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[JimmyUkraine]

Hi all of those that know me.  This is JimmyUkraine.  I have now been here in US with Elena now for over a year and doing very well.  We are very happyily married and Elena has turned out to be a wonderful wife.  I hope I can be as good a husband.  I am trying.

We are going back to Kiev to visit her son.  My US daughter is going with us.  Elena has her green card now and I am somewhat concerned about the talk of an exit visa coming back to US.  We are flying Aeroflot to Moscow so it shouldn't raise too many eyebrows coming back that way.  I would like to hear about any other experiences about this issue.

I would like to say Hi and all my best to Sean and Dan and others that knew me when I worked at Chernobyl.  I will be going to Slavutich for our visit and some time in Kiev.  

Best Regards,

JimmyUkraine

[Dan]

... in response to Heading Back, posted by JimmyUkraine on Jun 22, 2004

Didn't you go the K-3 route? If so, then John's comment below is probably invalid, as you would already have a bonafide marriage acknowledged in Ukraine.

Don't worry too much about the infamous "Exit visa." Propiska rules are loosening and Kuchma (you remember him - President for Life!) has even stated publicly that the old legacy of tracking Ukrainin citizens residing abroad is scheduled to be rescinded in the next couple of years - at the latest. The result is that almost no-one exiting Kyiv is stopped or even hassled for lack of an exit visa these days. Odesa and Lviv are quite another story, but that probably affects only a small handful of people.

Nice to hear from you.

- Dan

[JimmyUkraine]

... in response to Hi Jimmy!, posted by Dan on Jun 22, 2004

Hi Dan, yes I did go the K-3 visa route and Elena has her passport and her green card in her married name.  We married in ZAGS in Kiev April 13, 2002 and I had to wait in the US for 9 months for the K-3 to process.  It seemed a lifetime for me but we got through it.  On Dec. 31, 2002 she was given a K-3 in Kiev and I flew over in Jan 2004 to get her.  Arrived Seattle with Aeroflot on Feb 7 with our luggage and dog.  She has been spending the last year and half seeing western America.  We have been to AZ three times, Mexico cruise once, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, and of course Washington and once flying through your town Denver.  She loves it here but misses her son and of course speaking her native tongue so we will go back to Slavutich for a short visit and see how we feel going back.  Of course I have always liked Ukraine but hate the bureaucracy.  I can understand the posts on how difficult it is to get something done over there.  It amazes Elena on how swiftly things get done here in US.  A simple notary will take you hours over there.  I am not as lathered up about going back there to live anymore although it does attract me when I think of living on my retirement income which I hope to collect someday soon.  We will see how things turn out.  I hope all is well with those searching for Russian bride.  If I can assist in any way let me know.

Best Regards,

JimmyUkraine

[John K]

... in response to Heading Back, posted by JimmyUkraine on Jun 22, 2004

Well, Jimmy, speaking from experience, get a registered copy of your marriage certificate, get a letter of apostille for it from your state's State Department (make them emboss it with raised print), then get them sealed together down the side (sewn if you can manage it).  Once you are in Ukraine, take to a translator/notary office and have it translated and notarized.

Is all this necessary?  Perhaps not, but my wife had a lot of headaches coming back last year from Ukraine, as her green card had her married name and her passport had her maiden name.  She had a copy of our marriage certificate, but she still had headaches clearing passport control in Kiev and also in Warsaw.  The apostille should help a bit there, and the translated copy in Ukrainian/Russian will make it easier also when you leave the country.

This year, my wife is trying to get her last name changed in her Ukrainian passport to match her married name.  It's a long, convoluted process, and it has cost us quite a bit in time and money so far.  Whether she will get that far or not remains to be seen...

[Frank O]

... in response to Bring a marriage certificate, posted by John K on Jun 22, 2004

We got married in November. My wife did not get her passport name changed till APRIL!!! 5 fricking months to do something as simple as changing a name?! Talk about backwards @$$ country man. I'm sorry BUT THAT REALLY tested my patience with the Ukrainians.