bobb

I had sent three previous flat rate Priority Mail packages to Luba and each time they took from 2 weeks to 3 tops to arrive. In mid-May I sent her all the applications (completed and only needing her signature, except DS-156k), affidavit of support, documentation of a relationship, etc.

Her interview is June 23rd and she had not received the package shipped USPS by June 8 - a little over 3 weeks after I sent package. I could not take the chance the package would not arrive in time. I obtained a new notary on a duplicate I-134F and re-sent everything from my copy I had originally made. I also had to make a new copy for me. No DHL available from where I live so had to send UPS - $121. It is supposed to arrive June 15th. She has still not received the USPS package and it is now 4+ weeks.

The only difference in the most recent USPS shipment was to not use the Flat Rate envelope (around $13). I used the slightly larger glossy paper envelope ($27), with the more detailed customs form. The package was only 1 lbs 2 oz. Maybe I should have sent it Express instead of Priority by USPS.

Not a big deal - $121 extra + notary is an insignificant amount in the entire process from first meeting to this point.

See my timeline below for our time. About 2.5 months.

Be forewarned, St Petersburg is a very expensive city for visitors and locals alike.

As with everywhere you can reduce your costs with a little common sense and research before going. Rent an apartment in St Petersburg. Then you will have a kitchen and you can buy food at much lower prices than eating out ALL the time. St Petersburg is very easy to walk around and the metro and buses will get you anywhere else you need to go at next to nothing. When I went in October 2008 me and Luba spent less than $400 on food for 10 days. We ate out at least once each day.

She knows all about my love of Hockey. I subscribe to NHL Center Ice so I can watch every game of the Red Wings. I always DVR the game and watch it in an hour or less - no commercials, no commentary, etc. If it's a blowout or they are down by a couple I just skip forward. Some games I can watch in 20 minutes! I don't watch any of the popular sports with the exception of a few golf tournaments. Again, those are recorded and watched at a much faster pace. Every day when we talk she asks me if I will see any hockey today. She also says after she arrives we can watch hockey when friends visit. That's OK with me. I'll ditch Center Ice and just DVR NHL on the Fly and catch the highlights of each Red Wing game. I'll pick up the full game whenever they are on Vs. or NHL network. But next playoff season will have to be negotiated.

Thank you so much. Luba's exam is June 22 at IOM. I'm going to copy and paste your description into an email to her.

bobb, you've got your head screwed on waaaaaaaay to straight to be an inmate in this asylum.

I'm just here on a day pass.

Differing perceptions of how one in supposed to act in a relationship. And the way one acts is ingrained so deeply in each side that the people in the relationship may not express thier discomfort, because they might not even realize that it's a cultural difference and they think that the other person just doesn't care about them and is being an @$$hole. Then there's the question of which relationship model you eventually follow: is it a case of "when in rome..."? The more dominant partner decides and the other goes along with it? Or did you choose a foreigner precisely because you preferred that model of relationship?

I would hope two people contemplating marriage talk about what is mentioned above before marriage. Much more so than when two people from the same culture are marrying. I think it is the AM's obligation to learn about the Russian culture and more specifically what his fiancee believes and expects based on her past life experiences. Just another aspect of my firm belief in the utmost importance of open and honest communication at all times. If there is one thing I've seen in my 60 years with successful relationships it is good communication and each person living with their 'best friend' and lover.

It seems according to Mox that no one has been turned down when they do an act of chivalry.

I disagree with your conclusion. It's just my opinion.

I feel a more important distinction in this discussion is why should a man let it bother 'him' if a woman is less than thankful for a polite gesture. I don't base my actions on the 'fear' of someone not accepting a polite act from me. If they wish to be that way it's their issue, not mine. I won't change how I lead my life just because I might get a negative reaction such as discussed here.

What about if you prefer to go to the consulate yourself and do the express processing? I don't have a driver's license or a state id, so I don't like to sacrfice my only form of government ID and the only thing that has my birthday on it. I rarely use tourist visas (I get student or work ones most of the time), but just in case...

Go to their site - VisaTravelPro.com and find their phone number and give them a call. If you get the answering machine leave your number and they WILL return you call. I don't know if they do student or work visas.

