Changes

= MEMBERSHIP =Questions ''If you don't find an answer to your question on how our website operatesthis page or on the Help page, do not hesitated to [[Contact_us|contact us]]''

== Do I Most female profiles are submitted by our partner agencies in Russia and Ukraine who meet them in person and check their passport. We also monitor for any suspicious activity, such as mass mailing to other members, asking for money, etc. If we have doubts about a girl’s identity or the information in her profile, we may contact her in person for additional proof. Due to pay the large number or profiles, we cannot vouch for any every single one of our members, but you can always contact us if you see something suspicious about a member’s profile or behaviour, and we will investigate. Also each female profile is assigned a [[FAQ#What_is_trust_level.3F|Trust Level]], which shows the degree to which it has been verified by us. A Trust Level of your services? ==100% means the lady is 100% real. We also have a handy [[avoid_scammers|guide]] for spotting scammers. After getting a lady's contact details, you can order a [[Checkyourlady|background check]].

You do have to pay for reading other members’ messagesYes, for which you need to purchase credits (see below). If you place a phone call through us, you will be charged for that, as well. The rest of can find some on our services, however, are completely free (this includes registering a profile, searching our database and viewing other members’ profiles, sending messages and smiles)[[Testimonials]] page.

=== How much do I buy creditsyour services cost? ===

The easiest way is to purchase them online === Are you compliant with a credit card (we accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discovery). Just log in to your profile, go to "Buy Credits" and buy the needed amount. If you don’t have a credit card, or don’t want to use it online, there are [[Paymentoptions|other options available]].IMBRA law? ===

This depends on '''Join for free''', fill out your profile (be sure to upload your pictures), then send a message to that member or just a "smile", indicating you are interested. It's free. They can then view your profile and respond if they choose to. In such case, if you decide to continue correspondence, then you pay for translation of the amount messages between you buy:and the lady.

100 credits or more: $1 for each === I don't want to send my creditcard details over the Internet. Can I pay by other means? ===

55-99 Yes. Once you become a member, you can purchase credits: $1by credit card as well as other [[Payment_Options|payment options]].09 for each credit

== How will the charge from your company show on my credit card statement= I cannot send a message, why? ===

It will show as "1st International" or similar, possibly with a phone number === Where and/or some abbreviations. Examples are: "1st Int'l NTW" or "1ST INTERNATIONAL 800-974-6453".how do I buy credits? ===

== What determines To pay online with a credit card (we accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover), log in to your profile and go to "Buy Credits" (your profile must be active for you to be able to pay). Alternatively, you can pay using our secure form (in this case, the cost of opening a message from a woman? ==payment may take up to 24 hours to go through). Other payment options are listed [[paymentoptions|here]].

A number of factors. FirstlyIf you want to get a lady’s direct contact details, it depends on the number of men she is corresponding with; the more men she is writing toand if you are a US citizen, the more expensive her letters then you will be first need to open fill out the [[IMBRA|IMBRA form]], if you haven’t done that already (IMBRA check costs $40 and it concerns US citizens only). After that (or if she stops writing you are not a US citizen), you have to one or more men, open at least 15 messages from the lady* . At this point you have the price will go down)right to request her contact details. Secondly To do this, it depends on go to her English skills (if she can’t read profile and write in English and has to use a translator, click "Request contact details" on the price will be accordingly higher)Custom Menu. Thirdly Please note that sending personal contact information through our messaging system is not allowed, if the even after you have opened 15 or more messages from a lady has no Internet access at home and has . If you want to use exchange personal contact information with a computer at her local dating agency, this will raise the costlady, as wellplease contact us.

== When can I Yes, this service costs 1.8 credits per minute. You’ll need to [[contact_us|contact a us]] at least 24 hours in advance (unless you already have the lady’s phone number) and tell us which lady directly? ==you want to talk to, and at what time. Our interpreter will do the rest.

