Russian coming to visit me

[Shadow]

Funny, there are dozens of people rejected at the US Embassy every day. That's despite having their tickets in hand. crying in the lobby and waving money around. The head of Visas and Immigration at the Canadian Embassy still says it is amazing how many people think they can get a visa just because they have money and bought their ticket.

It's RARE to find FSU citizens, particularly young, unmarried females with multiple entry US visas.

I know of about 5 of young, unmarried females who got a visa, not sure how many more tried and got denied. It strongly depends on if you are just waiving money or also fill in and meet the visa requirements.
And if people have money and bought a ticket, the remaining requirements (not being a public threat and not planning to abuse the visa for other purposes) should not be that hard to amaze the head of Visas and Immigration. It might be just the way in which they demand, as not many have international travel and visa application experience.

[Sculpto]

I would think if they already have visa stamps from Egypt and Thailand and DR and any of the other countries they can enter visa free which shows they can and will return it goes a long way towards convincing the officials, even if they do not meet all the requisites.

[GoodOlBoy]

PS:  My dog died in my arms today.  I told him he did very well for a free dog that nobody wanted, and that I would see him in heaven.  Even the vet was in tears as she administered the "hemlock"...but it was his time.  His name was Buddy.

Sorry for your loss Globetrotter. 


GOB

[ECOCKS]

I could go out to the Richmond District of SF today and find dozens with next to no effort.  College students, girls with relatives already here, slightly older ladies with legit business reasons and so on.  Even if you look on the free Russian language sites and search US locations, especially New York, Chicago and LA you can find hundreds, no thousands, of legit ladies already here or who are on their way.  Go on vkontakt and there are thousands more who have already been here for one reason or another, speak English fluently and may very well be open to the idea of dating a man from the US or some other western country.  Times are changing...  Mishenka is going to meetup group events with dozens of available FSUW in the San Diego area.  Same things probably exist in most major metro areas.

You can? Dozens? Well, then obviously you're right and I am wrong.

These women are everywhere in the US and Canada now. I plead that I am merely a  victim of a government conspiracy/cover up. Do not trust these numbers issued by the US Department of State!

US Visas Issued for 2008 by country (total including student, immigrant, marriage, lottery, multiple-entry, single-entry, etc.)

Warning: These were not approved by ANYONE presently claiming residence in San Fransisco!

Country     Immigration Visas     Non-Immigrant Visas

Russia                3,740                   167,766
Ukraine               1,688                    48,812

Taken from: Table IV, Summary of Visas Issued by Issuing Office, Fiscal Year 2008
http://www.travel.state.gov/pdf/FY08-AR-TableIV.pdf

How could I have been so stupid? To think the government believes I am gullible enough to think that barely .1 % of their respective populations are granted visas each year!    

What kind of conspiracy is this really covering up? Is the same cover up going on to our north? How could I have trusted those people in their Embassy? Perhaps they put something in my beer as we talked?

Write your congressmen and women (or your MP) demanding to know who falsified these numbers!

The good news is that none of you will need to pay for visa fees or wait for the girl to come over and most of you are crazy for going there since they are everywhere here.

Remember, Sculpt said it so it MUST be true. Sculpt, how could I have EVER doubted you?

[Sculpto]

so approximately 200,000 non immigrant visas were issued between Ukraine and Russia.. not including any of the other FSU countries.  Not a small number. 

How about Germany... 81,000 +

And then there is Japan... about 100,000 +

ecocks.. just get off my jock dude.. I know you love me but I will not provide the service you want. 

[ECOCKS]

You, Sculpy, can kiss my 

The only "service" I would like you to perform is to temper your comments with reality, legality and knowledge rather than your skewed version of how you think the world is because of how you want it to be. At the very least, learn to distinguish the two.

Yes, approximately 200,000 visas, including students, summer work/play programs, foreign employees on business, single-entries, medical and family), out of a population of almost 200 million is .1% of the people and for most that is "rare."

You chose to make that into a battle after I commented on it. Further, advising people to do border runs which don't work is provoking trouble for them, further advising them to bribe someone is, in fact, illegal (and BTW it doesn't work now that the computer system is in place but I know things like facts confuse you). If you would pull your head out of your bong (or bung, whichever) and actually take a few moments to look into what you say it would be far more interesting and informative for the community. A discussion with divergent views is good, but misstatements of fact and passing along unidentified conjecture as credible information is dangerous.

[ECOCKS]

ecocks.. just get off my jock dude.. I know you love me but I will not provide the service you want. 

"get off [your] jock"?  "know you love me"? "provide the service you want"?

Does your wide circle of gay friends and intellectual-minded liberal artists take it well when, in a grasping effort to insult or try a personal put-down, you resort to attempting homosexual-related comments?

[Blues Fairy]

It's RARE to find FSU citizens, particularly young, unmarried females with multiple entry US visas.

Not so rare.  I got it no problem, three of my unmarried friends whom I invited to my wedding got it no problem, lots of other unmarried people I know got it no problem.  One just has to know better than to purchase ticket before the interview and come to the embassy waving it around.

