The Kyiv Beat......

[etripke 0]

Well, we now have less than 15 hours until the interview. Lena is nervous, and we just finished vdeo conferencing and going over the folder. Basically we set the folder up similar to what has been posted in this thread, it is organized and follows the KEV-1 checklist. We ended up doing a second folder for evidence of the relationship that was put together in chronological order of the 3 visits I made in the past 14 months, and photos from each visit. We probably have about 30 emails interspersed over close to 2 years of writing, and complete Vonage phone records to both her cell phone and home phone over the entire relationship. To top it off, we put in a new letter of intent signed jointly, and a letter from a circuit court judge who has agreed to set aside time on his calendar to perform the civil ceremony and his assurances that it will be completed within the 90 days.

I just cannot imagine a failure here. We have done our homework, preparation, and thanks to all of you have assembled a complete package.

So, until tomorrow I'll bow out of watching VJ and ask for your prayers, and best wishes for a successful interview.

I'll post tomorrow once I receive word from Lena.

Edited October 21, 2007 by etripke

[etripke 0]

Visa Approved!!

I just now got off the phone with Lena. She had a longer than anticipated wait at the embassy. Her appointment was at 09.30 and she called me at 12.52 Kyiv time so all in all she was in the Embassy for over 4 hours.

She said that she waited for over 2 hours for the interview itself, and they DID take fingerprints from her which I suspected was going to happen given we were stuck at NVC for a solid 5 weeks. I think that she most likely had a near hit on name checks while there and they had to do it.

She said like everyone else has said that the interview itself was pretty short, and non-eventful. She said the consulate officer was American and complimented her on her English specifically saying she had a "nice accent" which she took to mean her speech is very clear and understandable. He then seemed to engage more in small talk with her asking her if she was going to live here in Madison, and then telling her that it is a great place to live and that he has been here. He commented about the University of Wisconsin being here and their large Slavic Studies department (maybe he's alumni?) and then give her the slips to pay for the return of the passports etc.

She said he didn't look at anything she brought in, and that he briefly looked at the I-134, but returned everything. She was asked if she had ever had a name change from her previous marriage (which she had not, always maintaining her maiden name) but nothing else.

So, I'll keep everyone up to date on her arrival. Right now we are looking at Monday November 5th for her and Sasha (her daughter) to arrive.

I really would like to thank all of you for the support, and FWAGUY for starting this thread. It really did help us prepare and certainly helped me keep my sanity during the wait.

E.

Edited October 22, 2007 by etripke

[natashenika 0]

Visa Approved!!

I just now got off the phone with Lena. She had a longer than anticipated wait at the embassy. Her appointment was at 09.30 and she called me at 12.52 Kyiv time so all in all she was in the Embassy for over 4 hours.

She said that she waited for over 2 hours for the interview itself, and they DID take fingerprints from her which I suspected was going to happen given we were stuck at NVC for a solid 5 weeks. I think that she most likely had a near hit on name checks while there and they had to do it.

She said like everyone else has said that the interview itself was pretty short, and non-eventful. She said the consulate officer was American and complimented her on her English specifically saying she had a "nice accent" which she took to mean her speech is very clear and understandable. He then seemed to engage more in small talk with her asking her if she was going to live here in Madison, and then telling her that it is a great place to live and that he has been here. He commented about the University of Wisconsin being here and their large Slavic Studies department (maybe he's alumni?) and then give her the slips to pay for the return of the passports etc.

She said he didn't look at anything she brought in, and that he briefly looked at the I-134, but returned everything. She was asked if she had ever had a name change from her previous marriage (which she had not, always maintaining her maiden name) but nothing else.

So, I'll keep everyone up to date on her arrival. Right now we are looking at Monday November 5th for her and Sasha (her daughter) to arrive.

I really would like to thank all of you for the support, and FWAGUY for starting this thread. It really did help us prepare and certainly helped me keep my sanity during the wait.

E.

Congratulations

Good arrival for your family

We will miss you in this forum

come over sometimes to say HI

Be happy

[Olya2007 0]

etripke,

My greatest congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So happy for you!!!!!

Edited October 22, 2007 by Olya2007

[LvivLovers 39]

Visa Approved!!

