Question

[Sculpto]

Six or seven years ago, the idea of a younger RW getting a tourist visa was wishful thinking. The
tide is turning, yet still no visa is guaranteed.

We spent many a day wondering about that ourselves. It also could have been the fact that the
interviewer herself was Russian, not American - and just wanted to rain on someone's parade.
No eye contact made, flat refusal. Visited a State Rep's office to engineer a change of heart,
but the writing on the wall was most clear : this decision may not be reversed by appeal. Please
apply again when your situation has changed.

Huh?

You might want to contact rusart travel in SF next time you try.  They told me they can get pretty much anyone in.  Russian owned travel agency in SF with over 20 years experience.

[Misha]

I find your post to be very interesting. You gave me hope that I can find a RW to date in America and perhaps establish a relationship later on. Is there a match.com type website where I can find only RW in America?

Singles.ru is free, has an English interface and has women from all over North America. You can search by city.

[Sculpto]

Singles.ru is free, has an English interface and has women from all over North America. You can search by city.

singles.ru is mamba.. same search engine 

[Chicagoguy]

Shakespear

I don't know how to use the quote option but I mostly agree with you on these people overstaying their visas. As a matter of fact, I almost turned one in myself about 5 years ago and I am still angry with her. She was shamless.

But these girls were from Moldova and if you could hear their stories. They said it is a worse place than Stalin's Russia. If they are truly that desperate than I have more sympathy for them.

[rwoo1983]

Robert, make the effort to immerse yourself in the local Russian culture by visiting
stores that cater to your FSU neighbors. Check out the bulletin board there...

There are language groups nationally called Russian Meetup. One is in Irvine, and here's
another in San Diego ~

http://russian.meetup.com/77/

Vaughn, thank you. I will check it out and participate their next Russian Meetup group in San Diego after I come back from Atlanta, GA.

[hemingway]

Vaughn,
I read and appreciate your informative replies and your helpful manner. Happy New Year to you.

If anyone is interested, I have also found some positive interaction by shopping at a Russian market. The food is very good quality and a way to learn more about the culture. The Russian woman in the market gave me so many free samples, she practically gave me a free lunch. Between the customers and the operator of the store, it is a nice experience each time I go there.

[thompsongunner06]

Ya think?
 

Too Funny!!!
Hey,the kids(and I mean KIDS) that have been coming here the past 2-3 years are nuthing but scum!! Drunks(guys and girls),,steal what ever they can the last week. If they get caught what can we do? Nuthing,,they are going back anyway(with or with out stolen stuff),,,Several years ago students would work 2 jobs,,make good money then take it home,,,now they just party,,no one wants to hire them. So sad. Dude,,Im sure you are looking for the cheapest way to find a "good" girl but,,,,,The ratio of "citizenship" marriages is high and the way you are looking will only add to it. If you take your time,,,find a women in Russia/Ukraine that is dedicated to a family life style you will be happy(so will she) and it will last,,,just looking for Booty Call will not last.
Ukraine has a lot of dedicated women and a lot of scams. Also no visa required. Russia is a bit more "work" but the women are nice too. If you find a Russian girl local and has a expired visa good luck,,she will prob have to leave for 2 years before she can come back here. I might be wrong.

[Sculpto]

sorry for the somewhat off topic post.. but..

relative to relatives coming for a visit..

Vaughn and Shake.. when your MILs tried to come did YOU guys make an invitation or did you leave it to the MIL to do it herself?  I ask because one of my local RW friends who married an American guy has her Mom here right now.  It just so happens the husband is an immigration lawyer..  what follows below is a form letter and documentation he used.

Here is a sample of the letter I used to get my mother-in-law a visa to visit us. She has really nothing to show for assets or ties to homeland, but she got the visa no problem. She arrives here tomorrow. My wife is so happy to finally have her mother visit us.

-------------------
Hello and thank you for reading this letter. When reviewing the application for the Visitor’s Visa (B2 Visa) for my Mother-In-Law, xxx xxx please consider the following:

In June of 2005 I petitioned a I-129F Fiancée Visa for (mother-in-law's) daughter, xxxxxxxx. The Fiancée Visa was approved and xxxxx arrived in California (via K-1 Visa) on October 23, 2005. In November 2005 we were officially married and in Febuary 2006, (wifes name) became a US Permanent Resident. .

We would like for (mother-in-law) to have the opportunity to visit us in (your town), CA, USA. (mother-in-law) have no intentions of wanting to stay here permanently; otherwise, this would be the wrong type of Visa to apply for. The sole purpose of them applying for the B2 Visas would be to visit her daughter xxxx.

