clueless_in_usa

I think the type of person that would ever listen to the "claim abuse" advice from anyone is the type of person that is going to find these "bad elements" with or without your help anyway. So really, I think the answer to your question goes back to before you even file, and make sure you find a person who wants to be with you. And I know that there's no way to screen out the bad elements 100%, but it means that you shouldn't be worried about introducing your wife to other Russians. If she's an honest woman, she'll know herself whether to stay away from them. And if she's not, well then there's really nothing you're going to be able to do about it.

Remember too: she's not a gradeschool child whose friends you need to screen. She's an adult, capable of deciding who's good and bad herself. Put yourself in her situation. If you were going to Russia to live, would she need to be concerned about what American influences you should be hanging around with?

I am not as worried about her as I am about my particular situation. My job requires me to stay away from home very often, so I worry about leaving her alone surrounded by the wrong company. I worry only in case she does not find "good" friends and ends up with the wrong company as default (due to the lack of other friends). I know that being alone away from family and friends is not easy, thus the temptation to befriend the wrong crowd if she does not find proper people to talk to.

Other than that, I know her well and I know that she really wants to be with me ... but, what if I cannot be there with her often?

I want to open this topic for those people who already have a Russian spouse (especially wife) in the USA.

I have heard many horror stories of good Russian ladies who became very different people after they befriended other "bad" Russians already living in the USA. Everybody likes to have some kind of familiar surrounding at all times, so it is not surprising for foreign wives to search for new friends from her home country. However, that can be a double-edge sword (according to what I heard), because some of these people will only get bad ideas into our SOs heads (like how to call the police and say that they got abused, even though it never happened).

I know that these stories are extreme cases, but I have heard similar stories more than once, and I wonder if there is anything a USC can do or say to avoid this and at the same time not be paranoid or look like an insecure controlling husband.

Does anybody have anything to add/suggest?

Like slim said, I would not worry at all. As long as she has a valid Green Card, she should be fine, even if the Customs Officer notices the difference. The worst case scenario is that she gets questioned about it, but if she carries her old passport too, it will not be a problem. And I would not waste the time or money to appeal anything with the Russian government.

An LPR has more rights than somebody with a non-immigrant visa.

I'm completely aware of your first statement. What I'm getting from all this is I have to meet her in person first regardless.

No, she applied for a tourist visa well before I met her.

And lastly, that is your own opinion and you have the right to that, however I do wish we remain on the topic of my situation. Thanks again for your advice and suggestions.

Ok, just make sure you meet her first, because it is a requirement. And when you do, take photos, save your boarding passes (and hers too if you meet in a different country), and your hotel receipts (if possible with both your names). This is evidence you will need to submit with your I-129F application.

Oh! Before I forget, take the forms and letters of intend with you when you go to meet her because you need her original signature on these documents with the application. I made that mistake and it delayed my I-129F application two months, until I finally got her signature.

I wrote: it may also be illegal to carry $ in Venezuela.

That depends on who stops you. Plus you may carry them, but as soon as you "sell" to someone else, you are committing an illegal act. You can only sell your $ to the gov. and you have to sell them for 2500 bs.

You can get more information here: http://www.cadivi.gov.ve/ but it is in spanish.

If you want to follow the letter of the law, then it is true: you can only sell dollars to the government at the official rate. However, the truth is that starting at the airport you are approached by many people willing to give you a better rate for your dollars ... just don't over do it or you will become a target.

If the letter of the law worked in Venezuela, there would not be so many murders with firearms, because the law says that nobody can carry one (the president is paranoid and thinks that everybody wants to kill him). However, good people follow this law, but bad people have plenty of guns, mainly given to them by the same government that prohibits carrying a gun (the president gave guns to bad people so they can protect him in case the population goes after him).

Only in Caracas, there were almost 850 murders in the first three months of the year 2009. That is over 275 people are killed in only one city every month, even though Venezuela is not at war. And the total for the country last year was 14,400, and I hear nobody worrying about it. Imagine that, a country that is not at war, but more than 1,000 people are killed every month. Population control!!! Go figure!

http://www.eluniversal.com/2009/04/02/sucg...h_1331870.shtml

I understand you're concern. We've chatted through the internet, through Skype and other various forms of e-communication, in addition to over the phone. She supported me and was there for me when I was deployed. I appreciate your advice as well. Thank you. =)

I repeat, people are very different when living long distance from the way they are when living under the same roof. I cannot tell you how many times I "fell in love" with the perfect girl just to never want to see her again after we spent a week together under the same roof. Take the time and money and spend at least a week together away from her home. That will show you her through character.

