Russia and America, the quiet detente REMARKS to Michael Berglin

Marriage is a big step, and with it comes responsibility.
Marrying a girl from overseas comes with additional responsibilities that
fall right on the American man's shoulders.  Ask me, I married a Russian
woman.

American men have the advantage when it comes to marrying a Russian, or any overseas woman for that matter.  The US Embassy does a complete background check on the woman when she applies for a visa to this country if she is a convicted criminal, no visa.

The US HOMELAND SECURITY (formally INS) does a COMPLETE BACKGROUND CHECK on you too, pal.

But what assurances does a woman have that the man is not a crimer?  Who does she turn to for verification? 

US HOMELAND SECURITY.

For a price, the woman can run a criminal check on a person but not that many overseas girls have that kind of money.  A criminal check can run as high as $250.00.  Then there is the length of time needed to run the check and deliver it certified mail to the girl.  This poses some logistical problems.
But, if you take the responsibility of getting the police record check, the
cost will be minimal.

There is also the problem of married men trying to get a woman on the side
how does the girl know you are single?  Again, for a price, the girl can run
a check on you, but this is very costly.

You are all wet.  These questions are asked on the forms submitted.  They are under penalty of PERJURY.  Any false statement submitted on your forms WILL LAND YOU IN A FEDERAL PRISON FOR 5 YEARS.

There is no legal requirement that you have to prove anything for the
moment.

BULLSHIT

There is a bill before Congress that will make it a requirement that
you too have a background check.

One of the best pieces of advice is to have your local police run the
criminal check on you and have public records verify that you are single.  In most cases, the fee is nominal.  I paid $20.00 and that was the notary costs, otherwise, the documents were free.

When dealing with overseas agencies or governments, there is a second notary stamp and that is the Apostille stamp.  This is the only notarization that is recognized world wide and legalizes your documents.  The Apostille stamp is given only at state level, not county, city or district state level.

One can ask why this is needed, and that is a good question with a simple
answer without it, your documents are worthless outside of this country.
If you are divorced, it is a wise idea to get your divorce papers, have them
notarized locally, and then submit to your state agency for the Apostille
stamp.  Trust me, you will need this.

Divorce papers MUST BE SUBMITTED IN YOUR PACKAGE.  IT WILL BE VERIFIED. A lie about ANY MATERIAL FACT, will land you in the clink.

There are two ways one can meet an overseas woman.  One method is through subscription through such agencies as http://www.womenrussia.com/.  The other method is signing up for one of the tours offered through http://www.womenrussia.com/.

The subscription method, you pay for membership and you see the registered women from that agency.  You can see their picture, read their biography, and if you like what you see, you can get an address, telephone number and/or e-mail address.   You start corresponding.  This gives you freedom to take your time and get to know the woman before you make any decisions.

The tours are well priced, and for the activities you get, and the
accommodations, you can't bet the packages. But it does have its draw backs and the major one for guys is that we don't think with our brains.  You know exactly what I am saying.  A pretty face can hide an evil mind, but that is not what our glands are saying.  Men are visual creatures period.

What papers should you gather even before starting your adventure?
1.The criminal check
2.A copy of your divorce papers
3.Your birth certificate.

Have them locally notarized and then get the Apostille on each document.
Because your agenda is to find a wife, you need to look at what is called the K-1 visa.  The K-1 allows the woman to apply for a 90 visa to this country for the sole purpose of looking at things and then deciding whether or not you and she are going to marry.

There are several avenues to approach the K-1 visa.  One is to buy one of the kits yourself the price range starts at about $100.00.  The kit contains
every form that you will need, plus a detailed guide on the process.

THESE FORMS ARE AVAILABLE AT MAJOR US POST OFFICE.  ABOUT 20 BUCKS

The second option is to retain the services of an attorney who specializes in Immigration.  I don't know how much they charge $2,000.00 or who to refer you to.

The K-1 visa specifically states that you and the woman have to have met
prior to applying and you have to be able to prove it.  Which means you will
be going to that country.

Whether you choose the K-1 visa kit or retain an attorney is your choice.
Some of the government forms are hard to figure out, but you have the guide for that.  Hiring an attorney, you will have someone who knows these forms like the back of their hand. If the woman has children, your best action is to retain an attorney because children add another dimension to the legal matters.

The forms are not that hard to figure out.  Follow the instructions CAREFULLY, and there should be no problem. Under US LAW, a fiancee visa CANNOT BE DENIED. Why pay an attorney to fill out a few pages of questions. Submit ALL PROPER DOCUMENTATION. Answer honestly and completely, and there will be no problems.

The site http://www.womenrussia.com/.  Has information about the K-1 visa
written by an attorney.  It would be in your best interests to study up on
the visa before hand so you are fully informed.

Regardless of the route you take, either through subscription or tour, be
sure to offer the criminal check up front.  Give the girl a comfort zone before anything goes too far.

The girl MUST bring a copy of the forms you filled out with her to the US
Embassy. You MUST SEND THEM TO HER, along with your income tax forms. They know how to read.  She MUST ALSO TAKE A MEDICAL EXAMINATION prior to her interview at the US Embassy.  The results are included.

And, I foresee the day coming very soon when the agency itself is going to ask for the criminal check and an negative AIDS test before you even register.  Having said that, a current AIDs test is going to be a wise move on your part.  I can assure you that the woman will be equally happy to provide the same documents on her.

I've included a form that you can use for the police record check.
Next, visit http://www.womenrussia.com/.  Elena has gone through great
lengths to help both the American man and the Russian woman.  She also has two books that are absolute reading in advance. One is "How To Find And Marry A Girl Like Me" and the other is her guide on how to avoid getting scammed.

Considering what can happen, these books are your insurance policy.
Yes, I know guys like to be white knights and all.  But like with any
country, to include America, there are some vampires out there. Every once in a while, you read about some guy that had just lost thousands to some scammer.  Why take the chance when a little pro-action on your part will show you what you need to do to protect yourself.  I repeat considering what can happen, these books are your insurance policy.

No large sums should be sent to any woman abroad.  If someone is stupid
enough to do that, they deserve what they get.  Even airline tickets should be purchased, and picked up at the airport.

In Part Two of Russia and America, the quiet detente, I will cover the
subscription based program in more detail.  Until then, you have some reading to do.

Marrying a Russian girl is an adventure onto itself.  A fun adventure full of
rewards and happiness, cultural diversity, and just plain exciting.  Even
after four years, daily, my wife will do something that absolutely astounds
me.

Now, here I agree.

There is much you can do to prepare yourself to avoid the pitfalls, but there
is nothing that can prepare you for the rewards.

Proposed form for men to fill out
Date
To: Chief of Police....
I require a criminal check, to include a juvenile history...
My home address is....
My Driver"s License Number is....
My SSAN is....
My Date of Birth is....
I am..feet, ...inches tall. I weigh..pounds
My Eye color is..My hair color is....
I have/not had a name change. If you had a name change, your former name
was..
Signature
From: Chief of Police....
You do not have a criminal record..
You have a misdemeanor(s) dated......
You have a felony conviction...For the crime of...
(signed and badge number).....
(Notarized by) (Notary stamp)....

Michael Berglin

Pravda.Ru

D Slavovich Ratz's Friend
California, USA