Done!

[jmana]

So I just wanted to check back in here after being absent for several weeks and let everyone know that Alina's interview in Moscow was a piece of cake!  They approved everything on the spot, and she is due to arrive here in 3 weeks    So the fear people put into me about only visiting her once, and about not using Skype were unfounded
Also there seems to be some updating on the children's medical exams in Moscow, her daughter who just turned 3 did not get the skin test for TB, they gave her an X-ray too so there was no long wait to get the results.  Wish I would have known that before, I had to schedule the exam a week before the interview because the interview was on a Monday, and the only days the doctor's office in Moscow had openings were the Tuesday before and the Friday before.  So we went with Tuesday thinking she'd have to wait for the TB results.  Also, one other bit of info, if you go to request an appointment for the medical in Moscow and they give you some other date saying they don't have any other availability, have her call them!  That's what I did, their calendar online said they only had one opening in December, but she had no problem getting a choice between 2 dates the week before her interview when she called.  She said they were actually very nice to her when she called.   
And I'm sure most people already know this, but when I did a search for a flight for her and her daughter from St. Pete to here, the cost was like $1,600.  But then I did 2 separate searches, one from St. Pete to JFK which was $750 for both of them, and then from JFK to here which was $160 for both of them.  Big savings!  It actually turns out though that I'm going to drive to JFK to pick them up because their flight comes in at 5, and the last flight to leave JFK to come here is at 5:30 and there's no way that's happening, and I am not going to expect her to find her way to a hotel overnight, so I'll just make the 10 hour drive up there to get them.  But yeah, if you are flying anyone in from Russia, make sure you do a separate search, one to JFK, and then from JFK to your hometown, it will be much cheaper that way.

[calmissile]

Jmana,
Congrats on the success. I found the same thing in Ukraine.  Being pro-active makes a big difference.
 

[GQBlues]

.....  But yeah, if you are flying anyone in from Russia, make sure you do a separate search, one to JFK, and then from JFK to your hometown, it will be much cheaper that way.

Way cool! That's just awesome, man!

There's definitely nothing like 10 hour road trip after arriving from nearly a 10 flight!

Now if you can just stock up on water and crackers for their meals the next 30 days, imagine the additional money you can save!

Congratulations! Bravo! You just gotta love the MOB!

[Faux Pas]

Way cool! That's just awesome, man!

There's definitely nothing like 10 hour road trip after arriving from nearly a 10 flight!

Now if you can just stock up on water and crackers for their meals the next 30 days, imagine the additional money you can save!

Congratulations! Bravo! You just gotta love the MOB!

 

[Turboguy]

If I recall correctly when my wife arrived the first time I did the same thing.  I met her at JFK and we did out 8 hour drive back along with the 30 day supply of crackers of course so we could save money. 


Now we usually do the same thing you are talking about, booking the flight to JFK and a separate ticket to Pittsburgh.  It does save a lot of money.  The drawback to doing that is if there are problems the airline is off the hook.  When you book on one ticket if the first flight is delayed the airline will do what ever they have to including a room and re-ticketing.   Generally we use Jet Blue for the JFK - Pit part and on the way to Russia try to book that flight very early so if something goes wrong she can be on the next flight and still make her connection.  It does require wasting some time in JFK but that is better than losing out on the ticket.  We don't worry as much on the way back.  She has traveled enough that if she got stranded in JFK and missed the PIT flight it would not be that scary and I do have a friend in that area from RWD who would help out in a pinch.   

[tfcrew]

So ..20 hours of driving in ice and snow maybe? Have a good car?

I've written for years ' the cheaper one is, the more it will ultimately cost'.
Reviewing past posts of this history I agree w/GQ

Were I director of the State Dept, I would mandate that K1s be escorted by the petitioner and not SENT for like a UPS mail order.

[ML]

drawback to doing that is if there are problems the airline is off the hook.  When you book on one ticket if the first flight is delayed the airline will do what ever they have to including a room and re-ticketing.

Some clarification and hedging needed here Turbo.

If you book the all the legs directly with an airline, then the above 'might' apply.

But, if you book all the legs on one ticket with a place like Orbitz, et al, then the individual airlines for the various legs do not have to, and sometimes do not, pay for a room and rebook you on other flights, etc.

[jmana]

So ..20 hours of driving in ice and snow maybe? Have a good car?

