Darth Confidential : Part 2 1/2

[Darth_Budda]

Now we only have Green card and permanent residency.

When and how do we change her passport in Ukraine...

Is their any paper work in Ukraine I need to fill out....   

[BillyB]

When and how do we change her passport in Ukraine...
 

I'm not sure you need to go to Ukraine for that. You can contact Ukraine consulates in USA to see if you can get it done there in the first link. If you're thinking you need to have the marriage registered in your wife's passport, Ukraine abolished that program 2 months ago according to the second link. If your wife does want to get a new passport in Ukraine instead of at the consulate, a general rule is a passport should be valid six months before expiration before leaving the country.

http://usa.mfa.gov.ua/en/consular-affairs/contacts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_passport

Is their any paper work in Ukraine I need to fill out....   

You're not needed for renewal of your wife's passport.

[Darth_Budda]

I was thinking permanent resident status.. " For me in Ukraine "

I would like to buy a small amount of land in the future..

[BillyB]

I was thinking permanent resident status.. " For me in Ukraine "

I would like to buy a small amount of land in the future..

For investment, now is a good time to buy. Prices are down and dollar is strong. My wife and I were looking at investing but putting my MIL's name on the property.

As an American citizen, you can buy a house but you can't own land. You can rent land. Only Ukrainian citizens can own land. Ukraine doesn't allow dual citizenship and I am not familiar if they offer permanent residency. My wife plans to become an American citizen so that is why we will use my MIL's name on any property we buy instead of hers.

Ukraine's government changes laws often. Rules on property ownership may change in a few years to allow foreign investment and change again a few years later to disallow foreigners to own property. It's one reason it's risky investing in countries like Ukraine.

[ML]

My wife plans to become an American citizen so that is why we will use my MIL's name on any property we buy instead of hers.

And when she passes away ?

How will you wife be able to own then through inheritance ?

[alex330]

Ukraine doesn't allow dual citizenship and I am not familiar if they offer permanent residency. 

Many countries do not allow dual citizenship, but fail to exchange information. I would think it better to put into your wife's name in case something happens like ML says. More paperwork involved and according to my wife it can be convoluted and a pita in Ukraine...

[BillyB]

And when she passes away ?

MIL is in her young 50's. Not planning for death but in the event of a death, property gets transferred to the nearest qualifying relative. In the even my wife is an American citizen and doesn't qualify owning land, the land will go to one of her aunts. The government is not supposed to take it. My wife trusts her family to give what is hers back.

If the property is a flat or a house without land, my wife can inherit even if she's an American citizen at the time but if we invest that way, we could put our names on it from the beginning or at least be co owners if my MIL invests some of her money in the same property.

My wife and MIL are not real estate experts but my MIL has a friend who works in that department and that is where she gets her information from. I hope it never comes down to inheritance to sort things out. Our plan to invest would be to get in when it's cheap and to get out when it's profitable. Nothing long term but we understand Putin influences what happens over there.

I would think it better to put into your wife's name in case something happens like ML says. More paperwork involved and according to my wife it can be convoluted and a pita in Ukraine...

Your wife is right there is a lot of BS going on in Ukraine pertaining to things like this. There can be lots of risk and headaches. The problem with countries like Ukraine is laws can change often, especially when government changes. What is legal for an American citizen to own in Ukraine now may not be legal next year. It may be better just to put everything in my MIL's name and risk the paperwork if she passes away early than to put things in my wife's name and redo the paperwork when she becomes an American citizen or if the government changes laws.