JAN 9 is the big day

[Danno 1,228]

Well in the morning (actually in just a few hours) Natalia will make her way up to the Embassy for her interview.

I guess I am a little nervous, not really that she will not "perform" well, I'm sure she will but that there will be a document snafu.

Has anyone every heard of a rejection from the moscow area before, I have read a lot of message boards over the years and I don't recall hearing of one.

Wow the Airfare thing has been killing me, I have found killer deals to fly "TO" Russia Round trip but when looking for a one-way ticket for her they have all been coming in around a grand per ticket at best between jan 15 to say the 30th.

Then I dug into some flagged info that I tuck away in a folder, whenever someone mentions a service or some other item that might be helpful someday.

I called a number out of Atlanta, spoke to a travel lady Natasha and she has me reserved for 2 tickets at less than half the lowest price I could find.

If this good deal materializes ... I will post her contact info.

Anyone know how long it typically takes to get visa-in-hand after approval?

[mox 298]

Hey Danno,

I have no answers to your questions, having not actually gotten to the interview stage myself, but I wanted to wish Natalia the best of luck. I'm sure she'll be fine, I've not actually read of any Moscow flat-out denials on VJ. Please do post the travel agent's contact info if it turns out to be a bona fide deal though. I'm hoping to order a one-way ticket some time in March or April.

[Chuckles 0]

I can hardly remember this stuff anymore... but my wife says it took 2 weeks to arrive by mail, in Yoshkar-Ola.

I know you can also pick it up in Moscow at the DHL office. People in this forum have done that... I am sure there is one that can help...

[Tea and Honey 0]

Good luck to Natalia!!

I believe she should be done by this time (it's almost noon here in Moscow)

I haven't heard of any denials lately. Everything should be fine if your fiancee has got all the documents. If not, she'll be asked to bring them later and she'll receive her visa after that.

Often people pick up visas at DHL office in Moscow in about 3 days after interview, but I believe 2 weeks should be enough for the visa to be sent anywhere in Russia.

DHL office in Moscow:

125047, 1st Tverskaya-Yamskaya st (1-ая Тверская-Ямская ул.), 11

Phone 7-(495) 956-10-00/ 961-10-00

Monday - Friday: 08.00-24.00

Saturday, Sunday:10.00-16.00

Natalia

[slim 1,514]

Can't wait to see the "Visa Issued" post!

(And then I can't wait to see that contact info. Great deals "from" Russia would be an awesome find.)

[Danno 1,228]

Well, this morning I called her and I am glad to report, she did pass the interview!

She told me that she was surprised it was mostly young men waiting to be interviewed and a few woman.

As for what questions she said it was only three.

1.What is your fiances name?

2. Where did you meet him?

3. How long have you known him?

But the first thing he asked for was photos of us together.

One thing we did that worked out very good was, instead of using a hotel which can be quite expensive in Moscow, Natalia contacted one of the home-stays offered at

UNCLEPASHA.com

It was only like 40 or 50 bucks and the lady Valintina, made her feel very welcome to use anything in the flat they wanted as well as offered advice about metro and where to eat.

Also, although Natalia only paid for one night, after her embassy business she came back and hung out until about midnight when her train home left for home. (try that at a hotel)

She said the visa would be about 3 days, she made it sound like it would be to St. Pet by then but I think DHL in moscow will get it in 3 days and then one or 2 to arrive to her city.

We were both unsure if she should try to speak english or not at the interview so I suggested when the guy asked IF she spoke english to tell him a little and for him to ask questions in Russian and you answer in english, this worked very well.

I have to really hand it to her, when we first met we spoke maybe 95% russian... (even with my small vocabulary.)

I started her taking lessons from a tutor which was very reasonable in cost but half the time he was out of town, and everytime I told her to find a new person she never really did, I know why..... She is a little tight-wad, she hated to hand my money over at every lesson.

Instead she saw the book he was using to teach her from, she had me buy it on e-bay (five bucks) and send it to her, then she pretty much studied on her own.

Now the teacher wants to buy her "new" book from her! She plans to sell it to him for like 35.00 buy another one from e-bay when she gets here.

But as for her learning English....Very diligent, that girl is, every time we spoke on the phone she would read her lesson, with me correcting her pronunciations.

Of course I was kinda "pushin" her a little on the English by suggestion that she might get turned down at the interview if she did not speak some english.

Couple that with her big interest to learn english and she did not need much prodding.