If you want to get a lady’s direct contact detailsYes, you will first need to fill out the can order an interpreted videocall. You can make your request by [[IMBRAcontact_us|contacting us]] form, if you haven’t done that before (this concerns US citizens only); [http://natashaclub.com/html/IMBRA.zip click here] to download The price for videochatting with the form and requisite instructionslady is 2. After that, there are two options5 credits per minute. The first one (recommended) minimum call duration is to open 15 (fifteen) paid messages from 10 minutes, which means that the lady (system will charge your account for the messages that first 10 minutes automatically when you open before writing start talking to a the lady for the first time are free and don't count); at this point . Please make sure you have the right to request her contact details (or enough credits on your money back, if for some unlikely reason they cannot be provided). To do this, go to her profile and click account before starting the button that says "Send contact info request"videochat. The other way is We need time to pay a $50 fee, whereupon we will contact the lady and ask her permission to send you her contact detailslady’s local agency, but note that this money will not be refunded even if or the lady refuses to disclose her contact info. Therefore you should herself, and make sure you have her consent before you proceed; if you haven't opened she will be available at least one paid message from the woman, you cannot apply for this optiondesired time therefore the videocall should be ordered in advance. Please note that exchanging personal contact information through our messaging system is not allowed, even if you do have 15 opened messages from a lady; if you want to exchange such information with a lady, [[contact us]]. Please do not try to send the lady during your email address and other contact information in “encoded” form (i.e. written backwards): it won’t work and videocall will only not be a waste of your timeallowed.

== What does the Requested Contacts page contain= Do you offer any discounts? ===

The Requested Contacts Page (which can be accessed from the menu on the left side of your control panel) contains the contact details that you have requested. Note that it === What is updated no sooner than your contact info request has been processed.a friend list? ===

== Do you offer any discounts= What is trust level? ===

After opening 15 paid messages from The trust level is a credibility rating given to a lady, you female profile by our staff. A staff member can request to havethe price rate a profile on one or more of her letters lowered to 5 creditsmultiple scales: passport scans, live meeting, phone conversation, video, correspondence. You Some are also entitledrated according to this reduction if you have requested the ladystaff member's contact informationusing own judgement (such as passport scans or phone calls), and others (like correspondence or meetings) according to the expedite servicefeedback we receive from our male members. In case Combined, these ratings make up the lady's contact informationdoes not include an email addresstrust level. Each category carries different weight (e.g., feedback on a meeting is more important than the price can passport scan); the exact formula is complex and classified, so it cannot be further reduced used to1 credit per letter; howeverartificially raise the trust level. A trust level of 100% means that we have received definitive proof that the woman behind the profile is a real person, and all her communications originate from herself. This doesn't mean, of course, that anyone with less than 100% is automatically fake or dishonest, translation although you should be wary of profiles with a trust level of 40% or less. Note that the absence of a trust level is not provided at thispricethe same as a low trust level. If you want to keep using our translation servicesA female profile doesn't have a trust level by default and may never get one, the pricewill have unless it gives us a reason to stay at 5 credits per letterrate it.

== What is "trust level" on To make a female picture private, check the box labelled “private photo” after uploading it and save the changes. To view someone else’s private pictures, you need to request access from them by clicking the “Submit request” button in the picture browser in their profile? ==. You can keep track of the people who have granted you access to their private photos in the Communicator; access to your own private photos is likewise granted from there.

The trust level is a credibility rating given If you are trying to a female profile by call our staff. A staff member can rate a profile on one US toll-free number (starting with "800" or more of four scales: passport"866") when you are outside the continental US, meeting, phone callit won't work (this may or may not include Canada, Puerto Rico and correspondenceHawaii). Passport scans If that's the case, whenever provided, are rated on their quality and completeness; meetings, phone calls and correspondence are rated according to the feedback we receive on them from please use our customers. Combined, these ratings make up the trust level. Each category carries different weight regular (etoll) numbers or contact us via live chat 24 hours a day.g., feedback on a meeting is more important Other than the passport scan); the exact formula is complex and classified, so it cannot be used to artificially raise the trust level. A trust level of 100% means that we have received definitive proof that the woman behind the profile our phone support is open 24 hours 7 days a real personweek, and all her communications originate from herself. This doesnso if you can't mean that anyone with less than 100% is automatically fake get through for whatever reason, be sure to email or dishonest; online chat us about it only means that you can be reasonably sure of the woman's identity instead of completely sure.

