Travel Planning for bringing the wife to the US

[Journeyman]

Gentlemen,

I am beginning to plan travels for when my wife will finally get her visa to come to the US.  I will travel there, and bring her back on the return flight.  I am considering two routes to the US from Kiev, and would appreciate your thoughts and/or experiences with each. 

1.  Kiev to the US via Amsterdam on KLM.  The Delta travel web site suggests that my wife would not need a transit visa, as long as she stays in the airport transit area between flights.  I've flown through Amsterdam-Schiphol about 15 times, and have always found it well run and hospitable.  I see no problems, as long as my wife doesn't need a transit visa.

2.  Kiev to the US directly, via JFK on Delta.  This route could provide some advantages, as long as we can transfer to another Delta flight for our destination city in the same Delta terminal at JFK (which would seem to be the case).  On the other hand, I have heard some not so good stories about passing through immigration at JFK, plus lost baggage, etc.  I haven't been through JFK in 6 or 7 years, when the old international terminal was operating, and I remember it as not being very pleasant.

Any thoughts or suggestions?  Thank you in advance.

Journeyman

[I/O]

Your wife definitely does not need a transit visa provided she stays within the transit section of any international airport. It is in effect, international air space. Watch the connection times, that can be the killer.

I/O

[BC]

Aren't there some advantages going via JFK?.. stuff like work stamp etc that makes immigration bureaucracy easier down the line..

[Wayne]

Aerosvit, Ukrainian Airlines has direct flights from Kyiv to JFK.  You should be able to purchase one-way tickets for your wife for less than any USA based airlines.  It would be an advantage not to enter another country because of the visa issues and possible lost baggage.  Also, if your wife has extra baggage, the less flights involved means less extra payment.

[Simoni]

web site suggests that my wife would not need a transit visa, as long as she stays in the airport transit area between flights. 
 

Transit visas are not a problem in most of Europe.  Marina has had connections to the US from a number of cities, most recently Poland.    We took LOT from Kiev to Warsaw and then United from Warsaw to Chicago three months ago.  No problem.

[viking]

Delta has their own terminal, immigration, and customs. Been through there twice in very recent times and it was a pleasure (considering its an airline) and no real problems or hassles. Plus some nice places to eat while your killing time for the connection.

[ScottinCrimea]

I looked at the same options and elected for a nonstop flight from Kiev to JFK with a connecting flight from there.  The only issue was arranging the connecting flight so there was enough time to get through customs at JFK.  She handled everything just fine at JFK and had relatively few complaints.  I thought the advantages of a direct flight outweighed the presumed disadvantages of customs at JFK.  I have heard that Amsterdam has one of the worst records for lost luggage and my last flight through there confirmed its reputation.

[Journeyman]

I looked at the same options and elected for a nonstop flight from Kiev to JFK with a connecting flight from there.  The only issue was arranging the connecting flight so there was enough time to get through customs at JFK.  She handled everything just fine at JFK and had relatively few complaints.  I thought the advantages of a direct flight outweighed the presumed disadvantages of customs at JFK.  I have heard that Amsterdam has one of the worst records for lost luggage and my last flight through there confirmed its reputation.

Gentlemen,

Thank you for all your kind help.

It would seem that the Kiev/Borispol to JFK route on Delta might work.  I have not been to the new Delta terminal due to my long absence from JFK.  It will be interesting to see.   I am also curious now about the Aerosvit option, and will check into it also.  I don't think I can use my 200K of FF miles on Aerosvit, however.

Journeyman

[timothe]

I just came back from Kiev via JFK on Delta and other than the fairly long delay at baggage control, the experience was fine.

[Zadan]

I chose the Kiev->JFK route as well. Turbo has a thread elsewhere, he met VWRW there last Friday. I'll be there in a couple days (this Friday). I didn't want her to have to go through customs/security multiple times and switch planes.

Also, the ticket was cheaper if purchased online via AeroSvit's website.

[Zadan]

I don't think I can use my 200K of FF miles on Aerosvit, however.

One thing I forgot to mention - AeroSvit is an American Airlines FF partner I believe, so if you have any miles with them you may be able to get in that way. Hope that helps.

[groovlstk]

I accompanied my wife through customs at JFK last December and outside of a computer glitch that delayed us we were treated very well. The customs officer who processed my wife took a long look at her and asked her if she had a sister who was single

Regardless, hours after her arrival you'll both have forgotten any minor annoyances and the experience will be the tiniest footnote in your recollections of her first day in the US, so do whatever's most convenient and economical.

Not to go off on a tangent or hijack Journeyman's thread, but I see so many of these questions (e.g., "what's the best POE?" "Should I accompany my fiancee to her interview at the embassy?," "What foods should I have in my fridge when she arrives?" etc.). We men seem to be willing to do anything to ease the logistical strain of our fiancees' transition, right down to the tiniest detail. This is wonderful, but in IMHO the more important and infinitely more difficult question is, "what are you doing to prepare yourself for her arrival?"

Flying her in 500 miles from your home airport because supposedly the customs clerks at Airport A are kinder than those at Airport B, upgrading her tix to business class so she'll arrive rested, buying new bed linens, etc. are all very thoughtful, but will have no impact beyond day 1. More importantly, have you thought about how you're going to handle it when she has a meltdown on day 3 and says she wants to go home? As Ken (Catznmouse) has often said, patience is your best friend during the early days of her arrival, but are you up for it when the inevitable regrets begin to pile up in her mind and you're the only available target?

[MaxxumUSA]

Hmm..

