Hello, first post about here about Ukraine.

[snowbelt luke 0]

Hello everyone,

My first post here after registering. This looks like a very helpful site.

I have a few questions I am hoping you guys can help me out with. I have met and spent time with a wonderful woman from Ukraine and we are currently engaged. We are planning on going the CR1 route.

My questions are, I have my passport and birth certificate ready for when I go over which I guess will need translated. I am not quite sure what an apostilled birth certificate means?

Also, from reading I see I need a "certificate of non impediment" I am not sure where to get this? I tried my county courthouse but they said they couldn't help.

I have an agency to help me here once we are married with the Cr-1 once back in the states but as for the marriage process and what is needed in Ukraine I could use some help. I will only be able to spend 10 days there due to work and am wondering if this is enough time? Any advice is appreciated.

Thank you for your help.

[1HappyGuy 45]

Since you are so new, I am wondering why you are choosing the CR-1 and not the K-1 fiancee visa. Generally she would be able to join you quicker with the K-1 than the CR-1. You should check out the timelines for the two types of visas before you make any decisions. I'm sure you will get lots of advice about the things you asked about, but my question is more of a general question concerning the differences between visas. Maybe you are not aware of the K-1?

[slim 1,525]

Welcome.

If that "agency" that's going to help you is free, have at it. If they're going to charge you, go ahead and drop them and spend a little more time here on VJ. This stuff isn't hard. You can do it all yourself.

Ask questions. Any questions! We're here to help.

[snowbelt luke 0]

We are going with the CR-1 because she wants a wedding in Ukraine that her family can be at and I would like to see her have that. If we go the K1 she wouldn't have any of her family here for the wedding. The agency has helped me for free.

[Sveta & Ron 23]

welcome snowbelt sveta and i agree the k1 and once she is here we have a very basic marriage then file for greencard then return ukraine for a true wedding for her friends and family in anycase gives more reason visit her family

[mobob 0]

Read what I wrote to Bleau yesterday. It's all relevant. The important thing again is: where does SHE want to get married? And then, how fast does she want to get here? CR1/IR1 is running about 10 months, but after the wait, the green card is supposed to arrive in about 10 days. K1 is faster, but then there's AOS to deal with. Interestingly, I did get my birth certificate translated, but it was never requested. It doesn't hurt to have it done, but your passport's good enough as it shows where and when you were born. Ask questions, you'll get answers. Good luck. Oh, btw, you can do the CR1/IR1 all by yourself. Easy and less chance of mistakes. Just follow the guides here, they're right on the money.

Edited June 12, 2012 by mobob

[LvivLovers 39]

Just put this in other thread....we also got married in Ukraine but ended up doing a K1 visa (USCIS decided for us)...CR1 is definitely better though so stick with that. Here's an old thread where I wrote a little bit of info about the marriage process (scroll down about 70% to find my post...long thread): http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/49639-the-kyiv-beat/page__st__210

[snowbelt luke 0]

Thanks for the replies.

LvivLovers, from what I read of your posts it looks like all I need is my birth certificate and passport when I go over, then in Kiev I would get the certificate of non impediment, correct?

Edited June 12, 2012 by snowbelt luke

[eekee 182]

An apostille is a document that makes a document legal for use worldwide. You get the apostille from the Department of State for the state where your document was issued. So if you were born in New York State, you'd send your documents to the office in Albany to be apostilled. You would have this translated in addition to the document itself. Without the apostille, the document would not be considered legal in Ukraine and a translator would not notarize the translation.

[snowbelt luke 0]

Ok, I may be understanding this wrong but it has to be apostilled in the USA and then again in Ukraine? Would the original issued birth certificate be apostilled? As for the Certificate of Non Impediment I am still a little confused on where to get that.

[LvivLovers 39]

Your birth certificate would be apostilled in the USA before you go over...that's how that is authenticated to the Ukrainian government. The apostille lets them be sure that your document is the real deal...they can look it up on their side and see that it is a true official document. The letter of non-impediment follows a similar idea, but since you can't get it apostilled over there, you follow another process that accomplishes the same goal (they have on file the seals from the officers working at the US embassy so if it has their seal, they trust that it's legit).

Honestly, other than what I wrote in that post a long time ago, I don't remember much else about the overall process. I think that is right though...apostilled birth certificate, passport with translation, and that letter of non-impediment. What you would want to do is have your fiancee go RAGS/ZAGS and talk to them directly ahead of time to find out what they really require. She'll probably have to make some unofficial payments to them to get everything lined up...but whatever they say they require is what you are ultimately going to need to bring.

[eekee 182]

Ok, I may be understanding this wrong but it has to be apostilled in the USA and then again in Ukraine? Would the original issued birth certificate be apostilled? As for the Certificate of Non Impediment I am still a little confused on where to get that.

Original, as in what your parents got at the hospital? You can just order a copy from the state.

[1HappyGuy 45]

Original, as in what your parents got at the hospital? You can just order a copy from the state.

Actually the birth certificate from the hospital is not considered official. You need the certificate of live birth issued by the government agency where you were born, usually the county in America.

[eekee 182]

Actually the birth certificate from the hospital is not considered official. You need the certificate of live birth issued by the government agency where you were born, usually the county in America.

Well, I know that. That is why I was clarifying for the OP, that they can't go with a certificate with footprints and stuff and take it to DoS and expect an apostille.

[snowbelt luke 0]

The apostilled birth certificate is on its way. So that with my passport is all I need to take, and then at the US embassy in Kiev I will get the letter of non impediment correct?