A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed

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“A friend in need is a friend indeed,” is a very popular proverb among Russians. Friendship as a value means much in the Russian culture. If you are looking for serious relationship with a Russian lady, you should be aware of the cultural difference in the perception of friendship by people living in Russia and in the USA.

American people are often surprised by depth of relationships customary in Russia. Russian people have no secrets from their close friends. They openly share with them their joys and sorrows. For a man, a male friend is like a brother, a person the man can confide in. For a Russian woman, a female friend is the person with whom she can discuss things that cannot be shared with her husband or mother. Closest friends substitute shrinks, so to say. There are even notions of women’s and men’s solidarity in the Russian culture, when men or women feel the need to help or support people belonging to the same gender when they find themselves in a predicament. In short, both genders perceive friendship as a bastion against the outer world.

The communities of Russian immigrants maintain this spirit of friendship and the habit of relying on each other. As in Russia, friends are expected to be of help while facing different life challenges, such as overcoming bureaucratic barriers, finding a job, making repairs, borrowing money, etc. Few Americans are open for such relationships, because they require a lot of patience and understanding.

That is why your Russian bride can find close friends among other Russian women who have married Americans and come to the States with their husbands. There are both positive and negative outcomes of her joining the Russian immigrants’ community. On the one hand, your bride will feel thoroughly equipped with knowledge and better adjusted to her new life in the USA. On the other hand, she might start comparing you with her new friends’ husbands and your lifestyle with theirs. As you might have guessed, it is natural for Russian women to discuss in detail such issues as their income, or personal relationships. So be prepared to accept this part of Russian culture too if you want to help your sweetheart successfully adjust to her new life in the American society.

Marrying a Russian Woman: Official Matters

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American gentlemen are sometimes really scared of facing all the administrative issues and visa hassle which happen during the process of marrying a Russian bride. Relax and say good-buy to your fears! After a while you will remember your wedding arrangements and the dismay related to them with a knowing smile.

First and foremost, you should learn everything about the special non-immigrant visa, which is called "K1-fiancée visa." Once your Russian bride gets her K1-fiancée visa approved, you need to get married in the States during 90 days since then. Otherwise, she will have to return to her country. Remember also that as soon as you have registered your relationship by marriage in the USA, you will need to prove that you live together as a family.

As an inviting party and a future husband, you will have to submit a Petition for Alien Fiancé (Form I-129F) to get the initial K1-fiancée visa. The petition aims to bring your fiancée and her children to the US.

Also find out all the information concerning K-3 visa, which suites spouses of U.S. citizens who are staying abroad waiting for an immigrant visa, and K-4 visa for unmarried children under age of 21, of K-3 visa applicants.

K-3 and K-4 visa holders are permitted to get employed in the USA by obtaining an Employment Authorization Document, so your new family members will be able to adjust to their new lives in America.

It may look scary but actually the logic of the process is pretty simple. All you have to do is to carefully fill in every document. If you are too busy, apply to the agencies specializing on these issues. You can also hire a lawyer who will see to your visa processing and will update you regularly. Attorneys’ services are costly, but they will save you time and nerves.

A Few Tips Concerning Your First Date with a Russian Woman

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The first date can play a significant role in the further development of your relationship with your partner. So the better you get prepared to it, the more chances you have in making it work.

It is customary in Russia to buy flowers for a woman on the first date. It can be just a nice small bouquet, a pleasant sign of attention from you. Going to the first date, you and your lady might feel uncomfortable, so giving her the flowers can be of great help in establishing the initial contact.

Make a compliment to her, because she will certainly look gorgeous on her first date with you. Try to imagine how much time your lady might have spent in front of the mirror at home or in a beauty parlor to look her best. Put yourself in her shoes. Now think what would happen if you come to your first date dressed casually. She might feel that you do not care for this first date as much as she does. It will be wiser to create a favourable first impression by paying attention to what you are going to wear and looking elegant to match your partner. Remember that there is a Russian saying that explains this approach, “Greet him according to his clothes, take leave according to what he knows.”

It can surprise you if your lady refused ordering a big meal when you go to a café or a restaurant together. Do not get offended, because it does not mean she wanted to be rude or impolite. She might feel uncomfortable or nervous, or she just does not want to eat.

