Way to Russia Talk Lounge

bish · Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 4:51 pm Post subject: Engagement in Moscow

I am travelling to Moscow in a few days time to meet a lady friend and see if the connection that we experience online and in our numerous phone conversations is as strong in person. In consideration of this if all is well between us what is the process of getting engaged? It is my intention to ask her parents for her hand in marriage; what exactly should I tell them... my financial status, net worth, etc. In addition is it normal to provide an engagement ring for the lady and would the cost be better in Moscow or Canada and what value of ring is acceptable?

On another issue I am thinking to purchase clothing while I am in Moscow. What is the cost of dress shirts, pants, shoes, and such items? I heard that clothing is low cost in Russia compared to Canada... is that true. Also I am thinking to take Maple Syrup, Peanut Butter, and a few treats from Canada, and some Canadian Whiskey (request if the Father); would it be difficult to get these items through customs. Thanks I appreciate any and all help.

Paul Holmes · Lounge Wizard Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 1011

Process of getting married. PM me your email and I will send you an universal document. It is also posted many times on this site so do a search. I can answer all of questions.

Maple Syrup- nope generally they hate it. Try sweets or chocaltes that have it.
Canadian Whiskey - nope. Bring Ice Wine.
Peanut Butter -maybe- but try Reese Pieces

Clothes are cheaper in the Rinoks or Bazaars. Garbushka Rinok in the NW right off the metro station and be prepare to haggle. Also wash you clothes separately, because I bought leningrad shirt there and SOB ran so much dye

surfguy · Lounge Wizard Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 6996

You should ask your GF what you should say/ask of her parents. I know I was told that I would be asked what my financial situation is.

Mike88 · Just Starting Joined: 07 Feb 2006 Posts: 5

Paul Holmes · Lounge Wizard Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 1011

Canadian-Russian Marriage

Steps to Russian marriage:

1. WHEN YOU ARRIVE IN RUSSIA YOU HAVE TO REGISTER YOUR RUSSIAN VISA WITH YOUR RUSSIAN SPONSOR OR THE HOTEL WHERE YOU STAY IN RUSSIA (without valid Russian visa and registration with the Russian authorities you will not be able to get married in Russia and will not be accepted by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

All foreigners are required by Russian law to have their visas registered within three days of arrival. The registration has to be done by your Russian sponsor, or the Russian company which invited you to come to Russia, or the Travel agency (if it is a tourist visa) or by the hotels where you are staying. The Embassy cannot assist in this case.

2. OBTAIN A MARRIAGE LETTER STATING THAT YOU ARE FREE TO MARRY AT THE CANADIAN EMBASSY IN MOSCOW, 23 Starokonyushenny Pereulok, Main entrance, Consular Section. We accept clients every day, except Saturday and Sunday and statutory holidays, from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 14:00 to 16:00. Tel 105-6000. Embassy web site: www.canadianembassy.ru The Marriage letter will be issued for you in English and Russian. The transliteration of your name should be identical to that on your Russian visa. The cost is $CAN 50, or the equivalent in rubles (1200 rubles), or US$ (40).

3.OBTAIN AN OFFICIAL TRANSLATION OF THE INFORMATION PAGE OF YOUR PASSPORT. The necessary translation can be obtained at any certified translation centre that has a Ru79ssian notary public present. A

translation made by the Canadian Embassy is ALSO acceptable. The cost for such translation done by the Embassy is $CAN 15 or the equivalent in rubles or US$.

4. HAVE THE SIGNATURE OF THE CANADIAN CONSUL/VICE CONSUL ON A MARRIAGE LETTER AUTHENTICATED AT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS of the RUSSIAN FEDERATION (has to be submitted to the Ministry by a Canadian citizen ONLY IN PERSON). PLEASE ALSO NOTE THAT WITHOUT THE STAMP OF THE RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS A MARRIAGE LETTER WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED BY THE RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES.

This service is performed by the Department of Legalization , Consular Services of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, at Moscow, First Neopalimovskiy pereulok, 12a, nearest metro station "Part Kultury", then 2 stops by trolleybus # 10 or #B at the direction of Smolenskay Square . Telephone: 244-37-97. The hours of operation are Monday - Thursday, 10:00 to 12:00 and 15:00 to 17:00 and Fridays - from 10:00 to 12:00 and 15:00 to 16:00 (tel 244-3797). . The procedure takes 5 working days and costs 150 rubles (about 5 US dollars). Telephone 244-3797. One day service IS NOT AVAILABLE and service hours and processing time may change without notice.

5. GET MARRIED AT THE CIVIL REGISTRY OFFICE (ZAGS) After completing the first fours steps, please contact any local Marriage office (ZAGS) in the place where your fiancee is residing /registered (in Russian this abbreviation means - Zapis Aktov Grazhdanskogo Sostoyaniya). In Moscow we recommend you to contact the Marriage office at the following address: Palace of Weddings (for foreigners) , 17 Butyrskaya St. Moscow, Telephone 285-1960, 285-7988, 203-5292 where you have to submit the above mentioned documents and your passport. The ZAGS will issue a Marriage certificate for you once you get married. It means that your marriage is legal for Canada.

6. Once you are married, you may contact the Immigration Canada for information about family class sponsorship for your spouse, or Immigration/Visa web site: www.cic.gc.ca.

7. The Russian authorities will issue a Marriage certificate for you which has to be properly legalised to be valid in Canada.

First step - go any Russian Notary to legalise the document . Make a notorised copy of the document. Then make a certified translation of the Marriage certificate (by any of the translation service into English or French).

