Please help! Med exam told my fiancee she could not go to interview because she did not have her adolescent vaccination records!!!!! She never went

[Scott and Iryna 2]

Got it. Was it costly to bank wire? I send my wife's son some money monthly and I'm tired of paying Western Union those high handling fees. Any suggestions for better options?

I setup a new account at my Credit Union, and sent her an ATM card in the mail.

There is no ATM charge in Ukraine. And when she withdrew money, I got that days bank conversion rate exactly.

Virtually a no-cost solution. Plus, I was able to transfer funds from my account to hers (both at the Credit Union) over the web for free.

Her Mother now has the card, as I still fund her apartment in Sumy so we can use it when we visit every summer.

Keeping the apartment costs me a whopping $50 per month at most.

[LvivLovers 39]

I setup a new account at my Credit Union, and sent her an ATM card in the mail.

There is no ATM charge in Ukraine. And when she withdrew money, I got that days bank conversion rate exactly.

Virtually a no-cost solution. Plus, I was able to transfer funds from my account to hers (both at the Credit Union) over the web for free.

Her Mother now has the card, as I still fund her apartment in Sumy so we can use it when we visit every summer.

Keeping the apartment costs me a whopping $50 per month at most.

That's pretty awesome. I'd read about something similar but didn't know anyone that had actually done it. Sounds like that is the ideal solution. Did you have to do anything in regards to a SS# or was it just in your name or what?

Edited October 28, 2010 by LvivLovers

[Scott and Iryna 2]

That's pretty awesome. I'd read about something similar but didn't know anyone that had actually done it. Sounds like that is the ideal solution. Did you have to do anything in regards to a SS# or was it just in your name or what?

My Credit Union didn't care that I opened a second account in my name only. Since Iryna came over, it's now a joint account. In fact, I opened a third account for my Interpreter in Ukraine. We became great friends and she wanted to be able to accept PayPal from Americans for her services. So I setup an account for her, she can wire her PayPal balance into it for free, then she uses the ATM card to withdraw it for free. She loves it.

BTW, her website is: KharkovInterpreter.com

(shameless plug for a great friend).

[LvivLovers 39]

My Credit Union didn't care that I opened a second account in my name only. Since Iryna came over, it's now a joint account. In fact, I opened a third account for my Interpreter in Ukraine. We became great friends and she wanted to be able to accept PayPal from Americans for her services. So I setup an account for her, she can wire her PayPal balance into it for free, then she uses the ATM card to withdraw it for free. She loves it.

BTW, her website is: KharkovInterpreter.com

(shameless plug for a great friend).

Nice. Thanks for the info! We still have family in Lviv so this would be even more convenient than what we've been doing.

[visaveteran 1]

It was honestly worth it...I don't regret a thing! We had 2 videographers and 2 photographers so she gets to relive the day for the rest of time (and she does frequently). It was sort of like her send-off party from all her friends/family as well since she had lived in the same city her whole life...I only had my family there as I didn't figure any of my friends would be willing to jump through all the hoops to get there. But it was really great...great entertainment, tons of horilka, and more customs/rituals than I could shake a stick at! All in all, still probably cheaper than it would have been here in the states but much more interesting/memorable.

We married in Russia as well (as indicated by my CR-1 profile.) We went the low rent Russian route: The Palace of Marriage bureaucratic style which cost me some fees and bribes...probably cost $300-$400. Can't remember exact amount. No family or friends...my wife's decision. Very Soviet Union like I guess. I did like the offbeat aspect of getting married in Russia.

Cost wise, there was also my airfare and I rented a flat for one month. My wife's son and mom were living at her flat, so no choice. So, I probably dropped $3000 total to get married and stay in Russia for awhile. Again, it's been awhile so not sure of exact amounts. It was very good to stay with her for a month after the marriage to bond as a married couple...and to fully enjoy the "just married" passion.

Funny, I married my first wife in front of the Territorial Judge of the US Virgin Islands. A quick basically bureaucratic ceremony too...only in English. But what a honeymoon! Walk out of the court house and go straight to the beach. I guess I'm just not a church marrying guy.

But I respect your choice to create a memorable wedding for your wife and both families. And, yes, the same wedding in the US would been far more...and less interesting IMO.

[visaveteran 1]

I setup a new account at my Credit Union, and sent her an ATM card in the mail.

There is no ATM charge in Ukraine. And when she withdrew money, I got that days bank conversion rate exactly.

Virtually a no-cost solution. Plus, I was able to transfer funds from my account to hers (both at the Credit Union) over the web for free.

Her Mother now has the card, as I still fund her apartment in Sumy so we can use it when we visit every summer.

Keeping the apartment costs me a whopping $50 per month at most.

Nice solution. I'll have to try that through my credit union. Mailing the ATM card will make me nervous even with password protection.

Thanks for the idea!

[slim 1,514]

That's a great idea. I'd start talking about that idea right now and see how she reacts. Any reluctance would suggest she's not for real. Any support for the offer suggests she's sincere.

Exactly. Put the ball in their court. Make her do some work too. If she's all for it, there's your answer. If she's against it...

Mailing the ATM card will make me nervous even with password protection.

Have them keep the account/card inactive until after you confirm it's arrival.

[Martyshk 137]

Have them keep the account/card inactive until after you confirm it's arrival.

I'm pretty sure most, if not all ATM cards have to be activated to begin with anyway, so until it's first used WITH a PIN or you call the 1-800 number it's inactive anyway. So you won't be risking anything in the mail.

Again, that's just my experience with ATM cards.

