It Started

[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 3,694]

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 3,694]

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.

[mox 298]

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

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

[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.