American boy loves Ukrainian girl..looking for advice

[JlM 0]

Hello. I've read countless forums in the last couple months and I'm feeling so lost that I thought I'd finally ask for some help.

The story so far:

I am American. I met a Ukrainian girl in America while she was visiting on a J-1 work-and-travel visa. She stayed 4 months, and that was 2 years ago. Last year I got my US passport and that summer I traveled to her in Ukraine, and spent 60 days there. It was obvious we were in love. After waiting the required 180 days, in January of this year I again traveled to her, staying 90 days (actually it ways 93 days and I had to pay a $200 bribe to the passport control officer but that's another story) and ever since my return to the US in April I've been trying to figure out how to bring her here.

She tried to get a tourist visa for an American cruise (with another girl) but it was denied. That was last December. Someone said she should wait a year before trying again to get the visa, so it might be time for her to try again...however I heard the price has gone up to something like $300 now just for the interview, and since she's had a J-1 before, and since she's a single girl, it's almost impossible to get that visa. But FWIW she took two tours in Europe (on two separate Schengen visas) this past summer to help show that she loves to travel.

I'm not optimistic about her chances for a tourist visa to visit me here, so I am, once again, preparing to visit her in January for 90 days.

We just want to be together...here or in Ukraine...but I can't keep spending all this money for 90 day visits!

I'm 27 and she's 23. I'm open to the option of marriage but even then I don't know if I can get the proper documents to bring her here since I probably can't prove that I can support her...spending thousands of dollars in travel and changing jobs every year doesn't help!

I'm really seeking the best advice anyone can give. Or, point me to someone who could mentor me through this

Many thanks,

Jim

[Martyshk 137]

Look into K-1. Financial requirements for the "affidavit of support" are that of a poverty line (you needing to be above that).

[Martyshk 137]

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1tips

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1flow

[Tygrys 143]

Most likely K-1 is the only viable option to bring her to the U.S., but both of you must be willing to marry no later than 90 days after she gets here.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Hello. I've read countless forums in the last couple months and I'm feeling so lost that I thought I'd finally ask for some help.

The story so far:

I am American. I met a Ukrainian girl in America while she was visiting on a J-1 work-and-travel visa. She stayed 4 months, and that was 2 years ago. Last year I got my US passport and that summer I traveled to her in Ukraine, and spent 60 days there. It was obvious we were in love. After waiting the required 180 days, in January of this year I again traveled to her, staying 90 days (actually it ways 93 days and I had to pay a $200 bribe to the passport control officer but that's another story) and ever since my return to the US in April I've been trying to figure out how to bring her here.

She tried to get a tourist visa for an American cruise (with another girl) but it was denied. That was last December. Someone said she should wait a year before trying again to get the visa, so it might be time for her to try again...however I heard the price has gone up to something like $300 now just for the interview, and since she's had a J-1 before, and since she's a single girl, it's almost impossible to get that visa. But FWIW she took two tours in Europe (on two separate Schengen visas) this past summer to help show that she loves to travel.

I'm not optimistic about her chances for a tourist visa to visit me here, so I am, once again, preparing to visit her in January for 90 days.

We just want to be together...here or in Ukraine...but I can't keep spending all this money for 90 day visits!

I'm 27 and she's 23. I'm open to the option of marriage but even then I don't know if I can get the proper documents to bring her here since I probably can't prove that I can support her...spending thousands of dollars in travel and changing jobs every year doesn't help!

I'm really seeking the best advice anyone can give. Or, point me to someone who could mentor me through this

Many thanks,

Jim

You got it bad, but who can blame you? I am partial to Ukrainian women myself.

Talk it over with her because this is no BS. If you two want to get married then file an I-129f. Read the guides and forums here, it is all there and yes you can do it (we all did!)

[Mike&Luda 0]

I definitely agree with Tygrys. If you can take that plunge... K-1 is the way to go. You just have to pay the fees, file all the ridiculous paperwork and wait out the process. The financial threshhold is very low so I wouldn't worry about that as long as you are employed. My other advice would be to make sure the paperwork gives the story that you want to give... if you've changed jobs or lost jobs... explain why and be thorough. We got complimented on our paperwork's completeness and accuracy but most of our volumes of proof was never even looked at!

