Has anyone used "Way to Russia" to get their letter of invitation? You pay them $30 and they send you the invite the next day. Is it really that easy?
Seems a dottle compared to getting one privately or through hotels.
Hi Adman, I used Peace Travel Services, which is similar to Way to Russia, and I received my invitation letter(by e-mail) the same day!! It cost a similar amount and they offer a good service overall, like ordering train tickets, English speaking drivers for taxi transfers etc. I used this method since it is cost effective and I went the 'private apartment' route. When I received my invitation letter I posted my passport straight to my Russian consulate, and received the passport with visa within three days! With Uzbekistan I think it will take me a little longer to get my visa ;-) (Peace Travel Services cannot get my invitation letter for this country, unfortunately!!) Incidentally, The young chap that organised things for me, Andrei, never seems to sleep!
Thanks guys, this is good news
I was a bit concerned that the consulate may not accept such an invite. I dont want the visa application to fail and then run out of time before I am due to leave. If you can buy an invite online for a few dollars, doesnt it make a joke of the whole thing?
The plan is, (her plan) that I will meet the little one in Moscow, spend a couple of days there, then travel up to St Pete for a few more days before visiting her home town.
She suggests that her home town of Volgograd is a boring dump and wants me to leave with the impression there are a few nice places in Russia.
I thought I was getting lead by the nose at first and would have just flown straight to her home town, but I am warming to her idea. What do you think, is it worth trying to see 3 cities in 2 weeks?
Adman, If this is the first time you are meeting her then I am reluctant to take the approach you are intending, but I do not confess to being an 'expert'. By the way my definition of expert is 'ex' as in 'has been' and 'spurt' as a drip under pressure. If I am visiting my potential wife then I think it is important to visit her in her own city/town. This way you can get a feel for her in her naural surroundings. I feel that the danger of her coming to the major cities first is that it is a holiday for her and so her emotions will be high and maybe her expectations of your wallet will be high too. I would personally visit her in Volgograd, date her for a few days, and if you get on, then go travel to the big cities with her. These women prefer strong men so tell her what you want to do, take control. Horses for courses, but trust your instincts. I am going to see my lady (for the first time) in four weeks in her home city. This will be my second trip. My lady wanted me to go for four weeks, but she is seeing me for a week.
No. You do the visa thing on arrival in the airport.
Adman:
I don't agree with B/N because many women will not be comfortable to bring you before their frinds and family in the first 5 minutes. If she does, great, but I think your plan is just fine and when she is ready for you to meet her family and friends, she will do so with confidence in knowing you a little.
The other thing I like about your plan is that it is major city based in the first instance. Just say you get your tit in the wringer and she doesn't arrive, or you meet and it all goes south, what then? In a major city you can revert to agents and still meet lots of nice ladies and have a nice time. You simply MUST visit Moscow and St P, they have too much to offer. I love the provincial cities and towns but if a newbie gets stranded there you are in real trouble.
BN
You are right of course, I have been whipped. I did push for the direct to volg trip but she knows I will land in Moscow. When she said it is better if she meets me at the airport in Moscow, what could I say? "No dont come. I need my space. I need time out." I really couldnt think of a really good reason to tell her why she should not come. If she is coming for a shopping trip she might have shock. Mike 100 has already mentioned what its like for women dating Kiwis. A can of coke and a packet of crisps is a big day out for us. Even if she gets too over stimulated, I think it will be ok.
Thanks for the support I/O. I am wondering if I should spot her for the airfare from Volg to Moscow? It only costs a couple of hundy. At the moment, I think she has the idea that shes paying.
If you have not met her and cannot verify she is who she says she is, my opinion is wait and hold the powder so to say, but you MUST give her the money for her tickets if in fact she does meet you in Moscow. My view is that HE ALWAYS pays, but I am not a fan of sending money period.
Yes no matter which way you word it mate man always pays ---but its same same every country ay its just that some countries western / cost fortune / the great thing about russia is even if you get snagged with ''miss crooked '' hey she can only get whats in your hip pocket -and thats at best !
Adman i had to giggle mate ''big day out coke and chips lol lol ha ! mate i leave again for russia 30th march you be thier then ???
