care if the person uses the return ticket or not.

I will most likely go stay with her and her family in Moscow for a few weeks before we both go back to the US together in May.

i used gotorussia to buy tickets (1 way)..i paid for the tickets here, and my wife recieved the tickets at their office in Moscow...there was a glitch with the tickets, and my wife and children were able to receive tickets (at a lesser cost) at the same agency in Moscow, for a more direct flight to the USA....my point is, that i believe Russians can purchase tickets in Moscow for a better price than if we buy the tickets here in the USA.....

i forgot to mention...the tickets were on Delta, and checking all prices here in the US, she was able to get a far better deal for the same airline by purchasing the ticket in Moscow....

Hey thatnks skinsfan, I guess I will just westernunion her some cash and let her pick the flight in Moscow. Natahsa decided to come on March 11th, I guess we are just going to get married in Waukegan, ILLinois and then honeymoon in Vegas on her birthday.

Hmm, that's funny. My price hunting found that flying out of DME was cheaper vs. SVO on both my trip to Russia as well as Anya's trip here...

OKflyboy.... just saw at the bottom about the boys at school, FUNNY!!!!

Cafeteria food ROCKS!!!! Nothing like the square pizza, soggy hamburgers, squishy hot dogs, even those crusty tater tots! AWESOME!!!

We all griped about the food while we were in school.... but secretly miss it now!

I say get the round trip ticket in case things dont work and you have to return her. Seriously, if you purchase from aeroflot get the full fare roundtrip and you can use the second half whenever she wants to go back and visit.

Do you have to pay a restocking fee if you return her?
I'm sorry I just couldn't help myself.
As far as using the Aeroflot ticket anytime you want, it is not that simple. You would have to purchase a full fare in order to do that. And if you planned on saving some money you would of course purchase a ticket during low peak season like spring and fall and have the ticket be limited to 1 month. Which is how you get a low under $600 round fare trip. But as soon as you give yourself a 12-month option or more, there goes the whole discount and the price jumps to over $1200. But I am pretty sure that Aeroflot tickets are limited to 1-year use.
But I can see your point, an extra couple hundred dollars is a cheap insurance policy if you limit the Aeroflot ticket to 3 months, which will be sufficient time for the "test" period, just in case the whole intent to marry thing isn’t a 100% certainty yet.

[quote name='Satellite' date='Feb 26 2006, 04:49 PM' post='48246']
[/quote]Do you have to pay a restocking fee if you return her?
[/quote]



I was getting my I-134 notorized Friday and the lady was like "Oh, there was a guy in here several months ago that had a mail-order bride and he was getting one of these." That's when I said "Well, that's kind of what I have..... and that's why I need these notorized too." I went on to explain to her that it wasn't that easy, but it would sure be nice if it was.

There are several fees included in this process, I'm surprised USCIS doesn't make you pay some sort of restocking fee. You have to pay an application fee, so why not an early termination fee or something like that? OK, I'm going to shut up now, I don't want to give them any ideas.

I know how this got started. Most visas to the USA require a round trip ticket. It's a pretty big fine to the airline if they fly someone here without a return ticket.

K1/K3s don't need a return ticket via US law, however not all airline ticket agents know this. I have heard of a couple women coming out of Kiev that had issues with this until they asked for a supervisor that actually knows the rules.

If you're having someone fly on a one way, make sure she understands that she is allowed to fly with a one way and to ask for a supervisor if needed.

One of the problems with the round trip ticket is that most of the airlines when I tried would only let you book the return within 30 days of the first leg without a hefty price.

If you want a good site to do one way tickets try www.kayak.com I could have saved a fair number of bucks had I know that last year.

Glad there is no restocking fee. I had to send mine back. It was expensive enough as it was. I started with the round trip ticket with the intention of throwing away the other half which I did and ended up sending her back in 89 days but did buy the one way ticket that time at half the price of the first.

Hopefully Aeroflot is not too too bad. I will be on it in 10 days going to Moscow.

Also hopefully in a few weeks I get to start this whole process over.

Shopping for a new one or getting back together with the last one?

It's always expensive!

No the old one is history. We almost got back together. She decided she wanted to play around while she was waiting to come back. Three days after she returned to russia she decided she made the biggest mistake of her life and wanted to do another visa. She was writing me all these stories about her keyboard was covered with tears and before the tears dried she was telling some guy in Germany to do a visa for her so she could come and visit him for two weeks. I did not need that.

I have a new one. I am heading for Moscow next Tuesday to spend another 10 days with her and taking the paperwork along. I think I picked a much better one this time. Actually she is from Ukraine but we are tourning Moscow together.

Good luck Turbo! Go with your gut. I know we really don't get much interaction with our girls, so you do have to trust your instincts a lot. Have fun in Moscow.

From my recent experience it is considerably cheaper for them to purchase the ticket there. Lufthansa quoted $ 5200 for the fiance and son if I purchased the ticket here. The cost for her to purchase them there is $ 1700.
A co worker of mine worked as a travel agent. She informed me that purchasing the ticket in another country is always more expensive. No explanation why.

My lesson learned. Send her the money and information for your return flight.