[Nick_Moscow 2]

IMHO the K3 (spouse) visa will give you much less grief than the K1 (Fiance).

I did direct consular file for the K3 in Moscow in Spring 2008. We got the visa in early October and she got her green card (with conditions, meaning it was only good for two years) in the mail in the US like a month after we arrived in the US. Her interview was simple for the K3 visa and never have we been plucked for an interview (the Naturalization interview with civics test is coming very soon!) It could have been pure luck I suppose but I think our processes have been so quick and painless b/c we married in Russia and lived there for about a year before filing for the visa. It was obvious we weren't scammers! Also I think K3 will be good because you'll get to know her family, friends, and country better and this will lead her to trust you and love you more before she plunges into a new life in a foreign country with you. Lastly, I hear that with K1 visas, the fiance can't work immediately. From conversations on this forum and with other international couple friends, as I understand, this causes lots of grief. With K3 my wife was authorized to work immediately.

It sounds from your post like your job is flexible or you've switched jobs easily, since you took those 90 day trips. Why not consider working as an ESOL teacher in Ukraine while you get to know each other and even get to know the country? As I understand foreign income up to $90K is exempt so you can stick it to the tax man, and trust me, you'll have an amazing time! How often do we Americans get to travel abroad after all? Also when we're still young it's so much easier to travel (no kids, mortgage, car note, etc.) so why pass up the chance!? In any case you should seriously consider the K3 visa, especially if you're already open to the idea of marriage.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

IMHO the K3 (spouse) visa will give you much less grief than the K1 (Fiance).

I did direct consular file for the K3 in Moscow in Spring 2008. We got the visa in early October and she got her green card (with conditions, meaning it was only good for two years) in the mail in the US like a month after we arrived in the US. Her interview was simple for the K3 visa and never have we been plucked for an interview (the Naturalization interview with civics test is coming very soon!) It could have been pure luck I suppose but I think our processes have been so quick and painless b/c we married in Russia and lived there for about a year before filing for the visa. It was obvious we weren't scammers! Also I think K3 will be good because you'll get to know her family, friends, and country better and this will lead her to trust you and love you more before she plunges into a new life in a foreign country with you. Lastly, I hear that with K1 visas, the fiance can't work immediately. From conversations on this forum and with other international couple friends, as I understand, this causes lots of grief. With K3 my wife was authorized to work immediately.

It sounds from your post like your job is flexible or you've switched jobs easily, since you took those 90 day trips. Why not consider working as an ESOL teacher in Ukraine while you get to know each other and even get to know the country? As I understand foreign income up to $90K is exempt so you can stick it to the tax man, and trust me, you'll have an amazing time! How often do we Americans get to travel abroad after all? Also when we're still young it's so much easier to travel (no kids, mortgage, car note, etc.) so why pass up the chance!? In any case you should seriously consider the K3 visa, especially if you're already open to the idea of marriage.

The visa you got was a CR-1 not a K-3. K-3 is a non immigrant visa and would have required you to file the AOS to get the green card. The K-3 is more or less obsolete and I have heard it is no longer issued (not confirmed) but has been replaced entirely by the CR-1.

There are varying opinions and needs and each visa meets different needs. There is a lot to be said for the CR-1, it is true but it is not the best choice for everyone.

For example, if the spouse has children between the ages of 18 and 21 and they want to come with her, the CR-1 is OUT of the question. Children cannot get CR-2 visas unless they are under age 18 when the marriage occurs. K-2s can get visas all the way up to age 21. IF the couple wishes to be together quicker AND the fiancee has no immediate need to work or travel, the K-1 is usually faster and will meet their needs. We had BOTH situations in our case and chose the K-1 for those reasons. My wife is now a citizen and it untimatley makes so little difference as to not be worth mentioning.

If it is desired for the foreign spouse to be able to travel outside the US or work quickly, then the CR-1 is a better choice.

[eekee 182]

Considering that the OP's girlfriend is 23, I HOPE she doesn't have kids between the ages of 18 and 21

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Hello. I've read countless forums in the last couple months and I'm feeling so lost that I thought I'd finally ask for some help.

