My girls experince getting her Visa-

[Oscar]

Ok, finally found a moment to post while my girl and her son (7 yrs old) are taking a quick nap before we head out to a restaurant for dinner this evening..

first I will say what I know about her experience getting her Visa and the interview etc., and then just a bit about how things are going etc..

There is always a lot of talk about whether a guy needs to go there for his girls interview at the embassy.  Well, we discussed this early on and as much as she had said she would love to see me there, it just didn't make sense to her to spend so much to fly there just for 2 or 3 days.  She told me she was a "big girl" (not literally thank heaven, she's actually 5'6" and about 110-112 lbs! LOL!) and that she could handle it.  She always tells me "I am strong Russian Voman!" LOL!  Her Mother did want to accompany her to Warsaw from her city in Ukraine, Dnepropetrovs'k.  So the three of them took the train and for the three of them and her Mothers return home trip, it was about $150 first class, total.

They arrived the day before the interview.  She has a school friend who lives in Warsaw and he took them to a University there where people who work at the university can live. They usually charge $50 per person, per night, but they gave the lady a bottle of Vodka and the three of them stayed in this very nice housing for 3 nights for a grand total of $50!  Not $50 per night, 50 bucks total.. LOL!  She said the accomodations were very nice.

She was at the Embassy a little before 8am on the day of her interview and she said there were a lot of people there.  She was called for her interview at about 2pm.  She speaks English but opted for someone who spoke Russian.  Before the man came in, she spread out all her papers I had sent her etc., on the table.  The interviewer came in with our complete K-1 packet I had originally sent to the INS.  He asked her exactly three questions- where did we met, when did we met and if she had any other photos of us together other than what we had submitted (of course she did).  THAT WAS IT!  I asked her if it took like 5 minutes and she said "oh no, more like 2 minutes!".  She was so surprised that she asked the guy if he didn't want to see any of her other papers she had brought and he told her no, that aside from the DS-156 and DS-156K and medical envelope, everything he needed had already been supplied by me in my original petition and everthing was in order (I had done the "SEND EVERYTHING" approach, sending her original police report, birth and marriage certificates, my I-134 and all my fiancial papers, in with my original petition, etc.

I asked her if there were very many American men there with their fiance's and she said that no, there were a some but not very many.  I asked her if these couples went to the head of the lines and did not have to wait?  She told me no, there were a few that were called before her interview, but just as many or more that were still waiting when she was called.  So in contrast to what MarkinTex said a little while ago, she just didn't see any Americans getting any kind of preferential treatment whatsoever.  That was her observation at least.

She said they told her to come back and pick up her Visa at 3:30pm, which she did.

I asked her if she had felt it would have been better if I had been there and she said no, it was a total breeze and that it would have been a huge waste of money that she would rather we use elsewhere..

Sadly, she did see one couple where the American man was there, get turned down for a visa!  She said the man was very angry and the girl was crying..  She said this same guy was on her plane from Warsaw to Paris the next morning and also her flight from Paris to New York.  She said he looked very angry and upset but she didn't ever attempt to talk to him or anything.  So evidently even when there, some guys do get turned down for Visa's!  We have no clue as to why they did.

Continued..

   

[Frank O]

... in response to My girls experince getting her Visa-, posted by Oscar on Dec 28, 2002

the reason many girls want a guy there is IF the girl has never traveled OR traveled very little going to a foreign country can be VERY overwhelming. If your girl is from a small town & not Kiev & has never traveled much such a task can be quite daunting. I think perhaps that is why. I know if my Marina had to go I think I would HAVE to be there. She is 20, & has not even been to Kiev only to Kharkov & Moscow (she is from Lugansk). Anyways very good post. Hope I have to make this decision this coming year.

[Oscar]

... in response to good post...but I think...., posted by Frank O on Dec 31, 2002

Well, I guess it just depends on the woman.  Yes, at 20 a woman may find it quite daunting.  My girl is 28 and really felt she could handle it.  As it turned out, it was extremely smooth and she had absolutely no trouble.  I certainly offered to be there but she is the one who said she really felt it was a waste of money and vacation time that might be better used elsewhere..  So for each couple, they must decide what is best for them.