Second step - the signature of the Notary public has to be authenticated by the Russian Ministry of Justices (Ministerstvo Yustitsii)

Third step - the signature of the Russian Ministry of Justices has to be authenticated by Legal Department (part of the Consular services) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia (see address above).

The Canadian Embassy in Moscow, Consular Services or the Canadian Consulate in St Petersburg will authenticate the signature of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia (Legal department). The cost is 50

Canadian dollars or you can pay equivalent in US dollars or rubles. Only after that your Marriage certificate issued in Russia will be valid for Canada.

IF YOU HAVE ANY CANADIAN DOCUMENTS (IT CAN BE, FOR EXAMPLE, A DIVORCE CERTIFICATE or any other document issued in Canada) YOU WISH TO USE IN RUSSIA, PLEASE NOTE THAT ANY DOCUMENT ISSUED IN CANADA IS NOT VALID FOR RUSSIA UNTIL IT IS PROPERLY LEGALISED. IT CAN BE DONE ONLY IN CANADA, CANNOT BE DONE IN RUSSIA, EVEN CANNOT BE LEGALISED BY THE CANADIAN EMBASSY IN RUSSIA. PLEASE DO EVERYTHING IN CANADA BEFORE YOU COME TO RUSSIA.

HOW TO LEGALIZE CANADIAN DOCUMENTS (CAN BE DONE ONLY IN CANADA).

1ST STEP. Document notarized in Canada. The proper procedure is to have the document notarized by a notary in Canada.

2nd STEP. Authentication of the notary`s signature. The notary's signature must then be authenticated by the Lieutenant-Governor of the province in which the notary is commissioned (requests for such authentication are usually channelled through the Deputy Provincial Secretary of that province or, for Quebec, by the Secretary of the Board of Notaries in Montreal).

3rd STEP. Authentication of authentication`s signatures. Done by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), Legal Advisory division. DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS & INTERNATIONAL TRADE CANADA, LEGAL ADVISORY DIVISION (JLAC), 125 SUSSEX DRIVE, OTTAWA, ONTARIO, K1A OG2 TEL:(613) 995-32-54, 995-0119 Director Mr. D. W. Smith Mr. Mario Nunes Suarez

4th STEP. Authentication of the DFAIT's signature: Done by the Russian Embassy in Canada (Ottawa) or the Russian Consulates in Montreal or in Toronto. Cannot be done in Russia.

5th STEP. Please do not forget to make translation into Russian language by any certified tranlator as documents in other languages are not accepted in Russia.

ONLY AFTER THAT A CANADIAN DOCUMENT WILL BE VALID IN RUSSIA.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Natasha Bulgakova

Consular Assistant

Consular Section, Canadian Embassy

23 Starokonyushenny Per, 119002 Moscow Russia

7-095-105-60-69

Fax: 7-095-105-60-51

e-mail: natasha.bulgakova@international.gc.ca

Paul Holmes · Lounge Wizard Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 1011

The guest and tourist visas for your Russian bride to Shengen countries

(Austria, Belgium, Germany, Holland, Greece, Denmark, Island, Spain, Italy, Luxemburg, Norway, Portugal, Finland, France, Sweden)

Applying for those types of visas Russian women will not have the interview and the personal meeting for representing documents at the Embassies is not required except Germany, France.

The required documents:

The valid international passport ( the expiry date must not be less than 6 months before your trip)
The photo 3x4
The invitation letter that testifies that the person who invites is covering all the expenses and is ready to accommodate.
The medical insurance policy
The document that approves tickets reservation with fixed dates
The reservation of the hotel for the dates of your stay in a country (required only for tourist visa)
Reference from your Russian bride’s work
The travel checks. The amount of the travel checks is in the personal sites of the foreign Embassies.

The links to the sites of the Embassies of Shengen countries:

Austrian Embassy in Moscow: www.austria.ru

Belgium Embassy in Moscow: www.belgium.ru

German Embassy in Moscow: www.deutschebotschaft-moskau.ru

Dutch Embassy in Moscow: www.netherlands-embassy.ru/

Greek Embassy in Moscow: www.hellas.ru

Danish Embassy in Moscow: www.danishembassy.ru

Island’s Embassy in Moscow: www.islandia.ru

Spanish Embassy in Moscow: www.ispania.aha.ru

Italian Embassy in Moscow: www.ambmosca.ru

Norwegian Embassy in Moscow: www.norvegia.ru/

Portuguese Embassy in Moscow: www.portugal.ru

Finnish Embassy in Moscow: www.finemb-moscow.ru

French Embassy in Moscow: www.ambafrance.ru

Swedish Embassy in Moscow: www.sweden.ru/rus/index.htm

Paul Holmes · Lounge Wizard Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 1011

Application order for fiancée (fiancé) visa K1

According to the immigration law of the USA, petition I-129F for the fiancée visa can be forwarded and approved in the USA only. Only American citizen has a right to forward a petition I-129F. Petition is forwarded to the department of immigration service of the USA at the place of actual or supposed residence of the petition forwarder. You can get the information about the order of forwarding a petition and required documents, which should be attached to this petition, on the Internet site of the immigration service: www.immigration.gov. You can get Form I-129F in any department of immigration service in the USA. Approved form I-129F is sent to the embassy of the USA, representative office in Moscow, where the interview with the applicant will take place. And the petition forwarder will be informed of the petition approval. Interview with the applicant is appointed after the administrative processing of the received documents is finished. This is an obligatory procedure, which can not be declined. An applicant receives the notice of the date of the interview by post. Necessary information about the preparation for the interview is send to the address of the applicant along with the invitation. You can get the information about a specified date of the interview on-line. You can also get this information from the enquiry service for visa issues.

