A little guidance needed please

[Milz713]

Ok I have been reading and reading but still need a little help.  I have a Russian girlfriend who would like to come to the US for a visit this spring,  she is 31 yrs old with a decent job by Russian standards, she spent about a week in Italy last November so she has a history of leaving Russia and coming back, 1/4 owner on the deed for the family flat and she has a 5 yr old daughter who will be staying in Russia.  I went to Moscow last November for 9 days and we got along really well and now we would like it if she could come to where I live to see if we want to take the next step.  At first she was going to apply for a business visa because her company also has a manufacturing plant in the US but her boss is a bit of a jerk so she decided not to ask for help from them.  The second option was a tourist visa.  I know a Russian woman who lives down the street from me and she was going to write a letter of invitation but she believes that it would not be in her best intrest because she just applied for US citizenship and she doesent want anything to jeopardize that.  Do we need a letter of invitation?  Who should it be from?  The part that really stinks here is our intentions are very honorable in the fact that she will be returning to Russia no matter what happens but how do you get the ppl at the Consular office to believe you?  Thanks for your help,, Rob...

[BC]

Of course there is no guarantee for tourist visa's, but it does sound like she has what it takes.

All she can do is follow the published steps to apply for a tourist visa and see what happens.

All starts here

http://moscow.usembassy.gov/nivservices.html

and here

http://visa.ponyexpress.ru/

[Gator]

I believe it is very important for a serious RW to see how you live before taking the next step.  Unfortunately, your honorable intentions will not necessarily prevail. 

A letter of invitation is important for solitary travel.  The invitation need not come from your locale, because after she clears passport control at the point of entry she is free to travel anywhere in the US. Most RW know someone living in New York or have a friend who knows someone.  Such a contact would suffice provided your lady and her "friend" communicated and knew a lot about each other.   

People have told me that chances for visa approval would improve if your lady joined a travel tour, which could be as simple as two weeks in Miami or New York.  Upon entering the US, she would join you rather than going to the tour hotel.  The travel agency would take the lead for the visa application.   This is more expensive than solitary travel as you need to pay in advance for her tour lodging. 

[Ger]

I dislike to use the word 'girlfriend', but mine was able to get a visa because she also:

- had a driver's license
- owned a car
- owned some property
- showed proof of her income and even bank statements
- provided documentation about her occupation.

You can also find information on the USCIS, CBP and DHS websites about the process and the criteria they have set in place in response to the congressional policy.

[Milz713]

I am not sure what is wrong with the word "girlfriend"?  She is definitely a girl and she is my best friend.   She has already talked about doing a group tour and I have read that you shouldn't purchase any tickets or book any hotels until you have your visa in hand so if she prepays for a group tour and receives a visa would she then cancel the tour and purchase a solitary ticket or wait until she lands on US soil and cancel the tour?  I live near Chicago so I don't see a problem with finding a tour to there.  The part I am not sure about is if she goes for solitary travel and has a invitation letter is any of the information checked or is it all a in good faith gesture?  Do you actually have to prove how you know this person or how you have met?  Does the person writing the letter need to be Russian or could it be from a friend of a friend who has offered to help someone out and sponsor them?  To me a single woman wanting to visit America would sound suspicious but what if a woman were to state at the interview that it was going to be her and a friend traveling to the USA as long as they could both get there visa's or would they need to interview at the same time?  The deception part of this is very tricky but you must deceive even though the truth would suffice if you could only get them to believe it..

[BC]

I dislike to use the word 'girlfriend', but mine was able to get a visa because she also:

- had a driver's license
- owned a car
- owned some property
- showed proof of her income and even bank statements
- provided documentation about her occupation.

You can also find information on the USCIS, CBP and DHS websites about the process and the criteria they have set in place in response to the congressional policy.

Did she get a visa before or after you met last week?  Did you send an invitation or what was the purpose of her first visit? Tourism, business purposes or other?

[Ger]

Did she get a visa before or after you met last week?  Did you send an invitation or what was the purpose of her first visit? Tourism, business purposes or other?