Pending the approval of her B2 Visitors Visa, I, xxx, will personally be the one to finance (mother-in-law) travel expenses to and from the United States and during their stay with us. I own a house, so room and board for mother-in-law) will not be an issue. Enclosed are some additional documents we’d like to include in addition to (mother-in-law) application for the Visitor’s Visa to USA. The documents will show (My wife) is legally married to me. Also, the documents will show that I make enough money to finance my mother in law’s trip should she be approved of her B2 Visas. Those documents, along with other supporting documents, are:

1) Copy of our marriage certificate
2) Our son’s birth certificate
3) Copy of our passport info page
4) Copy of (wifes) US Permanent Resident Card and letter
5) Notarized I-134 Affidavit of Support (with supporting documents)

a) My employment verification statement from [name of work]
2005 W-2 form
c) 3 recent paycheck stubs
d) Property Tax statement to show I own a home under my name

We hope this letter, along with the I-134 Affidavit Of Support and its supporting documents, will help in getting the approval for (mother-in-law) Visitor’s Visa. Thank you in advanced for reading this letter, we hope of good news in getting the approval of the B2 Visa for my Mother–in-law. Should there be any questions for me, xxx xxxxxxx and (wife's name), feel free to contact us via email address or by phone, Home: 707-zzz-xxxx or cell 1-707-xxx-xxxx.
Thank you again.

[BC]

sorry for the somewhat off topic post.. but..

relative to relatives coming for a visit..

Vaughn and Shake.. when your MILs tried to come did YOU guys make an invitation or did you leave it to the MIL to do it herself?  I ask because one of my local RW friends who married an American guy has her Mom here right now.  It just so happens the husband is an immigration lawyer..  what follows below is a form letter and documentation he used.

Here is a sample of the letter I used to get my mother-in-law a visa to visit us. She has really nothing to show for assets or ties to homeland, but she got the visa no problem. She arrives here tomorrow. My wife is so happy to finally have her mother visit us.

-------------------
Hello and thank you for reading this letter. When reviewing the application for the Visitor’s Visa (B2 Visa) for my Mother-In-Law, xxx xxx please consider the following:

In June of 2005 I petitioned a I-129F Fiancée Visa for (mother-in-law's) daughter, xxxxxxxx. The Fiancée Visa was approved and xxxxx arrived in California (via K-1 Visa) on October 23, 2005. In November 2005 we were officially married and in Febuary 2006, (wifes name) became a US Permanent Resident. .

We would like for (mother-in-law) to have the opportunity to visit us in (your town), CA, USA. (mother-in-law) have no intentions of wanting to stay here permanently; otherwise, this would be the wrong type of Visa to apply for. The sole purpose of them applying for the B2 Visas would be to visit her daughter xxxx.

Pending the approval of her B2 Visitors Visa, I, xxx, will personally be the one to finance (mother-in-law) travel expenses to and from the United States and during their stay with us. I own a house, so room and board for mother-in-law) will not be an issue. Enclosed are some additional documents we’d like to include in addition to (mother-in-law) application for the Visitor’s Visa to USA. The documents will show (My wife) is legally married to me. Also, the documents will show that I make enough money to finance my mother in law’s trip should she be approved of her B2 Visas. Those documents, along with other supporting documents, are:

1) Copy of our marriage certificate
2) Our son’s birth certificate
3) Copy of our passport info page
4) Copy of (wifes) US Permanent Resident Card and letter
5) Notarized I-134 Affidavit of Support (with supporting documents)

a) My employment verification statement from [name of work]
2005 W-2 form
c) 3 recent paycheck stubs
d) Property Tax statement to show I own a home under my name

We hope this letter, along with the I-134 Affidavit Of Support and its supporting documents, will help in getting the approval for (mother-in-law) Visitor’s Visa. Thank you in advanced for reading this letter, we hope of good news in getting the approval of the B2 Visa for my Mother–in-law. Should there be any questions for me, xxx xxxxxxx and (wife's name), feel free to contact us via email address or by phone, Home: 707-zzz-xxxx or cell 1-707-xxx-xxxx.
Thank you again.

A lawyer wrote this? - If so, at least I fell off my chair for good reason.

[Sculpto]

not sure if it was written by the lawyer or not but its a decent template that apparently has worked.

[shakespear]

A lawyer wrote this? - If so, at least I fell off my chair for good reason.

My personal experience . . . . . .

That letter and all the supporting documents weren't considered and IMHO it is highly likely NOBODY at the embassy even looked at either the letter or supporting documents.  During the interview, the consular officer makes a split-second decision based on whether he/she believes it is highly probably that the person requesting the visa has a compelling reason to return to his/her home country before the visa expires.

We were successful in getting a visa for my 66 year old mother-in-law.  I remember she told me during the interview they asked her, "So do you want to live in America?"  Her answer was "No, I don't even like to visit Moscow".  The interviewer laughed and immediately approved her visa application.