Good evening gents,
I just returned from a trip to Moldova to finally meet the woman I've been corresponding with, sending sms messages to and talking on the phone with for 7 months.
The meeting was everything I imagined it would be.
My question is this. We filled out the necessaqry paperwork while we were together in Chisinau to save time, we know that she will need to attend the interview at the Embassy in Bucharest... Anyone give me an idea as to whether she needs to see a specific physician for her physical or is any doctor acceptable?
Also, for anyone who's lady has been through the interview process... What sorts of questions do they ask of her? Is this like a police interrogation?
Any help from anyone would be so greatly appreciated. Also, if anyone needs information as to inexpensive lodging while in Moldova, let me know. I rented an apartment for about 1/5 the cost of a hotel.
OHIO Al, Indiana Mike here. Each embassy operates a little bit different. You might Give Jetmba a bump about the embassy Moldova uses, I think it's done out of Bucharest but not sure.
The US Embassy will set up the physical, Ours was done a day before the actual interview in Kiev. As per some horror stories that have been told about interviews, ours was painless and I think it had a lot to do with me being there at the time of the interview. Though it's not a requirement, I think it puts the sincerity issue to rest with the interviewer if you are there at her interview. I made sure he knew I was there. Also she doesn't stand outside waiting in line to get in the embassy for her interview. In Kiev there was about 200 people waiting to get in the embassy, since she was with an American it was to the head of the line.
Nice to meet you Mike, thanks for the response. Just out of curiosity (and it's nice to find out first-hand from someone who's actually "been there. done that"), how long did the entire K-1 process take? Ohio(and Indiana also I think) use the Nebraska processing center. I actually sent out the entire package this morning - just a few minutes ago.
I have read some of your earlier posts and Tatiana (my fiancee) and I agreed that I would be there for her interview also based on your posts.
I'm new to the forum and I appreciate any information that I gather from everyone's posts. One thing I'd like to contribute is that the FSU women do know about this forum and peruse it reading the questions and comments that the members make. It seems that just as we men do our share of research before we embark on our journey - so apparently do some of the women.
Nasfan,
Thanks again for your response. I'd like to ask how was your wife's acclimation to the US when she arrived? Also logistically, what did you do with all of your wife's possessions from her apartment? Did your wife know how to drive before she came here? In Tatiana's case, she has furniture from her apartment, all of her clothes, etc... How did you guys manage to bring all of her clothes here? DHL? Any input you can give will be much appreciated.
Thanks, Al
When my Moldova fiance visa was done in late 2004/2005 - my (then)fiance was given a choice of several medical facilities in Bucharest that she could go to for her medical exam. She was given an appointment date and then simply traveled to Bucharest (I think) a day before the actual interview, she selected the medical facility and had her examination.
I was actually unable to attend the inteview in Bucharest as it was in May of 2005. I had visted her in January of 2005 and could not go again so quickly. I was also recovering from shoulder surgery. Her interview went very well despite my nonattendance.
The "I think" above was in reference to how many days before her interview she arrived in Bucharest. I THINK it wss one day. But the interview was absolutely held in Bucharest.
And - by the way - the Nebraska facility for processing fiance visas is not longer the one you will be sending your application to. It IS the one we used in 2004/2005 - but consolidation has recentaly taken place and my next application will have to be done through the California facility as I believe yours will have to be.
Dear Jetmba,
Thanks for your response... Nice to meet you.
Are you sure that Nebraska is not the facility serving Ohio? When I looked at the USCIS? site the other day there was no mention of using California. I would think that the processing times would be greatly increased if this were the case.
Also, Jetmba - did your then fiancee fly to Bucharest or go by train (my girl lives near Chisinau)? I'd like to be there for her interview (I was sort of assuming that it would be in 4 months or so) - but if I have to have the papers process through CA I wonder how long it will take.
I brought many suitcases and paid off the ladies at Donetsk airport and had the luggaged checked all the way through to Chicago. As for her furniture she gave most of it to her mom and friends.
As for driving I had my wife take driving lessons before coming to Indiana. Check your state laws, they may honor an international licence for one year like they did in Indiana. This was key because I live in a rural area and didn't want her land locked, as it turned out she has adjusted way beyond my expectations and has adapted to a rural living better than I could have ever dreamed.
For any current visa information check www.visajourney.com, great source of information. I know our adjustment of status was handled out of California, I'm not sure about K1's anymore.
I do have to tell a humorous story. When my wife got off the plane at O'Hare, she looked at me and said, I have landed on Mars!!!
But since Rome is burning here from the experts in another post, I would give up this whole process, it's a waste and you're just going to get ripped off in the end.(Only Joking)
Nasfan,
So - it appears that we're neighbors (you in Inidana and me in Ohio). I suppose that I'll handle Tatiana's clothing the same way - many suitcases and just lug 'em home. The only things that Tatiana has expressed any interest in bringing with her are her clothes and her daughter's (Valeria), along with some toys that are special to her.
