visa and passport cost

[donedidit]

Hello to everyone,I have often read the forum but I just became a member today,I have been married to a Ukrainian women for a while,and we are trying to start the process of having my sister in law and mother in-law come visit us.What is the cost of a visitors visa and international passport?The closest city to them is zaparosha[not sure of spelling].Can this be done there?Also my mother in-law has trouble walking and standing for an extended period of time can special arrangements be made for her?Thank you in advance for any advice.

[ML]

As far as I know, everyone has to go to Kyiv for the visa interview. 

Applications can (and actually must) be filled out and submitted on-line.

Below is where you get started reading:

http://ukraine.usembassy.gov/nonimmigrant-visas.html

[Jack]

If mom in law has problem standing for a long time you should really think hard about having an American escort mom and sister to the Embassy.  If they are with an American they will not stand in line outside, you will be taken in immediately.  You will go to a different waiting area than the other Ukraine citizens who have made it to the inside of the building.   Being in this section reserved for American's you will get attention and service much quicker and from my own personal experience a much greater chance of having the visa approved.   

[donedidit]

hey Jack how have you been?I am sure you do not remember me but I went on one of your tours eight years ago ,meet my wife and have been married seven years and still going strong .Are you planning on being in Kiev anytime soon?Are you volunteering to be their escort?

[GoodOlBoy]

If mom in law has problem standing for a long time you should really think hard about....

Getting Medical insurance in the GoodOl' USA to cover Mom's visit.
 
Seriously DDD, if she is that ill, you better be careful.
 
GOB

[Jack]

Well donedidit I don't know who you are by the screen name donedidit but it probably wouldn't take me long to figure out who you are.   I see your from Mass.

Let me think, a guy from Mass. about 8 years ago.    Did you marry a woman from Pavelograd?


Nooo, I'm not volunteering to do this. In reality you should be the one to do this.  If you cannot and you let me know a time frame when you want mom and sister to go to Embassy I can check with any clients who will be in Kiev at that time.  I have clients in Kiev almost every week.  I'll have to compensate, or you'll have to compensate, a guy for doing this and roughly could take from 2 to 3 hours of his time.

[donedidit]

GOB you are right about good ol USA what she really needs is hip replacement surgery,something extremely commonplace among this countries elderly not to mention paid for,in Ukraine they put a walking stick in each hand and tell you to live with the pain.           Jack good idea about the escort I will let you know about time frame when I know more.Who am I well I am 57 my wife Nina is 48 and she is from Gulipole.

[Jack]

ahhh, ok, I think I know.   Does Westfield ring a bell?

If so what I remember about you is you certaintly did your homework.  You had corrosponded with a lot of ladies.

[Chicagoguy]

GOB you are right about good ol USA what she really needs is hip replacement surgery,something extremely commonplace among this countries elderly not to mention paid for,in Ukraine they put a walking stick in each hand and tell you to live with the pain.           Jack good idea about the escort I will let you know about time frame when I know more.Who am I well I am 57 my wife Nina is 48 and she is from Gulipole.

I havd had this surgery on both hips. Plus revisions [ newer ones ]. So I am very familiar with this. When first diagnosed they weren't doing this surgery at all so I was on crutches for 6 years. It was very limiting and with pain. I was downhill skiier and golfer before. After surgery I was back at skiing and golf again !
Now it is a VERY common procedure. If you have the money it would be a wonderful gift. Best if you shopped it around for prices. Many doctors and hospitals give nice discounts for cash.
 

[donedidit]

Jack you got it,you said the trip to Ukraine would change my life,well it sure did.

[Jack]

Well, needless to say I'm very happy for you and Nina. 

Most men who take this pursuit seriously, as you did, who have and keep reasonable expectations, will meet several ladies they are attracted to and allow the cream to rise to the top, will do well.

With regards to mom and sis and the visa.  When you are ready for them to go to the interview you need to proceed with setting the interview date. Apply and take the first date they will give you.  If I am in Kiev during this time of course I can help and escort mom and sis. If I am not in Kiev I will ask a client who might be in Kiev at the time of the interview to go with mom and sis.

Most all the times I have done this the interview would always take place somewhat early in the morning, usually by 9:30am to 11am.  So we would always head to Embassy around 8:30am, getting there by 9am.

[ML]

Jack, as I understand it, you are saying:

1) If Ukrainian citizen is escorted by American, they go in through the US citizen route into the Embassy/Consulate rather than wait in a longer line.

2) If the Ukrainian citizen is escorted by American,  they wait in a different  room/area compared to other Ukrainian citizens.

but what about

3) If the Ukrainian citizen is escorted by American . . . do they use a different set of interview windows/different set of interview officers?

And have you been to the new Embassy/Consulate building in Kyiv?  Will it also facilitate this dual system that you mentioned?

I remember reading a few years back (maybe with regard to Moscow,) that when the AM accompanied his RW to the  interview, the interviewing officer sometimes told the AM to leave (go to another room, or some such).  How would that factor in for the Kyiv situation?

And, if the interview officer is really swayed by fact of American accompanying a Ukrainian applying for visa . . . wouldn't they look a little askance at Americans 'for hire' (so to speak) doing  this?

Note:  Not questioning your experience with this Jack . . . just trying to understand the logic of how this might help the Ukrainian.  i.e. What must be  going on in the mind of an interview officer who seems to more readily give visa approval just because an American (apparently any American) is sitting with the applicant.

[Kunstkammer]

This is what official US Embassy site has to say and I have no reasons to not believe it:

IMPORTANT: Please note that only individuals applying for a visa are allowed to enter the compound.  Visa applicants may not bring U.S. citizens, U.S. Legal Permanent Residents, spouses, attorneys, sponsors, friends, or other family members with them. Applicants should be prepared to present their visa cases without assistance.  The only exceptions are children under the age of 16, the disabled, and those whose presence we have requested ourselves in advance, such as certain group facilitators.  Therefore, any additional information that these individuals would like the Consular Officer to consider should be given to the applicant prior to his/her interview.  We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

http://ukraine.usembassy.gov/niv-apply.html

[Jack]

ML and Kunstkammer,  as recent as October 2nd 2011 I escorted an elder lady and her daughter to the Embassy in Kiev.  The daughter, a lady of 28, I had helped introduced her to her husband in 2005.   They wanted her mother, from Kherson, to be able to get a visa to visit the US and asked if I would help.


As I had done on four previous occasions, the three of us walked up to the Embassy and of course saw the long line of Ukraine citizens standing in line to get entry into the Embassy.  We walked straight up to the door, I showed my American passport, and the three of us were immediately brought into this portion of the Embassy.  Here we had to give up our cell phones and key's, go thru a metal detector and then we were escorted to another building which had two waiting areas.  One of the waiting areas had a LOT of Ukraine citizens.  The second waiting area only had a few people and this is where you were taken if you had an American passport.

I really don't care what kunstkammer believes, I pretty much think he's a nut case anyway, I know what I have done now five times.  Now, if the law has changed since October  2 2011, then I won't be doing this anymore.   

[Jack]

ps,  I have never been allowed into the interview process.  Even the daughter in October and previous other relatives were not allowed into the interview process.