I need to know the exact steps that it will take to bring a woman that I am seriously interested in to the U.S.. I am new to this subject and am not real sure on what it will take in paperwork and cost in order to bring her here. She lives in Belarus and I would also like to know about any literature that I could obtain that will be precise and helpful in doing this.
BigBoy - You need a visa for her - and while there are many types - none of them are easy.
A conventional tourist visa would seem to fit the bill - but for most FSU girls it is (as I understand it) virtually impossible to get unless they can PROVE beyond the shadow of a doubt that they intend to return to their home country - must have a job she intends to return to, and/or close dependent relatives, and/or own a home.
A young attractive FSU girl is unlikely to be approved and worse, if she applies (I've been told) she gets a stamp in her passport indicating that she has spplied before and been turned down.
If you are serious about this girl - and I mean REALLY serious - you might want to get a fiance visa which would give you 90 days to determine if you want to marry (or she goes back). When properly apllied for, it is my understanding that they have a very high success rate.
You say you want a website to look at all of the particulars regarding the fiance visa? (I know you didn't actually say that ...but play along with me here...)
Its:
http://www.visajourney.com/faq/index.htm#3.6
Lots of information there to answer ALL of your questions (and I mean ALL) about visas.
I also hired a lawyer (which is not necessary, it is more of a convenience and insurance against the risk of a rejection of the application by the INS). The web site is http://www.arctec.com/. You can also find complete information there as well as you can order a free kit at no obligation that can be mailed to you and can guide you step by step.
There are two parts, first INS approval and second embassy interview. INS apporval is the trickier due to bureaucracy and can take anywhere from 1 to 6 months depending where you live (which state). You must visit the girl at least once and take pictures of the two of you together.
The web site jet mentioned and the lawyer's one have a lot of info. Good luck!
... I suppose you've visited her already, i.e. been there with her, met her and really genuinely like her/are mad about her?
If not - then you really need anyone's goodluck, not only for the visa (I believe impossible without having met before, and able to prove that) but also regarding your mutual matching.
Dunno, just a hunch, but I read the above and missed your mentioning you've been there with her already. Do if you haven't done that yet, and take it from there.
If this is 'there' then a fiance-visa (K1??) seems to be most common to apply for - and this will give you 3 months to make up your mutual minds.
you use the word 'should' - but you mean 'must' surely? I was under the impression that an ap for a K1 requires one to have met before hence the date-stamped photo's being handy etc.
Without a doubt you know, so you better tell this BB as he's new with this.
VNV, they were good and we were successful. Of course my case had no complications (no kids or weird background). It's not rocket science really. They'll ask you to provide specific data and produce documents, they'll inspect the data and documents and pictures (sent them some 100 pics and they picked 5), and they will put all the info on a PC program that will type the info on the forms. They will send all forms and other materials to the INS and will notify you the dates. They'll handle correspondence with INS. Their site has a good tracking system of actual completion times of many other recent applications, so you can have a good idea about time expectations. They will advise you what to do to expedite the documents from INS to local embassy (you pay some extra money that can save you a few weeks).
Don't expect to speak to the lead lawyer more than once or twice and you will mostly deal with his helper (lawyer as well) and the paralegals for questions. They were good answering questions via email or phone.
Then if you choose to hire them for the embassy interview, they'll receive the necessary packets (it's been some time now, I believe there are 2 packets), they'll fill out the data again and send the papers. The nice thing is that they have local people and they will call your girl directly to ask for information, so if she doesn't speak English, that is a plus. Also, they'll have someone spend an hour with her on the phone or in person to prepare her for the interview.
The whole thing assuming there are no complications (kids for example) can be done without lawyer. It's a matter of convenience and risk avoidance. If there is possibility of complication, then definitely lawyer is needed since a lawyer could represent you in the INS if something goes wrong.
Bottom line, I was satisfied with this lawyer. Good luck!