I've written for years ' the cheaper one is, the more it will ultimately cost'.
Reviewing past posts of this history I agree w/GQ

Were I director of the State Dept, I would mandate that K1s be escorted by the petitioner and not SENT for like a UPS mail order.

I'm originally from PA so I'm used to driving through crappy weather.  But yeah, it will suck if there is a storm that day because it will definitely make for a long car ride.  I really wish there was a later flight out of JFK, it makes no sense to me that 5:30 is the latest into an international airport.  It's actually going to cost me a lot more to drive than it would to have her fly, so I'm not doing this to be "cheap".   


Escorted?  You make it seem like these women are too stupid or delicate to get on a plane by themselves.  They are adults and I think most of them have been on a plane before    In fact, I'd venture to say that probably most Russian women are better traveled than most American men!  If it was an American woman marrying a Russian man, would you think the same thing?  I'd be interested to know the answer, would say a lot about how you view the equality of women.

[tfcrew]

Come on jamana don't give me that 'equality' crap.

 

In fact, I'd venture to say that probably most Russian women are better traveled than most American men!

From what part of your backside did you pull that fact out?

[jone]

If it were me,  just sayin', I would fly to New York, get a hotel room near the airport.  Wake up late the next day after she arrives, take a taxi and show her some of the sights, get back on a plane to where ever and screw driving to pick her up.

She's only gonna come to the US for her first time once.  It is worthwhile to make it memorable.

If you do drive up, I would still get the hotel room and still sleep in the next day.  Then the car ride becomes an adventure.

[Faux Pas]

If it were me,  just sayin', I would fly to New York, get a hotel room near the airport.  Wake up late the next day after she arrives, take a taxi and show her some of the sights, get back on a plane to where ever and screw driving to pick her up.

She's only gonna come to the US for her first time once.  It is worthwhile to make it memorable.

If you do drive up, I would still get the hotel room and still sleep in the next day.  Then the car ride becomes an adventure.

My thoughts exactly.

A 10 hour flight is taxing enough for one day. Loading her and the kid up in the car for another 10 drive after that is very inconsiderate especially when it isn't necessary. If you must drive her back at the very least get a hotel room on her arrival so they can both rest and bath before your torturous scenic drive

[Turboguy]

Escorted?  You make it seem like these women are too stupid or delicate to get on a plane by themselves.  They are adults and I

Assuming her English is good and she has flown before I am sure she would have little difficulty catching a connecting flight.   Still I always thought it showed interest to meet her at her arrival airport.  To me I hoped it showed that I was willing to go out of my way to make sure she had no problems and that I was anxious to see her as soon as possible.  That is a personal choice and to each his own. 

Is there any possibility of a later flight that evening from one of the other airports?   LaGuardia or Newark?


When I picked up my wife that first time we wanted to drive out of the NYC area then got a motel and finished our drive the next day.   

[Faux Pas]

Assuming her English is good and she has flown before I am sure she would have little difficulty catching a connecting flight.   Still I always thought it showed interest to meet her at her arrival airport.  To me I hoped it showed that I was willing to go out of my way to make sure she had no problems and that I was anxious to see her as soon as possible.  That is a personal choice and to each his own. 

Is there any possibility of a later flight that evening from one of the other airports?   LaGuardia or Newark?


When I picked up my wife that first time we wanted to drive out of the NYC area then got a motel and finished our drive the next day.   

My wife's POE was Houston. The flight from Houston to my home was less than an hour. Luckily her flight from Moscow arrived early afternoon. I met her coming out of customs and quickly whisked  her away to her next flight in which I joined her. It worked out well time wise but if it hadn't, I wouldn't have hesitated to book a room for the night at the very least

[tfcrew]

I would mandate that K1s be escorted by the petitioner and not SENT for like a UPS mail order.

Not only that, but a mandatory open end round trip return ticket for the unfortunate case that a lady decides that she has made a poor choice and wishes to go back before the visa expires.
[None of this one way is cheaper stuff]

[Hammer2722]

Jmana, congrats on your K1 visa approval. I have to agree with others here about the long drive after that long flight. Perhaps you can do as Faux Pas and Turbo has suggested. At the very least, spend the night at a hotel in NY before driving home. It would give your lady and her child a good nights sleep before embarking on another 10 hour trip.

[Daveman]

...She has traveled enough that if she got stranded in JFK and missed the PIT flight it would not be that scary and I do have a friend in that area from RWD who would help out in a pinch.