List of the documents presenting in the interview when applying for fiancée (fiancé) visa

1. Valid foreign passport.

2. Original Birth certificate.

3. Certificate of the absence of conviction and records of criminal nature. All the names, surnames and dates of birth, which the applicant had ever used, should be indicated in the police certificate. The certificate should contain information about each place (region, territory, republic of Russian Federations), where the applicant was or is residing for more than 6 months, starting with the age of 16, including the period of studies. The applicant can tender the certificate from the military registration and enlistment office domiciliary over a period of army service. If the applicant was residing abroad, the certificates are required from those countries, where he had been residing for more than one year. The certificate is valid in the course of one year.

4. Original of divorce certificate, (for widows - a certificate of husband’s death)

5. The child, who is departing concurrently, must have a valid passport (or his name can be included in the passport of a parent), birth certificate and certificate of medical examination. If the child is 16 years old or older, the police certificate is required.

All above mentioned documents should be accompanied by the copies and translation into English. If originals of the documents are in Russian, notarization is not required.

6. black-and-white photographs sized 3x4cm.

7. The Documents, confirming the relations between fiancé and fiancée: photographs, on which petition forwarder and visa recipient are together, letters to each other, accounts for the telephone negotiations, plane tickets and so on.

8. Results of the physical examination in the sealed envelope.

9. Reference of the petition forwarder including information about the salary and (or) copy of tax return (form 1040) for the last year, abstract of the state of the bank account, forms "W-2" can be presented. Presentation of the Guarantor of moneyed assistance (form I-134) is not required, but desirable.

Earnest request to visa recipients not to come to the interview until all specified documents are ready. Otherwise the documents won’t be taken and the interview will be put off.

If in the course of the interview it will be turned out that the applicant is required to present additional documents, they can be left in the box 221G on the north gates of the embassy. Time for presenting the additional documents – from 14.00 till 16.00 during any workday.

Having entered the USA, owners of the visa K1 should contract a marriage with the petition forwarder within 90 days from the moment of arrival in the territory of the USA. Otherwise they have to leave the territory of the USA and return to the country of residence by the specified time. In case of the marriage, owner of the visa K1 can apply to the local department of immigration service to register the status of the resident.

Information about visa K2 for the fiancée (fiancé) child

Children of the applicant for visa K1 (under 21 year old and not married) should be declared in the petition I-129F. Child presence in the interview is obligatory. You also can apply for visa K2 after the main applicant (K1) had contracted the marriage with petition forwarder and had got a status of the resident of the USA. In this case along with the other documents you should present in the interview a notarized copy of marriage certificate of the main applicant and the petition forwarder. Visa K2 can be granted within one year from the moment of granting visa K1 to the main applicant.

If represented documents satisfy the requirements of the immigration law, each applicant gets a none migration visa into the passport. K1 and K2 visas are valid for one entry during six months period. Together with the visas the applicants get visa packs for presenting to the immigration authorities of the USA.

USA Embassy in Moscow: www.usembassy.ru

Consulate general of the Russian Embassy in Seattle: http://www.netconsul.org

Paul Holmes · Lounge Wizard Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 1011

The fiancée visa to Australia

A Russian bride who is intending to move to Australia as an Australian citizen’s partner, or that of a person permanently residing in Australia (or that of a legally qualified citizen of New Zealand) will be able to address for being granted one of the sub-rank visas as follows:

Fiancé/fiancée - sub-rank 300 (deeming to get married)

Spouse- sub-rank 309 (matrimony)

Mutual partner - sub-rank 310 (mutual dependence)

1.Visa’s fees

Visa’s fees will be paid during the applying, without being subject to reimbursement. The fees are to be paid in $20 to the Australian Embassy in Moscow. Besides, the applicants will be able to agree about the visa’s fees payable in Australia, the payment receipt being forwarded to the Embassy.

2. The terms of estimation

The applicants will have to prove their meeting Migration Provisions requirements referred to the visa’s sub-rank they deem to be granted, the detailed information whereon being stipulated in the “Migration for the Joint Residence” brochure. You can pay for (with credit card) and download the brochure from the DIMIA: www.immi.gov.au. Website . You can buy the brochure at the Australian Embassy in Moscow as well.

In pursuance to the provisions of DIMIA Behaviour Code, the migration department officers are prohibited to offer any tips on the matter of migration, or render professional estimation of the successful completion chances for the potential applications procedure to the persons deeming to apply for the visas. The person making the resolution thereon will be liable for the essential looking through the applications upon the applying only.

3. The procedure of the applying

The Australian Embassy in Moscow having changed the terms of processing the visas applications for the joint residence, the delays thereof being diminished and the applications’ processing being expedited.
If you wish to apply for joint residence visa personally, please call the Embassy 2 weeks before the assumable date of the applying in order to appoint the precise date of the latter. As for the date of the applying, call the Embassy since 9.00 a.m. till 12.30 p.m. (Monday till Friday).

The applying in person pursuant to the preliminary appointed date of the applying.

If you apply personally in accordance to the preliminary appointed date of the applying, the interview with you will be held on the day of the applying. The interview held on the day of the applying in most cases can minimize the delays over the period of the application processing.

If you wish to apply at the Australian Embassy in Moscow personally, please call the Embassy 2 weeks before the assumable date of the applying in order to appoint the precise date of the applying. As for the date of the applying call the Embassy since 9.00 a.m. till 12.30 p.m. (Monday till Friday).