I just now got off the phone with Lena. She had a longer than anticipated wait at the embassy. Her appointment was at 09.30 and she called me at 12.52 Kyiv time so all in all she was in the Embassy for over 4 hours.

She said that she waited for over 2 hours for the interview itself, and they DID take fingerprints from her which I suspected was going to happen given we were stuck at NVC for a solid 5 weeks. I think that she most likely had a near hit on name checks while there and they had to do it.

She said like everyone else has said that the interview itself was pretty short, and non-eventful. She said the consulate officer was American and complimented her on her English specifically saying she had a "nice accent" which she took to mean her speech is very clear and understandable. He then seemed to engage more in small talk with her asking her if she was going to live here in Madison, and then telling her that it is a great place to live and that he has been here. He commented about the University of Wisconsin being here and their large Slavic Studies department (maybe he's alumni?) and then give her the slips to pay for the return of the passports etc.

She said he didn't look at anything she brought in, and that he briefly looked at the I-134, but returned everything. She was asked if she had ever had a name change from her previous marriage (which she had not, always maintaining her maiden name) but nothing else.

So, I'll keep everyone up to date on her arrival. Right now we are looking at Monday November 5th for her and Sasha (her daughter) to arrive.

I really would like to thank all of you for the support, and FWAGUY for starting this thread. It really did help us prepare and certainly helped me keep my sanity during the wait.

E.

Congratulations! That is great news! My wife will be going for her interview next Monday so we are getting very excited also. Enjoy your life together!

[Deron 0]

Visa Approved!!

I just now got off the phone with Lena. She had a longer than anticipated wait at the embassy. Her appointment was at 09.30 and she called me at 12.52 Kyiv time so all in all she was in the Embassy for over 4 hours.

She said that she waited for over 2 hours for the interview itself, and they DID take fingerprints from her which I suspected was going to happen given we were stuck at NVC for a solid 5 weeks. I think that she most likely had a near hit on name checks while there and they had to do it.

She said like everyone else has said that the interview itself was pretty short, and non-eventful. She said the consulate officer was American and complimented her on her English specifically saying she had a "nice accent" which she took to mean her speech is very clear and understandable. He then seemed to engage more in small talk with her asking her if she was going to live here in Madison, and then telling her that it is a great place to live and that he has been here. He commented about the University of Wisconsin being here and their large Slavic Studies department (maybe he's alumni?) and then give her the slips to pay for the return of the passports etc.

She said he didn't look at anything she brought in, and that he briefly looked at the I-134, but returned everything. She was asked if she had ever had a name change from her previous marriage (which she had not, always maintaining her maiden name) but nothing else.

So, I'll keep everyone up to date on her arrival. Right now we are looking at Monday November 5th for her and Sasha (her daughter) to arrive.

I really would like to thank all of you for the support, and FWAGUY for starting this thread. It really did help us prepare and certainly helped me keep my sanity during the wait.

E.

Congrats my friend!!! I wish you and Lena the best!

[zqt3344 21]

etripke:

Well good to hear you got your visa approved, but curious, how come you had to take fingerprints at embassy and how come you were at NVC for 5 weeks? Just did not know they were doing this now to K1s .

ZQT3344

Visa Approved!!

I just now got off the phone with Lena. She had a longer than anticipated wait at the embassy. Her appointment was at 09.30 and she called me at 12.52 Kyiv time so all in all she was in the Embassy for over 4 hours.

She said that she waited for over 2 hours for the interview itself, and they DID take fingerprints from her which I suspected was going to happen given we were stuck at NVC for a solid 5 weeks. I think that she most likely had a near hit on name checks while there and they had to do it.

She said like everyone else has said that the interview itself was pretty short, and non-eventful. She said the consulate officer was American and complimented her on her English specifically saying she had a "nice accent" which she took to mean her speech is very clear and understandable. He then seemed to engage more in small talk with her asking her if she was going to live here in Madison, and then telling her that it is a great place to live and that he has been here. He commented about the University of Wisconsin being here and their large Slavic Studies department (maybe he's alumni?) and then give her the slips to pay for the return of the passports etc.

She said he didn't look at anything she brought in, and that he briefly looked at the I-134, but returned everything. She was asked if she had ever had a name change from her previous marriage (which she had not, always maintaining her maiden name) but nothing else.

So, I'll keep everyone up to date on her arrival. Right now we are looking at Monday November 5th for her and Sasha (her daughter) to arrive.