Also, was the tourist visa denial intended for her to travel to the USA to be with you? Just curious, because if she enters the USA with a tourist visa to marry you, she can get in a lot of trouble.

And the last question: has she ever been outside Venezuela? It is not the same to say "I love you" when you are still living in a familiar place than when you are thousands of miles away from anything or anybody familiar.

And a correction from another poster: It is NOT illegal to carry $$$$ in Venezuela ... but you should not carry many $$$$ with you unless you want to be kidnapped or worse, murdered in the middle of the street. Also advisable, never carry a watch or any type of jewelry. And never talk on a cell phone if you are on the street. Get inside some safe place and talk on the phone there.

If you were deployed to the middle east, you may feel that there is nothing more dangerous than that. The problem is that unlike the middle east, in Venezuela you do not know who the enemy is, and besides, you won't have a gun to defend yourself. You will only realize the gravity of the situation when you get a firearm pointed at your head by somebody who does not really care the difference between using it or not.

Get in a plane and get to know your woman. Then, worry about how to bring her close to you.

Let me answer your questions and then ask you a question:

You do not need to get married in Venezuela. Like you said, the residency requirements are too difficult to fulfill. It is better to go the fiancee route, but you MUST see her in person first. It can be in Venezuela (if you have any sense of adventure and like the idea of survival), or it can be in a third country where you and your fiancee spend some peaceful time together. If you do either, keep any and all documentation of your trip (boarding passes, hotel receipts, etc) and take a few photos together.

Also, in Venezuela you are not allowed to attend the interview, so do not plan on it. You will be asked to wait outside.

Now my question: how come are you two engaged to be married if you have never met in person? Aren't you afraid that you don't really know a person until you live together?

If I were you, I would be less worried about the process and more worried about getting to know the person (in real life) before embarking on this long, expensive, and trying process.

Good luck!

First, there's no way she got a J-1 Visa without a sponsor to provide a DS-2019. Second, you don't have to be a student to get one, since it covers academic exchange and post-graduate work, among other things. If she had just finished University, there is no fraud in saying that she was a student, lots of people go to school more than once, and lots of people call themselves "students" in that situation. She may not have thought she should get a J-1, but apparently her American sponsor and the embassy in Bucharesti thought she should.

This is correct - SOMEONE in the US sponsored her DS-2019 and you do not have to be a student to get this visa. My husband came on a J1 to do postdoctoral research at a research institution. It's actually not a "lucky" visa type to get because it has to be continually reapproved and many types carry the two-year residency rule.

Legally, you are correct, but this is more like an unspoken rule in Eastern European countries because they come ONLY for the summer to participate on a program called "Work and Travel." Therefore, COs want to make sure that they are still studying, and therefore do not intend to stay in the USA after the summer. That is why people who are not students (and people who do not speak English relatively well) are usually denied this visa.

I think i found it!!

Part c question 2 i didnt put a x in the yes or no box, i left it blank,stupid me!!

So, do i send it directly to the same address i sent my first application?Can someone that has had a rfe please tell me what i need to send this and do i just print another copy of the form ,sign it and send it?Do i need to add a piece of paper saying this is for case bla bla bla?

Help me out, and i will send it out today,thank you very much for your time!!

You wait until you get the physical RFE with the detailed explanation on what they want from you and then you send that and any supporting evidence regarding that, if also necessary. If you do not wait, you may be wasting your time and USCIS' time. Be patient! It is in the mail and you will find out soon.

There have plenty of things throughout my experience in the USA, ...

I meant: There have been plenty of good things ... it is difficult to write correctly while working on something else

There have plenty of things throughout my experience in the USA, but I want to mention two really bad that come to mind now (maybe later I will remember more):

1) A man got out of his car to yell at me and when I spoke back he said: "Go back to your country!

Funny, because at the time I was already a USC

2) I often get the question (about my future wife from Russia): so, from which catalog did you order her? The best answer is no answer

And my cousin (a woman) often complains that where she lives people are very intolerant with foreigners.