Iam going super well with mine as always - time goes by ay over 3 years now it just gets better good girl gives me no grief ---costs me in ''spoil around 7/ 9k a year but iam used to it all in good life and good times - then yu die so enjoy !!
The bloody last trip mate was a huge scare for me i seen a few things happen id not seen happen in long time .
nasty nasty ! ive just finished some of my DVD production work put her on the back cover and in credits = sex sells !) clothes on ) i told her ok sweatheart 1/2 profits are yours my works sell very well .
so good she gets a quid ========lots of quids ! good for her cost me nothing so i dont get to keep an extra 15k so what.
she getS the lot when iam gone il make sure of that .
method in my madness--- next 1 year she gets to keep herself in candy own $$$ smart huh !
I intend to leave my girl a legacy of being the ritchest good looking blonde in russia when iam dead and gone .
given me 3 best years of my life to date when i think a bloody aussie boiler yuk in 3 years would have cleaned my plough for over 50 times what ive spent on my darling there is just no comparison its like clay / to gold ay .
i dont know what posseses a man to team up with a western slapper thats had 27 owners etc abuse you day in day out ! zero respect ! you dont get looked after you liable to get poisoned for both your super and you life policies ahhhh .
she take you fishing give you a little push off the boat ( ohh so sad shark got him - quick to the insurance joint and dont spare the horses ay ) .
vixens they are !
I/0 SEND EM AQ QUID WHO CARES MATE YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU AY ! mate ive given away thousands early in the piece to the wrong one --huh so what at least they put it to good use - example eating / clothes nothing else thier you'd want to own ay ,
i used to hoard money before i met mine seen how she lived my god its an eye opener but ive corrected all for mine now she lives western style nice place i bought just brought her right up to--- and actually past most western style levels .
she the only girl in her town goes to bed in luxury watching a $5000 huge plasma tv surrounded well -----by a lot more than ive got in aussie ! she lives better than i do ahh but if you have a stunning good sort honest / loyal then why not !
and iam not finshed spending yet not by a long shot .
when ive no loot left in life = then ive finished .
1/0 MATE moscow / st peters hmm --ive spend mnuch much time in both - you could not pay me to live thier moscow jeses what a dump ! prostitutes and mafia = 75% of population yuk and terror no way !'
My town where we live 1/2 the year IS Rostov i dont feel unsafe thier as a rule ! iam sure it could be hmm maybe for a burger chomping yanky --you know ''i own texas iam hear to impress '' yes ok the crooks would be like be flies to a turd !
But to the ever refined aussie no its not a worry hes all g'day mate ! i enjoy it there provincial towns i always feel 1000% safer than moscow
After all the locals have to live thier too - same the world over folks wont shite in own nest .
I find the small city folks much more helpfull -- but nobody in the world could give to me a place FREE to live in moscow -id not live for long --its to BENT for me !
I DONT LIKE CORRUPT i like to be left alone do my own thing - i find thats a much easier ask in the small places in fsu .
it seems you're getting good advice here. Taking the risk of stating the obvious, you should indeed specify all towns you MIGHT visit for your visa as this will leave you most flexible if the (un)expected happens.
We are of an accord on this...BUT you missed the mark in a few places. Just remember what you have seen there in the past. LOL Some poor bastage standing on the street in Someburg, a million from nowhere, dick in hand and hopful LOL. Usually the most Russian he can speak is "Hi Y'all" LOL. C'mon, you've seen it too. I simply say for the freshy, go to St P and Moscow and take a look. You know that great adventure into the darkest of Russia when they don't get past Red square. LOL.
They gotta take a look. Like coming to Aus and not seeing the opera house so to say. But yes you are dead right. Give me the provincial cities any day.
Yes mate i hear you --most aint been out of the forest !!! guys going to russia --can turn a brave man scared ------in a very short time !!.
Iam surprized you know even the russkie girls get conned by the glitze of moscow ( idiots ) no green grass in moscow = deciet en - masse ! crooked everything , i know 1 bird just a friend over the years rings me up ''darlink'' ive got job moscow $700 month .
I said thats nice dear !! ''thats the rent'' ohh ''so now you lose your pants for food / clothes'' ! smart !!= NOT !