Tatiana has never even been behind the wheel of a car, much less having a driver's license. From the driving I saw in Moldova - maybe I'm glad that she's never been taught to drive there (hmmm, get that car off the sidewalk)... I also live in a ruralish type of area - there is mass transit but I don't particularly want her traveling this way and I agree fully - I don't want her to be trapped in the house while I'm at the office. I'm sort of scared to teach her to drive in my Escalade so maybe I'll pick her up a tiny econobox like a small kia or something to learn.
Thanks for the link to visajourney. They did confirm that Nebraska is still the processing center for the initial K-1 and you're absolutely correct that Cali handles the adjustment of status (you'd almost think that they make it as difficult as possible on purpose).
Your Mars story was funny. I can't wait to see her face when I take her to a grocery store for the first time. When we went shopping in Moldova there was 1 brand for any particular product - the salad dressing aisle will probably freak her out with the 500 choices we have here.
Another thing I thought was humerous was in Chisinau they have about 5 channels of tv. When I told her about digital cable (I thinl I have about 500 channels) she just gave me the "what do you need that for" look.
When you get the chance - I'll take any tidbits of info you may want to share about your wife's acclimation to being here - I'm sure that there will be challanges that I haven't even considered.
Perhaps the fire would be extinguished if people having negative experiences were more realistic in their searches. The lesson that I learned early on was that a FSU woman who rated a "15" on a 1-10 scale would bring the same drama that an American woman who rated as high. My Tatiana is only a 9.5 so maybe that's why I was so lucky... Also, when I went to meet Tatiana I wasn't going to get laid and never see her again - I sort of wanted the entire package. Was she affectionate - absolutely, I could get lost staring into those eyes. Were we intimate when I was there - yes, but it wasn't forced - it just happened natrually. I remember as I came through to the main terminal after clearing customs in Moldova seeing her standing there waiting for me and running into my arms as I crossed the room (she saw me before I saw her). We hugged for about 5 minutes and I knew that intimacy wasn't going to be an issue.
To be honest with you, I think negative experiences have to do more with the guys attitudes than realistic searches.
Some guys can't deal with rejection very well. And lo and behold gets who gets the blame...the girls. I'm not trying to blame anyone, both sides have to take some blame, but guys have to truely look in the mirror when speaking of others. It is okay to share your experiences, your thoughts....but don't condemn something because YOU did not find
happiness, let others have their own experiences and share what they have learned.
In a fruit bowl....just because one is rotten doesn't mean you throw away the whole bowl without looking each one over to see if it is still good.
Just me humble opinion.................
Check again about Nebraska. They may accept your petition but it will be forwarded and processed in California. See the USCIS web site. The same is being done for petitions sent to Texas. When you check the USCIS processing times you will see they do not list times for I-129F petitions in Nebraska.
You sound like you really found yourself a great girl. I really envy you. It's nice to hear that a guy was able to find a caring, serious FSU lady that was not out for money. Especially with mine and many others negative experiences meeting these women. I gives me some hope anyways.
OhioAl, best to take excess baggage if you can, as DHL is expensive. It could cost more to send the items than the actual value of them.
You mention your girl has a child. She will have to get the fathers permission for her to leave the country. I hope that is not going to cause a problem?
Congratulations, you sound like a level headed guy. The hard part comes when she moves to your country and it will help if she knows people who speak russian as it will be hard not hearing her language. Little things you would never think of can be a problem. Its good to read you are thinking it will be a challenge when she comes here and if you can talk to someone like nasfan I'm sure you will get some good advice.
You brought up the point of negative experiences...I think it is a relative term, maybe it is better termed learning experience. It is only called 'negative' if your expectation was not met or you felt used but if it is called learning from my mistakes maybe it is viewed different. As an example, if you get too close to a flame it will burn you and maybe it did burn us to a point. If you called it, I learned not to get near a flame, it was a positve
experience because you now know not to do it. To go to another country and try to find your beloved is full of
pitfalls, some worse than others, but you don't know till you do it. This forum will help but as individuals we all makes decisions that will turn out to be good and bad but we hope to learn from them.
Burn me once shame on you...burn me twice shame on me!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've done a lot of dumb things in the last couple of years just because I was lonely and hopefully I will not do the same things again, I'm tired of feeling like the fool. So you are right that they we're learning experiences. Just not good ones. :-)
I have not made the best of decisions but I learned what not to do. First girl I ever met wanted to meet in Kiev, dumb me thought it would be easier for me. She needed taxi and flight from small city for her along with her friend/interpreter. I sent her $810 for this and deposit on apt. I felt I could trust her but in back of my mind I thought.....what in the hell am I doing? Turns out apt and taxi's were double what they should have been( flights were really low though). I was flying in from St Pete's and barely made connecting flight. I met an american guy on flight and when I told him about meeting girl, he kidded about her being 250lbs, ugly, no teeth, 70yrs old. When we landed in Kiev and I came out of doors, a beautiful young girl caught my eye, my friends jaw dropped, as I walked by her we stared at each other for what seemed like hours...we knew it was each other, this girl was/is the only girl I ever met that was much more beautiful in person than any of her pics. To tell you truth THAT made my whole trip. Sure it was almost 30 yrs difference, we had a wonderful time. I am sure I paid too much for many things and things didn't work out( she was unsure and hesitant), I could have called it negative but I chose to chalk one up to learning.