Trust me, it would be impossible to get a visa that quickly.

[BC]

Trust me, it would be impossible to get a visa that quickly.

Understand.  We're going through the process at the moment for the second time.  Should be easier since she was issued a visa before, but never know until it's over.  Took a couple days just to get the online form submitted properly and interview set up.

[Blues Fairy]

I know a Russian woman who lives down the street from me and she was going to write a letter of invitation but she believes that it would not be in her best intrest because she just applied for US citizenship and she doesent want anything to jeopardize that. 

Writing a letter of invitation to a friend for a tourist visa has never jeopardized anyone's chances of citizenship.  Give your neighbor firm guarantees that the tourist visa will be used properly, and make sure that your g/f gives that woman's home address as where she'll be staying, when she goes through the customs.  Problem solved.

[Gator]

She has already talked about doing a group tour and I have read that you shouldn't purchase any tickets or book any hotels until you have your visa in hand so if she prepays for a group tour and receives a visa would she then cancel the tour and purchase a solitary ticket or wait until she lands on US soil and cancel the tour?  I live near Chicago so I don't see a problem with finding a tour to there.

I understand in these arrangements the travel agency will refund the payments if a visa is not issued, excluding their costs in applying for a visa.  Similarly, if a visa is issued the agency will not refund her payment.  Your girlfriend would take the tour arranged flight and then meet you at the airport rather than traveling on with the tour group.  She would catch up with the tour group for the return flight.

 

The part I am not sure about is if she goes for solitary travel and has a invitation letter is any of the information checked or is it all a in good faith gesture?  Do you actually have to prove how you know this person or how you have met?

 

The CO will ask her questions about how she knows the person inviting her.   They must know each other.  That is why I suggested a friend (or a friend of a friend) even if the friend resides in New York or LA rather than Chicago.  The CO and Passport Control do not know if she is going to Chicago.  Maybe the BCIS should do a records check to determine if a tourist visa RW has flights booked for her to go somewhere else; however, at this point they do not do this.
   

Does the person writing the letter need to be Russian or could it be from a friend of a friend who has offered to help someone out and sponsor them? 

 

There has to be some strong prior history to explain why a person in America would want your girlfriend to stay with her for two weeks.  A tour does not require such an invitation.   

[Gator]

The hurdles are not nearly as severe as the reverse trip during Soviet days.  For my first trip to the USSR in 1987 I had an invitation from a friend.  I stayed with my friends and not at a hotel.  We did not register my visa!!!   So on my departure at the airport I set off  the alarms.   

I was pulled to a small room where three Russian men interrogated me for 10 minutes: one highly inquisitive man in uniform with gold epaulets, a calm man with Oxford accent and tailored business suit, and a stern  Khrushchev lookalike complete with black leather jacket.  Interrogation by the masters of interrogation.  Circular questions, etc.   After calling my friend at the Dutch embassy, they let me pass without asking me to pay a fine.

Shaken by the experience, I stopped at the bar.  Next to me were seating a Middle Eastern man in military uniform (Libya?) and a man speaking Spanish under his breath (Cuban?).  Within two minutes a tall RW walks into the bar.  She is very attractive.  She looks around.  She starts walking towards me.  As she walks closer, I see that she is beautiful, a face I will never forget.   And she is looking at me with her big bluish green eyes!  Excitement builds.  She comes face to face and says those immortal words, "Mr. ______ your flight is ready for boarding."  In other words, get the F out of Dodge.  They knew my flight and my location in the terminal. 

[Milz713]

Writing a letter of invitation to a friend for a tourist visa has never jeopardized anyone's chances of citizenship.  Give your neighbor firm guarantees that the tourist visa will be used properly, and make sure that your g/f gives that woman's home address as where she'll be staying, when she goes through the customs.  Problem solved.

I wish it were that easy but the woman down the street is very stubborn and doesnt want to help me because she wants to set me up with one of her friends to be a mule.  Everytime I thought she might help me she has tried to sabotage it.  What makes matters worse is she is married to my fathers cousin.  She went so far as telling my girlfriend Russians and Americans wont be friends and she will be alone.