I would still recommend Frank, that you plan at least another trip and meet some more girls..  You may really like this woman but I personally think since you have only been for the one short trip, it would be worthwhile to meet a few more to make sure.  I know some guys who have done the one woman one trip approach got lucky and are very happy, but I think the odds would tend to favor those who take the time to gain a little more experience with these girls.

It's just my opinion of course and other guys may feel differently.  I just feel there is little substitute for hands on experience..  I just know I am extremely glad I met a lot of these FSU women to compare and contrast and to learn about, and from..

Best of luck..

[Jack]

... in response to My girls experince getting her Visa-, posted by Oscar on Dec 28, 2002

Wow, four or five questions, total of three minutes for her interview and you were not with her! So much for the man having to be present during the interview and a whole lot more for you having all your paperwork in order Oscar. You are to be congratulated.

[Oscar]

... in response to (*/*), posted by Jack on Dec 29, 2002

Thanx Jack..  But it was 3 questions and took only 2 minutes..  ;-)

[KenC]

... in response to My girls experince getting her Visa-, posted by Oscar on Dec 28, 2002

Oscar,
The simple explanation for Americans NOT going to the head of the line (as Mark reported) is that most Americans don't know they can use their passport as a free pass to the front.  I would say that that is some damn good information reported by Mark.  I had never heard of it before, but you have to know that I would be waving my passport to Embassy employees to save the time in line.
KenC

[Oscar]

... in response to Re: My girls experince getting her Visa-, posted by KenC on Dec 29, 2002

Sure, if you can do it, why not.  It's just that my girl didn't see any Americans getting special treatment and yet I'm sure the employees there must have known they were Americans for the most part, but I don't know, maybe not..

[MarkInTx]

... in response to Re: My girls experince getting her Visa-, posted by KenC on Dec 29, 2002


The facts are these:

1. I was in Warsaw.

2. He was not.

(Does the term: Rationalization mean anything...?)

Let everyone make up their own minds...

[Oscar]

... in response to It is simply this, posted by MarkInTx on Dec 29, 2002

What the helll am I supposed to be "rationalizing"?  I reported what my girl observed, simple as that.  I have no "agenda" in this, I asked her if she saw any American men there getting special treatment and she said no, not at all.  If you want to make more of it than that, go ahead.

Want to talk about "rationalizing", lets talk about women who go to bed with guys they meet within the first 20 minutes of meeting them, or guys bringing girls here and marrying them in the first week for TAX purposes...  yeah, talk to me about rationalizations Mark... ;-)

Oh brother...

[John F]

... in response to What is that supposed to mean Mark?, posted by Oscar on Dec 29, 2002

I was in Warsaw with my wife.  Her interview was scheduled in January, and boy was it cold in Warsaw.  We got to the embassey and there was a long line already waiting to get in.  I put my arm around my fiancee and guided her past all those waiting and went to the window, flashed my US passport, explained that we had an appointment .......... and entered the gate.  We got to the area with three lines and got into one, I don't remember which.  Somebody directed us to another line and within a few minutes we were inside the nice warm building.

[mender]

... in response to My girls experince getting her Visa-, posted by Oscar on Dec 28, 2002

Oscar; "I asked her if there were very many American men there with their fiance's and she said that no, there were a some but not very many. I asked her if these couples went to the head of the lines and did not have to wait? She told me no, there were a few that were called before her interview, but just as many or more that were still waiting when she was called."

I was just at the Embassy, at the end of November. And my American passport, took us to the front of ALL lines.

[Oscar]

... in response to Re: My girls experince getting her Visa-, posted by mender on Dec 29, 2002

That's great Mender, perhaps these guys didn't attempt to do that or know they could.  I still think it's kind of a waste of money to fly 8,000 miles just to get in at the front of a line, but that's me..  My girl just wouldn't let me do it, she thought it was crazy for me to come just for that..  Maybe if you are planning to do some touring or something but not just for that.  But it's a personal decision for anyone..

[Quasimoto]

... in response to My girls experince getting her Visa-, posted by Oscar on Dec 28, 2002

She/They are here!!!!
Congratulations Oscar, and best wishes.

Steve

[Oscar]

... in response to Re: My girls experince getting her Visa-, posted by Quasimoto on Dec 29, 2002

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