Lightstrider

Yes, that is a red flag. Plus you giving her the money is a tie to YOU, not to Russia.

You can always try, but I'm not sure what you are looking for her. Advice on how to strengthen her ties?

Why not petition for a fiancé visa, is this relationship serious?

good luck

We talked online for just under 6 months and Skyped everyday before I decided to take the trip over to meet her. I knew the whole time still not to expect anything and that either way it would be a good trip for me. Well, we were really crazy for each other but that's probably because we knew each other so well. I've met her family, her dad has taken me hunting and it really felt like I fit in and felt good. I was just hoping to be able to do the same with her by having her visit. So yes I was kind of wondering about what strong ties are, which I know she doesn't really have. She has a psychology degree and she could maybe pass the TOEFL tests or whatever it's called and say she's looking for a university or something but it's all a hassle so I was mainly wondering if any Russians have had a positive experience with the new visa agreement.

My wife (girlfriend at the time) made two attempts at a B1 while we were dating. She is older with strong family ties as well as a son (adult), decent job, and a flat and she was denied both times. Your girlfriend may get lucky, but more than likely not. We ended up in the K1 process once we decided to get married after my visits and continued communication and we are now very happy. It would have been nice to spend some time here during the courting stage, but it worked out for us in the end.

Good Luck!

Yup we have already realized the K1 is probably the best option and the worst thing we can do is rush a good thing.

"I'm 24 and received my Russian visa very easily with no hassle to visit my girlfriend."

I am in this situation but reversed. How did you get a Russian Visa so easy? Did you apply for a Private (Homestay) Visa?

No I applied for the 3 year toursit visa with GoToRussia.com (same price as a 30 day tourist visa except I opted for the 10 day service) all I did was fill out the online application, print it out, get my pics, and sent them with my passport to GTR and they sent to the Embassy and 10 days later I had my visa. Easy for me, no criminal record, self employed photographer, not a big deal I guess. They didn't ask for anything and before I had asked GTR and they said the consulate never really asked for much paperwork and no one has been denied a visa with criminal charges. Apparently everything they claim they may ask for is just because USA will do it to Russians, but Russians don't seem to mind as much or be as strict. Flew to Moscow they looked at my passport, looked at me, stamped it, gave me a migration card and I signed them and I've been all around Russia since the 10th of Feb except right now I'm in Georgia. At the border FSB had a lot of questions about me that they asked my girlfriend but all usual who, what, when, where, how, why stuff nothing crazy. We'll see about going back though.

I'm 24 and received my Russian visa very easily with no hassle to visit my girlfriend. So now we are thinking about how and when would be the best way and time to have her visit me here in the US. I've already done some searching and have read mixed results from how absolutely hopeless it is and how there is a chance if well prepared and meeting certain basic requirements. So I'd like to know if anyone has any experience with the new visa agreements between US/RF. She's 23, has a bachelor's degree in psychology, has worked two jobs as a psychologist one at a school and other in an asylum, neither paid much so she doesn't have much money to show and no longer rents a flat. I could give her the money that she could show to fund her trip if she would need it, but ties to home would only be family.

I know we won't know until we try and we both agree it's probably not the best idea to try now because she could work spring, summer and autumn while renting a flat to have better ties to Russia, but she may be able to do what I did for my RF visa by just having a good itinerary planned but I already know USA is much more strict and official when it comes to this stuff and a young, unmarried, poor Russian female is a big red flag.

It'd just be nice to hear any positive stories but my intuition tells me it's probably better to wait for her to build stronger ties and have income over a year or two just to try for a tourist visa and then even possibly wait longer until if/when we marry so we could do a spouse visa.