Please make sure to provide all the necessary papers during the interview, the extra-details related to the former and those on the interview procedure being stipulated as follows.

Please note that in some cases upon the first conversation on the day of applying, the applicant can be offered a second interview later.

The applying in person without the preliminary appointed date of the applying.

If you wish to apply in person without the preliminary appointed date of the applying, it can be so that the Embassy won’t be able to hold the interview with you on the day of the applying. If you don’t want the interview to be held in Moscow, it can take longer top arrange the interview.

Please make sure to provide all the necessary papers during the interview, the extra-details related to the former and those on the interview procedure being stipulated as follows.

Mailing the application by post.

If you mail the application by post, the notification on the appointed date of the interview will be forwarded to you by post.

If the application mailed by post has not been provided with all the necessary papers, you should have those during the interview, the extra details on the interview procedure and those on the necessary papers being stipulated below.

The general information on the applications proceeding.
On the day of the application being handed, the Embassy along with the fee payment receipt will issue the case, wherein Your application and other information/ correspondence received over the period of Your application processing are kept. Besides, the Embassy will mail You a letter, proving the fact of Your application receipt, provided with:

the case №

the name and contact phone number of the officer engaged in Your application processing

the necessary extra documentation, or information

the normal terms of the applications processing, moreover

. (in the case no date of you applying having been appointed, or Your application having been forwarded by post) the time, date and location of the interview in person with migration department officer to be held. In case the interview would to be held outside Moscow, the tentative terms of the interview being intimated only.

Please note that in case of the application being mailed by post, the letter acknowledging the fact of Your application receipt will be forwarded to you during 7 days.

Documentation
Pursuant to the Migration Law (1958), the resolution on You application will be adopted any time based on the papers provided by You without any additional consultation with You. Related to that, it’s extremely important to provide all the acknowledging and attendant documentation by the day of the applying. Otherwise delays of your application processing, or the reject of your applying for the visa can occur. You should apply for the joint residence visa for moving to Australia in case of your having got completely prepared , and being convinced about Your meeting the legal requirements, thereto only.

The documents handed in person mailed by post, or by fax won’t be enclosed to your application before your applying. You are kindly requested to provide all the information referred to your application for visa to be issued along with the very application. Should you be asked by the Embassy to provide some extra-information, please make sure such papers to have Your name, date of birth, passport data in writing, and a register N of Your application as well. Over the period of Your application’s processing, the data provided by You in conformity to the pointed requirements to be met, will be considered available only.

You have to provide the notarized copies of the original documents (the non-notarized copies will be rejected) . The solely original copy of the document to be provided, is a criminal free reference, the verified/notarized copies whereof being rejected. Please note that original copy of the reference won’t be returned.

All the documents in the languages other than English will have to be provided with the translation to English, having been verified by a professional interpreter, or notarized. Should the original copies of the documents be kept in Australia, you will have to provide the copies thereof verified by a commissioner, by an application verifying commissar, or by any other person authorized to verify formal applications. The copies of original documents kept outside Australia will have to notarized, or verified by the person authorized thereto.

THE LIST OF NECESSARY DOCUMENTS

The following documents will have to be enclosed to the application.

. 47SP Application form properly filled in, provided with date and signed by You, all the questions whereof having to be answered.
. 40SP Application form properly filled in, provided with date and signed by Your partner, all the questions whereof having to be answered.
photo copies of all the international passports pages of all persons, declared in the application (for countries that do not verify passports, non-verified copies being accepted
photo copies of all the international passports pages of Your sponsor (for countries that do not verify passports, non-verified copies being accepted
visa’s fee paid in USD cash, or the receipt testifying visa’s fee having been paid in the Immigration Department of Australia
4 new passport photos – and those of all Your family members declared in You application (Your partner will have to provide 2 new passport photos)
notarized birth certificates copies, those of marriage and divorce certificates of all persons, declared in the application, including the translation to English where available
Application on the intentions to get married, if you apply to sub-rank 300 (deeming to get married). It’s a formal document to be signed by the person who will serve the wedding ceremony in Australia, wherein the names of newly married and the date of the assumable matrimony will have to be included.

The police background check statements for all the persons at the age of 16 and older , declared in the application. You will have to provide the references like these from all the countries you have lived in for 12 month and more (in total in that number) during the period of the latest 10 years. You are kindly requested to provide the original documents, verified police statements copies whereof being rejected.

*80 Form for all persons at the age of 18 and older declared in the application. You have to properly fill in and sign the 80, Private Qualities to Estimate Personality, which you can print out from the DIMIA: www.immi.gov.au. Web-site

Documents testifying your true and long-lasting relationship with your partner as follows:

Your sponsor passport’s pages copies including entry and departure visas for their visiting your native country
Wedding (or any other) pictures of your sponsor and you together
Documents testifying your contacts with your sponsor since your first encounter
(e.g. letters stuffed in envelopes they have been sent in, phone bills, etc)

Any extra-documents testifying your relationship; financial, housekeeping, social and obligatory aspects wherein being included.