3) I remembered another: I was in car in Oakland, CA with three other foreigners and my friend (the driver from Switzerland) was waiting for somebody to leave a parking space to park the car there. An impatient woman couldn't stop honking the horn. My friend spoke to her and she said: "it had to be a foreigner."

All is not Rose petals, especially in some big cities.

I have a dual entry business visa that was good for 2 90 day visits and I didn't need an HIV test.

Last time I requested (and got granted) a Business visa (MAY/2009) I was not required any HIV test. I believe that they did away with this requirement.

If you have plans to travel to Russia two or more times a year, it is worth getting a Business visa (valid for a year) instead. It saves time and money and allows for better planning. This route is especially convenient if you plan a short vacation with your SO (to Turkey, for example), which will require you two entries to Russia at the same time.

The only hard requirement to get a Business visa is to have used a tourist visa already in the past. They require a copy of your previous visa before they approve the Business invitation.

If you use this route, do use gotorussia.com, because my experience is that others will not tell you about extra charges to send you the original invitation via FedEx before it is too late (for Business visas you are required to submit the original invitation. For tourist visas you can send a copy). Then your cost will increase $50 to $100, even though their sites do not say so. Gotorussia.com includes this charge on their totals, unless you need a rush delivery (usually not necessary if you plan in advance).

Business visas are a little more expensive and take longer to get, but are great if your plans include more than one trip to Russia a year. Besides, it saves blank pages on your passport, another hassle if you run out of them (no visa can be granted if you do not have at least two consecutive blank pages on your passport).

And does NVC change the original EAC number to an MOS number?

It gets assigned a case number before it's sent out, you can get that from them on the NVC line.

Thank you ALL!

Actually, I called NVC again and they gave me the MOS number. Unfortunately Moscow has not scheduled the interview yet.

To Baron:

I understand that packages go through hoops, but the final destination should be Moscow. However, DHL has no record of such a package, reason why I worry. I will wait a few days before I send an email to the consulate.

I have more information, and probably a reference to people who are still waiting:

I used the method explained in VJ to track a package from NVC to the corresponding consulate. Each reference I found mentions using the following Reference Tracking format: EXP dd MMM yyyyA, where dd=day in numbers, MMM = three letters of month in capital letters, and yyyy = year in numbers.

I did that and found nothing going to Moscow, out of 40+ packages. But then I was curious and started changing the final letter and realized that not all packages from NVC are identified with the letter A. When I used the letter B I saw a package going to Moscow out of a list of five packages. This was also identified as Express (hence EXP) documents.

If that is my package, the approved I-129F is already at the consulate in Moscow and they should be processing it soon. Time to tell my fianceé the news. I hope that she starts jumping from excitement

Thank you ALL for the responses once more.

And does NVC change the original EAC number to an MOS number?

It gets assigned a case number before it's sent out, you can get that from them on the NVC line.

Thank you ALL!

Actually, I called NVC again and they gave me the MOS number. Unfortunately Moscow has not scheduled the interview yet.

To Baron:

I understand that packages go through hoops, but the final destination should be Moscow. However, DHL has no record of such a package, reason why I worry. I will wait a few days before I send an email to the consulate.

And does NVC change the original EAC number to an MOS number?

I called NVC today and they told me that my fiancee's papers were sent Friday. Then I checked the DHL tracking system to see if anything has gone to Moscow the last few days.

Unfortunately DHL shows multiple cities, but nothing going to Moscow. Is it possible for documents to already be on its way to Moscow but not show in the DHL tracking system?

More deception from my "wife" has been brought to our attention. She entered the U.S. on a J-1 Visa on June 25th, 2008. She had claimed to be a Student, but had already graduated University in Iasi, Romania. I met her on July 17th, 2008. Throughout our relationship and eventual marriage here, she stated to me on multiple occasions that she was "so lucky" to have gotten the J-1 because she was not a student. My ignorance of Visa's and how they worked (I have only traveled to Canada, didnt need a passport etc, never been to Europe etc.) made me think nothing of it. She said on numerous occasions that she was technically not supposed to be here or get the J-1.