She really seems to be on a roll now, learning fast.

Now I am forgetting my Russian words even though I often answer her back in Russian to keep practice.

Well thats the latest.

[mox 298]

Freaking awesome news Danno!! Congratulations to you both!! So when is she flying "home?"

[Danno 1,228]

Freaking awesome news Danno!! Congratulations to you both!! So when is she flying "home?"

Can't say for sure, I have those tickets reserved for the 17th but I know they will not hold that unpaid reservation open until she gets the visa in hand...... I am thinking of taking a chance and going ahead and buying the tickets... what would be the chance something would happen at this point?

If I were not a "risk-taker" I would never have come thing far

Think I will call that agent tomorrow and see what she says.

[Chris Parker 11]

Wow the Airfare thing has been killing me, I have found killer deals to fly "TO" Russia Round trip but when looking for a one-way ticket for her they have all been coming in around a grand per ticket at best between jan 15 to say the 30th.

Yeah, I'm starting to try to figure that out... I think it is the Christmas/New Year fares are the only ones still available but I'm hoping some new ones will appear next week.

The fares are nuts right now: Aeroflot costs more than Delta. One-way also costs more than Round-trip, but of course you could always not use the return trip, though that is technically a violation of the contract of carriage.

On the other hand, I travelled from Moscow using KLM with a transfer in Amsterdam at a great fare, and while I had great weather and no delays or connection problems, I was always a nervous of a baggage delay or a missed connection due to bad weather causing a nightmare layover. The extra security checkpoint in Amsterdam is also annoying. However, if it were not for bringing the baby on the trip, I would hesitate to get them tickets this way also.

[slim 1,514]

Well, this morning I called her and I am glad to report, she did pass the interview!

Awesome!

One thing we did that worked out very good was, instead of using a hotel

My fiancee did a similar thing (she stayed with Olesya Pomazan, who I believe is an associate of Uncle Pasha) and it also worked quite well and saved a ton of money.

We were both unsure if she should try to speak english or not at the interview so I suggested when the guy asked IF she spoke english to tell him a little and for him to ask questions in Russian and you answer in english, this worked very well.

It does seem that even though English is not required, when they can reply in English it gets "brownie points" with the C/O.

She really seems to be on a roll now, learning fast.

Now I am forgetting my Russian words even though I often answer her back in Russian to keep practice.

Don't worry. After she arrives, her English will significantly improve even more, and so will your Russian!

[Jason-Sasha 1]

Great news Danno! You both must be so happy now. I cant wait to feel the same way....

[Danno 1,228]

I want to report back that she went and picked up the visa from DHL today.

Interview on the 9th and visa arrived on the 13th.

Tomorrow Morning I will call that travel lady back that "had" two tickets reserved. Certainly they are expired by now but I will see what she can find.

Now that we have vis-in-hand, I am ready to buy.

Today natalia, revealed to me this "plan" she had in the back of her mind... should she not be able to get a visa.

This plan was based around the scheme to get me to Move there... rather than wait for Appeals or any other paperwork.

Women,

Born Schemers

[Chris Parker 11]

I want to report back that she went and picked up the visa from DHL today.

Interview on the 9th and visa arrived on the 13th.

DHL was open on Sunday? Did she get a notice or call or how did she know to go pick up?

I presume DHL tracking shows the package was picked up by DHL from the embassy on Friday, correct?

I guess this reasonably means that DHL should be picking up our visa approved on Jan 10 on Monday, don't you think?

[Danno 1,228]

Yes I was surprised they were open Sunday.

They called the day-before (sat) and told her to come the following day.

Neither of us thought to use tracking so I can't answer that one (what were we thinking).

The 10th or 11th sounds like it should be "your-day", but then again, is it going to Vladiostok?

[slim 1,514]

Today natalia, revealed to me this "plan" she had in the back of her mind... should she not be able to get a visa.

This plan was based around the scheme to get me to Move there... rather than wait for Appeals or any other paperwork.

Women,

Born Schemers

So you wouldn't move to Russia if she didn't get the visa? Why not? And why would she have to come up with some scheme to get you there?

To all the newbies..... slim's tried and true method of weeding out the "schemers" is to offer, before they even talk about marriage and all that stuff, to move there to be with them in their city. Part of their life. Part of their every day normal been doing it since I was born, life.

See what they say then.

But if they're trying to "scheme" you into moving there... you've got a winner!!! Fill out some papers, it's Visa Time!