Have you ever thought of making a photocopy of the biographical pages of your passport in case you lost it? Or, wanted to send it to obtain a visa for Russia? Make a copy of your application so you could show someone why you don't have your original.

When I travel abroad I always make color copies of my passport biographical page and the visa (if needed where I'm going) in case my passport is lost or stolen. I put one in each piece of luggage and another in my carry-on. Although I'm extremely careful with my passport.

Oh...I'll be using them again when I apply for my August trip. I'm just waiting now for my invitation from Luba. If anyone is considering using them send me a PM and I'll send you the referral code for the $15 off which you can use. Never expires. I'll have another coupon sometime in July for someone then.

You can also save some money by sending a return mailer with your address by UPS Ground or FedEx Ground when you send the application in. Your passport will be returned in this. They send you an email when it is received and when they intend to ship back to you. I sent my application and passport by UPS ground because it only takes 2 days from where I live. Your mileage distance from them will increase or decrease the time. Just call UPS or FedEx or search their sites for guaranteed ground shipment times from your location to where you're sending something. Or you can pay their higher fees to have it shipped to you.

189$ including visa fees, or would you also have to pay the consulate fees?

$189 covers everything but postage both ways. My last trip was $179 with my $10 off coupon. They are located in SF and are operated by former Russians. I've talked with them on the phone to answer any questions I had about how to fill out the application. I would recommend them highly.

I've used Travel Visa Pro twice and had good results. You mention St Petersburg.

A suggestion: Look for an apartment - cheaper and more flexible than hotel if you plan on staying in Petersburg the entire time. The company I rented from was Oksanas - Oksanas.net. Just do a web search and you'll find it. They will register your visa for $35 if I remember correctly. The site also has great links on history of Petersburg and what to see and do around the city. They will meet you at airport or train station and take you directly to apartment - for a cheaper rate than you could find on your own.

When I sent my visa app to Travel Visa Pro I just indicated where I was going as they, for purposes of obtaining the visa, took care of the invitation part. Once in St Petersburg I had Oksanas register my passport. Simple and fast.

Travel Visa Pro cost $189 and they send you a $10 off coupon if you use them again and a $15 off coupon for someone you refer to them, when they send you your passport back with the visa.

Good point Mox about email.

I've sent two emails to the USEM and repies have been sent within 2 or 3 days.

I remember when I had your questions.

When you call the NVC number you must talk to a human. The automated system is not functioning for K-1 and K-3 visas. This is how I found out my case had been approved and the e-copy had been sent.

I then checked out the USEM webpage HERE! on Fridays and Mondays and found when the interview was scheduled. To use the search function on your browser it is available from the Edit menu (at least in Firefox).

See my timeline info below for actual dates to help you as a guide. And remember the definition for 'average'.

...I learned that it was at these times that I needed to shut my mouth and open my ears...

A very wise insight. One of the biggest problems in any form of communication is 'hearing' what the other person said. Actually hearing and responding. Not thinking ahead to emphasize your previous thoughts and not really 'listening' when the other is talking. What is needed is a flowing conversation.

Men and women can have the same experience and the descriptions will be totally different. Men and women think differently. It is important to understand this to promote better communication.

...Natasha gave up everything when she moved here - her close-knit family (especially her sister), her job, ease of communication, her entire way of life...

Many men lose sight of this very important point after the woman arrives.

Maybe the single most important attribute to a successful marriage is communication, no...COMMUNICATION. When one or both parties stop talking, and/or the other party stops answering, or does not answer truthfully, troubles are not far behind.

In many of these marriages the man was able to see the woman in her everyday life, but the woman is usually not able to see the man in everyday activities until she arrived in the U.S. Then when the woman arrived some men can felt like the hard work is over and he can just go back to how his life was before, with a slight difference. Some do not fully understand this is when the real work begins.

Or some went overboard when wooing. By this I mean they went so far over and above what they would do after, it was not really a truthful presentation of who they were.

Kotenochek - I hope things improve.

Good point Slim!

Luba has made her decision for a quickie. Arrive Moscow with friend on Sunday; medical Monday (IOM); interview Tuesday; train to Izhevsk late afternoon Tuesday; back to work afternoon Wednesday. If no complications.

I told her to ask for and get the additional vaccinations that she (and most Russians) are missing that would be required later in the US.

She took care of all that this week. We had previously discussed this.