Thanks for the info. Even though my case has no complications as well, I just feel more comfortable hiring a lawyer. I like the fact that your lawyer has a person in Moscow; I think that will be a big advantage as my lady has had a pretty sheltered life and has never done something like an embassy interview before.
you use the word 'should' - but you mean 'must' surely? I was under the impression that an ap for a K1 requires one to have met before hence the date-stamped photo's being handy etc.
Without a doubt you know, so you better tell this BB as he's new with this. "
Thunder:
"Should" was the right word.
"...used to express moral obligation, neecessity, replaces will and shall..."
I think that expresses the requirement pretty well. You do HAVE TO visit her in her country first to have any chance at getting a fiance visa.
If money is no object - getting an atrorney is a fine next move. But if you want to call your own shots as well as not to pay unnecessary legal expenses (I thought he just wanted to know the exact steps) check out the websites.
another proof that the seemingly same lang we use here is different.
I already knew that my neighbour is different than your neighbor, but that the actual meaning can vary (refer above) I was unaware of.
So, whenever I'll visit your country and hear 'you shouldn't go over 60' I'll know what they mean hence shall not object to my spread-eagled position over the bonnet :)))
And here - if was told that you were "spread eagle over the bonnet" I would expect to see you standing, legs wide apart, with a lady's fancy hat on the ground beneath you.
Here - it is more like that you would be placed "up against the hood" which might mean that you are in the position you origianlly described.
OR ACTUALLY it might mean that you are going head to head against some of your riff-raff "neighbours" (as in "brothers from the hood").
Oh really?
A bonnet has changed into a fancy hat? Well then, as long as we're talking about a huge sombrero with a generously sized rim I'll do a tequila dance - but, knowing myself with this poison, you better remove the dame first ;-)
Talking about riff-raff brother from the hood - if that bastid parks his Boxster again in my driveway I'll deflate his tyres with my crossbow. I think his problems started when his parents named him Robin!!
I didn't say that a bonnet was just any fancy hat... like a sombrero. Its more one that ties under the nexk and is quite frilly - as in an Easter bonnet or a baby bonnet - perhaps something that Amish women wear everyday.
And unfortuantely the Amish drink little tequilla - though I have no doubt that having some in their systems would be more likely to produce a sombrero dance.
By the way, those are "tires" on that Boxter, not "tyres".
Don't call me British you you you you.. traveller ;-)
And since when do the British consider themselves part of Europe? When furlongs per fourthnight turn to stone, when they'll embrace Napoleon's silver rule with a nautical smile, when fish & chips turn to pommes et poisson, basically when that gap is bridged instead of merely chunneled.
I hope it'll never happen because the world would loose a breed apart.
Jet knows Wtrav, and you're right & wrong. Try a Papua in the Bushveld wearing clogs, however having danced the Sirtaki in the Placa whilst inibriated on Ouzo. You're re-settling in the land of FiftyCent or have choosen another location?
Your familiarity with mainland Europe you've proven in the past for me already, and therefore I was surprised that you doubt that it's unification will take eons. Trust me it will, read will not happen, at least not to the extent that you guys have done it. CBD's oozing culture seem to affect their inhabitants, but this goes back for astonishing long times. People take pride in their accents spoken, several very distinct one's per town sometimes, and will inevitable treat someone speaking another language as a foreigner, often with the reservations based on history and widespread general (mis)conceptions - even when they speak that other language!
They've agreed to accept a common coin, and with it done away with physical borderposts. They'll trade more loosely but will never trust another nation to rule them, also not a common government - especially when such an authority will meddle with local matters.
This is something way deeper than your North & South unification, probably because it goes deeper but also because of national pride going hand in hand with identity, and people will fight to retain this.
Limey's hate Frogs, Clogs think Krauts are arrogant, and there's loads more of these unpleasantries. Are they true? No, but they're not untrue either.
Put them into one bin and see what happens.
Thunder didn't mention it directly - but he's from a different area altogether. Head toward the Southern area of Europe and then keep on going south and keep going and going and going and you'll be there. Stop before you run out of land. And don't go continent hopping to Australia.