== What is If you have sent an email to our support staff, please note that we try to answer all emails within 24 hours. If you aren’t getting a friends list? ==response for more than 24 hours, please check your spam (or "junk mail") folder to make sure our reply wasn’t caught by your spam filter. If you cannot find it, please [[contact_us|contact us]] by phone or in the chat to make sure we got your letter.

Remember that the list of your "friends" is viewable by any member or even Russia and Ukraine nowdays are generally safe. A cab driver might overcharge you a bit, a visitor restaurant might try to inflate the sitebill, but violent crime is relatively low. Having a lot Operating since 1995, we have not had any cases of friends on your list or having just a fewkidnapping, or even nonemurder, is a personal choice. Friends listed on members' profiles mean different things to different people. For somerobbery, having a lot or anything of friends demonstrates that they sort. There are popularsome conflict zones in Ukraine you must avoid though. Some prefer not Avoid all travel to list any friends the NGCA (Non-Government Controlled Areas) and the area within 20 km from the contact line inside the Government Controlled Areas (GCA) of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, due to armed operations and occasional bombings in the area. There are numerous checkpoints controlled by separatist forces within the NGCA. Separatist groups have sometimes threatened, detained or kidnapped individuals at NGCA checkpoints.While outside these problem areas both countries are generally safe (and safer than the media usually portraits them), please keep their relationships private. Yet for others listing just one person as in mind that being a friend means they tourist you are serious about themalways an easier target in any country. Use So stick to basic security rules. Do not flash your own judgement cash and do not walk alone in interpreting the meaning middle of a lady’s friends list or lack of itthe night in sketchy neighborhoods. Factor in the ratings of her pictures It would be ideal to have a reliable local guide at your side who would show you around (how many votes and for instance, the average rating), and her popularity (more credits per letter means more people woman you are writing to hermeeting could be your guide).

Private pictures are password protectedIn Lviv, so you will have to write there is no better place to stay than Hotel George. It’s the oldest hotel in Lviv, still having the lady and request charm of old days when most important people in the password. It is better to do this after you have already established communication with that ladyworld stayed there.

Yes, you Credit cards are accepted in most major cities and ATMs are widely available. Foreign currency can order an interpreted phone call, which costs 1.8 credits per minute (1 credit if you don’t require translation). This should be done in advance because we need time to contact the lady’s local agency, or the lady herselfexchanged at most banks, hotels and make sure she will be available at the desired timelicensed exchange booths. Please note that exchanging personal contact information during such phone calls is Worn out banknotes may not allowed. [[Firstcall|Here is some advice on setting up your first phone call]]be accepted.

== Can I videochat with my lady? ==  Yes, you can order an interpreted videocall. You can make your request by email support@woman-from-russia.com or by phone (USA toll-free: 1-866-Y-SINGLE (1-866-974-6453), UK: +44 (0) 2071935504). The price for videochatting with the lady is 2.5 credits per minute. The minimum call duration is 10 minutes, which means that the system will charge your account for the first 10 minutes automatically when you start talking it's best to the lady. Please make sure you have enough credits on your profile account before starting the videochat. We need time to contact the lady’s local agency, or the lady herself, and make sure she will be available use debit cards only at the desired time therefore the videocall should be ordered in advance. Please note that exchanging personal contact information during your videocall will not be allowed. == How do I know those women aren’t scammers? == ATMs located inside a bankMost of the women on our website are represented by local dating agencies, where they contact our representatives in person. Besides, we watch out for suspicious activity: if a member mass mails other members, uses certain words, etc, it triggers a red flag, and we run a thorough check on the member in question. Unfortunately, due to the large number of profiles, it is impossible to filter out all scammers. Therefore we urge our members to be on their guard and notify us of anything suspicious.  == Are these women just trying to get out of their country by marrying a foreigner? Is she going to stay - avoid using card readers with me after she has moved to the United States? ==an irregular or unusual feature  We have to say up front that we cannot know the real intentions of our members. However, after you have corresponded with a lady for a while and, preferably, met her in person, you should have a pretty good idea of what she is about. Besides, in order to get unconditional permanent residency in the US she has to stay married to a US citizen for 2 years. Add processing time and you get about 3 years before she can leave. That's a lot of time for you to make a good impression on her :) Now, could a person be so calculating as to do this for a green card? It is possible, but in our experience most of - cover the women coming here are honest and truly want to create a family. If her husband treats her keypad with respect, she will stay. However, some guys can be jerks and get what they deserve. Then they cry all over the Internet about how she took advantage of them. According to the official figures, the divorce rate between international couples in US is several times lower than in regular American couples. one hand when entering your PIN  == Isn’t it odd that some women here are looking for a man much older than themselves? ==  It is not uncommon for Russian women to marry older men, which may clash with American stereotypes. If you are going to marry a Russian woman, you might want to learn how to look beyond those. Of course, there are limits. If you are 40 and are looking for an 18:-year-old bride, this might be a bit of a stretch, but 22-25 years old is ok. Remember that every person has their own standards. Some women don’t mind a significant age difference, while others do. They usually indicate their age preference in their profiles.  == Are you compliant with the IMBRA law? ==  Yes, we are fully compliant. Upon request you will get [[IMBRA]] release that you might need check for applying for her fiancee visa later. We are not happy about this law as it puts a lot of unnecessary burden any unauthorized transactions on us and our clients, and we urge you to sign petitions to repeal it. However, as it stands today, the law is the law, so we are complying with it. == Have any of your clients actually found a wife through your website? ==account statements  Yes, quite a few. You can read their [[testimonials]].

