Planning ahead

[alex330]

My fiance will be here in several months on the K1. Is there anything we can do to make the transition smoother in regards to paperwork or tasks that can be accomplished while she is still in Ukraine?

I have been told to have all her shots done which will help the process as well as several certified copies of her birth certificate with apostille.
Anything else we may be overlooking. Anything you kicked yourself for not doing before your RW arrived? Thanks

[Muzh]

She'll need a police record, an X-ray of her chest, er..., torso for verification aginst TB and of course her shot. Can't think of anything else.

[Wayne]

Does she already have the K-1?
 
If not, there are many documents she will need for the interview at the embassy.
 
Does she have a driver's license?  If not, she could get one there; which involves many medical tests and other things. Depending upon where you live, she probably could drive, at least for a certain time, on the foreign license.
 
Does she have a university degree?  If so, you might want to have it translated, notarized and appostiled.
 
For the K-1, she will need a police report from every country where she lived since her 16th birthday.

[alex330]

Does she already have the K-1?
 
If not, there are many documents she will need for the interview at the embassy.
 
Does she have a driver's license?  If not, she could get one there; which involves many medical tests and other things. Depending upon where you live, she probably could drive, at least for a certain time, on the foreign license.
 
Does she have a university degree?  If so, you might want to have it translated, notarized and appostiled.
 
For the K-1, she will need a police report from every country where she lived since her 16th birthday.

We have all the required paperwork for the K1. My question was for paperwork that may make life for us easier here in the US once she arrives.

She does not drive. We will crash course her when she arrives here in that dept and get her a license 
The University degree we will definitely translate and bring, thanks.

[Chicagoguy]

I think you can be looking at the next step. AOS
Maybe look at www.visajourney.com if you haven't already.

[Muzh]

Absolutely.
 
Once she gets here you'll have to start the new process for the Adjustment of Status. People do it differently, but what is in common is that you have to prove she is part of your household AND living with you all this time. One of the first things I did was to get a couple of credit cards in both our names. Also, went to the bank and had a joint bank account AND her own savings account with our address. Little by little I kept adding her to what I owned or owed. More owed than owned. This way I made sure she didn't move away.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I WAS JOKING!!!

[Muzh]

To clarify, the last sentence.

[Faux Pas]

There's not a helluva whole lot you can do until you are married and have a certificate and start the AOS process. Be sure that she is briefed on the I-94 that Customs will stamp and give her when she enters. Normally, they will place it in the Passport. This is a very important piece of paper once you are married and start the AOS. In fact the AOS doesn't start without it. Replacing it is a serious PITA

[Wayne]

Many Ukrainians do not have the dental care that we are used to in USA. Find out if she needs dental work. If so, it would be cheaper to do it in Ukraine--but be careful! The quality  of work and materials might not be as good as USA.
 
I would suggest strongly having her take driver's training private classes right away in Ukraine. If you cannot afford to pay for this, then you really have some problems. Espect about $500 for this.
 
She needs to have a vaccination card. Vaccinations would be less in Ukraine than USA. You can have them done when she goes for the medical exam in Kyiv, but make sure she gets the official record.
 
For the adjustment of status, a complete second medical exam is required. This can only be done by a few doctors who are a Civil Surgeon. You can find a list to determine where the closest place is. If you live in a small town, you would probably have to travel.
 
For adjustment of status, you make the first trip to the USCIS office to have her photograph taken, fingerprints, height and weight recorded. The second trip to USCIS is for the actual interview. You must go with her. Yes, you need to prove that you are married and living together.
 
So, what are your plans for your wedding?
 
 
 
 

[Faux Pas]

Many Ukrainians do not have the dental care that we are used to in USA. Find out if she needs dental work. If so, it would be cheaper to do it in Ukraine--but be careful! The quality  of work and materials might not be as good as USA.
 

Shortly after arriving my wife had a toothache. She had had extensive dental work from the supposedly best dentist in her area. Fixing one tooth of that excellent dental work cost me $4500. Luckily, there have been no more problems and thankfully, she is insured now. Be careful about trying to save some money with FSU dentists. Their methods and materials can be quite different and costly when intersecting problems and she is in the West FWIW

[alex330]

Many Ukrainians do not have the dental care that we are used to in USA. Find out if she needs dental work. If so, it would be cheaper to do it in Ukraine--but be careful! The quality  of work and materials might not be as good as USA.
 
I would suggest strongly having her take driver's training private classes right away in Ukraine. If you cannot afford to pay for this, then you really have some problems. Espect about $500 for this.
 
