Question by dennis m: what are the customs house of the solvency requirements for travel from russia to usa?
i have a friend that want to visit me in the us she is in russia and says that customs wants to se a certain amount of money before she can come.how does this work and what can i do to help her?
Answers and Views:
Answer by Levi
I am not sure however if you met her over the internet be very careful. A friend of mine got fleeced out of a lot of money through scams that originated in Russia.
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Zelda says
This does not sound right at all. We have relatives and friends travelling to the US from Russia all the time. It is up to the US Embassy in Moscow, not some "customs house", unless things ahve changed in the last few months.
Basically, the only problems we have had have been with female relatives of working age. I suppose this is because they think women will travel here to get jobs or husbands. You need to send an invitation letter guaranteeing her plane ticket, her travel and living expenses within the US during her stay and medical insurance. It would be helpful if she has visited here before and gone home on time without any problems. Also, it helps if you are a US citizen or at least a green card holder. It also might be helpful if everyone else you have already invited came and went back there without problems. You should invite her for a limited period of time not exceeding 6 months.
They will interview her and she will be asked questions about her job in Russia, her assets (including an apartment) and if she has relatives there, especially children.
The money requirement is for people who are buying green cards, as far as I know. Don't fall for this ploy. Call the State Department in Washington or go to their Website to see what the current rules are.