Joe&Tonya

We're still waiting too, Marinejoe. I was hoping to see people post on your thread, but I guess we're the only "lucky" ones waiting right now that are on VJ.

The code that was used is "other." And no other information was required.

Has anyone had any experience with being placed on administrative processing after the interview (especially applies to Moscow embassy)? Our interview was easy and straightforward and it seemed like we were going to be approved, but then the CO stated that we would be in administrative processing. He said it could take anywhere from days to months to complete. After a little research, I think it is either because I am active duty military with some clearances or because of my job as a scientist in the military...probably the combination of both. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Did it take a long time for them to finish the processing? Thanks in advance for any info!

I spoke to her tonight about international flights from KJA and she said that direct international flights are seasonal. During vacation season, more direct flights open up. So, maybe it will worth keeping an eye on any changes. Also, although I'm not a fan of travel agencies, she said that the travel agencies often know more about finding direct flights than can be found on websites.

I'll be heading out that way next weekend and will be spending some time in rural Russia for my first meeting with her family. I am not great with the language yet by any means, so it should be quite the experience! I'll post some highlights when I return!

I'm military as well and thought of doing the same thing for another address I have in a state that is processed by CSC instead of TSC. Realized that I should have done that a week after sending mine in January as well. I think it would work, but the time delays in canceling and recollecting/reorganizing all that information would probably end up only saving a month or so anyway. I'm not sure if all the stress and work is work an extra month. I'll just chalk it up as a learning experience and advise any other military that I encounter in the future to check processing times first before they choose which address to use.

I've been trying to figure out the procedure for bringing an engagement ring through customs in a foreign country. I have seen mixed information on the internet where some people have declared the ring to customs and others who have not. I am hoping to bring one to Russia and the most recent information I could find says that personal belongings under $10K do not need to be declared. I doubt the customs people are appraisers, so the value can easily be stated under that dollar amount, but I really don't want to pay a 30% tax on it either. We can just wait until the visa process is over and keep the ring in the states until she arrives, if that is the case. Does anyone have any stories of how they brought their engagement rings to their significant others? In particular, bringing a ring into Russia? Thanks!

You're right, I'm sure there are limited flights coming into Krasnoyarsk. I'll have to ask how Tonya and her friends have traveled to their vacations in Thailand. She's a big fan of direct flights, so maybe she knows something that the airport isn't divulging. I will let you know either way after we speak this evening.

I really enjoyed Krasnoyarsk! It was the dead of winter - not too cold, but very snowy. We went to a few restaurants, the ski lodge, and a cabin and баня outside of the city. We are hoping for warmer weather in two weeks for my visit, as we are planning on traveling to St. Petersburg and to a village a few hours away to visit her family. When you return, I recommend the restaurant дом and the restaurant at the ski lodge (бобры-something) - both were great and fairly reasonably priced for the quality of food!

Do you two have any favorite places there?

I traveled to Krasnoyarsk over the New Year and went from DC to London to Moscow and finally to Krasnoyarsk with the same route on the return flight. I will be going again in a couple weeks and the route is the same. Since I am on the East Coast, this route makes the most sense. I anticipate after my move to the West Coast in a couple years, the more direct route will be the one your wife took. I think, however, there may be more flights from Southern Asia (e.g., Thailand) since this is a more popular vacation destination than Beijing for people from that region.