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extremevx
  4/24/2016 04:09 EST

In December I married my wife Olga here in Nikolaev. For now we plan to live here in ukraine as my wife has a good business and her ex will not give permission for her son to leave ukraine. I understand when he is 14 he can choose what he wants. We don't necessarily want to go back to the states to live but only to visit and let her meet family and get a taste of america. I know that she as my wife and I a US citizen she is entitled to a green card but you have to live in the US after its issue. So the next option is for a tourist visa, but then with this you are bound by its expiration date and usually it is only good for one trip and you have to apply again.
Before we were married and I was on the states we tried to get her a tourist visa to come to America for a visit but she was denied at the embassy because the consular officer said she had no real ties to ukraine because she had no husband even though she had a bussiness, son and family here.
I guess my question is, what have some of you living here in ukraine done in order to be able to take your wife to America for a visit anytime you wish? Do you go ahead and file the I-130 and it's $420 fee and show proof your married and upon acceptance then file for the immigration visa based on her being a spouse of an American citizen, go live in america 2 years and then come back to ukraine? I understand I need to also file the for her son as well and pay the 420 also.
I do want her and her son to have the option of going to America one day to live but just not now.

kkmail
  4/24/2016 10:30 EST

Again Mr Extreme by me learning the hard way, maybe you wont..We tried the tourist visa twice and were turned down. I too wanted my wife to see the usa.. So, in order to do that we did in fact get her a green card.. Yes you are supposed to live in the states but for the first 2-3 times going back and forth their fine..What I did was take her their for like two months, went everywhere she dreamed of and saw on TV plus Vegas of course and she was done.. I did take her again but now she has no desire to go back as well as me either. If I didn't have a daughter their and my business there I would not be there again.. She and I agree its the prettiest most diverse, and the best place to make money, but quality of life is more important to us...So the green card is guaranteed, plus you have another tax write off if need be...Again the Soviet mentality is in play.. It's her dream, she saw it on TV and wants to go...After she goes maybe once or twice, the same as my wife.. She's good !! Done..

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extremevx
  4/24/2016 10:36 EST

Ok good. Thats what I'll do. Get her and the son a green card so we can visit. If ukraine goes to hell then she has a way out.

NA67
  4/24/2016 19:59 EST

KK, Isnt it some what very funny how so many Russian and Ukraine ladies think that the USA has streets paved of GOLD, many money trees growing in every ones yard. All Americans are very rich. .....Then after they come here and live or visit for a while, they learn very quickly what all us men already know.

USA is not all that great, Everyone in the USA is not rich. Actually many people here are poor. Many work their ass off to have anything in life.

I know of 1 Russian lady and 2 ladies from Ukraine that lived here in the USA. Had it made !!! All three moved home in less than 1 year. My Lena would leave today if I had my retirement money available to me.

Where does this GOLDEN PERSEPTION of the USA come from. 99.9 % of foreigners have this idea about the USA....... Russian, Ukraine, Mexico, Phillipines, Central America. All! When they see with their own eyes,....reality sets in, you can read it all over their faces....My wifes friends and family cant believe you would move from the states when I retire. They have no understanding of what we pay here in taxes, Medical Insurance costs, then still pay co-pay at office, then pay more after Doctor visit when the bill comes.

Then, now today, they must learn how being "white" is a crime or punishment here in the USA. It does not take long for them to yearn for the Eastern European life again.....

MichaelTryn
  4/24/2016 21:15 EST

Nate's Post should be on natl. t.v. via that guy from Michigan. I don't know his last name. My wife agrees completely with what Nate posted.Her best days were in the U.S.S.R.. I was @ bank meeting last week, and the trust officer claimed: " Over 99% or the people in this country do NOT have as much as 4 million dollars!" I sure don't, and I "worked " 37 yrs. I think everyone on this board had a working life. I was recently told my pension fund will be back in the yellow in 2017, and as long as they do not cut s.s. I will be o.k. It is interesting reading "how they will get out of the $19 trillion deficit(at the least). "I would like to read this!" There will be no growth to cut this, just write it off ? WE don't care as long as our s.s. is not effected. I asked a 74 yrs old ret. driver "why he pays ANY med bills medicare or supp. does not cover?"

NA67
  4/25/2016 08:29 EST

Mike, I read on MSN last week 250K Union truck drivers from Missouri, Michigan, Texas,, Wisconsin, Minnesota, will possibly have their pensions cut 60% this summer. Their pension fund lost to much money in the 2008 stock market crash. And to few of new workers paying into the fund. To many retirees drawing money. If no pension cuts, fund will dry up in 10 years, then $0.00 for a pay check. I have read many other pension funds are in the same boat! Very said situation !!!

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MichaelTryn
  4/25/2016 12:45 EST

It is unfortunate these guys get the short end of the stick. Let this be a lesson to any of the guys out there!
I was recently informed the Chicago Teamsters fund WAS down to $800 million in the kitty in 2008. It is now @
$1,065,000,000 and should be "in the yellow" in 2017 per the auditors last month. Changes have been put into effect. I read they have 15k of us on the pension.

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