I flew with my fiancee from Moscow to JFK via Delta.  Customs was a breeze there.  We also got her work stamp on her I-94 so she could get her SS card without issues.

BTW...  no meltdowns here.  Elena blended right in with my friends and family.  Her english improves daily.  She's takes english classes, drives herself around just fine.  She misses her family but has no desire to move back to Russia.  It's been 6 weeks now, and we get along great.

One thing about Delta - Some stewardess that recognized me from a couple previous visits asked me - right in front of Elena "Is this the woman you BOUGHT?"  Holy cow.  I'm still a bit peeved about that comment.

[Simoni]

are you up for it when the inevitable regrets begin to pile up in her mind and you're the only available target?

Sad but true, so we might as well laugh 

[Simoni]

I flew with my fiancee from Moscow to JFK via Delta.  Customs was a breeze there. 

That was not our experience at JFK.  Marina has flown into JFK from Kiev three times, and got "the" treatment from homeland security people each time.  It put her in a bad mood about the USA for several days, each time.

So this summer we on purpose avoided JFK.  But Chicago was no better.  She was pulled into a private room (alone) for questioning.  Before that, a man spoke to her in a loud voice..."You.  Sit...there!"  Wait."

The she had in endure 30 minutes of questioning in a private room, showing multiple documents and even backup.  And as she left that office, another agent stopped her and asked to see her documents.  I was going crazy waiting at baggage claim for her.  We missed our connection, BTW.

Catzenmouse also reported a bad experience at Chicago.

My guess is that it's just the way it is, no matter where you come in.   Our girls are just going to have to develop a thick skin, and not think the treatment is just because she is "russian."

Sure be nice when she get's that Blue Passport...

[davidbdc]

For what its worth Schiphol is one of the best airports in the world to connect through - tons of eating options, clean facilities, etc.

There is legislation in the Dutch Legislature to greatly increase taxes on air travel - both inbound and outbound - to the tune of about $150 if your flying through Amsterdam.  You may want to check on that.

I'm not the expert at JFK immigration but have heard first hand both very good and very bad stories.  If you could fly directly to your city from AMS then I'd seriously consider it....why go through the annoyance of connecting flights after potentially unpleasant experience at customs.

[Journeyman]

Well, it is now looking like I will be traveling to Ukraine at Christmas and be unable to bring her back at that time.  The immigration process is going incredibly slowly.  So, I'm now looking to March before I might be able to retrieve her.  Geez.

So, regarding the flight plans, I think I will now try the Delta through JFK route around Christmas  -- just myself this time, as a trial run.  Then, depending upon the experience, either use it or Schiphol-Amsterdam in March for bringing her back with me.   

Part of the reason for all the deliberations I'm having is to pick a reliable route for the future that she can navigate without me if need be, so that she can return to see the family when she wants or needs to.  I plan an annual trip over there with her after we get settled in the US, but she might need to return more often to help her family/relatives from time to time.  So, with the selection of this route, I 've been trying to achieve multiple objectives. 

Right now, Delta via JFK looks about 50/50.  Amsterdam looks possible, assuming I can get her oriented to layout there -- she's never been to an airport that size, but the layout is better there than other major European hubs.  I want to avoid the London airports (Gatwick and Heathrow) since, even though I've been treated very well there, the layout of Gatwick, as I recall, is NOT easily to navigate.  I've been told to avoid Heathrow at all costs.  So, London is, unfortunately, not in the running.  There is a possibility that a Lufthansa flight might be opening up (Kiev to Frankfurt to my city in the US), but, in my experience, Schiphol is still much easier to navigate that Frankfurt or Munich. 

I will keep it in mind to report back after passing through JFK in December/January.  Thanks again for all the good comments and observations.

Journeyman

[Turboguy]

Having just gone through this with the decision less than a month old and the trip she made 10 days ago to me there is no decision at all.

A plane with no stops is almost always better than a plane with stops.  If you don't have to get off the plane there is not much that can go wrong.   It lets them arrive more rested and with less travel time.

Any POE can be tough.   Millions of people make it through JFK just fine.   There were two other fiancee's with mine on her plane from Moscow to JFK.  It might have been a little tougher than some but they all survived and the biggest advantage to JFK is the work authorization.  That is more than worth any delays.

My financee is my second on a K-1.  With the first she came in through Atlanta.  VWRW (# 2) came in through JFK.   I will agree that my wait in Atlanta for her was much shorter than the wait in JFK.  The lack of the temporary work authorization made getting the SS# a living hell.  We never did get it,  # 1 returned to Russia 3 months later.  They called me 2 months after she returned and were ready to issue the SS #.  Had she stayed we would have ended up  going 5 months getting the SS# which would have set all our plans back.  If all goes well we should get this one with a few weeks wait (the lack of a work authorization was the hold up and my SS office does not deal with many K-1's).

It is your choice but when we did ours it was going to be JFK whatever I had to do to get her there.   I did not consider any other POE's an option.

[ScottinCrimea]

I agree that the work authorization issue can be a big one.  At JFK they took care of everything so that without us needing to do anything further, my wife received her SS card about 2 weeks after her arrival.  the SS card is also an issue for taxes, insurance, driver's license, etc., so waiting several months for this could be a real PITA.

[groovlstk]

Whatever you do make sure you fill out the I-94 form on the flight very carefully and print very clearly. My wife passed through JFK and got her work authorization stamp but we were delayed about a month in getting her SS card. I'd love to blame it on inept immigration clerks but the mistake was mine -  I completed the form as quickly as possible and they entered the wrong DOB for her thanks to my shoddy penmanship.