The Kyiv Beat......

[bcartr 0]

Well Anya and I finally made it to our new home in CA.

Going through customs for her was a hassle at JFK. It took over 2 hours even though the line was not that bad.

I, of course, went through in minutes so I went and gathered our luggage. It took Anya about 1 hour to get to the window to meet the Customs official.

That lady looked at Anya's paperwork for about 15 minutes then assigned her to a room for a "Secondary Passport Control". This is where it got tricky.

I also saw other K1 folks in the line, they all got sent to the Secondary Passport Control so I dont know if this was normal or not.

I asked if I could enter the room and they told me yes. Anya had no idea why she was there, so I stood up, left the room to go ask some questions and this is where the custom guy was very rude to me. Before I could ask a question, he told me it was either in or out, I cant be coming and going. So I chose out due to our luggage being alone out there. Nothing I could do for Anya in there anyway.

So a customs guy passes me about 30 minutes later (at this time I feel like I am the only one left in the in customs area) he said "how are you doing", being courteous and all. I told him, "you know, now I understand why foreigners hate America" He said "why"? I told him because they are the first ones that they meet when they get here, and they are very rude and scare them to death. He said not all and I told him it only takes one. I told him my story, then I asked him if I could ask him a question. My question was about the "work stamp", he stated that they give the stamp to all K1 holders however some agents due miss giving them. So just check your I-94 form, and it should be in the back, if not go back and see an agent and ask for the stamp. They will not deny it for you. I asked him if they do that at all airports and he stated he did not know.

Anya finally got out of secondary passport control, they never asked her anything, I can't tell you what they did, but the 4 K1 ladies all left at the same exact time. So I was able to get the ladies over to the right place to pick up there luggage. One lady was very worried as she was to meet her future husband outside the airport. I was assuming it was just outside passport control. Anyways, I told her to follow us.

We still had to go through customs for our luggage, but her is where my luck was with us. The guy I asked all the questions was working that area, so he took our declarations page and asked for Anya's passport, he showed me the stamp(which I looked at it earlier) and told me this is where it was. Then told me we were allowed to go. so nobody had to look at our luggage!

We got out of there at 4:08 pm our flight was scheduled to leave at 4:11 pm. Umm we were running. I will make this short, all the running was for nothing as our plane was 45 minutes late!

We made it to LAX at 10 pm, and did not leave until midnight as they lost one of Anya's bags, she was so upset, thinking she was not going to have some important items. After I reported the bag missing, I told Anya to wait for me and I went on a hunt. I checked all carousels (ours arrived at #4), I found Anya's bag at carousel #1. Yup, they made a mistake, go figure.

Anyways, it was a long trip, and we immediately went to bed when we got home.

Regards,

T

[payxibka 10,045]

Well Anya and I finally made it to our new home in CA.

Going through customs for her was a hassle at JFK. It took over 2 hours even though the line was not that bad.

I, of course, went through in minutes so I went and gathered our luggage. It took Anya about 1 hour to get to the window to meet the Customs official.

That lady looked at Anya's paperwork for about 15 minutes then assigned her to a room for a "Secondary Passport Control". This is where it got tricky.

I also saw other K1 folks in the line, they all got sent to the Secondary Passport Control so I dont know if this was normal or not.

CONGRATS!!

Does not help you now but why did you not ask if Anya could accompany you through the USC line? I bet if you did they would have allowed.... They did us at least...

At JFK, secondary inspection seems to be the norm as they process so many people that in order to keep the lines moving they do not do much of anything at primary for intended immigrants....

[bcartr 0]

CONGRATS!!

Does not help you now but why did you not ask if Anya could accompany you through the USC line? I bet if you did they would have allowed.... They did us at least...

I did not know I could ask to do that.

Hopefully folks reading this now, know that they should ask to accompany them.

I did not know about the secondary as well. Just seemed that 2 hours was a long time from start to finish.

So again, no issues with her paperwork or anything like that, just a timing issue with the custom agents and having to go through this secondary control.

