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Getting married in Russia Goto page 1, 2, 3  Next

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Author	Message
nimitz48 Frequent Guest Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 13 Location: Indiana	Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 6:42 pm    Post subject: Getting married in Russia Hello, I have met a wonderful lady and am wondering about getting married in Russia. Will getting married in Russia speed up getting a visa for her, or make it worse? I can most likely only manage 1 weeks stay due to my job, and it seems like this might be a better way to go, as far as getting her admittance to the USA. Does anyone have any feedback or other information they might like to share? If this is posted in the incorrect forum, I do apologize. Regards, Wes
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surfguy Lounge Wizard Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 6979	Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 6:59 pm    Post subject: you would be better off getting married in the usa...once she is here...and the marriage done...then she can stay here indefinitely...but you need to go through the process. http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html Quote: A U.S. citizen may petition for his spouse to obtain permanent residence if his spouse is residing in the U.S. Marriage visas are the most effective method for bringing foreign brides to the United States. A U.S. citizen may bring his fiancee to the U.S. by filing a marriage visa petition with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Your fiancee is allowed to stay in the United States for ninety days. Before the ninety days expires the U.S. citizen and fiancee must marry and file for lawful permanent residency (green card) or the fiancee must return to her country.
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nimitz48 Frequent Guest Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 13 Location: Indiana	Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 7:22 pm    Post subject: Thanks surfguy. I have another now. I was reading that I should not apply for a visitors visa from the Washington Consulate, that I should use, I think it was San Francisco. Can I do this, even if I do not reside in the west coasts jurisdiction? Thanks, Wes
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surfguy Lounge Wizard Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 6979	Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 7:54 pm    Post subject: nimitz48 wrote: Thanks surfguy. I have another now. I was reading that I should not apply for a visitors visa from the Washington Consulate, that I should use, I think it was San Francisco. Can I do this, even if I do not reside in the west coasts jurisdiction? Thanks, Wes Yes I have used San Francisco numerous times...no problems and good service...well good luck to you
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krasatulya VIP Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 590	Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 8:22 pm    Post subject: surfguy wrote: nimitz48 wrote: Thanks surfguy. I have another now. I was reading that I should not apply for a visitors visa from the Washington Consulate, that I should use, I think it was San Francisco. Can I do this, even if I do not reside in the west coasts jurisdiction? Thanks, Wes Yes I have used San Francisco numerous times...no problems and good service...well good luck to you But Surf, you're located in California, so you should apply to the SanFran consulate. Are you sure you're allowed to apply to just any consulate? I would think you have to go to the one in your region (?)
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overseas_expat VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 741 Location: Moscow	Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 8:49 pm    Post subject: This plan will not work. I don't know where in Russia you plan to get married. This detail makes a difference. I DO know a lot of foreigners who have married a lot of Russians in Moscow. The only place in Moscow where a foreigner may marry a Russian is ZAGS #4. ZAGS is a Russian acronym for something.....some kind of bureaucratic office. Just for starters all the paperwork, passports, affidavits from whatever country attesting to this and that, all apostiled and translated and notarized--have to be submitted to the appropriate Russian ministry 30 days in advance. Then when it has all been approved and reviewed by the Russian authorities the couple may make an appointment for marriage at ZAGS. 30 days in advance. Not more. Not less, or they will have no appointment availabilities. Brutha, this is Russia. All marriages are state officiated. At ZAGS. Church ceremonies are legally unrecognized. To cut this post short, no way no how are you going to show up here for a week, get married, and live happily ever after. Not happening. Better perhaps to get married in a 3rd country, but the paperwork and bureaucratic hassles will not be noticably reduced. I think you have no idea what you are getting into.
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surfguy Lounge Wizard Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 6979	Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 8:56 pm    Post subject: Ok I was nmarried to a foriegner...the deal is this...if the object is to have her come to the US and stay here...then a tourist visa to the US is the best. She comes to here and then you married and she get's to stay. Thing is she can't leave until the process is complete which can take up to a year. In my case it took 6 months. But once she is here then she is here. Any other way...you will be waiting for her for at least 6 months.
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overseas_expat VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 741 Location: Moscow	Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 9:03 pm    Post subject: Read his post, surfguy, he wants to come to Russia for a week and marry this girl.
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surfguy Lounge Wizard Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 6979	Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 9:42 pm    Post subject: overseas_expat wrote: Read his post, surfguy, he wants to come to Russia for a week and marry this girl. well I read the post as...that he would go there if that would be the fastest way to gain her admittance to the the US. Which it won't
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overseas_expat VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 741 Location: Moscow	Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 10:02 pm    Post subject: Even if we looked at it as he wants to marry her the most expedient way (not necessarily coming to Russia as he actually stated), he would absolutely have to apply for a USA fiance visa. Not NOT a tourist visa for her. Minimum wait at least 6 months. Plus reams of paperwork-- still notarized, stamped, officiated, and translated, several interviews at the US embassy, and many fingers and toes crossed. Ya'll have no idea how difficult and time consuming this is these days. No idea. And everything must go right the first time or the bureaucratic BS snowballs, and months become years. There is absolutely no way "Wes" has any idea of what he's talking about, the processes involved, or the hoops that must be jumped. He has not done any of his homework. For a US citizen to marry a resident of a 'hostile' country the road is long and expensive and tedius.
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nimitz48 Frequent Guest Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 13 Location: Indiana	Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 10:12 pm    Post subject: Wow, I am certainly getting more of an education than I thought. Thanks for all the great information. Ok, let me ask the hard question now. It takes 6 months to get the visa, wow that's a long time, but I think she's worth it. We did not meet via a marriage broker. It was on Fling, so I'm not sure what that get's classified as. If anyone can enlighten me, please do. Where can I go to get all this layed out for me? I know that she will not be able to come here, and that I need to go there to meet her first. I realize I don't know a lot, but I'm reading and looking. Is there anywhere out there that can guide me through all this? Or can members of this forum help guide me through this? Regards, Wes
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krasatulya VIP Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 590	Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 10:14 pm    Post subject: nimitz48 wrote: Ok, let me ask the hard question now. It takes 6 months to get the visa, wow that's a long time, but I think she's worth it. That's only the beginning my friend. The wait never seem to end. First it'll be the visa, then it will be the temporary green card, then the green card...A LOT of waiting and A LOT of money going to Uncle Sam.
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krasatulya VIP Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 590	Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 10:19 pm    Post subject: By the way, I"m not saying this as a discouraging remark, just want to let you know that the wait never seems to end, even after you get your significant other here.
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nimitz48 Frequent Guest Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 13 Location: Indiana	Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 10:28 pm    Post subject: Well, you would think Uncle Sam would cut citizens a break... Sheesh Looks like about 1500.00 in visa Fees alone. That seems confusing to me, are they all needed? I know 355.00 for the 1-130 form, but what about the other forms, when are they needed? I know she will have to take an STD/HIV test as well, and police record search. Thanks, Wes
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overseas_expat VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 741 Location: Moscow	Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 10:30 pm    Post subject: Wes, the absolutely best thing you can do for yourself in this case, is actually hire and pay an expensive immigration attorney in the US. No joke. These people have experience, can help with processes, know how to exactly fill out all of the hundreds of necessary forms, understand government doublespeak, can run interference in the case of glitches in the process. Look around the internet, get out the yellow pages, ask around. Get an experienced immigration attorney. They're not cheap. Otherwise you're just whistling into the wind.
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