Application including a detailed description of the way, place and time You met Your sponsor
Formal application of your sponsor including a description of the way, place and time Your sponsor met You, of your relationship’s progress, of the period you decided to get married, and that of any other circumstances related to Your relationship.
Documents proving the fact of your partner’s being a citizen of Australia, or a legally qualified citizen of New Zealand (e.g. an Australian citizenship certificate, or a passport pages copies including personal data, permanent visa, or any remarks on entry to/ departure from Australia)
Documents proving the fact of Your partner’s being able to accomplish their obligations (see Form 40 – part 1) (e.g. the latest income tax statement, the receipts pointing their current salary amount, document proving the fact of possessing large property, extracts from banking and other accounts, the information on the property, or cars being in their ownership, etc)
Warranty of support
Should Your sponsor fail to have a full-day permanent job, or used to receive social provision allowances during the latest 2 years, you are requested to provide the warranty of support . You have to properly fill in and sign the 28A, Form ,
The Discretion Warranty of Support, being available to printing out from DIMIA, www.immi.gov.au. Web-site/ Besides you’ll have to provide necessary information of confirmation stipulated in that Form.
For children under the age of 18, if one parent is unavailable in the application:
-notarized birth certificate including the names of both parents
notarized permission of the parent unavailable in the application for moving
passport pages copies including personal data of the parent unavailable in the application, or other signed documents verifying the person
Should you fail to get the permission of the parent remaining in their native land,
You will have to provide trustee papers for all the children under 18, declared in Your application. There should be a resolution the court stating that the other parent would be divested to exercise their parent’ s powers, or that stating that you are the sole parent
Should you apply as one of the mutually dependent partners? Your formal application and that of Your partner including the digest of the story of your relationship, and not less than 2 applications of the persons, knowing for sure about you relationship, to confirmation of reality and that of duration of your relationship
If you have worked/served for the Armed Forces (including national ones) the copies of service records
Should you like to nominate a definite person to accomplish any acts an to receive messages in the name of yours , please fill in the Form 956, one person will have to be nominated to contact us only
You can provide any other documents being significant in your opinion
Please note our incapacity to store a large amount of correspondence, pictures, and other documentation and to play video records back (except special inquiries on our counterpart)/ You can bring the papers to the interview to be looked through by our officers.
Interviews
In the process of the applications estimation any persons having applied for a spouse, groom/ fiancée visa, or for that a mutually dependent partner will hold an interview in person with a migration department officer. The interviews are held in Russian or in English at Your choice. If you wish Your interview to be held in the language other than English, please notify us thereon in writing during the applying

Objective The objective of the Interview is to obtain information, which may happen to be essential for us to estimate Your application. The Interview will last around 1 hour, although in some cases, depending on particular circumstances, it can take some more time. You can be asked personal questions, although the sole goal of such questions would be obtaining the information permitting to determine, if you meet the criteria, ranked for the visa You’re applying for. We won’t mean to be rude, orb impolite.

Depending on your circumstances we can also ask you some questions in English, should you mention about your association with your sponsor in English. You’ll have to bring evidences of your relationship with your sponsor. As a rule, the officer holding the interview would mark the availability of such evidences and give you those back to you over the duration of the interview. In some cases we can ask to keep such evidences for awhile. Please note that our time to study such evidences during the interview is restricted, so the officer conducting the interview can look through a portion of the evidences provided by you. Please note that when looking through your application we have to take into consideration all the information about your sponsor and you, available at the department, including the information provided in connection with the previous application for the visa’s issue

Time You will be assumed to come for being interviewed on the appointed day. With the exception of some special circumstances, the interviews as a rule are not reserved to another day. The final solution on your application is not adopted during your interview. Please check up your home address and phone number provided in your application for correctness so as we could easily get in touch with you

Place The interviews are regularly held in Moscow. Besides, around once per 3 months the representatives of Visas and Migration department travel to hold the interviews to Kiev and Yekaterinburg . The applicants wishing to pass the interview in one of those cities will be notified.

On the date and time of the interview about 2-4 weeks before the interview being held. Occasionally the representatives of Visas and migrations can hold the interviews in other cities. Under the availability of such opportunity the applicants will be notified thereon. In some cases the sponsors can also be invited to the interview. The solution on the necessity of the interview is adopted depending on the circumstances in any particular case, although not any sponsors can be invited. If necessary the officers of the Embassy will contact the sponsor. If the sponsors are in Australia, the interview can be held over the phone. Should the circumstances related to Your application have changed after the interview, you will have to notify the officers of the department thereon. If you want to provide any other essential information to confirm you application, please do that in writing.

Medical Requirements
You can pass through the medical examination just upon having applied, or pursuant to the invitation of our department. It’s up to you to decide if you pass the medicals before our officers get in touch with you. Having passed the medical examination in advance you will be able to cut the total period of your case processing short, thanks to the earlier outcome thereof. At the same time you can pay for the medical examination, whereupon your application can be proved rejected due to some other reasons. Please note that our department is not responsible for the expenses incurred in you due to the medical examinations. Also mind that medical examinations outcome has a restricted validity. Normally they are valid for 12 month since the date of the examination. In some cases, depending on the health condition of the applicant those are valid during 6 months only. The terms of processing of your application being insecure, in insignificant amount of cases the terms o validity of the medical examinations can expire by the time of adopting the final solution ion the application. Hence we solicit you to thoroughly analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the both options above. Independently on the time of your passing the examinations, you’ll have to pay for holding those for any member of the family declared by you in the application, Independently on the fact if they are moving together with you. Any member of the family above 11 will also be liable to have a thorax roentgenoscopy (X-Ray shot of breast) taken.

On time the Embassy will offer you the necessary forms and make comments on the procedure of the above exams. The medical and roentgenoscopy examinations are held by skilled medical experts and roentgenologists , nominated by the Migration and International Relations Department. Upon the necessary medical examination having been held, the physician will tell the results thereof right away to our department, whereupon we are forwarding those to be processed by Health Appraisal Service (HAS). Please note that HAS response can come to the Embassy in 4, or 5 weeks.