[Blues Fairy]

I wish it were that easy but the woman down the street is very stubborn and doesnt want to help me because she wants to set me up with one of her friends to be a mule.  Everytime I thought she might help me she has tried to sabotage it.  What makes matters worse is she is married to my fathers cousin.  She went so far as telling my girlfriend Russians and Americans wont be friends and she will be alone.

Wow, no reason to deal with her than.  Find someone else to write an invite.  The relationship with the inviting person has to be credible to the immigration officer.  Does your g/f have any friends/relatives in the US?

[Milz713]

I believe the only relative she has in the US is a man she has never met who is former KGB LOL,  I dont think that one will work since they have never met and he has been here for many yrs and I dont know the whole story about him.  She is going to call a travel agent tomorrow and check into a tour group.  She has many questions.  Thanks to everyone for your sugestions...

[Gator]

I believe the only relative she has in the US is a man she has never met who is former KGB LOL,  I dont think that one will work since they have never met ...

Is it plausible that they could have met?  If so, they could say they have met and the family is close.

[mendeleyev]

I'd advise her to join the Moscow Chapters of the Lions Club and the American Chamber of Commerce. There is also a Rotary Club in Moscow.
 
Both the Lions Club and American Chamber of Commerce do annual tours, usually about 2 weeks, from Moscow to destinations in the USA. Many of these tours are females to one city, males to another, etc.

She might have to sit out from travel the first year and that isn't as immediate as you wanted, but rarely are these folks turned down for a visa.

[Milz713]

Here is the plan we have so far,  she has two friends that she went to college with that are married and travel extensively, the husband is a Lawyer and also teaches law, the wife is a Judge,  both have very good jobs and own there own property with a small child, my lady friend is a economist with a child,  the 3 together will apply for visa's and travel as a group to the US and be travel companions,  she has made phone calls today about travel groups and one firm she spoke to said that it will be $450 for there service which also covers the consular fee and she can cancel without a problem after she receives the visa.  I feel that if she states she is going to visit with 2 other friends that have been out of Russia on a regular basis and also have very good jobs it might help increase her chances and it will look much better than a single woman traveling abroad alone.  I met her friends when I was in Moscow in November and extended a invitation for them to visit America at any time.  With any luck they will all get to see Chicago and the beautiful lake Michigan on July 4Th..

[Milz713]

I have just had a idea and I would like to run this by some ppl with some experience to see what you think.  Let me give a little more history so we are on the same page.  I was in England 20 yrs ago and made some friends, one of the friends married a Russian woman and they introduced me to my Russian girlfriend via the internet who lives in Volgograd.  We  traveled to Moscow to meet each other last November and met some of her friends that are a couple and  live in Moscow.  Would it be plausible for me to write a letter of invitation to the husband stating that we met while I was in Moscow in November and I would like for him and his wife and friend to come to America and visit me and my family?  This would all be based on facts,  I have a family but a wife or GF isn't part of it?  I met the husband while I was in Moscow and I did invite him to visit me, we are just leaving out the fact that I met there friend who lives all the way in Volgograd (a good distance from Moscow)   The only untruth could be that the friend has a fiancee in Volgograd who cant make the journey...  To me it seems like a plausible idea but I would like some input from a few outside sources,,  thanks for the help....

[groovlstk]

I have just had a idea and I would like to run this by some ppl with some experience to see what you think.  Let me give a little more history so we are on the same page.  I was in England 20 yrs ago and made some friends, one of the friends married a Russian woman and they introduced me to my Russian girlfriend via the internet who lives in Volgograd.  We  traveled to Moscow to meet each other last November and met some of her friends that are a couple and  live in Moscow.  Would it be plausible for me to write a letter of invitation to the husband stating that we met while I was in Moscow in November and I would like for him and his wife and friend to come to America and visit me and my family?  This would all be based on facts,  I have a family but a wife or GF isn't part of it?  I met the husband while I was in Moscow and I did invite him to visit me, we are just leaving out the fact that I met there friend who lives all the way in Volgograd (a good distance from Moscow)   The only untruth could be that the friend has a fiancee in Volgograd who cant make the journey...  To me it seems like a plausible idea but I would like some input from a few outside sources,,  thanks for the help....