Yes, approximately 200,000 visas, including students, summer work/play programs, foreign employees on business, single-entries, medical and family), out of a population of almost 200 million is .1% of the people and for most that is "rare."

Could it be that the rest are simply not interested in visiting the US?   
By the same token you can argue that very few US citizens can get a visa to Russia, based on what % of US population have actually been issued Russian visas. 

[ECOCKS]

Rocky, sorry for the semi-hijack but it is thread-related and a premise of our Commandments that FSUW with visas or claiming they can be had quickly often use this as a scam tactic to get the guy to wire funds for tickets or expediting fees.

My apology for indulging in the "kiss my..." remark to one of our village idiots (stop that Ed!), but sometimes they just don't get it until you use their own method.

[ECOCKS]

Not so rare.  I got it no problem, three of my unmarried friends whom I invited to my wedding got it no problem, lots of other unmarried people I know got it no problem.  One just has to know better than to purchase ticket before the interview and come to the embassy waving it around.

You are talking about the odds of receiving a visa rather than the topic of encountering FSUW who already have one in their pocket and can simply drive to the airport and jump on a plane if we send them a ticket or the money for one.

Yes, I know about a dozen Ukrainian females with current US visas. Most are well-employed,  married to US citizens, have family in the US or are working for companies with legitimate business operations in the US. I know about 5-6 dozen young, unmarried females who have had (note the past tense) single-entry visas for defined programs such as the work/play, academic exchanges and other student programs. Very few of these did not have to do as your example mentions and begin the process of applying when the question of going over for a specific event arose. I am also talking about encountering these in the capital city and on the campus of a major state university with thousands of students. Your anecdotes do not seem to include that your 3-4 friends had them before you asked them to come over so they were not just standing around waiting to meet some guy who would send them a ticket or the money.

If you care to trade anecdotes, I know people denied who work for foreign companies, have substantial wealth and truly only intend to go visit Disney World with their children for a couple of weeks. Whether those people COULD have gotten one with a different approach is a completely different discussion. As usual, few will care to go stand near an Embassy and actually count the people who do, in fact, get them. None of the anecdotes or wishful thinking changes the numbers though. Anecdotal evidence has nothing to do with the simple reality of this topic.

.1% of the population qualifies as rare to me and, I believe, fits the definition of most folks. The chances of finding a woman who already possesses a multiple-entry visa are exceedingly low/rare unless you go seeking a biased grouping such as near a University, a resort operation in the summer or a well-established Russian community where family members are coming and going.

If you truly believe they are not rare, then perhaps the time has come to suggest a revisit to the commandments in order to bring them up to date to reflect what are perceived as changes.

[Sculpto]

village idiots

you ought to take a good look in the mirror kid.  but hey, I can be really thankful I am not you.  

oh and by the way.. you have absolutely no right to get upset about personal attacks, or what you perceive as such.  You aren't shy about dishing it out but get your panties all bunched up as soon as ANYONE shows you that you are wrong.  But, I suppose you are a follow the rules kind of guy and if that works for you fine, but, that is not always how things work here or anywhere else in the world.  So, all my best.  though, you might try and wipe the big "L" off your forehead before you try and make another stupid point.

[Blues Fairy]

.1% of the population qualifies as rare to me and, I believe, fits the definition of most folks. The chances of finding a woman who already possesses a multiple-entry visa are exceedingly low/rare unless you go seeking a biased grouping such as near a University, a resort operation in the summer or a well-established Russian community where family members are coming and going.

I don't see what's wrong with searching within a biased grouping such as University communities, unless you are totally averse to University-educated RW.

[Sculpto]

.1% of the population qualifies as rare to me and, I believe, fits the definition of most folks. The chances of finding a woman who already possesses a multiple-entry visa are exceedingly low/rare unless you go seeking a biased grouping such as near a University, a resort operation in the summer or a  Russian community where family members are coming and going.

get it through your thick head man.  There are a lot of people from all sorts of backgrounds that DO get visas to visit the US and they come from all different kinds of places.  As the economics in Russia improve and relations between our countries improve there will be an increased loosening of the rules.  I predict that within the next five years, give or take a year.. most of the restrictions will be eliminated.  

Also, how about a % of those who apply?  Who knows if such a statistic is even published anywhere.  But I suspect the apply versus approval ratio is not nearly as low as you or others think, for if it were, I think cities like SF would have a lot fewer casual FSU visitors than we actually do.  Damn dude, just go to Ruby Skye nightclub any weekend and guess what.. 50% of the hottest girls in the place turn out to be Russians.  

There also exists a perception inside the FSU that it is next to impossible to get a visa so there are certainly those who not even bother to try who might very well be eligible.

And did you ever consider that for a lot of people in the FSU coming to the USA really isn't high on their list of places to visit?  Could it be that many would prefer to visit places in western Europe or some tropical countries more than they wish to before they come to the land of McDs and Motel 6?  

Your chauvinism and stubbornness is not only beyond belief and incredibly annoying but if people followed your advice all the time no one would ever get hooked up.  