I really would like to thank all of you for the support, and FWAGUY for starting this thread. It really did help us prepare and certainly helped me keep my sanity during the wait.

E.

[payxibka 10,045]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

[zqt3344 21]

AMEN! preach it brother! Some Moderators are very rude and they need to be moderated themselves. And so what if someone asks the same question over and over again what does it hurt, they are probably lost and have no other place to turn to ask questions and this forum is all about helping one another so what is big deal.

ZQT3344

Yeah, he was a bit rude, but I understand sometimes. Some people ask over and over again, there was another reply from a moderator there that was tersely worded also.

I'm with you on this one, we are having some conflicting information on it, but I suppose the state department might not be the authority to know absolutely if one is needed.

We're just going to shelve it for now.

[zqt3344 21]

Etripke:

I have been advised that it does not matter what you show them from USA. She will have to go to Utility offices and get unregistered from her Apartment, she will have to tell them she is moving and she wants to be unregistered, so your finance will not have to pay for her in apartment now. Insane is it not how the former Commie system is still alive and well there today!

ZQT3344

Any of you that have wives or fiancees who owned their own property (apartment) in Ukraine please post I have a question regarding procedures over there. The issue involves the "Internal" passport (Propiska?) needing to be "stamped" so the departing resident can transfer utilities and water to a family member occupant on departure.

Thanks

Yeah,

We have not done that or at least didn't do that, Sveta has been speaking about this but it sounds like a beaureaucratic nightmare... Momma just went to Kherson to pay the "bills".... E, I want you to lead me on this one.... OK?

Well according to Lena she went to do this today, and was turned back after waiting in line for 2 hours. Her brother is taking over her place, and what I didn't understand is that they are billed by the number of people living in the apartment and the square meter size. She was told she had to go to where they do the residence registration for the internal "passport" and will have to get it stamped there indicating she is or has moved to the states. Her brother can then be listed for the billing on the other stuff. We are talking about sending them "proof" she is not living there after the fact like with a copy of our lease, etc, and the I-94 and hope they'll just do it. It can be done before her departure, it will just take hours of standing in line at two different places.

The old Soviet never dies I guess.

[zqt3344 21]

Hey you know how it is over there, you always wait in line for 2, 4, 6 or 8 hours at a time, sorry to say but from our expereince it is just something she is going to have to do if she wants to get unregistered at the apartment so she can not have to pay anymore, otherwise they will not care or listen to you and you will be fighting a lost battle and wasting time sending English USA documents to get them to remove her. Just know from experience. Sorry it sucks I agree with you.

ZQT3344

Any of you that have wives or fiancees who owned their own property (apartment) in Ukraine please post I have a question regarding procedures over there. The issue involves the "Internal" passport (Propiska?) needing to be "stamped" so the departing resident can transfer utilities and water to a family member occupant on departure.

Thanks

Yeah,

We have not done that or at least didn't do that, Sveta has been speaking about this but it sounds like a beaureaucratic nightmare... Momma just went to Kherson to pay the "bills".... E, I want you to lead me on this one.... OK?

Well according to Lena she went to do this today, and was turned back after waiting in line for 2 hours. Her brother is taking over her place, and what I didn't understand is that they are billed by the number of people living in the apartment and the square meter size. She was told she had to go to where they do the residence registration for the internal "passport" and will have to get it stamped there indicating she is or has moved to the states. Her brother can then be listed for the billing on the other stuff. We are talking about sending them "proof" she is not living there after the fact like with a copy of our lease, etc, and the I-94 and hope they'll just do it. It can be done before her departure, it will just take hours of standing in line at two different places.

The old Soviet never dies I guess.

I know, we are paying for utilities for a household of two even though everything is shut off...

That blows. Maybe sending over copies of anything here here that has her name on it, marriage license, and so forth would be enough, you never know. I hate to have Lena go through this BS especially those lines to register are HUGE for the "propiska" (SIC). She waited for over 6 hours the last time she needed something done.

[zqt3344 21]

Etripke:

I was told this is not exactly true. Nobody asks if you are leaving or returning from Ukraine. Also if she is Ukraine citizen she has property rights and she has Ukrainian passport and is registered to that apt/flat she owns even if she is living in USA she still retains that property, just passing on what I was told firsthand by my wife who told me that she has never been questioned about a exit visa, she says there is nothing to this.

