Chuck and Diana

The wife will be calling the family here in about 30 minutes--13 hour time difference between Denver and Almaty. She is going to make something for this evening, but not sure what. We will bring in the New Year and I am sure her family will call us and then we will find a channel that has Nazarbayev's year speach and listen to it. Then we will pack for our trip to Hawaii and leave for the airport--flight leaves at 0615. I will get to hear how boring the New Year is here in the US as we do not shoot off fireworks.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy new year.

Dave

We went sking on Monarch Mountain, they had fireworks and we brought champagne. Try nearby Keystone or Breckenridge next year, they even have a show where people ski down the mountain at night with torch lights, it is pretty neat. Nice that you live in Denver, I found a Russian supermarket there last weekend, my wife bought like a months supply of Pelemini and other russian food. I live in Pueblo and we have nothing like that around here. Happy New Year!!

My wife got her license in Moldova first. It was a good move for us because she was able to drive as soon as she got here. Here in Colorado, if you are not a resident (green card holder) you cannot get a Colorado Drivers License. If you are not a resident, you are allowed to drive on your valid foreign drivers license, but have to carry your passport and visa to go along with it. My insurance liability covers anyone I allow to drive my car, I simply had to report when my wife received her Colorado Drivers License. She passed the written test, but then ran into a name change problem with the DMV because USCIS in Denver did not update her married name in some system they have.

I highly suggest she gets a Russian drivers license before coming over. If for any reason, just to practice and learn to drive from someone who speaks her language. As far as an international license, I dont know what to tell you. Maybe an official translation of her Russian license would be just as good. When she comes to America, most states will see her as a visitor until she gets a green card and then they will see her as a resident. Notice most information from the DMV applies to residents. Even as a US Citizen, I cannot visit California and just get a drivers license, I need a job, a house or something that ties me there.

I got my wife a car with a navigation system (unfortunately it doesnt speak Russian). No matter how good your woman speaks English, It might be in your best interest to learn some basic words like svetafor (traffic light), nah levay and nah prava (left and right) before you put her behind the wheel. It can be quite the experience the first week or two of her driving but just emphasize safety to her. She will get better quickly, it will only be scary for a week or two. It is really worth it, my wife was so happy to be able to drive everywhere. Our village of 25,000 people has no public transportation and that can be a little shocking to a big city girl from the FSU.

I have a Russian wife from Moldova. She works at Ross Stores and gets a 20% employee discount and loves it. It is her favorite store for clothes, a lot of name brands and good deals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_Ukrainian_citizens

Wikipedia

OP asked a question which was answered.

Before things as the often do, went off at a tangent.

Boiler ... You are right, I apologize for my part in that

Merry Christmas

Hi

I did a K-1 visa last year, it took a long time and mine was at CSC instead of VSC. You pretty much have to deal with the grueling wait for the government to process your application.

The US Embassy in Chisinau is easy to work with, they are friendly and helpful. Once your long wait to get your petition has been approved at USCIS (DHS), it is sent to the Department of State and things get easier and faster.

The interview was simple and last only a few minutes, if you have a legitimate relationship, it will be no problem. It doesnt matter if she knows all the answers to all the questions, as long as she can prove to the interviewer that you have a legitimate relationship.

I dont think your wife can come here while waiting on a K-1 petition, usually the only K-1s that come here on visits are from visa waiver program countries

However, Moldova is a nice place to visit in my opinion. Do you like wine? Moldova was the Napa Valley of the Soviet Union, they have the largest wine cellar in the world, Milesti Mici, it has 55 kilometers of wine underground. You can take a tour in a taxi complete with a traditional moldovan dinner and wine tasting. In the winter, you can go skiing in nearby Bukovel Ukraine or several places in Romania. In the summer, you can go to the beach in Romania or Ukraine. Chisinau has several nice parks to visit and several shopping centers and outdoor markets. There is a nearby park on the Dniester River.

I would NOT suggest using a lawyer, I would suggest instead you carefully look over the guides on this website and read the instructions carefully before submitting the forms.

If you have any questions about Moldova in particular, let me know.

Good Luck

So going through the process makes you an expert?

Now, you are a legal expert? What makes you qualify to suggest the OP not use a lawyer for immigration or divorce? Do you know why he is having difficulties? Maybe its something where he might need a lawyer.

Really? Those are the only two reasons for having a green card?

Let's see. Throw out a thousand dollars by stopping the AOS process or go ahead and get them green cards so I can commit myself to repay the US government if my ex-wife and her son gets forbidden benefits? See, a bitter ex-wife would never cause any harm right?

Isn't it better to lose a thousand dollars than to risk losing everything he owns???

------------------

YOU GIVE THE WORST ADVICE EVER!!!!!!!

Aaron ... you are taking my advice pretty personal, you are welcome to give your own competing advice

Just because you have been a member of this website longer doesnt make you an expert either ... Are you a lawyer? Because you sound like one with all your fear mongering ... I dont like lawyers, I think they are all spawns of Satan

I-864 is a guarantee to the government that you will take care of your wife so they dont have to pay her welfare, social security, foodstamps, and other benefits that a Moldovan woman has utterly no clue on how to apply ... benefits that are difficult for Americans to apply for and receive. It is doubtful that she would be approved for those benefits if she was divorced and here on a conditional green card. (Here illegally) I applied for a social security card this year for my wife, they would not issue one with her married name until DHS had updated her name in the system. So from my point of view, even with my help filling out all the paperwork and dealing with the government, simply getting a social security card was pretty difficult. Conditional Green Cards require you to keep your status and your address updated with DHS. Removing conditions requires your USC spouse to participate, its not something the intending immigrant can do by themself.