Maryana got stranded at JFK on her visa trip over here.  The arrival was late and she missed her connecting flight to ATL.  Unfortunately, this was during that period of flooding so all hotels were booked solid and there was nothing available anywhere near the airport.  So, she, our Kittygirl, and quite a few others spent the night right there at JFK and then flew in the next morning.  One completely exhausted wife arrived here and slept for like the first 30 hours at the house.


The moral of this story?  My wife's a beautiful fearless badass.. but besides that.. if you have an additional 10 hour drive awaiting her upon arrival, then you might want to get a room anyway and let them rest well until the next morning.  She may protest prior, but unless she's travelled significant legs like this before she'll have no idea how tired they'll be.


Congrats, Jmana.. best wishes for your family beginning your new like together.

[jmana]

Jmana, congrats on your K1 visa approval. I have to agree with others here about the long drive after that long flight. Perhaps you can do as Faux Pas and Turbo has suggested. At the very least, spend the night at a hotel in NY before driving home. It would give your lady and her child a good nights sleep before embarking on another 10 hour trip.

I agree that would be the best thing to do, but there's one other issue, my son has school the week she is coming (she arrives on a Tuesday night) and so I am already going to be trusting him to be home alone for one evening (not completely alone, I will have someone checking on him).  But if I spend the night, and drive in the morning, I'll be hitting traffic which I don't want.  And if we spend the day in NYC and drive home in the evening that would be 2 evenings my son would be home alone, which I'd rather not do.  She already said they will both be sleeping the whole drive anyway, since I'm assuming we won't get out of the airport until around 7 (not sure how long it takes to get through the immigration stuff?) and it will be dark the whole drive, and keep in mind she will still be on Russian time which is 9 hours ahead of us.  Instead of you guys feeling bad for her, you should be feeling sorry for me!!  I'm the one who has to drive all the way up there, through nasty traffic in DC on I-95, for at least 10 hours, then turn around and do it all over again during the night when I'd rather be sleeping    They've got it made, 10 hours on a plane, eating awesome Aeroflot food, watching movies, sitting in a comfortable seat, then being chauffeured in a car the rest of the way    Yep, I'd trade places with them, LOL!

[Muzh]

I agree that would be the best thing to do, but there's one other issue, my son has school the week she is coming (she arrives on a Tuesday night) and so I am already going to be trusting him to be home alone for one evening (not completely alone, I will have someone checking on him).  But if I spend the night, and drive in the morning, I'll be hitting traffic which I don't want.  And if we spend the day in NYC and drive home in the evening that would be 2 evenings my son would be home alone, which I'd rather not do.  She already said they will both be sleeping the whole drive anyway, since I'm assuming we won't get out of the airport until around 7 (not sure how long it takes to get through the immigration stuff?) and it will be dark the whole drive, and keep in mind she will still be on Russian time which is 9 hours ahead of us.  Instead of you guys feeling bad for her, you should be feeling sorry for me!!  I'm the one who has to drive all the way up there, through nasty traffic in DC on I-95, for at least 10 hours, then turn around and do it all over again during the night when I'd rather be sleeping    They've got it made, 10 hours on a plane, eating awesome Aeroflot food, watching movies, sitting in a comfortable seat, then being chauffeured in a car the rest of the way    Yep, I'd trade places with them, LOL!

You are starting on the wrong foot.
 
No matter how you explain to her what you just wrote she'll hear that she doesn't matter much to you.
 
If I were a betting man, I'd say the odss are even on this.

[Faux Pas]

I agree that would be the best thing to do, but there's one other issue, my son has school the week she is coming (she arrives on a Tuesday night) and so I am already going to be trusting him to be home alone for one evening (not completely alone, I will have someone checking on him).  But if I spend the night, and drive in the morning, I'll be hitting traffic which I don't want.  And if we spend the day in NYC and drive home in the evening that would be 2 evenings my son would be home alone, which I'd rather not do.  She already said they will both be sleeping the whole drive anyway, since I'm assuming we won't get out of the airport until around 7 (not sure how long it takes to get through the immigration stuff?) and it will be dark the whole drive, and keep in mind she will still be on Russian time which is 9 hours ahead of us.  Instead of you guys feeling bad for her, you should be feeling sorry for me!!  I'm the one who has to drive all the way up there, through nasty traffic in DC on I-95, for at least 10 hours, then turn around and do it all over again during the night when I'd rather be sleeping    They've got it made, 10 hours on a plane, eating awesome Aeroflot food, watching movies, sitting in a comfortable seat, then being chauffeured in a car the rest of the way    Yep, I'd trade places with them, LOL!

