Asking the Impossible?

[baron555 934]

Alla and I are planning a trip down there in spring, she wants to look over the area more. I think the cold weather affects both of us more than it used to and dammit, and hate to see those tasty summer clothes put away so soon!

And....don't fail to bring her to the Houston area during the summer also.....big difference from what the weather is there now!!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

And....don't fail to bring her to the Houston area during the summer also.....big difference from what the weather is there now!!

True and she knows that. Sergey definitely knows that and it means she would need to adapt to air conditioning which so far has been off limits because it "makes you ill"

We will have to see about that. On the other hand, sometimes she says "I have gotten used to Vermont" (it was a culture shock for a city girl) but now she is "constantly sold" and it is only October!

[TBoneTX 44,690]

Alla and I are planning a trip down there in spring, she wants to look over the area more.

Well, you slunk in & out last time like a sidewinding polecat. This time, you are ordered (at penalty of official removal of your coveted "-Bone" suffix) to hobnob with the natives after providing adequate notice, see man?

[shikarnov 7]

Thanks everybody for the replies. We've taken your advice about sending Mom someplace for a rest, but now the question is where. My MIL speaks only Russian, so going to Poland or Germany might be somewhat problematic - to say nothing of the distance and travel time. Might Latvia work? It requires a Shengen visa, I've heard that there's a large Russian-speaking population there, and it's accessible by train...

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Well, you slunk in & out last time like a sidewinding polecat. This time, you are ordered (at penalty of official removal of your coveted "-Bone" suffix) to hobnob with the natives after providing adequate notice, see man?

Remove my BONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????

OK, and I think by then Sergey will have his girlfriend Dasha there, she got her I-20 last week from the Univ of Houston and is scheduled to begin classes January 14. I think her and Sergey will be living in his apartment and probably split expenses using both their stipends. It is really a nice place.

We will have to get together with you and Mrs T-B. Hopefully our trip will ber a little more relaxing and less hectic. I am threatening to rent a car and take a drive to San Antonio and pay my respects at The Alamo or go to New Orleans for a couple days also. Alla, not being a Texican, would probably opt for New Orleans, but I want to spend a few days around Houston/Galveston and just goof off

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Thanks everybody for the replies. We've taken your advice about sending Mom someplace for a rest, but now the question is where. My MIL speaks only Russian, so going to Poland or Germany might be somewhat problematic - to say nothing of the distance and travel time. Might Latvia work? It requires a Shengen visa, I've heard that there's a large Russian-speaking population there, and it's accessible by train...

Any place requiring a Shengen visa will work. The Shengen is valid in ALL participating countries but is usually issued by the country you intend to visit or intend to visit first. If she goes to Latvia she COULD just as easily go to France, Germany, or any other Shengen country. And that is the point.

[Oliverpb 2]

I was going to say my MIL applied for a tourist visa, single, retired now at 55 and just her small home south of Ekaterinburg with no problem and they even gave her a 2 year visa (couldnt believe it) without asking. the officer said to enjoy being able to see her daughter and many grandchildren But I also forgot she has traveled to Belarus, Egypt, Turkey.. so I think that helped her also. I only wrote a letter of sponsorship stating we want her to visit to meet my family, see where her daughter lives, our future children, and friends. I stated that we would be financially responsible for her trip.

Im no expert on traveling to other countries first, but as many ties to home as she can show, especially property and bank accounts helps. My SIL is getting her 3 year tourist visa right now and Ill keep you posted. We want to extend my MILs to 3 years also when her 2 year expires. Good luck!

[SMR 368]

Thanks everybody for the replies. We've taken your advice about sending Mom someplace for a rest, but now the question is where. My MIL speaks only Russian, so going to Poland or Germany might be somewhat problematic - to say nothing of the distance and travel time. Might Latvia work? It requires a Shengen visa, I've heard that there's a large Russian-speaking population there, and it's accessible by train...

Where does she live? Latvia or Estonia wouldn't be too bad language wise. Finland also has some tourist areas that are targeted towards Russians so communication shouldn't be a problem.

[shikarnov 7]

Where does she live? Latvia or Estonia wouldn't be too bad language wise. Finland also has some tourist areas that are targeted towards Russians so communication shouldn't be a problem.

She lives in a village a few kilometers north of Ivanovo.

[Dave&Roza 748]

My MIL was able to get a tourist visa this past summer to visit. She has two apartments, pension, son, DIL, two grandkids, and all the extended family. She has not been outside of Kazakhstan since before independence and then that was to Moscow and Turkey. I agree witht the others that your MIL might want to travel to a European country to establish a pattern of complying with the rules. If you do not try you will never know. The only thing you will be out is the visa application fee. It does depend on the IO as my wife applied for a tourist visa before we were married and was denied. A friend did contact their congressman and wrote the next invitation letter for her to use, but all other information was the same except the IO was different and she was approved--the second application was filed three weeks after the first.

You might want to see what the refusal rate is for Russia for tourist visas. That would give you an idea of how strict they are. At least your MIL is not a single, young woman as those tend to get denied unless they can show extremely strong ties to Russia.

Good luck,

Dave

[Brad and Vika 129]

She lives in a village a few kilometers north of Ivanovo.

I have been to Vilnius and Riga. Both have large Russian populations, and train conductors, bus drivers, etc. seem pretty fluent. There was some hostility to speaking Russian in Vilnius when I was there, but it was maybe five years ago.