What are the penalties for such fraud as making false claims on the visa application? She also stated on all AOS forms we filed (which I ultimately withdrew) that she was a Student, and entered the U.S. as a Student, which was deceptive.

When "students" apply for the Work and Travel program to get a J-1 visa, they must do so months in advance (of the summer). Therefore, if she got her diploma right before she came to USA (at the end of the school year in June), she was indeed a student during the time she had the interview. That means: She did NOT lie!!!

The only way to prove that she lied is to know which questions she was asked during the interview. If she lied about when she was getting her diploma, then you have a case. Otherwise, you are out of luck. You are going to have to find a different excuse to charge her with a crime.

I am sorry to quench your euphoria

Ok......

so what is the point in continually posting your issues with her here on the internet.

He likes the attention, especially now that he is alone ...

Everybody knows what she did to you WAS WRONG, but only God can judge her for her actions and I do beleive in Karma what goes around, comes around, one day she will pay for it.

Just a question: How come are you so sure that SHE did something wrong?

I believe that WE (the crowd) will never know for sure...

Why couldn't this be as simple as two people who should have never been married to each other?

What's wrong with cold wa-wa on the pooter?

Heh! Ask a Russian doctor, it's probably good for your health.

It is seldom just cold wa-wa; usually these toilets do not flush well, have previous debris, etc. Do as you wish, I will continue my Air to Surface Missile technique or just hold it till I get to mall or home

Place a carpet of toilet paper on the surface of the water and you do not have to worry about a splash, no matter the angle. Bu don't put too much paper, or else you will clog the system

Yes, America allows open dissent so we have democracy. We have a free press and people are allowed to march and show public criticism. Russia and Iran and China do not. They kill dissenters. The suppress dissent harshly.

Hugo Chavez and his friends do the same in Venezuela, and nobody around the world cries foul. Mugabe is the same in Zimbabwe. Many Americans do not understand how privileged they are.

Please allow me to butt in, because I am somewhat familiar with the OP's concerns... and no, I did not decide to write in to argue about the "90-day trial period."

My advice to the OP is to be very careful with the decision to marry in the current conditions. One thing that I did not see anybody mention is the harsh reality that foreign women face in this country, especially women from Russia. Let us start with a very derogatory adjective often used towards Russian women in the USA, regardless of how she met her husband/fiance: "Mail Order Bride." (somebody even said it in this thread).

My point is that most Russian women who marry American men usually find an antagonistic society that adds huge pressure to the situation. Therefore, if the woman is not very sure (if not 100% at least very close) that she wants to live in this country (because she really loves the man), she may find it difficult to survive here and she will probably give up at the first opportunity.

As an example, when I broke the news about my wanting to marry a Russian lady, I was advised to "be careful" and "not do it" or "at least wait a few years so you can be sure that she is not only after a Green Card." I personally do not care about the comments others make (even my own family members). I am thick-skinned and I always do what I think is right for me. But I am fully aware of the environment she will have to face and I have made sure to tell her that it is not a "walk in the park." In fact, she even asked me to move to Russia with her, but...

...anyway, to the OP, she may be hot and you may be having the time of your life, but that will not shield you from disappointment if she is not really sure that she wants to be with you, no matter what external difficulties you face together. my thoughts to you: "you two must seriously talk about the realities of life and make sure that you will join forces for a better future together if you both decide to go through this process. Without a serious commitment, you have a better chance of failure.

Life is cruel. but it somehow seems to be more cruel for so-called MOB who come to America. Even when the relationship is ideal, it is really tough for both partners.

Maybe others who already completed the process can confirm or deny what I wrote here.

i would like to know how it all turns out. so merrillizer, if this one gets locked too, feel free to pm me in the future with the final update.

Maybe this is old news, but he had another thread that died on its own weight in March. He's clearly out to destroy this girl and her friends. That is his mission in life now and he will do whatever possible to enlist many recruits in his crusade. (Topic 184217)

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=184217

And if you search the Internet, he is now trying to gain sympathy from Immigration Fraud victims. I hope that they are granted a divorce quickly and they can move on with separate lives, before we hear the end of the story on Prime Time news.

Starting another thread to circumvent one that was closed by a mod?

No coment...

Did I incur on name calling or any of the other charges?

If so, I sincerely apologize. I seriously tried to avoid it, though, but I may have been guilty as charged