Posted on June 04th, 2003 06:51 PM by admin

Submitted By RWG Staff

We have divided this section into three parts. The first, Non-Immigrant Visas, explains the various temporary visas available and provides a brief overview of the most popular, the Fiancee Visa. The second section is dedicated to Immigrant Visas, which apply if you marry in a foreign country. The third section discusses the differences between marriage in a foreign country and marriage in the United States.

NON-IMMIGRANT VISAS

Before choosing a Visa for your Eastern European friend/lover, you must carefully evaluate the reason that you are bringing her to the United States.

Are you already committed to marriage? Is she?

Do you simply want to help her without serious marriage possibilities at the present time?

Can you make up your mind in a 90-day visit?

The following table lists various Visas available through the U.S. State Department. The list is not complete, but we selected the Visa types that we believed most likely applied to potential marriage to a Russian Woman.

The first list relates to non-immigrant or "temporary" visas. Unless you are already married to a woman from Russia, then she must file a non-immigrant visa to visit the United States. The following list are various non-immigrant visas that we believe most likely relate to the situation of bringing a Russian Woman to the United States.

VISA TYPE VISA NAME DESCRIPTION

B1	Visitor Visa Used for foreign individuals that want to visit the U.S. temporarily for business purposes.
B2	Visitor Visa Used for foreign individuals that want to visit the U.S. temporarily for tourism.
F	Student Visa Used for university students wanting to study in the United States.
H	Temporary Worker Generally filed by a U.S. employer to permit a foreign person to work in the U.S. for a temporary period.
K1	Fiancee' Visa Used for foreign persons to visit the U.S. for the purpose of marriage to a U.S. citizen.
M	Student Visa Used for non-academic students (such as those attending vocational schools) to study in the United States.
N	Parent Visa Used for parents of special immigrants.

With all the visas available, it can be difficult to choose the correct one. Most men that have undertaken the process of dating and/or marrying Russian women will promote the idea of the Fiancee visa, but everyone's situation is different. If you have plans to be creative about the process, you should consult with an immigration attorney first. The immigration department can be frustrating if every "i" is not dotted.

Many men may question whether the fiancee visa locks you into marriage. The answer is no, although you should be highly committed. The INS is likely to be very angry if they suspect that you are trying to manipulate the system. Furthermore, a woman that you invite from Russia will probably be committed and taking the process very seriously. However, if the relationship simply is not working out once she arrives in America due to homesickness or other reasons, you can back out of the marriage. Regardless, we recommend that you at least talk to an attorney and/or a representative to get a more thorough explanation of the process.

The time process for a fiancee' visa can be lengthy (and frustrating if you are in a hurry). You are required to prove to the INS that you traveled to Russia and met your future wife. After you apply, the application takes from six weeks to several months to process. During that time, your Russian friend (and you probably as well) will file background paperwork and conduct interviews with U.S. government officials. After approved, the Visa will be good for ninety (90) days. You must be married within that 90-day window or she must return to Russia. If you get married, she can stay in the United States.

If you don't get married in that 90-day window, you and her are free to apply again with other people, or you can re-apply if you decided to reconsider. However, the more you re-apply, the more suspicious the INS will be that you are not really serious. They are not required to approve your future visas by any means.

IMMIGRANT VISAS
The most applicable visa available to Russian women married to U.S. men is the Alien Relative Visa (I-130). The Alien Relative Visa is applicable to "immediate relatives" of U.S. citizens, with immediate relatives defined as spouse or unmarried children. Married children, parents, and siblings may also be eligible under certain circumstances. There are also many other Immigrant visas available under other circumstances.

MARRIAGE IN U.S. OR ABROAD
Given a preference, marriage in the United States is much better from a time and processing basis than marriage in a foreign land. Immigrant Visas can take years to process, versus a few months for a fiancee' visa. It may seem strange that it is easier to bring your fiancee' into America than your wife, but that is simply the way it works.

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