The story so far:

I am American. I met a Ukrainian girl in America while she was visiting on a J-1 work-and-travel visa. She stayed 4 months, and that was 2 years ago. Last year I got my US passport and that summer I traveled to her in Ukraine, and spent 60 days there. It was obvious we were in love. After waiting the required 180 days, in January of this year I again traveled to her, staying 90 days (actually it ways 93 days and I had to pay a $200 bribe to the passport control officer but that's another story) and ever since my return to the US in April I've been trying to figure out how to bring her here.

She tried to get a tourist visa for an American cruise (with another girl) but it was denied. That was last December. Someone said she should wait a year before trying again to get the visa, so it might be time for her to try again...however I heard the price has gone up to something like $300 now just for the interview, and since she's had a J-1 before, and since she's a single girl, it's almost impossible to get that visa. But FWIW she took two tours in Europe (on two separate Schengen visas) this past summer to help show that she loves to travel.

I'm not optimistic about her chances for a tourist visa to visit me here, so I am, once again, preparing to visit her in January for 90 days.

We just want to be together...here or in Ukraine...but I can't keep spending all this money for 90 day visits!

I'm 27 and she's 23. I'm open to the option of marriage but even then I don't know if I can get the proper documents to bring her here since I probably can't prove that I can support her...spending thousands of dollars in travel and changing jobs every year doesn't help!

I'm really seeking the best advice anyone can give. Or, point me to someone who could mentor me through this

Many thanks,

Jim

You took one trip too many. You could have used that money that you spent on your last trip for a K-1 or CR1 visa and she would be half way here by now. As far as her liking to travel RE: the two Schengen visa's she got...make sure she isn't high maintenance as some RUB chicks are known to be. Skip the trips over there, skip the tourist visa for her to come here, and apply for a K1 visa and call it good. It's called ####### or get off the pot.

Edited December 5, 2012 by Bad_Daddy

[JlM 0]

Thanks everyone for the input. I wasn't expecting such a response.

There seems to be consensus that K-1 is the way to go. I read about it before, but was immediately put off by the countless number of hoops to jump through and the countless delays and back-and-forth of documents, and, of course, the unexpected setbacks.

I wouldn't object to a marriage in Ukraine if a CR-1 is "easier", since it also means we can be together sooner. I've lived with her family for a couple months and I know that her parents would die if they couldn't participate in a wedding at some point--she is an only child and I feel bad for trying to take her from them

@Bad_Daddy - My first trip was 2 months in summer, the other was 3 months in winter...I really needed to do both to grasp what life is like there. The two European tours were her mom's idea, simply to make her look like a traveler. She was bitter afterwards because she could never find wifi for Skype. Her mom has also suggested that they book an American cruise together to increase the odds of visa approval; tourist visas for cruises are the best option outside of marriage it seems. I'm not against marriage--indeed I know I'll have to do it at some point--but I think anyone would agree the application process would be a lot more comfortable if the financée is standing right beside you. Any idea what a best-case K-1 time-frame would be, from application to touchdown on US soil? Thanks for the reply...with the feedback I'm getting it seems I'll be passing this stool soon.

@eekee - You called it--no kids

@Gary+Alla - She shouldn't need to work. My primary goal is to be together as soon as possible for as long as possible. My secondary goal is to get her here the easiest way possible. Obviously you're knowledgeable about this and you're familiar with Ukraine. I'm curious if you had other reasons for not marrying in Ukraine...that would be the quickest way to be together, correct? It sounds like Alla brought her adult children to America at the same time...was that the main reason for doing the K-1 and did that add extra complication for you? (if you don't mind my asking)

@Nick_Moscow - I like less grief, quick, and painless! I know Russia is a different animal than Ukraine, but I'm curious how you (as a US Citizen) visited your fiancée there, married there, lived there a year, filed for her green card while there, and had her green card pretty much ready and waiting for her when you both arrived on US soil. That's amazing!! I already know her very well...we both have iPhones and thus a constant window into each other's life. But, can I infer from your statement that if I pursue a K-3/CR-1 that I'll be permitted to live there with her family? You make a good point about the ability to work...I don't foresee a need for her to work immediately but that doesn't mean it couldn't become a boiling issue as life unfolds. My job is not flexible; I work in retail and simply quit each time I took a "vacation" and (painstakingly) found another store when I returned. I like the idea of $90K tax-free! Obviously no English teacher makes that much in Ukraine, but you've got me interested. Hopefully I can find someone who has some past experience with this. Good luck with the naturalization interview.