T

[etripke 0]

That was VERY interesting. Just an FYI I just came back from 28 days over there in the Kyiv region, and we were at the Airport at the same time BCarter! I paid the extra $$ for the VIP service however (Terminal C), so I didn't see you at Terminal B.

Anyway, early last week in Kyiv, the news (Ukrainian Channel #1 I think) had a story about counterfeit US Visa's being found on passengers coming into the US. They had arrested a Ukrainian and a Turk (I believe) for selling them for prices up to US $20,000 Apparently is was news worthy over there, but I have not read or heard anything about it since arriving home. I would imagine for the future many Ukrainians with Visas will be checked out extensively. This would jive with no questions, they were probably just insuring the Visa was legit.

Congrats on your success! Lena and I are looking forward to completing this process and this thread has been great with all of the information on it.

Since we just received our NOA2, when is the best time for me to send her the rest of my docs (the I-134 etc), should I wait until the interview is at least scheduled? or can I get them out to her now? Any opinions?

[payxibka 10,045]

Since we just received our NOA2, when is the best time for me to send her the rest of my docs (the I-134 etc), should I wait until the interview is at least scheduled? or can I get them out to her now? Any opinions?

I gave my financial documents (or at least 90% of them) including the I-134 almost 5 mos. before her interview. The balance went over almost 2 mos. prior. I think you could do it at anytime when you have them ready to go.....

A smart person would have brought over the I-134 and any other documentation that is not subject to change on there latest visit to his future wife and then could have simply have e-mailed a .pdf of anything else to finish up the package.

[etripke 0]

Since we just received our NOA2, when is the best time for me to send her the rest of my docs (the I-134 etc), should I wait until the interview is at least scheduled? or can I get them out to her now? Any opinions?

I gave my financial documents (or at least 90% of them) including the I-134 almost 5 mos. before her interview. The balance went over almost 2 mos. prior. I think you could do it at anytime when you have them ready to go.....

A smart person would have brought over the I-134 and any other documentation that is not subject to change on there latest visit to his future wife and then could have simply have e-mailed a .pdf of anything else to finish up the package.

Well.....this smart ###... I mean person did just that. I just didn't know if they would accept the Bank Letter and Employer letter dated July 6th when we didn't get the approval for another month.

Also, do you think just my 2006 return with W-2 would be enough? She has that as well as 2004/2005 IRS Transcripts, but since my Ex is on those, I'd rather not give them even with my W-2's for those years.

[payxibka 10,045]

Well.....this smart ###... I mean person did just that. I just didn't know if they would accept the Bank Letter and Employer letter dated July 6th when we didn't get the approval for another month.

Also, do you think just my 2006 return with W-2 would be enough? She has that as well as 2004/2005 IRS Transcripts, but since my Ex is on those, I'd rather not give them even with my W-2's for those years.

Assemble two financial packages... A primary package with just the 2006 information & I-134 and then a second package of all the other stuff... Have her present only the primary package..... On the cover sheet of my primary package I noted that information pertaining to other years was available upon request...

BTW, the older info was not requested.....

[bcartr 0]

That was VERY interesting. Just an FYI I just came back from 28 days over there in the Kyiv region, and we were at the Airport at the same time BCarter! I paid the extra $$ for the VIP service however (Terminal C), so I didn't see you at Terminal B.

What VIP service are you talking about?

While at the Kyiv airport, I had no issues with checking in or with Visas either. Nor Did Anya.

Yes we were at Terminal B in Kyiv.

My issues were in JFK going through the passport control for her first time coming into the US.

[bcartr 0]

Ok maybe I understand you now. You basically were stating you were at the airport at the same time.

And that you were in terminal C versus B like me. What airline did you fly out of?

Something had to be up with Passport control as I overheard one of the guys mentioning the "Lack" of K1 Visas on this trip.

I took it as if they usually got more then the 4 or 5 that I saw, and that was it. I could not hear more then that, maybe they were talking about the previous issues as you mentioned above.

T

[etripke 0]

Ok maybe I understand you now. You basically were stating you were at the airport at the same time.

And that you were in terminal C versus B like me. What airline did you fly out of?