Dear i said hear ''sigh '' my phone number gimmi ring next weekend when yu go bust il give you a hand ---''sigh''
Guess what 22 days later she back home Novgarod !! what happened i said ! ohh ''gulp ;; she said twas to dear me not eat ---meet man --he have second job for me ! but involve me go with men -----------------ohhh i thought another bird fallen for the free card trick --------all glitzy in mosacow = all crap == in decietville !
I SENT HER 200$ THE 22 DAYS SHE WAS THIER they must think its a free lunch in moscow ! crazy dearest joint in russia = over rated by about 200% nightmare of traffic `13 million and another million or so stroll in each day from the outer sections to go to work = crazy who'd live thier? and what for ? PEOPLE must believe in the tooth fairy living thier,
St peters not so bad lessor of two evils i lived years back 19 months st peters ! not to many worries stroll with the russians ! don't stick your head up to high ( dont do as i did in 1999 ) stroll around 4k usd hanging out your pocket ? bad move - very bad attracts the flies !.
YES MATE IL NEVER FORGET one usa guy in st peters 17 stone baseball cap on arss about shirt on ''new york jets '' on the back in red ! had a mouth as big as texas.
All he wanted to do was grab a bird outu the park and take her back to usa ( WE WATCHED HIM FOR AN HOUR ) i said to girl i was with at the time --look at this guy = walking disaster he's pissed --- money falling off him everywhere and he's talking / trying to / to every bird that strolls by ! be they 15 or 55 !
crazy my girl said dear is 2.30 in day is by 4.30 him be locked up / dead / or robbed 1 of 3 is for sure -----well about 3 oclock he got brave pestered a bird so bad she screamed militia they came - took ''SLIM AWAY'' we never seen him again .
talk about green !! he even abused the militia called em ''FUR HEADS '' = idiot !
ive witnessed over the years a sharp decline in the girls interest / want for a usa man specialy last trip and the one before in december hmm - not good -!
they dont like the --me me boasty approach --most decent birds wont give a farthing if you have $10 or $100,000 long as they feel wanted , secure , safe , happy, i really dont think the genuine ones give a toss.
A real russian girl wont ask you for $$ she's to proud = this is the REAL ones i speak off .
mine gets spoilt but i thrust that upon her --iam NEVER ASKED FOR $$$$ EVER BY HER !
i exchange 200 letters a year with mine and around 75 phone calls when iam not in russia if anybody can find in her letters even the hint of ask for $$ il give you $1000 .
I GIVE IT TO HER IN SPOIL because if i dont well i earn a lot this is australia our tax man il take what we dont find a home for -------so i may as well see her enjoy yes makes everybodies day !
I KNOW not all are in such positon.
yes mate they see the kremlin , they see pushkin palace st peters then race home say they have seen russia ????---------------no what they have seen is like seeing 1 tyre only - in a tyre factory that houses 10,000 items .
real russia aint in st peters or moscow or volgarod for that matter its way out west / south / north / east ...ive been 15 cities in russia some of them 8 times each --
iam lining up what is it trip 14 now ahh i must near own airline company yukkkk ! the fares ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-------
ukraine ive no intension of a visit --its loaded spoilt brats from what ive heard = nothin real good !
mosacow / st peters just the places where yu get the plane out ay !
Adman take it carefull mate what city you going too mate ??splash a few bux on her as Gemini says --dont go overboard though ! remember its a candy shop if she gives yu the shits $$$$ your next relationship stands in the bus stop 20 feet from whats giving you the shits .eany/ meany / miny / moe !!!!
If you read between the Mike00 Humour lines and understanding him quite well, (there is a lot of humour in there), there is the cold facts as they stand regarding this pursuit.
Gotta be honest, I don't even bother to go in through Moscow or St P these days. There is much better and shorter routes for us.
I/0 mate i do get a giggle blokes on hear ''agencies you know ''= snake oil why do they bother with em ? amazes me --
Man goes to agency all dressed up as sore toe --ohh lovely girl i met on line i ''love her ''
ohh you can hear the ''littlest violins playing ay in the background '' he's in the agency the bird behind the jump retreats to the rear to see if indeed she has ''sold '' this bird or not ----------and how many times that month !
