Hey everyone,
I think this post could be posted in many forums since maybe i am no longer starting out..
I think...but I was hoping maybe someone who is starting out might take something away from this as I made a few silly mistakes...so I post here to help them as well.
It was an incredible trip, it may sound girly but it was almost like a fairy tale. As soon as we met the chemistry was there and just got better with each day. I had flown 36 hours almost to be there and thought for sure as soon as I got there I would need to sleep. But no, we were getting along so well I stayed up another 12 hours just talking till I finally fell asleep exhausted. From the second day on we were already talking of a future together as if we had been together in real life for a long time. The time on the pc made us know each other so well that everthing together was natural. So now I am back in USA and beginning the process of bringing her over here and I can't wait to make that happen.
Some of the silly things I did was just thinking I only needed to get over there and just get photos together if were to decide to get married or carry on the relationship. I did not focus so much on what the requirements were for a k1 visa and would advise anyone going to Russia to do the things that now I look back I should have done anyway. For me it was so much work understanding how to get to Russia I did not read things like keep your boarding passes, now I did keep all of the ones coming back from Chita to the States but I did not think to keep the boarding passes on the way over. Luckily we still have the one for Washington to Moscow. We also took a day long train together to see her family and announce the engagement but I did not think to keep the tickets for evidence but I did keep them as souvenirs of my trip. So by the grace of god I do still have then with both of our passport numbers on them as well as the time and place we went. I also still have the stamped registration in Chita to prove I was there as well. I did not think to get a reciept from the flat I stayed in for 2 weeks but was told after the trip that they are not usually given out as the flats are kind of unofficial. But I did get a receipt for the stay in the hotel I did in Moscow on the trip back so at least I have proof of being there. Also I did get her a ring when I was there and charged that on my credit card and she has the receipt for that so again we have evidence but it was just so accidental. Like she says we were not looking for evidence we were just looking to see each other and be together and just get pictures together. So I am just saying to anyone who is knew to this to just think about keeping all that evidence as when you start reading about the k1 if you are not now, you will need it.
Now it is time to get the documents to her to sign and then apply for the Petition for Alien Fiance. If you decide to get married while there defiantly try to get the documents printed and signed while you are together. For me not having internet while in Chita made this impossible but if you can, believe me, do it. Now we have to wait a few weeks to file the petition while I have to send her documents by DHL courier at a large cost. I mean it is more than worth it to make sure the documents of our meeting such as boarding passes and train tickets get there safer than Russian mail but it would have been nice to have gotten this information signed while there in person instead of spending time to do it now. So if you are serious maybe while planning a back up plan in case it does not work out which is a great and needed plan, also plan one in case it does work out like taking the papers she may need to sign in case it does so it can happen quicker. Just some thoughts on that, others can correct me if I am wrong as I am still a bit new to this but for now that is some stuff I did learn.
I think I understand most of the process to file for marriage after a week of intense studying but I do have some questions if anyone can help me here.
I know on the Intent to Marry form as well as the G-325A that her address must be listed. Now I do not want any trouble with INS and want to do everything correct and honestly. However she is living now with a landlady in Chita and is not listed at that address on her passport, she is listed in her home town of Kokuy. I know as well as looking for current residence they are looking for a mailing address. There is also a very good chance as she may not be living at this residence when Embassy in Moscow gets the packet for her interview and I would hate to do some kind of change of address in she did have to move. It almost seems like that would not be possible. So we are thinking the best thing to do is list her moms house which is the one on her passport as well and avoid any problems of moving. My only concern is that she may be accused of lying at the embassy if her mom's is not where she is really living when we file for the petition. Also if she fills out the G325a by pen instead of being typed on the pc, will that be a problem. Any thoughts or experience on that would be greatly appreciated as we just want to get this done right with the least amount of headaches.
Another concern I have is almost all of our chatting over the last year and a half was done on icq. I know chat logs are considered evidence of the relationship but I can not figure out how to print out icq chats from the history file. I am wondering if I can just use a program like Windows 7 snipping tool to take snapshots of your history file to show the communication. We did very few emails and most of those were lost when my pc got a virus a few months back. I did have a few printed out...like 8 from her and 2 from me that I am able to use as evidence as well as skype phone calls from March and April of last year and some texting we did with my phone records. It is just a little worrisome that most of our time was on ICQ and I can not print any of it out.
Now that we are in the process I will need to get her money, she does not make much and there is no other option to help her get her passport, police reports, medical tests, hotel and plane tickets to Moscow for the interview. Has anyone found a good way to do this, I have sent small amouns to her in the mail in a few cards in case it was found and taken but does anyone know a safe way to do this, maybe even a legal way to do it. Any help there is really appreciated.
I am using DHL as my courier for documents she must sign as well as boarding passes train tickets and my financial statements when we get to that point for the interview. Is there a better way to do send documents that anyone knows about.
I see that she must get the vaccinations before she has the medical exam, am I right that the exam will be done when she is in Moscow for the interview and will not have to be done by us before she arrives for that.
And finally, if and when she is approved to come to the States and she gets her visa is she just able to leave for the States with no hassle from Russia or is there something she must do with Russia first. It is so hard for people to get out of Russia sometimes so I just want to make sure there is nothing we must do to make her leaving happen. I have not read anything that says Russia will hold her back but I just had to ask. I really want to make sure we do all this right now in the quickest and safest way.
Thanks again for the help here and all the help in the past as well, I think soon it will be turn to help with all these lessons I am learning.
Mark