Just my opinion, but your invitation letter will have zero effect on her chances of getting a visa. All they care about are her bonafides.

[Milz713]

With all do respect, they ask for a invitation letter so I think it would be in my best intrest to provide it, wether they look at it or not is another story...

[Gator]

Milz,

The CO must be convinced that your girlfriend will return to Russia.  Any appearance of romance will doom her visa.  Doesn't one of the three have a Russian friend residing in the US?

[BC]

According to the consulate site, they process hundreds of visas every day.

I'm quite sure that with such a load, they have a 'sixth sense' for what's going on.

Stick with the basics as it gives less to sink teeth into.

The bottom line problem is the reason for her visit, and as you see it's tough to try and drum something up that's plausible.

What's in your neck of the woods for tourists?  "I always wanted to see the Great Lakes?"

Wouldn't something like DC be better with 'I always wanted to go to the Smithsonian? or Disneyland? or New York?  

A tourist does touristy things...

[Milz713]

Chicago seems to attract a few tourists every year along with the sun drenched coasts of Michigan in the summer time.  There are plenty of things that can be listed from wine festivals to beach excursions to touring the University of Notre Dame for the Lawyer and Judge,  I don't know, maybe a generic tour to Disney land would be the best....

[BC]

Chicago seems to attract a few tourists every year along with the sun drenched coasts of Michigan in the summer time.  There are plenty of things that can be listed from wine festivals to beach excursions to touring the University of Notre Dame for the Lawyer and Judge,  I don't know, maybe a generic tour to Disney land would be the best....

As stated above, we went through the 'process' today of getting a US visa for my wife a second time 'round.   One may think that this being a second application it would be easier, but even I was surprised to see the attention that was taken to review the documentation we provided and application.

We basically provided the same information as with her first application with the exception that we did not have an invitation letter. Ties to homeland substantiated with last three years tax returns, financial with recent bank statements and copies of multiple credit cards in her name, property ownership, etc etc etc.

Since my son and I were doing passport renewals at the same time we all got to sit in the same room and observe the 'windows'.  I must say they did take considerable time to review the documents and application.  All was done in plain view, sometimes with the loudspeakers turned on, likely by mistake, so we (and the rest of the audience) could hear the goings on. Ours was a bit 'tricky' because it would be quite easy to construe our situation as an attempt to circumvent the normal K3/DCF processes.  Two Consuls spent a good amount of time (20 mins or so) looking at the documentation submitted and their computer, probably reviewing past entry/exits or whatever else they can see in their 'system'.

In the end truth prevailed and the visa was granted.  Primary motivation for the trip was to attend FIL's 80th birthday party.

A part of my business is adjudicating insurance claims so I sorta understand what a CO goes through when reviewing an application.  Takes me all of 5 minutes to tentatively identify someone that is trying to 'beat the system' and mark it for deeper research..  I do believe it is quite the same for the folks working at the consulates.  We provided a well documented package of documents that covered just about every aspect, even down to health insurance coverage for the trip (covered by our automobile club membership).

The questions asked by the CO were simple but pointed. 'What is your motivation for visiting the US?'.  'You have a business together with your husband?.. What kind of work do you do?', maybe 5 or 6 questions in total.

Bottom line it's tough to make something up in the hopes it will fly.  The CO's are indeed professionals that know what they are doing.  Proper motivation, financial aspects and ties to homeland.. those are the big factors involved. 

[Milz713]

The irony here is that the truth is she does plan to return to Russia and if there "6th" sense were really that great there would be no need to lie in the first place..  If they were indeed human lie detectors it would be easy for her to say "I want to travel to the US to see where my boyfriend lives and what it is like for a few weeks before getting married and  giving up my job, home and family.  He will pay for the trip because our economy really stinks compared to the rest of the world but I will be back in Russia in 3 weeks."