== The toll-free number listed on your site is not working. = Can I bring my laptop with me? ===

If you are outside the continental US, you cannot use the US toll-free numbers. This includes our toll-free main and fax numbers. Outside of the continental US may or may not include Canada, Puerto Rico and Hawaii. For example some of our customers === Will my cell phone work in Canada are able to call us on our toll free number, but others can't. If that's the case, please use our regular (toll) numbers or contact us via [https:Russia //support4.russianbridesnetwork.com/phplive.php live chat] free 24 hours a day.Ukraine? ===

== What is Yes, if it uses the GSM standard. That's what they use in Russia and Ukraine. So it will work just fine for all our travellers from Europe. If you are coming from the US, it will also work fine, unless you are on Verizon. Verizon uses CDMA standard, so the phone will not work in Russia nor Ukraine with your mailing address? ==US SIM card. However, if you buy a local Russian or Ukrainian SIM card, your Verizon phone can still work if it's one of the premium phones. Contemporary premium phones usually have both CDMA and GSM capabilities, so once you put in a local GSM SIM card your phone will automatically switch to GSM. If in doubt please check your phone's specs. For other countries it's best to check with your mobile provider. Most cell phone chargers operate on 110-240 volts, so they do not require a step-down transformer.

[[Contact_us|Here A good idea is our mailing address to buy a local prepaid SIM card in Russia / Ukraine and other complete put it in your phone. In Russia they should be under $10-$15, and updated contact information]]in Ukraine you can get a SIM card with 4GB of data for only $3.You can forward all correspondence This way you will get cheap local calls and usually a lot of data. Note that some mobile providers in your home country lock their phones to this addressprevent their customers from doing just that. So if you got your phone from your provider, including payments, ordersas opposed to buying online, you may have to have it unlocked first (to do that call your provider BEFORE your trip). For local SIM cards in Russia we recommend the provider called "MTS" and inquiriesin Ukraine - "Kyivstar".

== I havenPretty much all hotels nowdays have Wi-Fi and it't received s mostly free with your stay. Did you know that every McDonalds has free Wi Fi? And now there is plenty of them in Russia and in major Uikraine cities. And if you've got a local SIM card with lots of data, you can use your mobile phone as a response to my email inquiryWi-Fi Hot Spot. ==