If you know that your Russian lady does not speak and understand English well, consider asking an interpreter to join you on your first date. It might be really helpful in establishing understanding between you and your potential fiancé. In addition, with the interpreter’s help you can tell jokes and make her laugh. Having an interpreter might also help you demonstrate how serious you feel about developing further relationship with your lady.

Your First Meeting with a Russian Woman

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It is very important to get prepared to your first meeting with your lady. First of all, find out as much as you can about her preferences. Take care about the first impression you will make on her, and get dressed appropriately and neatly before the meeting. It will be great if you buy nice flowers for her, except for yellow roses which are considered bad luck.

If you do care for her, your behaviour should demonstrate it. Give her time to get accustomed to you, especially if she has never met a foreigner before. Treat her and other people with respect. Do not try to find out if she wants to marry you when you meet her for the first time.

Even if you hire an interpreter, avoid relying on him or her all the time. Do your best to establish effective communication with your lady without the interpreter’s assistance.

If she wants you to meet with her family, it is a chance for you to get to know your fiancé much better. Paying a visit to her family will show your respect for the Russian culture and prove the seriousness of your intentions. Again, think about the first impression you will make on her parents and other relatives. Dress appropriately. If you are offered alcohol, it is better to accept and drink just a little. The same concerns the food prepared by the mother. Usually Russians are very hospitable hosts, so when they invite you to their homes, a real feast is coming.

Some Striking Differences between Russian and American Women

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Russian ladies are perfectly aware of their femininity. They have learnt and developed the womanly side of their personalities since early childhood. A Russian woman would not be afraid to be tender or show her weakness, because all of it is a natural manifestation of the way she feels and acts.

Due to the widespread feminist movement, American ladies tend to reject some womanly traits in their personalities. They know that they have the same rights as men and prove it by getting rid of weaknesses and traits considered womanish. For example, an average American woman would not apply make-up or dress up to work. It is common to dress very casually in the States, and in the way which would seem absolutely tasteless to an average Russian lady. Though it is obvious that there can be a nice person hiding behind this “armor” of hanging jeans and an outstretched T-shirt above a football jersey, it would be really hard for a Russian lady to get used to such kind of fashion.

Russian women use cosmetics daily and wear stylish dresses to work. Most of them are fit and know how to emphasize the advantages of their figure with the help of clothes. But the femininity does not prevent them from being intelligent, well-educated and strong in character, and firm of purpose. The majority of them work hard to provide for their families equally with men. Their dedication to their loved ones is something amazing and worth mentioning here. Russian women are family-focused: they make loyal wives and wonderful mothers. And usually they are great cooks and cordial hostesses.

How to Figure Out Russian Scam brides?

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These are the potential first signs of scammers:

· The contents of the messages you get from your girlfriend are bird’s-eye;

· She avoids your questions about her personal life;

· You are asked to pay money for many things; and

· Big age difference among you.

You can protect yourself from scammers using the following methods:

1. Refuse to send money to strangers. Many scammers ask men to transfer money for their girlfriends’ visits to their country. In case you want her to visit you, buy the ticket for her instead and send it by mail.

2. Professional pictures of your girlfriend that were made in a studio may be false. Request several ordinary photos of your fiancé to have a better idea of her looks and surroundings.

3. Observe the reaction of your girlfriend when you request some personal information, such as postal address, telephone number, and so on.

If she starts asking for presents, it is a chance for you to figure out whether she is the person she claims to be. Find a delivery service that will bring her flowers or gifts on your behalf with the request to confirm her picture upon the delivery. At least, you will be able to confirm that your lady looks the same as on your pictures and that her postal address and telephone numbers are real.

4. Finally, if you are still serious about marring this girl and going to meet your beautiful bride in Russia, tell her you want to meet with her family too and see her reaction.

Most of the Russian girls registering with the online matchmaking agencies are real. They do want to find decent partners to create strong families with. Putting your efforts into the process of looking for your Russian bride can be rewarding. Once you meet in person the nicest Russian woman eager to marry you and build a happy family you, the risk-taking will pay off.