[Misha]

There is even the possibility that CIC will reject the application based on your financial status.

This is less of an issue for a spouse, especially if both are quite young and have spent a lot of time together.

[Sculpto]

I don't see what's wrong with searching within a biased grouping such as University communities, unless you are totally averse to University-educated RW.

BF.. its getting weird that we keep agreeing on things.  Be careful.. don't want people to think you are a mushy head like me.  

BTW.. I suspect you hit the nail on the head.. I think the guy with the idiot in his avatar prefers his women compliant and passive.  Its pretty obvious he has domination issues based on his posting record.  

[ECOCKS]

I don't see what's wrong with searching within a biased grouping such as University communities, unless you are totally averse to University-educated RW.

BF, the topic concerns FSUW who just happen to have a current, valid visa in their passport and are waiting to jump a plane as soon as the price of a ticket is in their purse.

Bringing up that you can go to a bar in a city and find "dozens" of non-resident, visaed FSUW has nothing to do with this even if it were true. Yes, I doubt it.

At the Big Four accounting firms, I have met numerous professional women with good jobs but only a couple have current, open visas which would enable this activity. Many others had been over on single-entry visas to do training but they were SINGLE-ENTRY.

The point is not whether they can get them with a good application and being smart in the interview, the point is how many are sitting there with them already.

Simply, do you believe one person (male or female) out of one thousand is rare? Assuming women are half the visas (possibly more, possibly less) the odds of meeting a woman with an open, current visa then are about one in two thousand. If half of all women are single and looking to date a westerner, the odds drop to one in FOUR THOUSAND.  That would assume that all those single gals were willing to date a westerner but I know that isn't right so the real odds are far in excess of this estimate. Is that number rare or not?

[Sculpto]

Ed, I am going to go to a club tonight and pickup a Russian girl with a multi entry visa just to prove to you that its not that big of a deal.

Anyone in SF up for a night out chasing Russian girls?  I know where they hang out.    Its a big party night tonight.. Carnaval is going on.. the clubs are going to be packed...

[ECOCKS]

Why Sculpt, what would your fiancee think of this?

Maybe she's out cruising bars looking to pickup some western guy with a visa due to some weirded out ego issue too though.

[Sculpto]

man you are really thick.     ok, I am DONE wasting time with you. 

[Ronnie]

Sculpto! 
You two timin' #^&#@! 
Here you led me to believe you only had ire(s) for me!  :ohbrother:

[Sculpto]

LOL Ronnie.. nah... you are off my caca list. 

[boaterguy]

I can not see the point in arguing about how many RW can of have a visa. The #'s are there for visa's approved but this is useless without knowing how many were rejected.

I personally think that it has become much easier for Russians to get visa's. My wife and I have business acquaintances with quite a few Russians(more than 10) that come to the states 3 or 4 times a year. Many times they bring their wives with them also.

[Ronnie]

I can not see the point in arguing about how many RW can of have a visa. The #'s are there for visa's approved but this is useless without knowing how many were rejected.

I personally think that it has become much easier for Russians to get visa's. My wife and I have business acquaintances with quite a few Russians(more than 10) that come to the states 3 or 4 times a year. Many times they bring their wives with them also.

Good point.  Certainly visa applications would be up due to the greater number of Russians with the means to travel.  Let's not discount the proliferation of forged letters of invitation, employment and college admission.  This is a cottage industry around the world and the consular officials don't have the resources to verify them all.

[Shadow]

Good point.  Certainly visa applications would be up due to the greater number of Russians with the means to travel.  Let's not discount the proliferation of forged letters of invitation, employment and college admission.  This is a cottage industry around the world and the consular officials don't have the resources to verify them all.

Talking about forged letters.... how many guys bought an 'invitation' from a company while staying at an apartment or at their GF's home, and how many go for the 'business visa' to be able to meet up without applying every time. Good that the Russian embassy does not care as much. 

[Sculpto]

Good point Shadow.. I paid the visa service for my invite each time.. rented the apartment from someone who is clueless about the rules and I did not register either time and on exit was not even given a cross eyed look. 

I have travelled outside the US pushing 40 times now.  The ONLY time I have ever been searched or scrutinized has been on reentry.  I had a lot of fun when I arrived once into Nashville or Memphis once coming in from Mexico.. I was in full hippie attire and told them I had not only been on a farm but had been in the jungle for a month and then dumped out my backpack.. LOL.. they were screaming "Agriculture Agriculture" and collecting bugs off my mosquito net.  I am sure they had fun.  Let me in with a nice fat stash.. perfect distraction technique.

And ok, here is another smugglers story... I had an Indiana Jones type hat with a bandanna.. my ahem, contraband, was rolled up and tied up inside the knot of the bandanna.  The customs agent asked me to remove my hat, inspected the bandanna, actually placed his hands directly on the spot where my stash was hidden.. passed me right through.. morons.. LOL.  I wasn't even nervous.. and I am still growing plants from those seeds 20 years later.    Granted that was pre 911, but, I could probably do it again, just don't have the motivation anymore.