Most likely, your email provider has blocked the delivery of our email to you, because of its anti-spam policiesThe best quality vs. Sadly, many email providers, especially those like hotmail, yahoo, and AOL are blocking a lot of legitimate email messages because they suspect them to be SPAMprice combination is Skype. With today's enormous volume of SPAM on the Internet, email providers have You will need to take steps add money to protect their users from huge amounts of unsolicited emailsyour skype account. They use automatic filters or rules by Depending on which they sort out messages into 3 categories: ones that should be delivered, ones that get deleted, city you call and whether you call a category "in between" for those messages that end up in your "Bulk mail", "Junk mail" landline or similar folder. We never send unsolicited messages to anyonemobile phone, yet some of our emails to our customers get blocked. If it does not help or you believe that's not the problem, contact us by phone or online chat and and we will call could be happy to help you. If you haven't received a response anywhere from 2 cents to your question via email20 cents per minute, fist thing to do would but it will be to check always cheaper than any calling plan offered by your "Bulk mail", "Junk mail" or similar folderlocal provider. The quality of the calls is usually pretty good. If We would not call it's thereexcellent, please click "Itbut from our experience it's not spam" or similar button in your email program. If you donbetter than the competitors't see our message in your "Bulk mail", "Junk mail" or similar folder and you are using Hotmail or AOL please follow these instructions to unblock us.

== I’ve sent several emails to your ladies On a cell phone you dial "+", then the country code, then the area code and haven't received any responsesphone number. ==

