daveto

Thank you for the kind thoughts. Her passport arrived on Monday with a 5 year visa. Its such a added benefit to have that multi-entry visa, as it will make so many things so much easier as I travel to and/or through the US quite frequently. I'll post back in June after our trip to provide a brief note if there were any bumps in the road with the POE officer/etc

regard

dt

We've just finished our visit to NYC, and had a very nice trip.

As far as the customs process, we went through customs at Toronto, and the US POE officer certainly put us both through our paces, first my GF and then me. He asked a lot of questions of her (5 full minutes), and then after she went through, when I came up he did the same with me (another 5 minutes). Many of the questions seemed designed to try to catch some inconsistency in our stories. Ultimately, answering the questions wasn't difficult because we've been together for some time now, and so the answers were pretty simple. But for someone who is easily flustered, or who is pulling a visa scam, it probably wouldn't have been so simple.

Also, in her entry stamp the POE wrote the date she had said she was leaving. I don't know if that means that her entry was only valid until that date, or if he was just making a note of when she said she was leaving.

As a final note, although the visa process (from application to interview to entry) was nervewracking, in fairness I think it worked very well in our case (perhaps aided by some luck). They were tough, but fair. To any applicants, my advice is to have reasonable expectations, be rigorous in the preparation of your application, and to be entirely honest.

Thanks for the unsolicited advice on what to do with my life.

You asked a question, and Just Bob gave you a thoughtful and insightful answer.

Fedex is much more expensive that USPS. Probably $150 to send your computer. And you might get dinged for customs. Also, I'm not sure about the wisdom of sending a relatively delicate piece of electronics by mail.

I agree with others that the better solution would be to have her find one at a store in Kyiv. And then she'll have access to tech support if there is a problem down the line.

Thank you for the kind thoughts. Her passport arrived on Monday with a 5 year visa. Its such a added benefit to have that multi-entry visa, as it will make so many things so much easier as I travel to and/or through the US quite frequently. I'll post back in June after our trip to provide a brief note if there were any bumps in the road with the POE officer/etc

regard

dt

My girlfriend had her interview today, and I'm happy to say that her visa was approved. (I think!)

I say "I think" because apparently the visa officer never actually said "your visa is approved". However, he kept the passport, and gave her a card to give to the delivery service. My understanding is that if the visa is denied they return the passport on the spot, whereas if it is approved they need to keep it for a few days (presumably to put the visa in?)

Anyway, for the benefit of other applicants, here is my girlfriend's retelling of her experience, which I received via email.

"It was so long! I arrived at 8.05-there was a superlong queue.......even people who arrived to have a meeting at 8:00!

I left my bag at special place,then have been queueing for one hour.....it was rain,early in the morning,rainy and cold......I wore shoes,and got frozen!!!!!!

Then i passed security control, then they took my fingerprins, then i back to pavilion on the street, where I was waiting for my turn...there it was cold!

Then they invited me inside and after 25 min I had an interview. It was an american man who speaks russian....i tried to speak english with him. It was longer then with other people, as I noticed.

At first he asked me about my job, my purpose, about you (he wanted to see your passport) about my family and brother and then he asked me "Why you haven"t been to Canada?"

I told him that i"m going to Canada, but in September.

He asked again "Why don"t you go to Canada first"?

I answered "I'll go, and i will study english there, an intensive course"

He asked again, and i answered that I am studying English here, and when i finish i"ll go......

He asked the same question again and again,and the i told him "Hey! I have a plan,and step by step I do what I do!"

I was so irritated,my voise trembled.... he have been typing something on computer so long, and I thought that it refusing letter......but then he gave me a card without my passport.....I took it to delivery servis...I think it means that they gave me a visa........I've been there 3.5 hours!"

Dave - you being a canadian does not mean that you have right to enter US anytime..... dude you are under wrong impression yes US and CA has good relation, and both countries make it easier for their citizen to travel back and forth.

Also you could be turned away from POE by an officer.

