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Strawberrymermaid

Meeting in Turkey

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Russia
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My fiancé and I are trying to find a way to meet in Turkey next month for two weeks. Russia seems to be offering international flights again to limited locations (UK, Tanzania, Turkey)...

 

Anyone else planning on doing this? Flights from Saint Petersburg for him are pretty cheap, but flights for me from Nashville are 1300 minimum. 

Found love, thought I wanted this path, two years later realized my partner was not worth all the stress 😁

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Kenya
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Isn't UK still a no-go zone? I would avoid it entirely. 

 

Tanzania, btw, never went on lockdown. I'm not sure about their COVID rates, but I'll exercise caution...

 

Well, if you'd wanna reduce your fare by more than 50%, fly through NY..I'll invoice you later for this service that I just offered you. 😄 I'll only charge you $100.

 

See below round-trips from NY to Istanbul and Nashville to NY. Do the Math..way cheaper than $1300

 

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Edited by Timona

Immigration journey is not: fast, for the faint at heart, easy, cheap, for the impatient nor right away. If more than 50% of this applies to you, best get off the bus.

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Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Spain
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Go to Tanzania!! haha I worked in Kenya for 2 years and visited Tanzania as well while there... and that place is magic, especially with your loved one (safaris, Zanzibar...). In fact, it is where my wife and I fell in love and we're happily married now.

 

However, the cases in East Africa are indeed arising these last weeks and it is also an expensive destination so maybe Turkey can work better. I'm sure the flights are cheaper to go there.

 

Anyway, regardless of where you go, I hope you guys can meet soon!

 
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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Russia
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Yes flights from the US to around the location of Russia are always at least a thousand dollars unfortunately for a round trip. And then the hotel is hundreds on top of that when you go for two weeks. Also, make sure you know if whatever airline you take there has any requirements for testing, masks etc. It looks like aeroflot is requesting a negative test within 72 hours of your flight. So that's about $150 for a rapid test, at least in Texas

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  • 2 weeks later...
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Russia
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20 minutes ago, Strawberrymermaid said:

Update: I flew Turkish airlines and he flew Aeroflot- we did it and met in Istanbul :) 

That's awesome! Hope it was a fun trip despite the covid stuff.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Ukraine
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Do you mind if I ask what the covid requirements were when you got to Turkey? Did you need any test info or have a screening on arrival? What about when you got back to the states? 

 

I'm planning a trip to Ukraine in October and I have to decide whether to go to Turkey or Ukraine. Ukraine requires a negative test within 48 hours of travel and I can't find one place that can do that for me. I would prefer Ukraine but I'll take what I can get at this point.

 

Thanks

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Russia
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22 minutes ago, USUK8 said:

Do you mind if I ask what the covid requirements were when you got to Turkey? Did you need any test info or have a screening on arrival? What about when you got back to the states? 

 

I'm planning a trip to Ukraine in October and I have to decide whether to go to Turkey or Ukraine. Ukraine requires a negative test within 48 hours of travel and I can't find one place that can do that for me. I would prefer Ukraine but I'll take what I can get at this point.

 

Thanks

Hi @USUK8! Turkey had no test required to show or screening on arrival. You do fill out a card with your information about where you’re going in turkey and stand in passport control for about 20 mins. They didn’t ask me any questions,  just stamped my passport. Masks everywhere in turkey and lots of places take temps before you can walk in (restaurants, hotels, grand bazaar). 
 

My return to the US was easy too. No screening or tests needed. I did quarantine at home for 10 days to be safe but it was not required. I recommend Turkish airlines if you do turkey, they were amazing. Safe travels!! ❤️

Found love, thought I wanted this path, two years later realized my partner was not worth all the stress 😁

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Ukraine
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4 minutes ago, Strawberrymermaid said:

Hi @USUK8! Turkey had no test required to show or screening on arrival. You do fill out a card with your information about where you’re going in turkey and stand in passport control for about 20 mins. They didn’t ask me any questions,  just stamped my passport. Masks everywhere in turkey and lots of places take temps before you can walk in (restaurants, hotels, grand bazaar). 
 

My return to the US was easy too. No screening or tests needed. I did quarantine at home for 10 days to be safe but it was not required. I recommend Turkish airlines if you do turkey, they were amazing. Safe travels!! ❤️

I appreciate it very much!

 

Thanks!

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  • 4 months later...
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Russia
Timeline

Late to the party.  I did just this last month.  My fiancée and I stayed in an Airbnb in Istanbul for 2 weeks.  I flew  AA/BA through London Heathrow both directions.  We didn't care that restaurants and bars were closed, or the weekend curfew as well.  The place had a full size kitchen, so we cooked and ate at the house.  More fun that way anyway.  Felt more like real life than just being on a vacation.

 

If anyone else is contemplating it, DO IT!!!  Congrats to Strawberrymermaid. 

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