[Scott and Iryna 2]

Nice solution. I'll have to try that through my credit union. Mailing the ATM card will make me nervous even with password protection.

Thanks for the idea!

Yes, don't mail the pin with the card.

But... I forgot to mention! Send it registered mail!

I tried sending it regular class first, and it came back to me. Guess you can't send plastic cards with magnetic strips. So, I resent it registered, sandwiched between a few photos. That's also how I sent it to my Interpreter friend, and how I last sent the latest card to Iryna's mother (the original card expired after 3 years). The cards made it fine all 3 times.

[visaveteran 1]

I'm pretty sure most, if not all ATM cards have to be activated to begin with anyway, so until it's first used WITH a PIN or you call the 1-800 number it's inactive anyway. So you won't be risking anything in the mail.

Again, that's just my experience with ATM cards.

Now that you mention it, I do seem to remember calling to activate my card.

Thanks to you and Slim for the skinny on activating ATMs.

[LvivLovers 39]

We married in Russia as well (as indicated by my CR-1 profile.) We went the low rent Russian route: The Palace of Marriage bureaucratic style which cost me some fees and bribes...probably cost $300-$400. Can't remember exact amount. No family or friends...my wife's decision. Very Soviet Union like I guess. I did like the offbeat aspect of getting married in Russia.

Cost wise, there was also my airfare and I rented a flat for one month. My wife's son and mom were living at her flat, so no choice. So, I probably dropped $3000 total to get married and stay in Russia for awhile. Again, it's been awhile so not sure of exact amounts. It was very good to stay with her for a month after the marriage to bond as a married couple...and to fully enjoy the "just married" passion.

Funny, I married my first wife in front of the Territorial Judge of the US Virgin Islands. A quick basically bureaucratic ceremony too...only in English. But what a honeymoon! Walk out of the court house and go straight to the beach. I guess I'm just not a church marrying guy.

But I respect your choice to create a memorable wedding for your wife and both families. And, yes, the same wedding in the US would been far more...and less interesting IMO.

Honestly....I sort of just assumed we'd be doing the official state marriage route too. It was my wife that had other plans! But once I understood just how much it meant to her there was no other option. She basically told me she didn't care if we were poor the next several years...she wanted the wedding she'd always dreamed of. So that was that! So yeah, we did the state wedding first followed by the church wedding with several photo/video stops in between. BMWs for the guests and a big white limo for us (which was rather amazing to see navigating all these tiny streets!) all decked out in decorations. She really does everything overboard...researched what bands would play, what entertainers, videographers, photographers, etc....she thoroughly checked out each one in great detail before hiring them. Also designed 2 wedding dresses and had them made. The craziest part was it was all arranged in about a month by her and her mother who worked tirelessly on it. Part of the money also went to an apartment...she spent weeks finding the perfect one. We went up these old stairs on a little side street to a dusty looking door, but once it opened it was like stepping into another world...super nice, all decked out in very modern stuff, with sky lights, big jacuzzi tub, etc...was like a fairy tale. It will always be one of the best adventures I've ever done. So yes...definately better than it would have been here. Most of my close friends are spread all over the country with families and would have been hard to get them all together even in the states.

[visaveteran 1]

Yes, don't mail the pin with the card.

But... I forgot to mention! Send it registered mail!

I tried sending it regular class first, and it came back to me. Guess you can't send plastic cards with magnetic strips. So, I resent it registered, sandwiched between a few photos. That's also how I sent it to my Interpreter friend, and how I last sent the latest card to Iryna's mother (the original card expired after 3 years). The cards made it fine all 3 times.

That is important information. Thanks again.

[Tnic 5]

Well I'm late to the party (as usual), but I can confirm the Debit card is THE way to go. I had sent one to my (now ex's) mother and she used it without issue for 2 years. And yes I sent the card then gave her the PIN when she had it. Actually her granddaughter always went with her to the bankomat. Mama is like 75 and has no clue about bankomats and dochka is a banker.

Russia DID charge a small fee.

I just got back from 6 weeks in Simferopol though and now that someone mentioned it, I don't recall seeing any fees on my withdrawals while I was there. The only issue I had was that my bank insisted on start and stop dates for my holiday and then I extended the trip by a week. Yep, you guessed it, I couldn't get any cash from that acct after the end date arrived. Thankfully I had some cash in another bank and I had enough to get me through, buy some rubles for the 15 hour layover in SVO and still had 400 or 500 UAH to hand over to Mila at the airport.

[baron555 934]

Alla and I used an iKobo card. Useful everywhere Visa is taken. Cost is $8 per transfer; worked for us at the time.

Now her sister has it and can use it for whenever we want to send over help.

[eekee 182]

Well I'm late to the party (as usual), but I can confirm the Debit card is THE way to go. I had sent one to my (now ex's) mother and she used it without issue for 2 years. And yes I sent the card then gave her the PIN when she had it. Actually her granddaughter always went with her to the bankomat. Mama is like 75 and has no clue about bankomats and dochka is a banker.

Russia DID charge a small fee.

I just got back from 6 weeks in Simferopol though and now that someone mentioned it, I don't recall seeing any fees on my withdrawals while I was there. The only issue I had was that my bank insisted on start and stop dates for my holiday and then I extended the trip by a week. Yep, you guessed it, I couldn't get any cash from that acct after the end date arrived. Thankfully I had some cash in another bank and I had enough to get me through, buy some rubles for the 15 hour layover in SVO and still had 400 or 500 UAH to hand over to Mila at the airport.

Next time, just call your bank when that happens. There's even a special collect number on the back for when you're outside of the US.