Confused by what I have read so far

[cpwings]

I had no idea this would be so complicated. I have been talking to a girl from St. Petersburg for a few months now. She wants to come visit but said it would take her 9 months to save the money. She has not asked me for anything. Is this a good sign or should I be worried.

[Simoni]

You should be worried.

Why?

For three reasons...

1)  She will NOT be able to come see you.  She will not be able to get a visa;

2)  Her saying it will take 9 months to save the money is a "hint" for you to offer the money to her now, so she can come.  But she won't come.  She will steal your money;

3) You are way over your head and moving too fast.  Drop this girl, she is a scammer.   If you are interested in a girl from Russia, read and study this site, and ask questions.

Good luck!

[TwoBitBandit]

I encourage you to keep writing her.  You'll learn something from it.

These kinds of scammers always follow a pattern.

One of the easiest ways to spot them is that they don't give any on-topic answers to any questions you ask.  They have a standardized set of letters that they send in order.  They'll customize them slightly (for instance, by putting your name in them), but they don't have the time to write you a fully customized letter.  For them, it's a numbers game.  Confirm this for yourself if you like.  Ask her a personal question in your next letter that would warrant a paragraph-long response, and see that she ignores it.

You just haven't gotten to the letter with the request for money.  Don't worry, it's coming.  It's often around letter #5 or #6, but it varies depending on the scam artist.

The other obvious thing that scammers do it start saying how much they love you after only two or three letters.

And don't be fooled when she sends you a picture of her United States visa.  It's a fake.  That's the oldest one in the book. 

[Daveman]

great gravy train, if he's been writing to her for "a few months now", and receiving responses, then these scamming fools must have resorted sending quotes from War and Peace.  Usually the canned ones run out of gas when they near the double digits.  This one is pretty creative.  I wonder if she has relatives in Brighton Beach.

[BC]

I had no idea this would be so complicated.

Yeah, can't just slap a bunch of stamps on her forehead..

Read, read, read..

[Doll]

I had no idea this would be so complicated. I have been talking to a girl from St. Petersburg for a few months now. She wants to come visit but said it would take her 9 months to save the money. She has not asked me for anything. Is this a good sign or should I be worried.

Worried

[Vinnvinny]

... ask her to wait for a year until she visits you so she will have extra time to save for pressies etc.

[Gator]

Is this a good sign or should I be worried.

With the limited information you gave, I can not answer.

If she is young and does not own her apartment and has no children, she will find it difficult to get a visa.  Having said that, my wife's 27-yo Moscow friend (no apartment and no children) is currently in the USA on a tourist visa. 

Please give some particulars such as: age disparity, is she a 9 or 10 (and what are you), how did you meet her, her job, her city, the nature of your conversations, your experience with other RW, etc.

[ScottinCrimea]

Why haven't you gotten on a plane and gone to visit her yet?

[BC]

http://www.monkeybargains.com/category.php?id=8~mail+order+brides


I absolutely love the last line... so true...

 

[greysuit]

Why haven't you gotten on a plane and gone to visit her yet?

I have to agree with Scott's question.

She shouldn't be coming to you. Tell her you are coming to see her and learn about more about her neck of the woods. If she says it's "impossible", <insert reason here>, then that should be a "red flag" moment.

[facetrock]

I have talked to alot of women over the years. I have yet to have one offer to come and see me, other than scammers. All the women I have talked to want you to come and see them. You are the man after all, you spend the money and that includes you paying going to see them, and you also pay for everything else while there.

Now take a deep breath, get that model type picture out of your head that you have been drooling over. Start over and contact some women instead of them contacting you.

Goodluck

[SANDRO43]

I had no idea this would be so complicated. I have been talking to a girl from St. Petersburg for a few months now. She wants to come visit but said it would take her 9 months to save the money. She has not asked me for anything. Is this a good sign or should I be worried.

Have a look at our Scam Card, too (Scam Avoidance section in the left-hand menu) .

[Tamara]

With the limited information you gave, I can not answer.

If she is young and does not own her apartment and has no children, she will find it difficult to get a visa.  Having said that, my wife's 27-yo Moscow friend (no apartment and no children) is currently in the USA on a tourist visa. 

Please give some particulars such as: age disparity, is she a 9 or 10 (and what are you), how did you meet her, her job, her city, the nature of your conversations, your experience with other RW, etc.

I really liked Gator's answer.  He is not jumping to any conclusions with the limited information provided.  One thing for sure: it is a hint asking for money.  Stay cool and analyze your correspondence.  If it is very serious and the lady shares her thoughts with you, answers all the questions you ask, etc. than buy a ticket and go visit her in Saint Petersburg. 

[cpwings]

Thanks everyone. I am to new to this so all advice is good. To answer a few questions. She contacted me from an internet dating service I am on. We have been talking for several months and she is trying to help me learn to speak some Russian words. Everytime I ask her for some new words she always sends them. However, she has not answered all of my questions so that has me worried. She is 15 years younger then me and although very cute she isn't a supermodel type. She has her own apartment and no children. She lives in St. Petersburg. The last I talked to her was the 10th and I told her I had no problems coming to visit her in about 4 to 5 months. I need that time to get some vacation around. I usually don't hear back from her except every couple of days. Oh, someone asked how I looked compared to her... I seem to have no trouble with meeting women and getting phone numbers but am intrigued by Russian women. I have lived in England and Italy and find women from other countries very interesting. Thanks again for the advice I can tell I have no idea what I am doing so am happy to hear from everyone.

