navillus

I would suggest checking in at the Expat Ukraine forum here.

We do have a member who is in Sevastopol now. Retired, living with his wife. He is also on the site above, along with lots of others. PM me and I will put you in touch with him, as we email periodically.

Edited to say that the guy I am talking about definitely draws a pension, and has no problem doing so from where he lives most of the year. There are also some other issues that he has worked out around prescription refills, etc.

Thank you Brad and Vika for the reply. I would be very interested in corresponding with the retired couple living in Sevastopol, especially since this is where I will be retiring to.

Thanks again,

Mike & Luda

Hello,

I will be retiring to Sevastopol in a few years and would like to chat with a current American Expat currently living in the Ukraine and receiving Social Security benifits.

As I understand the current law, the US will not send checks directly to any Ukraine banks. In addition, I am told, you must pickup your checks at the embassy in Kiev each month in person. I also understand that the US WILL deposit your check into an American bank so you can then access your funds thru standard ATM, however, you still must travel each month to the embassy and report in.

I am hoping that a current retired Expat can verify this info for me.

Thank you,

Mike & Luda

Hello,

I am inquiring about how difficult it would be to obtain a tourist visa for my wife's 54 year-old sister (un-married) who resides in the Ukraine. The sister does own an apartment there and has two adult children living there. We would like to have her visit us here in the states for a few weeks in the summer. My wife and I have been married for 4 - 1/2 years. My wife has her Green Card. I would like to know how difficult this would be and the cost for this tourist visa. Any help would be much appreacheated. Thank you.

Wife's Russian international passport is expiring in Dec and we need to travel overseas in Dec. So sent in the renewal application to Russian consulate in San Francisco, couple of days back.

Called Consulate today morning and they state:

1. There is no way to get the new passport sooner then 3 months

(which mean we only get new passport end of Nov) - this going to screw us as need to buy tickets earlier for Dec travel.

2. Need to visit the consulate in person to pick up the new passport. This is ridiculous. We are in San Diego and have to travel to San Francisco just to pick up the passport. (By the way in the application package they ask for the $20 postage fee for returning the documents, which we had sent).

The above sounds absurd and consulate is saying there some new law into effect since Apr 09 which is causing the above.

Anyone else had any similar experience?

Any way to get around the above problems?

My wife needs to renew her International Russian passport and I think we may have found the answer w/o having to travel in person to the local consulate. Check out this website: www.russianpassportservice.com. As I understand it, they are authorized agents and can process your renewals through the mail using the Washngton DC embassey. We are planning on using their service.

Wife's Russian international passport is expiring in Dec and we need to travel overseas in Dec. So sent in the renewal application to Russian consulate in San Francisco, couple of days back.

Called Consulate today morning and they state:

1. There is no way to get the new passport sooner then 3 months

(which mean we only get new passport end of Nov) - this going to screw us as need to buy tickets earlier for Dec travel.

2. Need to visit the consulate in person to pick up the new passport. This is ridiculous. We are in San Diego and have to travel to San Francisco just to pick up the passport. (By the way in the application package they ask for the $20 postage fee for returning the documents, which we had sent).

The above sounds absurd and consulate is saying there some new law into effect since Apr 09 which is causing the above.

Anyone else had any similar experience?

Any way to get around the above problems?

My wife has the same issue. She was told that she had to appear in person at the NYC Russian embassy to both submit her application and then to go back again to pick it up when it's ready (perhaps 6 months). You stated you mailed your's in! That would save at least one 400 mile trip!

My wife's Russian International Passport expires in January 2010. She was told on another forum that the law changed and now she would have to visit the embassy in person twice (once to apply for it and another to pick it up!). We live in Maine and the closest embassy is in NYC! That means it will take 2 round trips at about 1100 miles each and 12 hours!

Does someone know the answer to this? It just doesn't make sense that you could not do everything by mail...

Mike

Hello,

Not sure if anyone can help, but my wife's daughter had a F1 student visa interview in Moscow on June 30th. They said she needed an additional background check - but I am not sure why. The officer said it would take 4 weeks and now it has been 6 weeks and still no visa. If she is not able to make it to her college by the 29th of August, she will have to wait another year. She already has a lease on an apartment as well.

My question is why is it taking so long to complete? And is there anyway to expedite it? Does anyone know what the average time it has been taking recently to complete this check?

Hello,

My wife came from the Ukraine on a K1 visa (we are now married). We want to be able to have her sister come to the US on a guest or tourist visa. I have heard that it would be difficult but wanted to know what other people think.

My wife's sister is 53. She lives in the Ukraine. She has a full time job and owns a flat. She has an international passport and has successfully visited France. She also has two daughters and 4 grand children that live in the same city as her.

Any advice you can give us would be very much appreciated.

My wife received her I-485 approval back in January of 07. We were so excited and relieved that I forgot what the INS Officer said to us about what comes next. I remember her saying it occurs in 18 months and there is a 3 month window. It must be for the final approval of the perminent residence?

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike Sullivan

Hello,

My wife is on a K-1 visa from Russia. She now has received perminent resident status. Her 53 year old sister (she's single and lives in the Ukraine) wants to visit her in the US. Is this possible for her to obtain a tourest visa. My wife's daughter is also here in the US on a student visa. not that it makes any difference. In the Ukraine, my wifes sister owns a flat and has two daughters that live there.

Any help on this would be greatly appreacheated.

My wife entered the US on her K-1 and handed the sealed packet off to the customs agent in Boston. In the packet, I assume are her medical records from her medical exam abroad. However, she told me that the medical facility in Kiev did not include an imunization record. I have already submitted my 485 and only included a record of receiving 2 immunizations (that I had translated). My question is, should I just wait to hear from the uscis or should I call an approved doctor and make an appointment now?

I assume the civil surgeon would then give us the I-693.

Thank you for your help...

Well I have waited only about 80 days since I have filed my I-129. Now my Fiancee has arrived on the day after Valentines Day!!! Now I am planning on the next step and I need some advice. She would like to work asap. For this I was told I need to fill out and send in the EAD I-765. Do I have to be married first? or can I send it in right away. I have looked and the AOS will cost ~ $300 or so. Can I get the EAD first and then come up with the money for the AOS part?

Please help with these questions as I am totally confused.