Chris .. Affadavit of Support should be taken seriously like everyone here has illustrated, but you are the only one that knows your particular situation, and what I mean by that is, only you know your wife and can accurately guess what her intentions are once she has a green card and if you get a divorce after AOS, whether she would go home permanantly (ending your obligation) or try to stay here. If you believe that your wife would try to stay here in the US after the divorce with a conditional green card and somehow successfully apply for government assistance, then maybe Boiler and Aaron are right on the money and I am wrong. Regardless, I hope you make the best decision and everything works out for you.

Aaron ... If your advice is so much better, I suggest you can serve the original poster better by contributing your own advice instead of critizing someone elses ...

You are new so you may not know.

K1's require a 134.

And you are confusing Immigration Law and Civil Law.

A very bad idea to go through adjustment in the situation described.

Ok oldtimer, I am new, but I have recently went thru the process.

Not trying to pretend to be a lawyer, but I would NOT suggest using a lawyer anyway with immigration or divorce.

Maybe you are right, there is no hurry to AOS anyway, the wife and the stepson are here legally either way, only thing they need the green card for is travel outside the US and employment.

However consider this, he has already paid because his interview is next month, so he probably paid 3 months ago when he applied, so if he cancels his interview, then he has just thrown over a thousand dollars away (around 1600 if he applied for both at the same time) when he might change his mind over the next few months then have to pay and wait again.

How will he send her anywhere?

What about the Affidavit of Support?

He did a affadavit of support for K-1 and if he is going to the AOS interview next month, he has already submitted the I-864 one with the application probably 3 months ago.

Send her? Ok, I meant buy her tickets so she can fly home for a couple of months. What I meant with that is that maybe the problem is that she is homesick and misses her family and that is causing more problems. Your wife doesnt miss home???

If the marriage is breaking down, why would he want to make a potentially lifetime commitment with the I-864? Even divorce afterwards would not erase this commitment.

Also, how would you suggest he answer questions about the condition of his marriage at the adjustment interview?

Being nice and letting them get their green cards is not without risks.

If he is looking at a divorce and ending his relationship, then binding him to them for potentially a very long time is not a good long term plan.

He is currently commited with his affadavit of support from the K-1 visa, the I-864 will extend that while she has a 2 year conditional green card. If she gets a divorce, she is required to go home. Bottom line, yes husbands are responsible for their wife. If they get a divorce, he has to pay to send her home and it doesnt matter whether she AOS or not. I would suggest he answer honestly at the interview, marriage problems in the first 6 months of marriage are pretty common. I would NOT suggest he treat the interview like marriage counseling, but nothing wrong with admitting that you have had some difficult times. AOS will be granted because they have a legitimate marriage. Its not about being nice, its about if you divorce after a few months of marriage, you are risking making a decision that you may regret the rest of your life. I got a divorce after 15 years of marriage, I am not judging, just suggesting he give it a little more time. I know that time between getting married and getting green cards can be particular difficult on a couple and sometimes it is just better to give it some time before going to divorce court. Divorce should be a last resort, after exhausting all efforts. You know sometimes when your spouse comes here from a foreign country, everything is strange and new, and they think if they just could go home (especially around christmas), then they .... only remember nice things about home and seem to only be able to see negative things about their new home. Truth is that if she goes home for the summer, she will remember all the reasons she left home in the first place, and she will miss her husband and her home in California. I am sure Chris will make the right decision for his situation, and all you and I can do is give him advice based on our experiences.

Chris

Congratulations on your marriage, and I am sorry to hear you are having problems. I am here to tell you that you are not alone. Everyone who brings a foreign wife over to the USA will quickly find obstacles in their way. It can be especially difficult trying to be a step father at the same time (speaking from experience here). It can be difficult for her waiting to be able to work, trying to get a drivers license, going to a job interview, working for minimum wage even though she has a college degree. It can be difficult adapting to American culture and understanding your spouse. It can be complicated understanding the other persons parenting style and getting used to it.

My advice is to go to your AOS interview, get them their green cards, and in May, send them home to Moldova for the summer. A little time apart might be all that is needed. I think if you get a divorce and call it quits after 6 months together, then you will both regret not doing everything you could to make it work. Long term, I think you really have a chance to succeed if you can just make it thru the next few months.

The AOS interview is pretty easy, but you both have to show up with your step son. If she goes home with a green card, then you have the option of changing your mind and simply flying her back here. If she does not have a green card and she goes home and you change your mind, then you have to go thru a very difficult and long wait trying to get her home. I dont mean to sound impersonal, but another consideration is taxes, both your wife, and your step son must be residents to be claimed on taxes for 2012.... Dont file taxes until they have a green card and a social security card.

I wish you luck, I hope you and your family are able to work thru this difficult situation and come out stronger on the other side. I will pray for you and your family and I hope you are able to succeed.

Chuck

VAWA Violence Against Women Act. A fiancee can pull a runner and claim that she was abused and under those conditions can get a green card. It usually involves her making some sort f criminal charge against the petitioner. It is often suggested in these case that the petitiner no longer HAVE ANY contact with the fiancee because she could use that to claim abuse.

FSU is "Former Soviet Union" Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other former Soviet Republics but it usually refers to those three, also known here as "RUB" countries. Those three have closely related cultures, customs, language, other former Soviet Republics do not necessarily have such ties.

FSU and RUB countries are home to the best and most beautiful women in the world (I could be biased)

You are right.... FSU women are the best ... Especially Moldovans

Turkish Airlines has flights to Chicago and New York and LA for pretty good prices if you go to their website, Also look at Aerosvit website which has flights to New York on Tuesdays and Sundays usually, These are good alternatives from Chisinau pricewise compared to travel agency websites. I have usually ordered from Expedia and other sites and realized I paid too much. Good Luck and Congratulations.