To protect the privacy of our members and to prevent spam, our system does not allow users to send a message to a member from whom you have 2 or more unopened * '''Which messages. If you want to send him or her a message, you need to go back to your Communicator and open mail from her or him first. If you have accidentally deleted those unopened messages, please contact the administrator.  == Why was my profile rejectedcount? ==  If your profile was rejected, it must have violated some of our rules or seemed suspicious to our moderators. There are several things you can do to ensure your profile is not rejected next time: - Post a picture. It must be a picture of yourself, with your face clearly visible. No nudity or private contact information on photos is allowed. - Write a longer description. A profile with no description (or a meaningless or obscene one) will be rejected. - Enter your private contact information (such as email, phone number) only in the fields specifically provided for it. - Choose the country in which you are located at the time. If you normally live somewhere else, you can indicate that in your description. - Provide your phone number.  == I would like to know a little more about your company. == Please visit [[Ouroffices|this page]]. = Next step. Travelling to Russia =Questions on travelling to Russia and other CIS countries == How long does it take to get a visa to Russia or Ukraine? ==  If you have a passport that does not expire for least six months after the dates of your travel, we will fax you the visa support documents within 1-2 business days. Then you need to apply to the consulate for the visa. Visa processing to Russia takes about 2 weeks, but you can pay extra money to have it ready even the same business day. Add the time for mailing the documents to the Consulate and back. They accept express delivery, including FedEx next day, and can send you the documents back the same way if you provide 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.   == How safe is it in Russia? ==  It is quite safe in Russia and other CIS countries if you know where to go and what to do. It might be somewhat dangerous if you are lost and on your own. If you stay away from unsafe neighborhoods, don't flash your cash and follow the basic safety rules, you are going to be ok. '' It's 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? Do I need an adaptor? ==  Yes, you can, but you may need a simple adaptor. As far as the customs office is concerned, there are no restrictions on bringing your personal laptop across the Russian border. Standard voltage in Russia and all other European countries is 220 volts (it is 110 in USA). This means you will need a step down transformer (an adaptor that changes voltage) for electric devices other than a laptop. Those could be bought at Sears or Radioshack at $20-$30. Laptops are the lucky exceptions in Please note that they do not need a transformer, because their chargers normally take in any voltage from 110 volts to 250 volts. There may be laptop chargers out there that would not take 220 volts, but these instances we have not seen one. Please check your charger first, before you fry your laptop! The acceptable voltage ("AC in") should be printed directly on the charger. However, even if your laptop can take 220 volts, you still need a simple adaptor. The reason is that the Russian electrical outlet has 2 round holes, while the American plug has 2 flat prongs. There is no way to fit one into the other. So you need to buy a cheap ($1-$3) adapter that has 2 holes for flat American prongs, and 2 round prongs on the other end, to plug into the Russian outlet. You can buy such adapters at many places, 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 count only the Internet in Russia? ==  If you are staying in an expensive hotel in a major city, they may have Wi Fi connection. Please check with your hotel first. Needless to say letters that Wi Fi standard is the same throughout the world so you won't have any problems. If this does not apply to you and you have to use good old dial-up, read on. 1. If you don’t mind using a public computer, there are a lot of Internet cafes in almost every city of the former Soviet republics. Just ask the hotel personnel or a taxi driver. The is usually about $1 per hour. 2. If you want paid to go online from your own laptop, it may be more difficult. Unfortunately, neither Russia nor any other CIS country has a nation-wide dial-up Internet provider, like AOL in the USAtranslated. So you have to find a local provider in the city where you are staying. Again, the hotel personnell could help you locate one. You can also find one on the Internet before your trip. You should be prepared to prepay your Internet access in cash, because local providers normally do not accept credit cards. The rates are usually $.50-$1.00 per hour. Another option is to 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/boombox/other electronics work in Russia? ==  Yes, but you need an AC adapter. Standard voltage in Russia and all other European countries is 220 volts (it is 110 in USA). This means you will need a step down transformer (an adaptor her introductory letter that changes voltage) for electric devices other than a laptop. Those could be bought at Sears or Radioshack at $20-$30. We have decent ones for sale for $15 plus shipping. [[Contact_us|Contact us]] to order one. == 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. You are likely to be charged premium roaming charges, so please check with your provider. They may have a calling plan that covers Russia so you won't incurr roaming charges. In USA: Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint use the older proprietary 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. Usually you do not need a quad-band "world phone". In Russia the most widely used frequency is GSM 1800. Most GSM phones offered on the US market can operate on this frequency. On rare occasions 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 can work on this frequency. Consult your cell phone manual or call your wireless service provider to find out what frequences your phone can operate on. Normally, with USA providers like T-Mobile and Cingular, your roaming charges in Russia will be about $1.50 per minute, which is a lot. If you need to call a number in Russia from your US cell phone while in Russia, you will also incur international long distance charges (alternatively you can use our calling card to at least save on the latter). But there is a better way if you have a GSM phone. It is a bit complicated but you will not only get decent rates for calling Russia and USA, but you will also get a Russian cell phone number without spending a lot. The easiest way would be to buy a cell phone in Russia, but prepare to spend about $150 even on a basic one. What you can do instead is buy a SIM card in Russia and insert it into your US phone. The SIM card comes with a brand new Russian cell phone number, and if you purchase it in your destination city, you will get local calling rates. SIM cards are sold at every wireless store and cost about $5. There is one last trick, though. To prevent their customers from switching to a competitor, T-Mobile and Cingular are now "locking" their customer's phones so that a SIM card from a different provider cannot be used. To use a Russian SIM card you have to "unlock" the phone. You can find such a service locally (usually in cell phone repair shops) or just type "unlock phone" on eBay. Russian cell phone providers offer prepaid service only. They do not offer monthly calling plans. Airtime is somewhat expensive, compared to US. Local calls are 5 to 15 cents a minute, long distance calls are 15-80 cents a minute. International calls can be as high 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 any wireless store or any bank. There are also special machines in most supermarkets which accept payments for cellular service. They have an English interface as well. There are a few cellular service providers on the Russian market, and we are reluctant to recommend a specific one, but if we absolutely must recommend one to a foreign traveller, we’d go with "MTS". It's not the cheapest one, but it seems to be the largest, has the best coverage and has wireless stores everywhere. Plus, it also operates in Ukraine and other CIS countries.   == How do I call Russia and other countries translate free of the former USSR? What charge does it cost? ==  In most cases, 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 for Russia is 7, for Ukraine it is 380, for Belarus it is 375. If you dial directly from your home or work phone without using a calling card, or signing up for a special international call discount program with your long distance provider, the cost may be very high ($2 per minute or even higher).  Remember, if you get stuck, you can always call our bilingual operator/interpreter toll-free 1-866-974-6453 and have her dial the number for you. She will stay online and will interpret your conversation real time.  == What is the weather like in Russia? ==  Russia is a vast country and it's impossible to describe its climate in a few sentences. In fact we have written a whole [[Weather|article about it]]. But generally speaking, the climate of the central parts of Russia where the majority of our clients travel is not as bad as portrayed in movies, and somewhat resembles the American Midwest, only a bit colder but less windy. For other parts of CIS [[Weather|read on]]. = Visas and Immigration =  == Do I need a visa to go to Russia, and can you help me get one? == Normally, you do need a visa in order to enter the Russian Federation. If you are a US citizen, you definitely need one. You will need separate visas for other CIS countries, such as Ukraine or Belarus. We can send you the official invitation that you need in order to be issued a visa to Russia. We do not currently provide invitations to other countires. You will then send this invitation, along with your passport, consulate fee, and 2 passport-sized photos to the Russian Consulate in your country which has jurisdiction over your regioncount.   == Can you help me with bringing my bride-to-be to my home country? == If you are in the US and are our customer, we can help you with some general advice on visas, procedures, forms, etc. Feel free to contact us and we will point you in the right direction. Note that we don't have an attorney on staff, and your particular situation may require one. If while you need an attorney, we will refer you to a good one who specializes in Immigration Law and has been working with us for a long time.  == What is the process and how much will it cost to bring a woman here? == Note. The price estimates and visa kits are for the US pay only. The immigration laws are similar in other Western countries, so if when you live outside the US, you can use this information as a guideline. IMPORTANT: Never send money to people you have never met in person, and even if you have met them, exercise common sense before you trust them with significant funds. Internet scams are common these days, including various visa and ticket scenarios. A lady may claim that she can get open her visa and / or plane ticket and be on her way messages to you if you only send her or some intermediary (like her agency, or a travel company) a certain amount (usually 2-4 thousand dollars). 99.9% of such claims are fake. Read more here. If you are asked for money under any excuse, please contact us for advice before you send it. Generally you won't be able to bring a woman here until you have met her in person. Her chances of getting a "tourist" or "guest" visa to the US are very slim. The best way to proceed is to apply for her "K" (fiancée) visa. Note that in order to apply for this type of visa, the immigration law requires that you have met your lady in person. You have to have proof of that (pcitures of the two of you together, tickets, etc). The best place to meet her in person would be her home country. Some of our clients choose to meet in a third country, like Cyprus, or the Dominican Republic, where Russian citizens do but not need a visa. It is acceptable from the Immigration law standpointvice versa, but it makes you vulnerable to possible scams, as you will most likely be expected to pay for her ticket (or send her money) in advance. After you have met her in person, you need to file a petition with the USCIS, known as form I-129F. The petition can be filled out by yourself. You need to file the petition with the USCIS office having jurisdiction over your state. Processing times vary from state to state, but on average it takes about 6 months for the USCIS to approve it. The fee as of this writing is $455. After you get it approved, you send it to your lady and she takes it to the US Consulate in her home country and applies for the visa. Add the USCIS fee, postage, visa processing fee and you get about $650 for that step. Contrary to tourist visas to the US, which are notoriously difficult to get, "K" visas are usually granted without a problem, provided that the documents are filed properly, she does not have a police record, and neither one of you has violated any Immigration law provisions in pay actually covers the past (i.e. overstayed a prior "K" visa). If one translation of you has applied for a "K" visa in the past, it may also be a reason for a denial of the current application. '''Most likely she will not have the funds needed to buy her plane ticket to the US, so you will need to pay for that. You do not have to travel to her country again to accompany her, but it would be a nice gesture if you can afford it. A one way ticket will cost around $600-$900. If you decide to accompany her, both your two-way airfare could be anywhere between $1000 and $1800, depending on the season and how early in advance you buy your ticket.''' '''Once she arrives, she can stay in the US for 90 days in the "fiancée" status. By the end of that time you either get legally married, or she has to go back to her home country. Neither you nor her are obligated to get married, but you may be financially responsible for her return ticket if things don't work out.''' '''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 set you back 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. == How long does it take for a Russian woman messages to be issued a US visa? == The actual process should take place within 2 weeks from the time she applies at the US Consulate in her home country, if there are no complications. That does not include filing your petition.  == Can money speed things up? == It can if you are a US citizen applying for a Russian visa. However, US Consulates do not offer expedited service, and the waiting times are the same for everybody.  == Do you have to marry the women in their home country or can you bring them here to the US? == It is recommended to bring your bride to the US on a K (fiancée) visa and then marry her here. This way, while she is waiting for her permanent residency papers, she is in the US with you. If you get officially married in Russia, she will have messages to wait for those papers in her home country. The process is lengthy, might take as long as 6 or more months, so you really need to take this into consideration.