av8or1

msbau764-
I decided to visit Elena for the holidays. I will return on the 13th and will come through IAH, so if you (and any other local VJers) might be interested in a late afternoon lunch/early dinner type of thing that day, let me know. While there, I plan on visiting the embassy (Moscow) to check on its specific procedures for filing a CRBA, just in case it comes to that. Each embassy varies just a bit from what I understand, so you might want to investigate on your end (Mexico) too, if you haven't already. And Russia has special requirements that must be met if we do end up having our son born over there. The good news is that Elena's doctor told her that she's doing well and that our little guy is doing well so unless there are any unexpected developments, she could fly up until around week 32 or so. That extends our cutoff until the end of February or very early March. If the TSC does indeed pick up the pace after the first of the year, who knows, maybe we could fit everything in by that point. We both would MUCH prefer that our son is born in TEXAS. Eh, time will tell. Openly, I am not holding out much hope for that, but it's good to have a goal I suppose. lol
Anyway.

Getting a Russian visa is much easier than it used to be. In September 2012 (as I recall) Russia and the USA entered into a reciprocal tourist visa agreement. The terms are 3 years (36 months), unlimited entries, maximum of 6 months in a calendar year. This agreement makes it easier for citizens of both countries to obtain the visa. I got mine in November 2012, so next year I'll need to re-apply. Elena also has a tourist visa and has come here to visit me (in person) 3 times. Thus she's seen my life, my home, my everything. And that's a good thing IMHO.
So yeah, apply for the 3-year visa and you'll be set for quite a while. I forget the cost now, but plan on a couple hundred, roughly.

Yes absolutely. No mention of the process itself nor its effects on those involved. And why is that excluded from the show? Because no one cares and it won't sell. It won't get the ratings and that's all they care about.
My fiancé's mother has asked several times why I don't simply marry Elena, go to the embassy, get the visa and then bring her home with me. Her mother has a precedent in that a woman they know did this very thing with a man from Germany. We've had to explain several times that America isn't Germany and that the process is different. Germany's process makes sense, ours is efff'd up.
Again, most Americans don't care and aren't interested in the details. I have lost count of the number of people who have told me that I shouldn't be doing this anyway, that I should "marry my your own kind", etc. The point being that those Americans had no sympathy whatsoever regarding the atrocities and the miserable condition of the process. Some went so far as to say that they were glad it was so difficult because it would discourage others from going down the same path. With all that in mind, it's little wonder that this type of stuff isn't mentioned in 90 day fiancé, ratings aside.

You mean in the scenario that the approval came much earlier, we made it through the NVC in record time and got a lightning quick interview date at the embassy? Lol
Oh no, even in that scenario our cutoff date is the end of January, or approximately week 28. Beyond that you need written permission from an MD to fly, at least on the airline we use. It might vary depending on the airline but I wouldn't think by much. I don't think flight duration factors into their policy much, but I could be wrong. As a former airline jock I wouldn't want any woman aboard who was that far along and I suspect the airline itself wouldn't either, from a liability perspective if nothing else.
Nope, due to the unreasonable difference in processing times between the two centers this is the hand we've been dealt. This is why I took the time to send emails and letters to my federal representatives. If we had the processing times of the CSC then we wouldn't be in this situation, which raises the unfair factor by a few orders of magnitude.
But it is what it is. I'm trying to stay positive, I mean there are a lot of our military families who face this hardship routinely. So if they have to do it, then I shouldn't complain too much I suppose. At least I don't have someone shooting at me to boot. Lol
That said, I'm sure that they'd agree with us that it's a crappy situation.
Would your fiance even be willing to fly with only two weeks prior to delivery? I know mine wouldn't.

Yeah I'd have to agree. Msbau764 wasn't any raining on anyone's parade/approval. They were simply stating that the recommendation to call everyday was not accurate. Also that the approval was due to the Philippine factor. And they were correct. Calling everyday would do nothing to decrease the amount of processing time for our petitions. It's good that kdiperez got their approval, I'm sure we're all glad for them, but leave it at that. Don't make bad recommendations that won't have any effect.

Yeah I'd have to agree. Msbau764 wasn't any raining on anyone's parade/approval. They were simply stating that the recommendation to call everyday was not accurate. Also that the approval was due to the Philippine factor. And they were correct. Calling everyday would do nothing to decrease the amount of processing time for our petitions. It's good that kdiperez got their approval, I'm sure we're all glad for them, but leave it at that. Don't make bad recommendations that won't have any effect.

Hmmmmmmm...well granted it has been 4 years ago now, but when my ex entered the USA we waited until after we were married and had filed the AOS prior to filing for her SSN. We could have filed earlier, but decided to wait until then. The point being that there wasn't an issue with waiting until after being married for the first filing. We did it, no problem.

Well this website's primary business is not the introduction of a USC to a foreigner, so it seems that the answer is 'no' - as Ebunoluwa mentioned. So I'll check the "No" box and move on.