Something had to be up with Passport control as I overheard one of the guys mentioning the "Lack" of K1 Visas on this trip.

I took it as if they usually got more then the 4 or 5 that I saw, and that was it. I could not hear more then that, maybe they were talking about the previous issues as you mentioned above.

T

Exactly, I was in Terminal C. I knew you were flying out then from your previous posts, and was actually hoping I might see you. Anyway, my previous visits had been through the "Gauntlet" in Terminal B with the line cutting, and standing in line forever. FWAGUY recommended the VIP service and it was worth every bit of the $105 U.S. I spent. I will have Lena and her daughter go that route as well.

I flew out on KLM via Amsterdam to Detroit (POE) and onto Madison. I'll probably have Lena and daughter fly KLM to Amsterdam and then direct into O'Hare since it is the closest to home, and I can drive down to meet them. I burned up my vacation for 2007 already, otherwise I would love to fly with them.

Well.....this smart ###... I mean person did just that. I just didn't know if they would accept the Bank Letter and Employer letter dated July 6th when we didn't get the approval for another month.

Also, do you think just my 2006 return with W-2 would be enough? She has that as well as 2004/2005 IRS Transcripts, but since my Ex is on those, I'd rather not give them even with my W-2's for those years.

Assemble two financial packages... A primary package with just the 2006 information & I-134 and then a second package of all the other stuff... Have her present only the primary package..... On the cover sheet of my primary package I noted that information pertaining to other years was available upon request...

BTW, the older info was not requested.....

Thanks, I'll do the same.

[bcartr 0]

We arrived early for our flight from Kyiv to JFK(NY). I was explaining to Anya all about flying, and why.

It worked great as we were pretty much first in line at the check in place etc.. I would then tell Anya, now just wait about 5 to 10 min. and sure enough BOOM the line was long. She called me a very clever man. LOL.

The line was long during boarding though. I waited a bit as I got online (Wifi and had to pay this time )

However, YES, I cut in line, Anya asked me why I did so, I told her I was in Ukraine, and I do as Ukrainians do!.

LOL She gave me a weird look.

I told her to turn her ticket down so that nobody would see it, we entered from the left, as if we were in business class, so nobody really took notice. LOL

Don't call me a cheater, I am not that type, but yes, I have seen it all over there, and it was time to take charge!

Bonus ME!

[JoeMama 0]

We arrived early for our flight from Kyiv to JFK(NY). I was explaining to Anya all about flying, and why.

It worked great as we were pretty much first in line at the check in place etc.. I would then tell Anya, now just wait about 5 to 10 min. and sure enough BOOM the line was long. She called me a very clever man. LOL.

The line was long during boarding though. I waited a bit as I got online (Wifi and had to pay this time )

However, YES, I cut in line, Anya asked me why I did so, I told her I was in Ukraine, and I do as Ukrainians do!.

LOL She gave me a weird look.

I told her to turn her ticket down so that nobody would see it, we entered from the left, as if we were in business class, so nobody really took notice. LOL

Don't call me a cheater, I am not that type, but yes, I have seen it all over there, and it was time to take charge!

Bonus ME!

You are right about the line-cutting and doing as Ukrainians do. You've got to stand there parked right up against the person's ####### in front of you. Or you'll end up at the back of the line pretty fast!

[etripke 0]

That line cutting always drove me nuts. I never raised hell over it like I would in the States for fear of ending up in a dark room and being beaten with a wet phone book.

[JoeMama 0]

One thing I always loved doing over there, is playing the "Who's the American?" game. You can always tell us Americans: Usually in tennis shoes, shirt not tucked into the pants, always 2 girls with 1 guy (more than likely from a romance tour), puts garbage in the trash can, etc.

[Cantankerous 0]

Exactly, I was in Terminal C. I knew you were flying out then from your previous posts, and was actually hoping I might see you. Anyway, my previous visits had been through the "Gauntlet" in Terminal B with the line cutting, and standing in line forever. FWAGUY recommended the VIP service and it was worth every bit of the $105 U.S. I spent. I will have Lena and her daughter go that route as well.

May I please ask for more information on what the VIP Service is?

Many Thanks.