When you try to view somebody’s private photos, you will see a window that will require you to enter a password or request access. Click “Submit Request”. If access is granted, you will be able to see the member’s private photos. If you want to grant someone access to your pictures, they’ll need to send a request in the same way, and you can then grant them access from the Communicator.
Yes, you can. You’ll need to contact us at least 24 hours in advance and tell us who you want to talk to, and at what time (have both your and the lady’s nicknames or ID numbers ready). If the lady agrees, our interpreter will call you at the scheduled time and connect you to the lady while staying on the line. This service costs 1.8 credits per minute (1 credit per minute w/o translation), so make sure you have some credits on your account before ordering a phone call.
Is it safe in Russia/Ukraine?
Pretty safe, as long as you are not careless (in which case you are not safe anywhere). Just abide by the basic safety rules, don’t advertise the fact that you are a foreigner and have a reliable local companion at your side, if possible. It is a good idea to have the woman you are visiting pick you up at the airport and show you around.
Can I bring my laptop to Russia?
There are no legal restrictions on bringing your laptop across the Russian border, but you may need a simple adaptor to be able to use it. Standard voltage in Russia and all other European countries is 220 volts (as opposed to 110 in the USA), but laptop chargers are usually able to take in any voltage between 110 and 250 volts. The acceptable voltage should be printed on the charger, so make sure to check it before trying to use your laptop! However, even if your laptop can take 220 volts, you still need a simple adaptor, because the Russian electrical outlet has 2 round sockets, while the American plug has 2 flat prongs. You can buy the requisite adapter at $1-$3 at many places, such as RadioShack, Sears, or even your local WalMart. Network and phone connectors are the same as in US. All of this applies to all other countries of the CIS.
How can I connect to the Internet in Russia?
If you are staying in an expensive hotel in a large city, they may have Wi-Fi connection. If they don’t, there are plenty of Internet cafes in almost every city of the former USSR. The fee is usually about $1 per hour. If you want to go online from your own laptop, it may be more difficult. Unfortunately, no CIS country has a nation-wide dial-up Internet provider, like AOL in the US, so you would have to use a local provider (it would be a good idea to find one on the Internet before your trip). You’ll probably have to prepay your Internet access in cash, because local providers normally do not accept credit cards. The rate is usually $0.50-$1.00 per hour. You could also take your laptop to the nearest Internet cafe and ask the staff to connect it to the Internet. They are always willing to do so at a regular hourly rate.
Will my radio/CD player/ other electronics work in Russia?
Yes, but you’ll need an AC adaptor. Standard voltage in Russia and all other European countries is 220 volts (it is 110 in USA). This means you will require a step down transformer (an adaptor that changes voltage) for electric devices other than a laptop. Those can be bought at Sears or Radioshack at $20-$30.
Will my cell phone work in Russia?
It depends on your provider. All European providers use the GSM standard, so if you are from a European country, your phone will work fine in Russia. However, you should expect premium roaming charges, so please check with your provider. They may have a calling plan that covers Russia so you won't incur roaming charges.
American providers such as Verizon, AT&T and Sprint use the older CDMA standard. Those phones WILL NOT work in Russia at all. On the other hand, T-Mobile and Cingular use the more widely accepted GSM standard and will work in Russia. The most widely used frequency in Russia is GSM 1800. Most GSM phones available on the US market can operate on this frequency. In some places in Russia you may encounter coverage by the older GSM 900 standard. To get a signal in these locations, you have to have a phone that supports this frequency. To find out what frequencies your phone can operate on, consult your phone manual or call your wireless service provider.
With providers like T-Mobile and Cingular, your roaming charges in Russia will be high (about $1.50 per minute). When calling a Russian number in Russia from your US cell phone, you will also incur international long distance charges. But there is another way. You can buy a SIM card in Russia and insert it into your US phone. The SIM card comes with a unique Russian cell phone number, and if you buy it in your destination city, you will get the local calling rates. SIM cards are sold at every wireless store and cost about $5. There is a catch, though. To prevent their customers from switching to a competitor, T-Mobile and Cingular "lock" their customers’ phones so that a SIM card from a different provider cannot be used. To use a Russian SIM card you’ll have to "unlock" the phone. You can find such a service locally (usually in cell phone repair shops) or on eBay.
Russian cell phone providers offer prepaid services only. Local calls cost 5 to 15 cents a minute, long distance calls are 15-80 cents a minute. International calls can be as expensive as $3 per minute. Calls made from 9 PM to 6 AM are about twice cheaper than daytime calls. You can prepay any amount at a wireless store or bank, or a terminal in many stores.
There are several cellular service providers in Russia, and while we would not want to advertise any single one of them, MTS is probably the best for a foreign visitor. While not the cheapest, it has the best coverage and offices everywhere. Besides, it also operates in Ukraine and other CIS countries.