8.The procedure and terms of processing of the applications

The ordinary term of processing the applications determined by the government of Australia to issue 300, 309 and 310 sub-rank visa is equal to 6 months.

Please don’t disturb the Embassy officials with your requests to expedite your application’s processing during the standard term of 6 months. The questions like the distract the staff of the Embassy from their work and can result in delays of the processing of the applications, including yours.

Please particularly note: we have no chance to answer the questions connected with the applications being processed in pursuance to the standard terms. Due to the great amount of requests to speed-up the processing of the applications received by Visas and Immigration Department; actually it’s impossible to do so. Planning your departure from the country you should have standard terms for processing visa applications in mind. You have to remember that visa applications processing standard terms are grown average. Some of the applications can be processed quicker, the other, more complicated cases, will take some more time. Due to legal reasons any notifications related to the solutions on visas are forwarded to the applicants with registered correspondence. Should you indicate the address of your sponsor as that of the addressee for eth correspondence, we’ll forward the letter notifying on the solution adopted at that address. Along with the visa issue notification, the general information on the procedure of leaving for Australia will be provided. Under the rejection of the application for the visa issue, the applicants are intimated thereon by special letter indicating the reasons, pursuant whereto the application has been rejected, and providing the information on the possibilities to revise that resolution.

9. Application for home stay visa

Some applicants for immigration visa also apply for home stay visa.

Australian program for visiting the country should facilitate the development of tourism and encourage guests’ entry, including whole families, which are intend to meet the conditions, provided by the appropriate home stay visa.

Criterion for home stay visa issue is the circumstance, that “applicant will prove clearly that his intention to visit Australia only is true”. As a rule, persons, having a valid application for immigration, are not able to convince a person who makes decisions that they are going just to visit Australia and not to use home stay visa as a mean, making the entry to Australia available, to stay there for permanent residence.

Besides, criterion 4011 of the Appendix 4 applies to persons, applying for a home stay visa, who filed an application for moving to a permanent residence in a period of 5 years, preceding the filing of Application that is under consideration. This criterion is known also as a “risk factor” criterion.

Making a conclusion regarding the intention to make a motivated trip, officers while deciding the issue about the degrees of risk, which represents a person applying for a home stay visa, should act according to the local experience. As issued here it is necessary to take into consideration the frequency of breaking terms of residence stipulated in visa, the number of cases, when persons, obtaining a home stay visa, being in Australia already were trying to obtain the permission for more long-termed temporary or permanent residence, as well as the local conditions, which can cause an increased risk of non-compliance with the terms of a home stay visa.

Visa can be issued if a person, who makes a decision, considers that the applicant satisfies the criterion for issuing a home stay visa. If there are any apprehensions regarding the probability of filing an application for permanent residence being in Australia already, provisions “on rejection of further residence” (8503) can be used.

Australian Embassy in Moscow: www.australianembassy.ru

Russian Embassy in Australia: http://www.sydneyrussianconsulate.com

Paul Holmes · Lounge Wizard Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 1011

The fiancée visa to England

Before delivering your application to the Embassy, you have to collect the following documents:

- A valid passport, with the validity period not less than 6 months, and with enough space to paste the visa;

- Complete and signed form VAF2;

- 2 passport sized photographs (color, on white background, matted, 3,5x4,5);

- Appropriate visa fee in rubles;

- Documents, confirming availability of funds, that is recent abstracts of bank account, salary receipts or tax documents with tax inspector’s seal, showing, that you or your sponsor can afford to pay a trip, and that there is enough money to pay the residence and expenses while staying in Great Britain for both you and your dependents (you should take into consideration that following documents do not confirm the availability of funds: car, land or real estate papers, currency exchange receipts, cash);

- Documents from your present place of work or study (if you study/work);

- Your old foreign passport(s) (if any);

In addition to stated above, to get the visas of underwritten categories the following documents are required:

PERMANENT RESIDENCE AS A FIANCE/FIANCEE OR A HUSBAND/WIFE:

Your birth certificate, also birth certificates of your sponsor and children, who are going to accompany you;

A Marriage certificate, original (if you apply the documents for husband/wife visa);

Documents, confirming that sponsor is a permanent resident of the United Kingdom, i.e. copy of his passport or registration certificate;

Divorce certificates or certificates of husband’s or wife’s death, if you or sponsor had been married before;

Abstracts of your sponsor’s bank account for the last six months;

Letter from your sponsor’s employer, confirming his employment;

Recent salary receipts of your sponsor;

Documents for living space, where you are going to live, for instance, documents for deferred payment purchase of real estate, ownership certificate, contract of tenancy;

Confirmation of your relationships, i.e. letters, e-mails, detailed printouts of telephone counts, photographs, visas/stamps in the passport, showing that you visited each other or traveled together;

What are the rules to emigrate to the fiancé/fiancée in the United Kingdom?

You should prove that:

you are going to get married during the reasonable period of time (usually in a six months period)

you are going to cohabit after the wedding

you were meeting each other

you have a place for residence, where you and your dependents will be able to live before wedding, without applying for the help of public funds

you are able to provide the residence both for you and your dependents without working in the United Kingdom or having a recourse to public funds.

You will obtain the certificate of residence in the United Kingdom for 6 months, without work permission. After the marriage you can apply for a prolonging a visa for 2 year as a spouse/spouses and, if the application is successful, you will be permitted to work. Closer to the end of this term you will be able to apply for the certificate of permanent residence in the United Kingdom.

