My Fiancee has a rather large debt with the electric/gas company. She fell on hard times and was not able to pay it for over a year. She is convinced that she must pay this bill before she can leave Ukraine on a fiancee visa. Anyone ever heard of this???
Yes. If my memory serves me right, Colin said if his wife ever goes back to Ukraine, she will not be able to leave Ukraine until her debt is paid. I can get a hold of Colin if you need to. PM me.
To answer the question, it is called "Character". Something that is clearly lacking with those walking away from their debt here in America. If she is concerned about her obligations, it is a good sign that she has integrity
I think RodanTsunami sums it up pretty well, as theres no way they could check this. It would certainly be responsible to pay it off, especially if its her apartment.
Does the US embassy check with issuing the visa? I doubt it. So once she has the visa shes free to travel. Passport control at the airport won't have access to the gas companies database and if they did she could book a flight leaving Russia instead.
I don't have experience, and didn't yet find any information online, concerning this question.
Coop, I don't remember your nationality, but as far as I know, an alien's financial status is not considered in the fiance visa process.
And I agree with ben2006, it seems very unlikely to me that anyone in Ukraine would even check this!
I have learned about only one circumstance, where debt can be an issue (not relevant to your case): a Russian who wants to renounce citizenship must first pay any unpaid taxes.
So I it seems to me, that her story is probably false. How is your level of trust with her? Obviously, this could be a setup for a scam, but also she could simply be misinformed.
No guys, she can departure and her utility debt will be the last thing that could prevent her from doing this.
You cannot leave Ukraine if you have a debt AND your creditor suited you AND requested court to prevent you from departure of Ukraine until you have paid the debt. So you need these 3 conditions to exist all together for getting stuck here because of debts.
Still, as Durak has stated, it could be a scam to get you to send money. Once again, never send money to someone you do not know.... and do you want to absolve her of her debt. That is if she was to ask or you to offer
Thanks for all the good input, this one is going to take some time to sort out.
I do have another question on the translation of an email I received from her about this problem. I have tried to translate it but the electronic translators make it unreadable, I think it's Russian slang.
Была бы честь предложена, а от убытков бог избавил.
Cooper....can't you find someone in your area and PAY to get correct translation?
It does sound like an important decision...don't you think?
There are plenty of people in RWD that could help you.....
So if there was legal action taken against her, I would say, "Luuuucy, you have some splaining to do". COuld be she was cold and just had no money. However, if she has written that she likes to travel and has a well stamped passport,,,, better think twice
Была бы честь предложена, а от убытков бог избавил.
This is just a russian saying. I would take a responsibility to find some close english saying or to try to translate it. Just do not bother yourself with this sentence. It means nothing.
The thing with gas companies is that if you live in an apartment they can't cut you off if you haven't paid (without cutting off the entire apartment). So people who don't pay still get heating but run up a large bill. One way to get people to pay up is to put a notice at the entrance to the apartment stating who owes what. So everyone in the building will see shes not been paying. So if she marries someone from the west you could imagine the gossip if she leaves and its not paid. It would be normal to assume that when you marry you take on her debt and intend to pay it.
Also if she leaves then who will live in the apartment? She may not be able to rent it out with an outstanding bill.
Correct me if I am wrong but the heating comes thru those unsightly pipes that can be seen 'steaming' during colder conditions, i.e. the heating is supplied to the apartment block ensemble and not one by one, and a charge, aside from gas and electric, is applied for heating.
Gas and electric charges, I believe, are for cooking, electric light, TV etc.