How do I call Russia and other CIS countries?
Usually, you need to dial 011 if you are in the US; next the country code, then the area code and phone number. The country code is 7 for Russia, 380 for Ukraine, 375 for Belarus . If you dial directly from your phone without using a calling card or signing up for a special international call discount program with your long distance provider, the rate may be very high ($2 per minute or even higher).
Remember, if you get stuck, you can always call our bilingual operator toll-free 1-866-974-6453 and have her dial the number for you. She will stay online and interpret your conversation if necessary.
Visas and Immigration
How long does it take to get a visa to Russia or Ukraine?
If you have a passport that does not expire for at least six months from the final day of your stay, we will fax you the invitation you need to apply for a Russian visa within 1-2 business days. You will then need to mail this invitation, along with your passport, consulate fee and 2 passport-sized photos, to the Russian Consulate responsible for your region. Visa processing to Russia takes about 2 weeks, but for an extra charge you can have it ready on the same day you apply. Factor in the mailing time. They accept express delivery, including FedEx the next day, and can send you the paperwork back the same way if you include a prepaid waybill. You can go in person to a Russian Consulate in New York, San Francisco or Seattle and get the visa the same day. It will cost around $300. Processing time is similar for a Ukrainian visa. Note that the citizens of many states do not require a visa to visit Ukraine; see the list here.
How do I bring my future wife to my home country, and how much will it cost?
What follows concerns only the United States. Other Western countries have similar immigration laws, so if you live outside the US, you can use the information as a guideline.
IMPORTANT: Never send money to people you haven’t met in person, and even if you have met them, think twice. Internet scams are common these days, including various visa and ticket scenarios, where a woman claims that she needs money for her visa/plane ticket. 99% of such claims are fake. If a woman asks you for money, please consult us before you send it.
Bringing a woman you haven’t met in person to the United States is nearly impossible, since her chances of getting a "tourist" or "guest" visa to the US are very slim. Your best best is to apply for her "K" (fiancée) visa. You’ll be required to produce proof of having met the lady in person (pictures of the two of you together, tickets, etc). Usually, the man travels to the lady’s country to meet her there. Some of our clients choose to meet in a third country, like Cyprus or the Dominican Republic, that Russian citizens can enter without a visa. It doesn’t make any difference as far as applying for a K visa is concerned, but it makes you vulnerable to possible scams, as you will probably be expected to pay for her ticket.
After meeting the lady you will need to file a petition with the USCIS, known as form I-129F. You can fill it out by yourself, but we recommend purchasing a fiancée visa kit from us (contact us to order one). You’ll need to file the petition with the USCIS office that has jurisdiction over your state. On average, it takes about 6 months for the USCIS to approve it. The current fee is $455. After the petition is approved, you mail it to the lady and she takes it to the US Consulate in her home country and applies for the visa. Combine the USCIS fee, postage, visa processing fee, and you get about $650 for that step. Contrary to tourist visas to the US that are notoriously hard to get, K visas are usually granted without a problem, provided that the paperwork is in order, the woman does not have a criminal record, and neither of you has violated any Immigration law provisions in the past (i.e. overstayed a prior K visa). If one of you has applied for a K visa in the past, it may serve as a ground for the denial of the current application.
You will most likely have to pay for her plane ticket. You do not have to travel to her country again to accompany her, but it would be a nice gesture, provided that you can afford it. A one way ticket will set you back around $600-$900. If you decide to accompany her, your two-way airfare could be anywhere between $800 and $1600, depending on the season and how early in advance you buy your ticket.
Once she arrives, she has 90 days to marry you; if you haven’t married by the end of that term, she’ll have to leave the country (in that case, you may be obligated to pay for her return ticket).
When you do get married, you will need to apply for a permanent resident status for her. There is a special form for that, and an application fee. When you get to that point, you can give us a call. This is going to cost about $1000 in fees and required medical tests, if you fill out the forms by yourself.
You should not have any problems with most of the immigration forms, but in certain matters you may require the assistance of an immigration attorney. While our company does not have its own immigration attorney, we can recommend one who is very competent and consults us on a regular basis. His name is Gary Bala, his phone number is (610) 446-VISA. You can email him at garybala@VISA-Attorney.com
How long does it take for a Russian woman to be issued a US visa?
Two weeks from the day she files her application, if there are no complications. US Consulates don’t offer any kind of expedited service, so the waiting times are the same for everybody.
What if a marry a woman in her home country?
You can do that, but in that case she will have to wait for her permanent residency papers in her home country, and not in the US with you. The process is lengthy (up to 6 months), so you really need to take this into consideration.