She returns to the punter ! yes sir --she loves only you ( today ) ! that'l be $100 for getting your sorry arss from the airport ! ( idiot she thinks i'd have caught the bus for 50 rubles )
Its another $60 interpretor ! we found you a motel ( we can't afford to stay!!! but we'l look after you c/ card balance - enjoy )
Now if IRINA / ( whoops ! tanya !) dosent turn up give us a ring after 5 and even though il have finished work by them i shall only want $25 to help you out , lol !
SERGY HEAR he's a good friend of mine taxi driver --he'l look after you only charges 700 rubles 3 mile hike ( its really 150 but this idiot dont know shite from clay !)
Man leaves hazey glow on face all warm and fuzzy --iam gettin looked after and its only cost me with all fees total of $493 usd in the first 2 hours of my loving relationship in russia ----------she never turns up of course !! lol .
He's at once to the bar telling all and sundry ''iam a victim '' ive been brassed !
He brassed himself !
Moral of the story - man sinks his own ship --agencies my god --where did we all meet the bitches we divorced in the 70's = in a pub / club / school / night out / at the bus stop even !
Anybody 1 ounce brains --hey if your looking good time stroll into dance clubs st peters etc -2 bottles plum wine into most of these ever approachable girls and a smile -she's yours for a long time -its cost you 2800 rubles the 2 bottles of plonk and a taxi back to hotel at 300 rubles = her pants are swinging from your bed head at 5 in the morn .
the whole episode dance joint cost you at worst $50 --or you can go see nastya at the pig pen /agency and part with $500 / $600 - end up with a mind game AND YOU ALONE IN THE 12X 12 ROOM = crazy .
find em in the street as they say -its the human way ive never been agency in my life !
Its a bit like the value of a resume its a folder of words because you cant talk for yourself ! crazy.
If you believe in agencies human flesh sellers - you may as well get a list agencies send em all a donation $300 ea --expect zero in return --may as well because thats all your going to get .
get out thier in the streets boys = more crumpet out thier than ever came out of tip top bakeries .
just be straight with em don't tell em all you love em --your straight with them as a rule they pretty straight to -----st peters / moscow birds nar most are too drowned in glitze - all expectations above and beyond what is sensible reasoning ! country girl far better values - not polluted .
I have a pretty good sense of humour, I think they'd take our passports off us if we didn't. Not quite cultured enough for the dear old Brits. I distinguish between Brits and a few good poms I've known. Yeah there is a few. Having said all that, you did get a good laugh out of me. Not sure those who live in the more cultured parts of the world will catch it all. Poor bastages.
Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaawd agents...!! I've done some pretty low things, but never stooped to the agent thing. However, for a freshy, I think it's not a bad idea on a first trip to use an agent for backup.
Geez I laughed in one city (I choose not to name it) when mine and I were in a club/bar and her ladyship has to toddle off to powder her nose and leave me sitting like a spare prick at a wedding. Haly Hooker rolls in like the Siberian express and eyeballs me, which was fair enough I guess, because I probably looked like all the other stupid foreign punters in there, "$200" she says as she walks past...."Sorry hunny, I charge much more than that" was my response. Holy shit....!! The pimp came out of his chair like a pogo stick and lit up like a vegas neon.
Anyway there was this big noting Brit sitting one table from us with a few useless mates sciting about their conquests. Her ladyship arrives back and asks me whats been going on. After the explanation, I said watch....Haly Hooker'll nail this Brit before too long. Yep right on.....20 minutes and he's buying her drinks and the whole or was that hole shooting match. He shells out his loot and off they toddle. 40 minutes later she was back zoning in on the next punter.
Bet he spent weeks telling his mates when he got home about his conquests with all the hotties. I'm a fairly practical bloke and I think I can fix most things, but daylight and stupid are two things I can't fix. Actually I think stopping the sunrise is easier. Point is guys, get a clue or two and you just don't need to come in sucker for all the bullshit.
Gidday Mike, good to hear things are going well with your honey. I'll be in Moscow 5 April staying in a back packers somewhere. Have you seen those books "Travelling on a shoe string" theyre like a bible. Best if you can borrow one from a friend or just read it in the shop.
Im flying with Emirates through Dubai, I know the abrabs dump them in the sea now and again but the alternative was to fly with Areoflop from China. I dont mind taking a risk but thats ridiculous. The good thing is, if I dont like Russia we can spend a few day at the beach in Dubai. No problems for us kiwis getting them visas. But I need a cheap place to stay. Any ideas???