IF YOU BRING TO THE EMBASSY ORIGINALS OF THE DOCUMENTS, PLEASE, DO COPIES OF THESE DOCUMENTS, SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THEM IN OUR ARCHIVE. THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO RETURN YOU THE ORIGINALS, IF YOU NEED THEM. IN THIS CASE, PLEASE, REMEMBER TO ASK FOR ORIGINALS BEING RETURN, WHEN YOU DELIVER THE DOCUMENTS TO THE EMBASSY.

Great Britain Embassy in Moscow: www.britemb.msk.ru

Russian Embassy in Great Britain: http://www.great-britain.mid.ru

Paul Holmes · Lounge Wizard Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 1011

The fiancée visa to Germany

For the getting the fiancée visa to Germany if your purpose is to get married or/and to reunion with your spouse the permission from the competent department who deals with the foreigners’ affairs in Germany is required. It means that the person has to wait for this permission sometimes from several weeks till several months. So that’s why you should apply for the visa beforehand. You will need the following list of documents.

If you are intended to get married in Germany:

Three copies of the questionnaire to apply for the visa which must be filled in German with the genuine sign of the person. Three passport size photos (4x5) are attached. You can download, print and fill in the questionnaire from our site.

You international passport and 2 photocopies of the first page, and the copies of your internal (the pages where the current residence is showed).

The visa fee in Russian currency. It can be changed depending on the exchange rate of a ruble to euro.

The confirmation of a German agency of the civil statutes’ acts on the presence of all the necessary documents. In case if you don’t have such a confirmation you will have to present the invitation letter from your future spouse in which he/she states that he/she will cover all the expenses while your stay in Germany including the medical insurance ( the statement on the taking of all the obligation according the Law about foreigners (the paragraphs 82-84) or to enter into a contract with the insurance company, the notarized birth certificate with the apostil on it and the certificate of your marital status or a special sign in your international passport that testifies that you are not married, it must be notarized and translated into German as well. The documents must be in the original and two copies of each document must be attached.

If you are married already and want to move to your spouse to Germany (the family reunion).

Three application forms filled in German with attached passport size photos (4x5). You can download and print the application form out here.

Your international passport and 2 copies of the first page and the internal passport with the current residence.

The visa fee in Russian currency. It may change depending on the exchange rate of a ruble to euro.

Your marriage certificate with the apostil on it and the notarized translation and two copies of this document.

If you are planning to take your children who were born in a previous marriage of a Russian spouse:

Three application forms filled in German with attached passport size photos (4x5).

Your birth certificate with the apostil on it and the notarized translation into German and two copies of this document.

The resolution of the Russian bodies on the transferring the parent’s rights with the apostil on it and the notarized translation into German.

If you don’t have it you have to represent the notarized permission of a father (mother) for the moving to Germany and two copies of this document.

Apostil should be stamped on the original of Russian document.

If you don’t know which department affirms the identity of the document in the form of apostil, you should address the department, which gave you the document.

You should present all the documents in origin, and also 2 copies of each of them.

Pay attention:

As a rule, the presence of the mentioned documents is enough. But in some cases the questions appear, and additional documents must be needed to solve it.

If the person points the wrong data, presents false documents, and also false information, he can be forbidden to go to Germany (and even to other countries of Shenghen area).

Your passport should be signed, its period of validity must be minimum 3 months more than the period of validity of the Visa.

If some suspicious things will be fount on German frontier or German frontier guards will have some powerful information, then they will be able to forbid you to go to German, in spite of you having valid visa.

Visa which you will get won’t be Shenghen one, it is national German visa. To get your visa you must have agreement from the competent department on foreigners’ affairs by your expected place of staying in German. That’s why the references about the periods of passing of your documents are not possible, in some cases the process can be expanded on several months. As far as Embassy will get the agreement from the foreigners’ affairs department, it will inform you in written about it. If after 6 weeks after you gave the petition you won’t get written notice, you will be able to know about your situation on the phone.

As it was mentioned, your visa isn’t Shenghen, you can’t go to another government of Shenghen group (Austria, countries Benelux , Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxemburg), Greece, Dania, Spain, Italy, Norwegian, Portugal, Finland, France, Sweden) with this visa. You must register in the Foreigners’ Affairs Department by your place of stay straight after your arrival at the territory of Germany. And this department will stamp the notice of your stay in your passport. With this notice you may visit other countries of Shenghen area.

When you get ready visa, check up the correctness of the data, pointing there.

Check up the correctness of the period of validity of visa, the number of days staying in Germany, the purpose of your visiting and the circumstances, connecting with it. Check up if there is a note about the children, traveling with you, in your visa; if they have their own visa. German Embassy doesn’t take the consequences, if non-full or wrong data, written in visa, will lead to the disruption/delay of your trip or to the problems, connected with giving of the permission for staying in Germany.

Apostils and legalization (assurance/attestation) of the documents.

German documents are considered to be available in Russia only in the case if they are “legalized”. It means that special affirmation of their identity is needed. This affirmation/attestation is made in the form of apostil.

Accordingly, the same rules act in respect of confession of Russian documents in Germany.

The attesting by means of apostil is based on the Hague agreement from 5.10.1961 on the liberation of the foreign official documents from legalization, which came into force on 13.02.1966 for Germany and on 31.05.1992 for Russia.

To get apostil you need, first of all, to find the coincident department, which has the right to make apostils. It is easier to learn about it in the place where the document for notarizing was given. In other case you should go by the following list of sharing competences. Pay attention to the fact that Embassies and General Consulates don’t apostil the documents. You should also pay attention to the fact that the document, which must be notarized with apostil, must be also translated. You can find the instructions and recommendations how to act.