She needs to have a vaccination card. Vaccinations would be less in Ukraine than USA. You can have them done when she goes for the medical exam in Kyiv, but make sure she gets the official record.
 
For the adjustment of status, a complete second medical exam is required. This can only be done by a few doctors who are a Civil Surgeon. You can find a list to determine where the closest place is. If you live in a small town, you would probably have to travel.
 
For adjustment of status, you make the first trip to the USCIS office to have her photograph taken, fingerprints, height and weight recorded. The second trip to USCIS is for the actual interview. You must go with her. Yes, you need to prove that you are married and living together.
 
So, what are your plans for your wedding?

Good info, thanks Wayne.

I am pleading with her to get her wisdom teeth pulled before she arrives.....no luck yet 
I fly down to Costa Rica for my dental which saves a ton of money, so we have that option should we need it I suppose.

You think it is better for her to learn to drive in Ukraine first? I figured with the bad roads and limited time we may as well have her start here.
She probably will be here in two months. We thought driving lessons may keep part of her day occupied while I am at work. I dunno.

I think we will get married in the courthouse stateside and have a simple dinner party with my friends here then quick weekend escape locally.
We will then probably have her fly back to Ukraine for a couple months before me next spring (once she can travel) and have a wedding in Ukraine with her family and friends. We have been told 2012 is a bad year to get married according to superstition, but oh well 

[ECOCKS]

Wayne:

If she gets her DL (the version which has the info in English) in Ukraine before coming over then she'll have a functional DL for use here from Day One. Particularly if she has trouble with English and lives in a state where they do the test before granting a learner's permit this could come in handy. It gives her a level of freedom and control which (I think) will aid in her comfort level in a new country.

My wife suffered through an American dentist trying to drill through some of that East European work. 10 drills ruined, wife continues to endure low-level pain between the flareups. I'd get as much done as possible, if it needs to be done, before she comes over.

[ML]

If she gets her DL (the version which has the info in English) in Ukraine before coming over then she'll have a functional DL for use here from Day One. Particularly if she has trouble with English and lives in a state where they do the test before granting a learner's permit this could come in handy. It gives her a level of freedom and control which (I think) will aid in her comfort level in a new country.

We were told these foreign DLs (even with the English words on them) are only good for 60 days in USA, except if from countries that have agreements with USA.  Ukraine is not one of these agreement countries.

[ECOCKS]

My wife's works fine per our local Police Department. I would expect that individual state laws could vary on this issue. A place to check would be here:

http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Foreign_Visitors_Driving.shtml

According to this site she should have gotten her DL at the 90 day mark after becoming a permanent resident.

Further, this statement is applicable within my state for VISITORS (initial K1):

Visitors from foreign countries may drive non-commercially in Idaho using a foreign-issued driver license. Visitors must carry the foreign driver license and, in addition, it is suggested that visitors carry an International Driving Permit issued by officials in their country of residence. It is not mandatory that visitors have the International Driving Permit; it is merely a suggestion to aid law enforcement officials and others who need to know the actual content of the license. The International Driving Permit is a translation of the foreign license into the nine official languages of the United Nations, including English.

My statements stand for my situation. Wayne, do what you think is appropriate for your situation.

[alex330]

what is in common is that you have to prove she is part of your household AND living with you all this time. One of the first things I did was to get a couple of credit cards in both our names. Also, went to the bank and had a joint bank account AND her own savings account with our address. Little by little I kept adding her to what I owned or owed. More owed than owned. This way I made sure she didn't move away.
 

I WAS JOKING!!!

Yea, I figured a card in her name as well as her cell phone to begin with. I missed the last sentence the first time around 

I think the DL is not too bad a process here in Florida. Time is creeping up on us with so much to do on both sides I am not sure we will squeeze lessons in for her in Ukraine. I told her to quite her job and spend as much time as possible with family and friends right after the VISA is granted.

[Muzh]

I think the DL is not too bad a process here in Florida.
 

I lived in FLA for a year back in 1982. I went to the Tarpon Springs DVM to get my DL. In front of ma was an elderly man, my guess late 60s, and he was called next. After reviewing his papers (he was renewing) the clerk asked the man to cover his right eye. The man replied it was a glass eye. Fine, cover your left and read the chart. "What chart?"
 
He got his license.

[Chicagoguy]

    Florida is where I had to learn about defensive driving. It is a whole other world near the retirement communities. I actually had to go slow !