It Started

[baron555 934]

How is POE? if something similar happens then, I cringe to imagine.

I'm glad she was prepared for a smattering of this. Yes it is too bad this has to be but your's and our's life with the Moscow Embassy is over, forever. They never have to go back there for any of that.

Alla's and Tonya's (the two ladies travelled together) POE through Chicago was a piece of cake, including retrieving the dogs they both had shipped with.

All documents were in order and only smiles and welcomes on this end.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

Another dig up, because might as well keep adding to this thread with each step.

The medical wasn't fun. -20 C outside and they made her do the whole running from the one office to the other twice (they didn't like the first x-ray). Also they refused to make a copy of the DS-3025 (vaccination form). They told her that the embassy told them not to anymore (since Oct.) She said other fiancees and wives were saying the same thing.

Interview was worse: CO was rude. Was a man. Kept telling her that her English was horrible and that he did not believe we could communicate with each other. Demanded she show him proof of letters she sent to me, then after reading the emails brought, told her he did not believe she actually wrote it and would not look at the phone log we printed with my and her number, showing that we talk 30-60 minutes each day. She is really self-critical on her English (it is good, she was just nervous at the man's rudeness) and it rattled her in a majorly bad way.

Good news: After Hell, the visa was Approved

Great News. I had not heard about the DS-3025 thing and have not heard the same from Ukraine. Do they include it in the sealed envelope or is this some ploy to increase the cash flow to civil surgeons? Congratulations!

[Rob_Lesya 4]

I had not heard about the DS-3025 thing and have not heard the same from Ukraine. Do they include it in the sealed envelope or is this some ploy to increase the cash flow to civil surgeons?

When Lesya had her medical exam at IOM in early November they told her the exact same thing about having been told by the embassy not to give copies. Lesya left with a copy. I'm sure most of you here know how she did it.

If you do a quick search on this site or a Google search for DS-3025 you can find some recent reports from a few different countries where those getting their medical exam abroad were told that they cannot get a copy of the DS-3025 ---- even though that directly conradicts the instructions on the form. I spent a little time searching the DOS site and other relevant sites but I couldn't find anything related to any official change in policy. At this point it seems to be anyone's guess as to what's happening in these cases.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

When Lesya had her medical exam at IOM in early November they told her the exact same thing about having been told by the embassy not to give copies. Lesya left with a copy. I'm sure most of you here know how she did it.

If you do a quick search on this site or a Google search for DS-3025 you can find some recent reports from a few different countries where those getting their medical exam abroad were told that they cannot get a copy of the DS-3025 ---- even though that directly conradicts the instructions on the form. I spent a little time searching the DOS site and other relevant sites but I couldn't find anything related to any official change in policy. At this point it seems to be anyone's guess as to what's happening in these cases.

Fortunately this needn't be a problem in FSU countries. we have found $10 US and a pint of good Vermont Maple Syrup to be very persuasive.

We have had no trouble to speak of at the POE for Alla (with dog and cat) our oldest son who arrived later and another woman that was traveling with us when we returned this summer that was coming on a K-1 and was engaged to another VJ member whom Alla did the translations for...small world. In fact this other woman got through the POE faster than we did (US citizen and permanent resident)

Just be sure to tell her to fill out the I-94 before she goes to the line, Alla made the mistake at her POE not to do this and then had to go back and start over through the line.

[leith@Ievgeniia 8]

this type of treatment is reason why i have decided to attend the interview with my love. i know my me and if i here some simple burricrat giving us hell we will do the interview and pass it. and then demand to see the embassitor and talk to him direct.

that is me. right is right and rude is just not taken buy me at anytime.

but super to here all has good ending and in few more weeks, you will have somebody in same bed with you... that will be good and strange at same time!!

and all those strange things will take over your sink in bath 10000 of bottles tubes and wires heheheh differnt strange and fun...

i wainting on noa 2 now. been close to 2 months and still nothing.. no update...just time and more time...

but best i am leaving in 2 weeks to go and see Ievgeniia for 11 days of fun seeing her house, and meeting her mom...friends and down to yalta for some warm and nice places to see. excited about the whole trip!!!! so excited!!!