[Vinnvinny]

She is 15 years younger then me and although very cute she isn't a supermodel type. She has her own apartment and no children. She lives in St. Petersburg.

Is she artistic by any chance?

[GoodOlBoy]

She is 15 years younger then me and although very cute she isn't a supermodel type. She has her own apartment and no children. She lives in St. Petersburg.

Is she artistic by any chance?

Vinnvinny no matchmaking is allowed on RWD.  :evil:

Sorry DaveyJ. 


GOB

[Vinnvinny]

Vinnvinny no matchmaking is allowed on RWD.  :evil:

Sorry DaveyJ. 


GOB

Sorry. You could pm him .... oh, don't suppose you can though. 

[Ranetka]

You should be worried.

Why?

For three reasons...

1)  She will NOT be able to come see you.  She will not be able to get a visa;

I am not saying anything about this particular girl, ok? But is getting an american visa really that difficult, sometimes I feel it must be one of urban myths

In the last two years 5 of people from Russia I know of different ages  and genders got American tourist visas, that includes my 20 years old student niece (no property, no job, no kids)

[kievstar]

Everybody I know who wanted a visa in Ukraine got one no problem as well to USA.  I was just at the consular and embassy offices in Kiev on February 13th and there was over 100 - 200 people in line getting tourist visa (line went on forever).  I asked some people working for the USA and they said almost all of them will get tourist visas today. 

[Shadow]

I am not saying anything about this particular girl, ok? But is getting an american visa really that difficult, sometimes I feel it must be one of urban myths

In the last two years 5 of people from Russia I know of different ages  and genders got American tourist visas, that includes my 20 years old student niece (no property, no job, no kids)

If your niece visited the San Fransisco/San Diego area, my wife might know her.
And yeah, I also know enough women who did manage to get the tourist visa, but still many are rejected as well.

Cpwings, get her phone number and speak to her directly. If she tells she has no phone, move on. You will not find a young woman in St Pete that has not at least a mobile phone. If she answers, get your holiday plans in action.

[Ranetka]

If your niece visited the San Fransisco/San Diego area, my wife might know her.
And yeah, I also know enough women who did manage to get the tourist visa, but still many are rejected as well.

She spent a week in New York I think. I don't think anyone was grilling her about it apart from her boyfriend:-)

[Simoni]

I am not saying anything about this particular girl, ok? But is getting an american visa really that difficult, sometimes I feel it must be one of urban myths

In the last two years 5 of people from Russia I know of different ages  and genders got American tourist visas, that includes my 20 years old student niece (no property, no job, no kids)

I had no idea this would be so complicated. I have been talking to a girl from St. Petersburg for a few months now. She wants to come visit but said it would take her 9 months to save the money. She has not asked me for anything. Is this a good sign or should I be worried.

My answer was to the question of this particular girl coming on a tourist visa to see a "boy friend."  The burden of proof that they will NOT immigrate  remains with the person applying for the visa.  A 20 something hot russian girl will have a hard time meeting that.  And if they get a hint that the real reason they are coming is to meet an man, then the door slams shut.

[Sculpto]

I was told by the way to russia travel agent here in SF that the Russian immigration lawyers have a form they can use that practically guarantees a successfull tourist visa application.  simply what I heard.. YMMV

[Tamara]

Thanks everyone. I am to new to this so all advice is good. To answer a few questions. She contacted me from an internet dating service I am on. We have been talking for several months and she is trying to help me learn to speak some Russian words. Everytime I ask her for some new words she always sends them. However, she has not answered all of my questions so that has me worried. She is 15 years younger then me and although very cute she isn't a supermodel type. She has her own apartment and no children. She lives in St. Petersburg. The last I talked to her was the 10th and I told her I had no problems coming to visit her in about 4 to 5 months. I need that time to get some vacation around. I usually don't hear back from her except every couple of days. Oh, someone asked how I looked compared to her... I seem to have no trouble with meeting women and getting phone numbers but am intrigued by Russian women. I have lived in England and Italy and find women from other countries very interesting. Thanks again for the advice I can tell I have no idea what I am doing so am happy to hear from everyone.

The discussion on whether it is easy or difficult to get a US visa can last forever.  Before moving to the US, I traveled here on a student exchange visa couple times and then for a number of years had business/travel visa depending on the goal of entry.  I was very lucky to be granted a visa each time I applied.  I know of many who got the visa and of many who were declined visas to come.  You never know.
If she did not answer all of your questions and these questions are important, ask them again and make sure you call her.  After corresponding for several months, it's good to have a live conversation. Saint Petersburg is very easy to visit and is so tourist friendly!  In summer most people we would see on the streets are tourists (I am originally from Saint Petersburg ). So you should definitely go and see her first.
Best of luck!