ZQT3344

Here is some more information on the "Exit Visa" as it is called by Ukrainian Authorities. This is from RU Adventures LINK: http://ruadventures.com/index.php?topic=16...0;boardseen#new

Quote from a user:

As I noted it is an "Ukranian Exit Visa" it is the Ukraine's requirement for all nationals planning to live outside of Ukraine. Your spouse can and will be questioned when she later returns and then attempts to leave Ukraine to travel back to your country without one.

A long time ago on RWG Doug Salem wrote about how his wife Olga was stopped on 3 visits to Ukraine when she attempted to leave and return to the USA because she did not have the Exit Visa stamp in her Ukraine International Passport! Finally Olga's mother contacted a local official and arranged for her daughter to obtain one with the usual appropriate gifts, etc.

For us it took longer going through normal channels to obtain the Exit Visa than to obtain the Canadian Visa for Lora.

There is however one downside you need to consider it this as well. Your spouse will have to sign off on all existing property rights in Ukraine. That is give up ownership of her flat or house if she has one. Simple to sign over ownership to a relative as this takes care of the problem. Thus not everyone from Ukraine applies for an Exist visa as like I noted it means they loose their local passport and give up their Ukraine property rights. So a lot for you to think about with your Ukranian spouse!

After moving to your country your Ukranian spouse will need to register with the local Ukraine Embassy or Consulate as a Ukranian living abroad in your country.

From the US DOS:

Also, Ukrainians who have immigrated to the U.S. without obtaining the proper exit visa from Ukrainian authorities may be subject to civil or criminal penalties, and will be required to obtain an exit visa before returning to the U.S. For additional information, see the Consular Affairs web site for our Dual Nationality flyer

.

So, it appears that she will have to more or less give her place up to her Brother and lose all rights to the property. The catch from what I read is that this is for "Immigrant" status in the USA. If they are coming over here on Non-Immigrant status (with immigrant intent) does this still apply? I would imagine that once the AOS is completed THEN it is an issue, but not before. Anyone want to chime in on that?

[etripke 0]

etripke:

Well good to hear you got your visa approved, but curious, how come you had to take fingerprints at embassy and how come you were at NVC for 5 weeks? Just did not know they were doing this now to K1s .

ZQT3344

First of all thanks to all for the hearty congrats. We feel great right now, the flight has been reserved, and we'll roll the dice tomorrow and buy the tickets. She was told the usual of receiving the passports within 10 days.

The issue of the delay at NVC will probably never really be known, but my guess is that there was a "near hit" on her name check. DOS and the FBI run a pretty comprehensive check on the beneficiary & something must have came up, needed additional checking, and then the petition was forwarded to the Embassy. I had heard from one petitioner who's fiancee was from Belarus who went through a similar situation. The results of his congressional were that someone out there either had the same name or used his fiancee's. Once at the Embassy in Warsaw they did prints on her and ran the additional checks there. Lena was asked to give prints, so I would assume it was a name check issue. She also was asked if she had ever been to the states before (never has) and the consulate officer seemed to compare her Police Certificate with papers in front of him. Incidentally, I did do a search of Lena's name online. I found two women listed as being involved in Marriage Fraud schemes with her name only with the Russian spelling of her first name. One was Russian and the other lives in Eastern Ukraine. Both actually had photos on the fraud sites, neither looked like my Lena, and both were of different age by a number of years (one much younger, one about 9 years older).

In any case she asked if she was approved and the officer said "yes you got your Visa" gave her the slips (which said "congratulations" on them) and then were turned in for the passport shipping. So, all is good.

I just came home from work, it was a long day on the Pistol/Rifle range for In-Service and I'm wiped out, but it beat the hell out of "shagging" calls for service all shift.

For those of you waiting, rest assured the Embassy is VERY on top of things, and even with the apparent scrutiny, Lena said it was not a bad experience.

Thanks again, I can't wait for November 5th!

[HUSKERKIEV 8]

Good job Eric and Lena!!! CONGRATS!!

[natashenika 0]

Hi everyone!!!!

I need your help, the thing is I need the example of the letter from friedns and family to confirm that we have real relationships

Thanks for your help

Edited October 24, 2007 by natashenika