[clueless_in_usa 8]

One of the misconceptions many Americans have about overseas embassies is that it is "American soil" and that they therefore have the same exact rights and privileges that they enjoy within the physical boundaries of the US. This cannot be further from the truth. US Embassies are "American soil" with regards to the relationship between the host country and the US, not between you and the embassy. The relationship between you and the embassy is non-existent. (yes, they will work on your behalf if you, as a traveler, need assistance, but that's not what we're talking about here.)

Consider this when confronting a rude staffer, or demanding to see the Ambassador to complain about rude staff. You are there by invitation, you can be removed easily (probably not the best way to meet one of the few and proud), and they could really give a flying #### that you happen to be a US citizen. You're not in Kansas anymore--literally--and as I've said before, embassies operate as tiny little fiefdoms, largely outside any kind of normal government oversight, and largely by their own rules.

If you happen to attend your fiancee's interview, tread lightly. Your righteous indignation (no matter how justified) could result in arbitrary action against your fiancee. Any protests you have will wait until you return to the US (you will *not* get to meet the Ambassador, I guarantee it), and then you'll have to fight the State Department bureaucracy from back home while your fiancee cools her heels, visa-less.

As an American citizen you can be "arrested" instead of "removed."

[baron555 934]

You are there by invitation, you can be removed easily

As an American citizen you can be "arrested" instead of "removed."

Ironic

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

this type of treatment is reason why i have decided to attend the interview with my love. i know my me and if i here some simple burricrat giving us hell we will do the interview and pass it. and then demand to see the embassitor and talk to him direct.

that is me. right is right and rude is just not taken buy me at anytime.

but super to here all has good ending and in few more weeks, you will have somebody in same bed with you... that will be good and strange at same time!!

and all those strange things will take over your sink in bath 10000 of bottles tubes and wires heheheh differnt strange and fun...

i wainting on noa 2 now. been close to 2 months and still nothing.. no update...just time and more time...

but best i am leaving in 2 weeks to go and see Ievgeniia for 11 days of fun seeing her house, and meeting her mom...friends and down to yalta for some warm and nice places to see. excited about the whole trip!!!! so excited!!!

Be careful. At our son's interview in June there was a US citizen present who took exception to how his fiancee was treated and made an issue of it and basically made a scene. While he was yelling at the CO a couple of our nation's finest burst into the room and he was unceremoniously dragged out, physically. They do NOT mess around! Turms out the woman did not have a parental permission letter allowing her son to relocate to the US permanently , only for a brief period, yet somehow their "translation" said it was for permanent relocation. (No, Alla did NOT do that translation) Never try to fool them on this. Everyone working at the consualte speaks, reads and writes fluent English, Russian and Ukrainian.

The Kiev consulate gave both Alla and our eldest son the choice of languages to have their interview in. It is not unusual, if they have questions, to present these in not such a pleasant manner. She just needs to prepared with all the information and answer honestly and directly. Actually at both interviews we never had a question asked.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

this type of treatment is reason why i have decided to attend the interview with my love. i know my me and if i here some simple burricrat giving us hell we will do the interview and pass it. and then demand to see the embassitor and talk to him direct.

that is me. right is right and rude is just not taken buy me at anytime.

but super to here all has good ending and in few more weeks, you will have somebody in same bed with you... that will be good and strange at same time!!

and all those strange things will take over your sink in bath 10000 of bottles tubes and wires heheheh differnt strange and fun...

i wainting on noa 2 now. been close to 2 months and still nothing.. no update...just time and more time...

but best i am leaving in 2 weeks to go and see Ievgeniia for 11 days of fun seeing her house, and meeting her mom...friends and down to yalta for some warm and nice places to see. excited about the whole trip!!!! so excited!!!

Yalta will be relatively warm this time of year. Where I lived, Odessa, is exactly the same latitude as Montreal, QC and Yalta is about like Boston. The Black Sea helps to keep things a bit warmer than inland but it is not Cancun by any means. Odessa had a mild winter compared to Kiev but we got lots of heavy, wet snow and it was not at all "warm" People seem to forget how far north Europe lays. Kiev is about equivilent to Hudson Bay in latitude.

[Brad and Vika 129]

Heh...I don't think the one precludes the other.

And you can be grateful for the free medical clinincs (if you can find one) after the Marine security opens up a can of whupass before "removing" you from the grounds. I bet the locals would view the scene and the subsequent beating as an American problem. Make all protests through channels - not to the interviewing CO.

We were treated very well in Kiev by the way.