Then get him a full fledged sitter or book them a flight to your nearest airport. If the connection is going to be a long one, book them a room at a close by hotel, send her some cab fare, meal money and save yourself 20 hours driving. You can expect her first trip through immigration to be about 2 hours. Where there is a will, there is a way. Did I mention if there is a will?

10 hours in a car after that trip is punishment and cruel

[Turboguy]

I would say it will take 2 hours to get through immigration and get her bags.  She will be one of the last ones out. 


Just another idea that I will throw out.  I am not sure where you live but would it be possible for her to catch a flight to an airport that would be closer even it it was not your airport that would let you get back.  You are talking about DC traffic so lets say for example you live in Richmond VA and there are no flights that late to Richmond.  If you could fly her to BWI or or maybe even Philly or the like and cut some time off your trip it might let you get home. 


If you have to drive she can probably sleep fairly comfortably in the car and it is no big deal if you have to drive all night.  Heck, your the guy and part of a good relationship is keeping the women happy no matter what it costs us in pain and sacrifice.  Heck that is what it is all about. 

[Gator]

Jmana,

Yes Alina  and her 3-yo will be tired.  And a 3-yo is not interested in seeing the sights of NYC.     


I suggest that you try to make Alina's day of arriving in America as a celebration with minimal pain.  Besides the 10 hours of driving Alina, you would be driving a total of 20 hours in one day in winter weather.  Neither  makes little sense to me. 

FP and Turbo give good suggestions.  Here's another:   you fly to JFK, get a room in NYC, and then get a flight the next morning. 



And another:  You mentioned DC.  Amtrack from NYC to DC is about 3  hours IIRC, and trains depart NYC late at night.   You could be home late in the evening.  I gather you live south of DC if it takes 10 hours to drive to JFK. 



Whatever option you choose, please not do anything that gives Alina the impression you are placing her and her daughter in a 10-hour hell just to save money. 

[jmana]

Amtrak to DC?  You really think that's an option?  I am not really familiar with that, so how would she get from the airport to the train station?  And with all her luggage?  Seems like that would annoy her more than a 10 hour car ride.  Flying her into DC is something I didn't think of, will look into that, will also look into Richmond, but if they don't have late flights to Raleigh I doubt there're be any to Richmond.  I probably could fly to NY and then all of us fly back in the morning, but to be honest I just feel like stuffing all the luggage in a cab to go to a hotel, carrying all the luggage up to a room, then back down again in the morning, back into a cab, back to the airport through security, having to get there early, etc.... all seems more of a pain in the ass than just sucking it up and driving there so nothing is rushed, if immigration takes longer no biggie, if she wants to eat before we leave, that's okay.  Then we pile everything in the car, they get comfortable and fall asleep, while I down lots of caffeine for the long drive home. To me that seems like the most comfortable thing for them, but maybe I'm just thinking that way because I don't mind sleeping in a car.

[Hammer2722]

It just seems to me your putting your new family at an un-necessary risk by driving 20 hours by car.....

[GQBlues]

This isn't the time to be searching for ways to save a buck. The roads are not very friendly, much less comfy, this time of the year.

The woman has a 3 year old child with her ferchrissakes! Spend the gawd-damned money! If she can fly from St Pete to your city's airport with little discomfort, do it!

THINK BEYOND YOURSELF AND SPEND THE MONEY!!!!!

...And I'm sure most people already know this, but when I did a search for a flight for her and her daughter from St. Pete to here, the cost was like $1,600....

Screw all the other options! By the time you spend the money for gas, hotel, food, New York marching band, 2 Big Macs and a fillet-o-fish; you haven't save jackphyst...More importantly, trucking 'em over on these silly winter roads for a 10 hour road trip is just plain stupid...

What on gawd's green earth is wrong with you?

[jmana]

It was basically the same flight as buying the tickets separately, with an overnight layover at the airport and flying out first thing in the morning.  I am not going to ask her to bunk out at JFK overnight    And I know it's a long drive, I do it all the time, I just got back from the 9 hour drive from PA yesterday morning.  Hell when I moved down here I made 2 round trips, in a row without sleeping in between, part of which was in a snow storm, in a moving truck.  Granted I was younger then, but I'm just saying this won't be my first time of driving all night long.  Whenever I drive up north I do it at night to avoid traffic anyway.