I also reminded her to get a copy of the DS-3025 which is the vaccination record on the official Dept. of State form that is filled out at this examination.

That is on my list of reminders to give her. Slim, besides giving knowledgeable and valuable advice, did a good service to add that recommendation to appear in his signature area at the bottom of every one of his posts.

An update.

At another forum I asked the same question about IOM.

One person responded in Nov 2008 his fiance(e) had her interview there in the morning and received her results by 4:00pm.

Another person sent me two links for the IOM site, both in English and Russian.

English:

http://www.iomrussia.ru/medical_services.htm

Russian:

http://www.iomrussia.ru/R.../medic...ervices_rus.htm

I just found out my fiancee's interview date - a Tuesday. Why do they schedule interviews for people far from Moscow on a Tuesday? Why not a Wed, Thurs, or Fri?

My questions:

On the list of Panel of Physicians from the USEM website it shows for IOM:

Appointment hours: Mo-Thu 8:30 am – 5:30 pm; Fri: 8:30 am-4.15 pm

(Those who come between 8:30 am and 12 pm, can obtain the results on the same day)

Can this be relied on?

Is this clinic one of the two out of three I've read as being recommended? (Read somewhere one clinic can be demeaning).

It would save her having to arrive several days earlier. But, I sure wouldn't want to take a chance the results weren't ready the same day (Monday) as her interview is the next day.

The other alternative is to save one hotel night by requesting an afternoon time, when she calls, for the exam on a Friday, return Monday for results so she will have everything for the interview on Tuesday. Her train will arrive Kazinsky station around 10:00am, and then she would go by taxi to one of the clinics. Would there be enough time to get to the clinic by 1:00 or 2:00?

The final alternative is for her to arrive Thursday (5 hotel nights) and lots of sightseeing time.

I will not be there for the medical or interview, but I'm paying for a friend, who knows Moscow, to travel with her so she is comfortable.

It is good to remember an average is only that. Some will wait longer, some will wait shorter.

Today I talked with NVC, or at least the call center for NVC. The time between NOA2 and interview date will vary depending upon when your approved application goes in the 'box' to Moscow. Yes, they send the application electronically, but they do not start processing until they receive the 'hard' copy. At least this is what I was told.

My application was received at NVC on 4/09, approved and sent on 4/13 (sent electronically). Moscow, as of today, had not received the application. I know because I sent them an email because I had a question and some information I wanted to inform them of. It appears it is not recognized as received until the 'hard' copy arrives. The full application is not sent electronically. They do not begin processing until then. This is where averages can be very misleading. If NVC finishes processing the application and it is one of the first in the 'box' you will wait up to several weeks until it arrives in Moscow. If you are very lucky the 'box' becomes full in a matter of days. Lucky you.

At least this is what I perceive after the explanation from NVC call number. I also seem to remember reading this indeed the process somewhere else, some time ago.

It is not going to really affect us as I won't be returning until mid-August.

I thought I would add what is below in this pinned area so it doesn't get buried in the general topics.

Received my email notification of NOA2 from CSC on 4/03.

Call automated number for NVC and no record of it being received yet - 9 business days.

I entered my WAC # on the I-797 NOA2 notice I received in the mail in the automated setup.

Do I have to wait for the 4 weeks until I call to speak to a warm body? Seems to me most people are showing much shorter times from Service Center to NVC.

Reply:

You need to speak to a person at NVC. They probably already have it and will tell you if it has been sent on to the foreign consulate yet. The automated system does not work for K visas.

Final post reply by me:

Thank you for great advice. Just called moments ago. Received and sent already to USEM, Russia, on 4/13.

You need to speak to a person at NVC. They probably already have it and will tell you if it has been sent on to the foreign consulate yet. The automated system does not work for K visas.

Thank you for great advice. Just called moments ago. Received and sent already to USEM in Russia on 4/13.

Received my email notification of NOA2 from CSC on 4/03.

Call automated number for NVC and no record of it being received yet - 9 business days.

I entered my WAC # on the I-797 NOA2 notice I received in the mail in the automated setup.

Do I have to wait for the 4 weeks until I call to speak to a warm body? Seems to me most people are showing much shorter times from Service Center to NVC.

My POE will be Chicago also. Did you go in the same line as your fiancee at customs?