So I mean is your situation would be evaluated based on your citizenship, hers on her citizenship. If she is not living in CA which means she will have to apply in Ukraine for B1/B2

No ties to the country + no kids + no job + not a strong financial background = very diff to get a B1/B2.You support or pay her – you can consider it either way from CO’s perspective she has no income of her own and you are funding her….. so if CO lets her in country why would she not overstay her visa, what would make her return back to her home country?

??? I'm not sure why you're getting so argumentative.

In answer to your questions, I've already addressed all of that.

Beyond that, I think I'll leave this alone.

O&N and Harsh, thx for your input.

Harsh, just to clarify a few things.

-I'm Canadian, so I don't need to be evaluated as Canadians are visa exempt.

-my GF doesn't live in Canada,

-I'm not "paying" my GF, but rather I support her. I don't mean to quibble over semantics, but there is a pretty big difference

I'll report back next week after her interview

regards

dt

CW and B, thx for your replies.

WRT to the UK Visa, I think perhaps we're talking at cross purposes. I understand that the multi entry UK tourist visa doesn't allow her entry to the US. But it does demonstrate that she has already had easy opportunity for illegal immigration into a western country (the UK) if she has so wished.

Also, wrt to my own details, the application asks for details on her travel companion and also if someone else is paying for the trip, and so it seems relevant to provide supporting details. And similarly, if the CO believes the relationship is genuine, then this serves as some support for her disincentive to commit immigration fraud to the US (since I don't live there)

Finally, yes, we've included a reference letter on her english school studies.

I do appreciate you both taking the time to reply, and I'll post the result next week after her interview on April 7.

Ahem...bump....

Anyone?

thx in advance

Ok, here is another one of "those" posts, where I already think I know that our chances are slim, but I'd welcome any insight anyone can provide.

I've looked over the forum, and most of the posts are from those who live in the US and have a relative/girlfriend/boyfriend/etc who wants to visit. Our case is a little different in that neither of us lives in the US, but one of us would need the B2 visa for our New York May vacation.

Details about me

43, certified finance executive with 10 yrs at my company and healthy income

Canadian citizen, natural born and living in Canada

Travel to the US 3-4 times a year for work

Details about her

31, Ukrainian

freelance work (yoga teacher, event planner, etc)

no property owned, no children, no formal employment letter

$4k saved in her bank account (due to monthly $1000 direct deposit support from me since June)

credit card with $4k limit (a second card on one of my credit cards in Canada)

studying english full time since July last year

visited india, turkey x2, UAEx2 and dominican, and London, UK recently in January (with a 6 month tourist visa still valid)

About Us

together since 2009, visit together every 2 months, including 4 trips abroad (Dominican, Turkey, Dubai, London)

both never married, no kids

advanced yoga practitioners (the impressive bendy-circus type of yoga, not the chanting kind)

lots of supporting and mutually corroborating documents (her english studies, bank statements, my job, my income, evidence of our relationship) very carefully, professionally presented and ready for her interview

My Question?

I understand the "presumption of immigration" that exists. But since I don't live in the US, would that be viewed as support that my GF won't abscond once she lands in NYC? Similarly, she has a current valid 6 month tourist visa for the UK, which she didn't abuse (we did the two week visit in January, and then she returned to the Ukraine). So does that currently valid 6 month UK tourist visa carry any weight?

I understand that the absence of property ownership and/or an impressive employment letter is a big hole in her application and I've heard so many stories about how it is impossible for an attractive, CIS single lady without significant assets to get a Visitor Visa to the USA.

But everyone told us the same thing about the UK when we applied 3 months ago, and we got that one.

Anyway, right now I'm just trying to manage her expectations and to prepare her for her interview. So what do you think?

a)A 10% longshot (life ain't fair)

b)50/50 (depends on your interview officer)

c)"she has a valid UK visa? then the US visa will be no problem!"

Thank you in advance for those who took the time to read, and to anyone who shares their opinion on our chance or suggestions about her upcoming interview.

dt