@Mike+Luda - Fees, paperwork, and waiting...not really what I was hoping for! Can you comment on how much financial (tax) history is needed for K-1? Two years ago (when I met her) I was being paid under the table at a sales job and there's lots of similar black holes in my past. Did you have a lawyer or other professional assist you with your paperwork? How long did the process take start to finish?

@Tygrys - Marrying within the 90-day period doesn't seem like a problem. But, from where I now sit, that 90 days is likely a year away from me, correct? We've been apart 7 months already and I'm allowed to go back to her country now...and I think I will very soon. Did you ever consider getting married in Poland?

@Martyshk - Thank you for the links. My bank account is just enough to cover another flight overseas, so I do worry about that restriction. I recently moved to a place with free rent (god bless friends) to try to save more. I can do an affidavit saying I can support her, because I know I could, but what kind of supporting documents are required? Do bank statements matter? I mentioned above to Mike that my IRS file is somewhat lacking from under-the-table jobs I've had in the past. I currently get a paycheck from Staples (the office supply store).

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Thanks everyone for the input. I wasn't expecting such a response.

There seems to be consensus that K-1 is the way to go. I read about it before, but was immediately put off by the countless number of hoops to jump through and the countless delays and back-and-forth of documents, and, of course, the unexpected setbacks.

I wouldn't object to a marriage in Ukraine if a CR-1 is "easier", since it also means we can be together sooner. I've lived with her family for a couple months and I know that her parents would die if they couldn't participate in a wedding at some point--she is an only child and I feel bad for trying to take her from them

The upside of a K-1 is you don't have to take another trip to Ukraine and that's a money saver. The upside of a CR1 is once you two get married over there she can immediately get a new Ukrainian passport with her new married name, and she has less hoops to jump through once she gets over here. Like a SSC just to name one benefit. You will have more paperwork to do before you get married over there, but that paper work is easy pie. So it comes down to money. Save money with the K-1, or spend a little bit more getting a CR1 yet have less ####### to deal with once she gets over here. We opted for the CR1 ourselves for the fact she wanted to work as soon as she got here and she didn't want any bs to deal with on getting her SSC/SSN. She had her new Belarusian passport two weeks after we got married with her new married surname (mine) and that made it simple once she arrived here in the US. Read this forum and you will notice that the ones who don't get a new passport with their married name have a nightmare go of it more times than naught.

[baron555 934]

Read this forum and you will notice that the ones who don't get a new passport with their married name have a nightmare go of it more times than naught.

.......Or......Don't change names !!!

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

.......Or......Don't change names !!!

This. I always wonder why they don't get their names changed immediately after getting married over there along with a new passport. It comes back to bite them in the ####### more times than naught. Either you want a new life with your husband and you want to do it right, or you can fck around and still use your old last name and have future problems. If my wife was in the latter group I wouldn't have married her. I have no patience for that #######.

[eekee 182]

OK, after thinking a bit, I think you need to look at the big picture. Your task now is less "how can I spend as much time with this girl in the near future/get her over to the US as fast as possible" and more "how can I build a foundation for a good future."

As far as I know, the affadavit of support relies mainly on tax returns. Being paid under the table and giving your word won't cut it. Your parents or whoever can cosign, but you're 27 and work at Staples. Dude. I don't know the facts of her life, but the fact that she has an iPhone and travels internationally and is the beloved only child? Maybe she works and lives at home so she can spend all her money on herself, whatever, but living in America is more expensive when you factor in healthcare, taxes, having a car, etc. I would focus on getting your ###### together and not jetting off to Ukraine constantly. There are plenty if women in RUB who work hard and make sacrifices, but these tend to be not-23 year olds who have kids, like Gary or Baron's Allas. The younger girls I know put a lot of stock in a man who can provide them/their future kids with Nice Things.