Did you consider living in Russia?

[Tnic 5]

Well, now that the fire has burned down a little bit...

My girl and I are actually beginning the prep work to retire to her town in Russia. We hope all our financials will be settled here by Fall and I'm thinking late Spring 2010 to make the move. I hope to get a Biz visa this Summer so I can spend the neccessary time there to get through the resident visa process. Irina wants to keep her GC so we would most likely live six months in each place.

Tim

[PJB 0]

This is our plan too, to someday be able to travel freely between our two countries and have a home in each. I lived in Russia five years with my husband and he has been here since early Dec. We like and enjoy both countries in spite of the negative aspects of each. The joy of moving back and forth would be that just as we start to go crazy from one country's drawbacks we can hop on a plane and go back "home" until that country drives us crazy!

[anka 1]

This is our plan too, to someday be able to travel freely between our two countries and have a home in each. I lived in Russia five years with my husband and he has been here since early Dec. We like and enjoy both countries in spite of the negative aspects of each. The joy of moving back and forth would be that just as we start to go crazy from one country's drawbacks we can hop on a plane and go back "home" until that country drives us crazy!

This is our ideal living situation too!

Now, it being possible to ever actually do just that - traveling freely between the two countries as we please - is another story......

[slim 1,533]

How are you folks planning on funding homes in both countries?

[Tnic 5]

How are you folks planning on funding homes in both countries?

Her Mom is living in their appartment in Russia so that is a done deal. Apparently dacha's and "garden homes" are dirt cheap right now (Mama checked the gazyeta yesterday) so that means a pleasant place to stay while the appartment is torn up during renovations.

We're looking for an inexpensive appartment here and there are some viable option available on that front. We really just need something a little better than a "crash pad" that's near F & F.

[PJB 0]

We still own our apt in Dmitrov (renting it out now) and our current home in Los Angeles. The only problem I see ahead is the constantly changing visa aquisition problems for me to enter and stay in Russia. Everytime the Russian government changes the rules for lengthy visas we have to look around for an agency that can get around the system of visa invitation and registration.

[eekee 182]

That's true no matter what, whether you own an apartment or not.

[Tnic 5]

Yes the visa thing bugs the ####### out of me. I'm getting a biz visa the next trip so I can have the time to run down a Resident Visa. We have the connections there to make it happen, I just have to get there and get started on it. Then it's summers in Russia and winters in So. CT. If we can swing the Summer house then Mama will have enough canned fruits and vegies to see her through the winter.

[eekee 182]

How does getting a business visa work when you get a residence visa? Is the rule about not being able to get another Russian visa for three (or is it six?) months after getting a business visa overrided by the fact that you have property in Russia?

[slim 1,533]

I guess, more importantly, my question is how are you going to pay for going back and forth between the two and changing countries every six months? How do you maintain more than one household? I understand it's possible to rent the property while you're gone, but assuming you kick out the tennants when you return, where does the income come from?

[Tnic 5]

I'll do some more research on the visa thing.

I'm retired. I have enough to do both.

If we get the summer house we'ld own it outright and close it up for the winter. My bride and her mom own their appartment where Mama lives. We would be renting a modest place here someplace that would be empty in the summer.

Right now we only have the outline of a plan and the desire to try to make it happen. I'm quite certain there will be many hurdles to overcome, but we'll cross those bridges when we get there. Irina is well connected there and we have the luxury of having good friends in right the right places who will help us as needed.

[slim 1,533]

The income is what's stopping me. I have more than 30 years of work left so it's not going to happen anytime soon. I'm not really sure what kind of work I could do in Russia and if I'm too poor for my wife here, I'd be way too poor there.

[Tnic 5]

I understand completely Slim.

I'm truly blessed to have the options I have. And then there's my Irina.

[baron555 934]

The income is what's stopping me. I have more than 30 years of work left so it's not going to happen anytime soon. I'm not really sure what kind of work I could do in Russia and if I'm too poor for my wife here, I'd be way too poor there.

My Alla is worried that she'll only be able to work at McDonalds or clean toilets when she comes here. I've told her that I could come to Russia and maybe I could clean toilets. She said sorry the people from Mongolia do that already. Then I said I could grow and sell specialty fruit at the market. She said sorry people from Turkey already do that.

But, she has never had fresh Papaya; they do not have it in Russia at all. Ask your wife if she agrees.

Slim, maybe you and I could start a fresh Papaya importing and marketing business?

Phil

Edited June 11, 2009 by baron555

[johnj 0]

No, No, import Peanut Butter. They do not see it in Russia and everyone that tasted mine wanted some. I brought a case with me one trip; it was loved. It could be sold as a vendor or as import business to stores