Putin proposes scrapping visas between Russia, US

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

I'm sure the citizens of Belarus are ecstatic with Putin's visa proposal. If it wasn't for Kremlin support, Batka Lukashenko wouldn't be where he is today.

Just think of it if this where to ever happen... Russian's get visa free travel, while Belarusians wither under the boot of the Kremlin installed and supported dictatorship of Lukashenko.

[dogspot 90]

Honestly I think the US isn't going to allow it until long after the EU allows it. Too bad, it would be nice to plan a visit to Pete without having to plan it 6 months in advance.

I hear ya. I was granted an unexpected week off from work, with only a week's notice - not enough time to secure a visa to go visit my fiancee in SPb. Without the visa restrictions, I would be there now.

It would also be great for her mom, brother and friends to come visit without all the visa difficulties. I hope they get this done.

[slim 1,530]

There is an abundance of hotties in other European countries too, many of which already have the VWP. There has been no influx of hotties from those nations, which leads to the conclusion that the hotty-traffic isn't driven primarily by the level of immigration complexity but rather by other factors.

Economic factors, perhaps?

Please list some examples.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

I hear ya. I was granted an unexpected week off from work, with only a week's notice - not enough time to secure a visa to go visit my fiancee in SPb. Without the visa restrictions, I would be there now.

It would also be great for her mom, brother and friends to come visit without all the visa difficulties. I hope they get this done.

It's not going to happen. If you want to know why it's never going to happen, learn a little bit about Russia...especially when it comes to her foreign policy's. Visa free travel with Russia is another one of Tsar Putin's whacked out myths. There is a reason we don't have visa free travel with Russia...and it's a good one.

[Captain Hammer 113]

I hear ya. I was granted an unexpected week off from work, with only a week's notice - not enough time to secure a visa to go visit my fiancee in SPb. Without the visa restrictions, I would be there now.

It would also be great for her mom, brother and friends to come visit without all the visa difficulties. I hope they get this done.

Hope it was a good kind of vacation and not the bad kind. Gotta say, it's pretty nice knowing we can go visit at the drop of a hat. Hope I'm wrong and it comes to Russia sooner than later.

[slim 1,530]

Hope it was a good kind of vacation and not the bad kind. Gotta say, it's pretty nice knowing we can go visit at the drop of a hat. Hope I'm wrong and it comes to Russia sooner than later.

You can get a visa to Russia overnight. I'm pretty sure you could get one the same day if the price was right.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Hope it was a good kind of vacation and not the bad kind. Gotta say, it's pretty nice knowing we can go visit at the drop of a hat. Hope I'm wrong and it comes to Russia sooner than later.

I thought you lived in Ukraine ? Ya right. Anyone who has lived in a RUB country knows what the score is, and it looks like you don't.

[^_^ 5,021]

There are a number of other qualifying criteria which a country (Russia, in this case) would have to meet before it qualified for VWP. Here is the one I believe Russia would have the most trouble meeting at this time.

Section 217 ( c )( 2 )( A ) of the Immigration and Nationality Act

... a country may not be designated as a program country unless the following requirements are met:

(A) LOW NONIMMIGRANT VISA REFUSAL RATE.--Either--

(i) the average number of refusals of nonimmigrant visitor visas for nationals of that country during--

(I) the two previous full fiscal years was less than 2.0 percent of the total number of nonimmigrant visitor visas for nationals of that country which were granted or refused during those years; and

(II) either of such two previous full fiscal years was less than 2.5 percent of the total number of nonimmigrant visitor visas for nationals of that country which were granted or refused during that year; or

(ii) such refusal rate for nationals of that country during the previous full fiscal year was less than 3.0 percent.

[Captain Hammer 113]

I thought you lived in Ukraine ? Ya right. Anyone who has lived in a RUB country knows what the score is, and it looks like you don't.

I don't live in Ukraine, and have not claimed that I do Please let's stay on topic, this thread is interesting enough the way it is.

[^_^ 5,021]

Please list some examples.

Your request makes it clear you don't consider the ladies in any of the other VWP countries comparable to the ladies of the FSU. Given your point of view on that, why bother?

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

I don't live in Ukraine, and have not claimed that I do Please let's stay on topic, this thread is interesting enough the way it is.

So you never spent anytime in Ukraine other than a quick visit with your now wife correct ? Don't tell me about changing the subject for the fact that this subject goes to the point that anyone who has spent any kind of significant time in a RUB country know's why we don't have visa free travel with Russia and would be the last person on earth proposing this idea.

[Captain Hammer 113]

So you never spent anytime in Ukraine other than a quick visit with your now wife correct ? Don't tell me about changing the subject for the fact that this subject goes to the point that anyone who has spent any kind of significant time in a RUB country know's why we don't have visa free travel with Russia and would be the last person on earth proposing this idea.

You need only read some of my previous posts to answer your question, I'm not going to keep repeating myself. There is a search function, use it.

And this is the last time I'm saying this. If you think I'm not who I say I am, that is your problem, not mine. I have tried to handle this privately with you, I have been a polite, constructive member of this forum, and have in no way earned the kind of abuse you keep hurling at me. Your behavior is abusive and borderline stalking. So deal with your problem, but deal with it off the forum so that every single topic doesn't degenerate into a flame-war. If you simply cannot control yourself, there is an ignore user function, I suggest you use it.

I am done with this line of discussion.

[Neonred 3,581]

http://news.yahoo.co..._20110310120551

MOSCOW (AFP) – Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Thursday proposed to visiting US Vice President Joe Biden that Russia and the United States take the "historic step" of abolishing visas between the two countries.

"If the United States and Russia agree to implement a visa-free regime before Russia and the European Union, then this would be a historic step in our relations," Putin told Biden.

You can tell that idiot Biden anything.... and no telling what he might say!

[dogspot 90]

It's not going to happen. If you want to know why it's never going to happen, learn a little bit about Russia...especially when it comes to her foreign policy's. Visa free travel with Russia is another one of Tsar Putin's whacked out myths. There is a reason we don't have visa free travel with Russia...and it's a good one.

Learn something?

Maybe you can teach me. I've read your posts around here and it seems you're very well read.

Please, enlighten us newbs who know little about Russia and her history. (I don't mean searching wikipedia for links)

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110310/wl_afp/usrussiadiplomacyeconomyvisas_20110310120551

MOSCOW (AFP) – Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Thursday proposed to visiting US Vice President Joe Biden that Russia and the United States take the "historic step" of abolishing visas between the two countries.

"If the United States and Russia agree to implement a visa-free regime before Russia and the European Union, then this would be a historic step in our relations," Putin told Biden.

"This would break all the old stereotypes between Russia and the United States."

Efforts by Russia and the European Union to agree visa-free travel between the two sides have continued for years without making substantial progress.

This appears to be the first time Putin has suggested cancelling visas with Moscow's main Cold War foe.

That would be great but clearly they want it to be bi-lateral and the US is not going to go for it. We are too invested in Spanish speaking illegal immigrants. Russia is not likely to go with one-way visaless travel the way Ukraine did. They don;t need the busines as much.