Carefully Consider the Service of Email Forwarding and Translation

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The majority of matchmaking agencies in the Internet provide the services of forwarding and translating your emails for your Russian ladies. When you send an email in English or another language addressed to your girlfriend to the website, the letter is forwarded to an affiliated Russian marriage agency. The specialists also translate your email into Russian in case you ask for this service. The translated version of your letter is then sent together with the original to your girlfriend’s postal address.

As far as the regular postal services are concerned, do request the local marriage agency to mail all your correspondence registered. See to it, because if your letters are not registered, some of them can be lost. If you pay for this service and want to ensure that it works, ask your lady if the letters she gets from you are sent by registered mail. Sometimes Western men found out that the local agencies just pocketed the extra money for the requested mail registration and sent the correspondence by the ordinary mail. A reputable agency would never do anything like that.

Be very careful to avoid such situations and choose well-proven matchmaking services. When you do like a Russian woman you are communicating with, do not think that she had withdrawn or lost interest in you if she stopped writing you back. Maybe she just did not receive your letters. You have to be patient. Send your letters to her once again and make sure that she gets them. If she does not answer you after a while, then you can assume that she has changed her mind.

Some Interesting Facts You Should Know

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Do you know that percentage of scammers in Russian matchmaking agencies is inappreciable in comparison with the huge number of honest candidates who hope to find their true love and fulfilling relationships? But how can you tell who is who?

Here is a piece of advice for you that might work out.

The pictures of your Russian bride can help you check the lady’s identity. Register with an agency that provides delivery services. Send flowers or some presents to the candidate you like with the request of her photo confirmation. Scammers prefer to be anonymous, they just abhor it. In addition, the scams actors can be men, not women. At least, you will be able to confirm that your lady looks the same as on your pictures and that her postal address and telephone numbers are real.

Putting your efforts into the process of looking for your Russian bride can be rewarding. Once you meet in person the nicest Russian woman eager to marry you and build a happy family you, the risk-taking will pay off. 

Here is some statistics provided by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on the success rates in international marriages. According to USCIS, couples formed with the help of matchmaking agencies and Internet dating services have a lower divorce rate than other US couples. Thanks to these agencies and online communications, from 4,000 to 6,000 international couples get married annually in the USA. At least 80 percent of these marriages have lasted over the years.

What does marrying a Foreigner Mean to Russian Women?

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The majority of Russian ladies coming to the United States as brides and wives are intelligent women with good careers left behind in Russia. When they marry an American, they have to leave all what they had known in their home country: their relatives, acquaintances and cultural roots for the sake of the newly created union of two people.

The woman’s decision to follow her future husband to his country is very serious indeed. Her fiancé is the only friend she has in that country. She thinks he is the only person she can rely on, although she might not know him very well. It is ok for Russians to be dependable on their environment, by the way, which is just another reason for women’s full trust in their future husbands as their sole providers and protectors.

The greatest fear of a Russian bride moving to another country is that the man she depends on would be gone and she would have to return to Russia and start everything from scratch. Neither would she like to stay in an unknown country without any support.

Marriage is a value to a Russian woman. It is not in her plans to get rid of you once she has got her green card. And if she is unhappy in her marriage, she would not stay with you for the reason of higher living standards in your country. Country has nothing to do with it. Intimate relationship between two of you are of the greatest priority for her. You mean the world for her.

Russian Women Are Wonderful Wives

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If you are dreaming about meeting a nice lady to love and to be happy with “til death do us part,” then a Russian woman shall suite you perfectly. Dreams are material, so it is necessary for you to set your goals in the right way.

The Russian ladies you will get to know are highly educated and well-bred. They are really feminine and take good care of their looks.

Slavonic women are the most beautiful women in the world. You will see it yourself.

They look for a matching partner to create a loving family with. They could not find that perfect guy in their own country for many reasons, which are not to be discussed here.

The major thing that makes a Western man look for a Russian wife is her devotion to her husband and the family. Her marriage is the highest value for her. That is why a Russian woman will overcome all the challenges related to going to another country and leaving her old life behind when it is worth it, that is, when she does believe that she has found the right guy. It takes a lot of courage from a person to make this decision, by the way.