Mikalias

My wife mother lives in Russia and we would like her to come here to visit us. I
understand you have to write an invitation to her that she has to take to the U.S.
Embassy. Does anyone know if there is an example of an invitation on the internet or
NG's. If not what information do you have to include in the invitation to make the
Embassy happy?

Mike Haefner [email protected]

Mrtravel

Mikalias wrote:
    >
    > My wife mother lives in Russia and we would like her to come here to visit us. I
    > understand you have to write an invitation to her that she has to take to the U.S.
    > Embassy. Does anyone know if there is an example of an invitation on the internet
    > or NG's. If not what information do you have to include in the invitation to make
    > the Embassy happy?

She doesn't need an invitation letter. In fact, I saw notices in the Embassy saying
this. That said, I did one at my wife's insistance indicating how long she was
staying and that I was paying her expenses. She failed in Fall 2000 in Moscow and got
one last winter in Ykaterinburg, after they started accepting them from Novisibirk
Oblask residents.

The important things is the ability to prove strong ties to Russia to show she will
not be staying in the US. Refusal is a normal thing here. My mother in law said only
2 of 14 were approved the day she went to Ykaterburg.

How to apply:

If applying for tourist visa from Russia, you must now use the express shipping
company Elf-91 (Company "Mobil-Express").

http://usembassy.state.gov/moscow/wwwhfede.html

Map of districts:

http://usembassy.state.gov/moscow/wwwhcn2.html

For Ykaterinburg:

http://www.uscgyekat.ur.ru/

Elf-91 has a surcharge of 500 rubles. The consular staff processes the visas, I don't