German documents.

The following departments are authorized to notarize the documents with apostil:

Federal administrative department in Koln – the documents, given by all federal departments and federal courts.

The president of German Patent Department in Munhen – the documents, given by the Federal Patent Court and by German Patent Department.

The Agrarian Ministries (or, accordingly, senators) of Justice and the chairmen of Agrarian and Local Courts – the documents, given by the organs of justice management, by the Civil and Criminal Court and by the notaries.

The Agrarian Ministries (or, accordingly, senators) of the Department of the interior and the chiefs of administrative counties (or, accordingly, of the governing counties) – the documents, given by all the Management Organs or by the departments, except Justice Organs.

Agrarian Ministries (or, accordingly, senators) of the Department of Interior, the chiefs of administrative counties (or, accordingly, of the governing counties), the Ministries (or, accordingly, senators) of Justice and the chairmen of agrarian and local – the documents, given by other courts, except the ones mentioned before (for example, by the Administrative, Labor, Social and other Courts).

The department is defined by the place of the documents issue.

Translation of German documents.

However, German documents should be also translated in Russian. 2 opportunities are possible for it:

It is easier to make the translation in Russian Federation. But Russian interpreters and notaries will translate only in the case when the original will be notarized by apostil.

If the translation is made in Germany, then the propriety of translation should be notarized officially and ratified by apostil.

Russian documents

The following department and organizations have right to notarize the documents with apostil in Russia.

The Ministry of Justice of Russian Federation deals with the documents, given by the organizations and the constitutions, directly depending on the Ministry of Justice, and stamp them with apostil.

The Ministries of Justice of republics, being the parts of Russian Federation, the organs of Justice of regions, countries, autonomies, and also cities Moscow and St. Petersburg apostil the documents, given by the organizations and constitutions of justice, directly depending on them, and also by republics, edges, areas, regions, cities, and on the copies of other documents, which were notarized there.

The registries of the republics, being parts of Russian Federation, the registries of edge, area and region centers, of Moscow and St. Petersburg cities apostil the documents, given by these registries or the organizations, depending on them.

The department of documents and references of Archive Federal Russian Service (Russian archive) apostil the documents, given by central state Russian archives.

The archive organs of autonomies archive departments of edges and areas apostil the documents, given archives, depending on them.

The Administration of General Prosecutor’s office of Russian Federation apostil the documents, given by the organs of State General Prosecution.

German Embassy in Moscow: http://www.deutschebotschaft-moskau.ru

Russian Embassy in Germany: http://www.russische-botschaft.de

Rustralian · Just Starting Joined: 10 Oct 2006 Posts: 1

Hi Bish,

I got engaged in Russia earlier this year, but I did not do it the exact same way as you propose to do it Smile

I asked my girlfriend to marry me and after she said yes we went to see her parents in Izhevsk (she is an only child) to tell her parents that I wanted to marry her and that we wanted their blessing - which they readily gave, as we had met before a couple of times and they loved me Cool

As far as information about me, they knew what I did and where I was from and they knew things about me already, but we never went into details such as financial status as they left that to the daughter to decide about me (I live in Moscow with her anyway and we did not leave to live overseas - although we travel a lot). As for a ring, I gave my fiancee (now wife) a solitaire diamond engagement ring, that I had made in Australia for me by an Italian friend who is a jeweller. Cost wise, to have one made in Moscow or Australia would be very comparative. Both countries have good gold and good diamonds and good jewellers. The hardest part about having things like that done here is the language barrier - if you go to English speaking people they will charge you a premium as a rule, and if you use a local Russian person, you need to have a good translator to get across what you want - but do not let that dissuade you, they have very good craftsmen in Moscow and if your girlfriend has good English and Russian then there is no reason not to use someone local that she can help you find. Value of ring, that is up to you and what you can afford, bearing in mind that gold and diamonds are always a good long term investment - I spent about $4,000 AUD on the engagement ring and also had a wedding band made that matched it. We also visited the diamond factory Lapa in Prague and I bought another $10,000 AUD worth of diamonds as well for a bacelet for her - but that is an investment she rarely wears (although it looked good with her wedding dress on our wedding day) and it spends most of its time in the safety deposit box. I expect that things will be similar as for Canada and Moscow as Australia and Moscow.

Clothes - again, Moscow is not cheap for clothes at all. Things here are quite expensive, especially for designer label stuff - it is a capital city with some of the worlds highest commercial rents. You can buy good value clothes in the markets, but again you will need your girlfriend to help out there and plenty of the shops do have good sales these days, but I doubt that you will find any great difference between here and Canada. We have a friend that lives in Canada with her husband (she is from Izhevsk as well) and although when she was here she bought clothes, that was because she is female and has to buy clothes wherever she goes. Fashion here though is good, especially for females - but for a guy, we can get the same stuff anywhere in the world and I buy all my stuff on my trips to Australia or KL. I have it made in KL as it is much cheaper than Moscow for tailoring and I buy off the rack in Australia from the same shop I have have used for 15 years and it is much cheaper (about 30% - 50%) than the same labels in Moscow.

The things that you propose to bring should all be fine, I have never gone through customs in Russia and I have flown in and out about 30 times in the past 2 years alone. I bring in vegemite, biscuits, chocolates, malt whisky, red wine and no-one has ever asked a thing, mind you, I don't abuse the limits either and bring in personal use or gifts only.

Hope that helps.

Rustralian