Sister in Moscow - should I pressure her to leave

[Anonymous]

My grandfather, who worked as a school district superintendent (but of course affiliated with the KMT), left China as the Communists were taking over and he was able to convince his parents and in-laws and all non-college aged kids and wife to leave before the border closed. He told everyone they were going on an extended vacation and would come back. Older people, especially those listening to state radio and TV, will not believe their whole world will turn upside down. Can you ask your sister to tell her in-laws they are just taking a temporary trip until the financial situation stabilizes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd let her know that you'd be willing to take in her daughter, even if it means flying to somewhere in Europe to pick her up. Even if she's not ready to leave, she might want to have the option open for her child down the road.

+1 I'd try to impress upon her that this would be my pleasure. Don't make it political, make it pragmatic. Daughter would be safe from any fallout (financial or otherwise), and could be in school in your neighborhood while SHTF in Russia. Look at it as an English study abroad. She's welcome to come too, or to stay and suffer for the Fatherland, as she sees fit.

[Anonymous]

Is there a realistic chance of the elderly parents getting a US visa? I wouldn't leave them behind either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your sister has had years to leave. It’s her choice to stay in that country. Let her be.

That faulty logic applies to Ukrainians fleeting the country. what a stupid comment PP.

Oh wow. What a moron to draw such a comparison!

See? That’s what you get for saying stupid things idiot.

You took it too far PP and you know it.

No, I don't think so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Her husband should be able to get into the US as the spouse of an American citizen.

The parents-in-law won’t be.

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure what is to debate here. OP's sister has the means to leave and does not want to. Unless you think there's something that she hasn't heard yet, I don't think there is anything to be done. It's her life to lead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You do what the other pp have said. Tell her you are worried about her and her family. Tell you you will help her leave and will help her find a place to live. But if she decides to stay the offer is always available and that you will pray for all of her family (including her husband and in-laws)

If it was my sister then I'd do this plus offer her a place for her, her husband and her kids to live. I wouldn't be excited about hosting the in laws too, but if my sister asked, I'd say yes. But we have a large house with an in law suite.

The in-laws are Russian citizens. They won’t be allowed into the US.

So much disinformation on this thread.

So, the first hurdle is that the in-laws don't want to leave. That's the biggest issue, not the visa situation.

But, insofar as the visa situation is concerned, it's not a matter of Russian nationals being barred from the US. It's that they cannot obtain a visa inside Russia right now. They would need to first travel to Warsaw and apply for a visa, and then travel onward. This assumes of course that they don't already have a visa.

As for whether Russians can leave Russia, they can and are, but most are headed to other post-Soviet states rather than Western Europe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My grandfather, who worked as a school district superintendent (but of course affiliated with the KMT), left China as the Communists were taking over and he was able to convince his parents and in-laws and all non-college aged kids and wife to leave before the border closed. He told everyone they were going on an extended vacation and would come back. Older people, especially those listening to state radio and TV, will not believe their whole world will turn upside down. Can you ask your sister to tell her in-laws they are just taking a temporary trip until the financial situation stabilizes?

You are suggesting that OP tell her sister to trick her in-laws into leaving their home? You thought that was good advice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure what is to debate here. OP's sister has the means to leave and does not want to. Unless you think there's something that she hasn't heard yet, I don't think there is anything to be done. It's her life to lead.

OP here; yes, I think you're right. I just wanted to reach out to see if anyone had any magic brainstorms that I hadn't considered. I so want to get her out of there before her life collapses further, but I think she's made her choice.

Thanks, all.

[Anonymous]

If it helps anyone, here's my family's passport situation:

My mother was a Canadian-Japanese citizen. She met our French-born father in Paris and they relocated to Vancouver, so we (the children) have EU citizenship, Canadian citizenship, and Japanese citizenship.

Most of my siblings and I have relocated to the US, so we also have US citizenship. My sister subsequently moved to Russia, and has Russian citizenship through her husband without relinquishing her other citizenships.

Yes, going through customs is a f--ing mess, and we have a million passports thanks to my messy parents. Yay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If it helps anyone, here's my family's passport situation:

My mother was a Canadian-Japanese citizen. She met our French-born father in Paris and they relocated to Vancouver, so we (the children) have EU citizenship, Canadian citizenship, and Japanese citizenship.

Most of my siblings and I have relocated to the US, so we also have US citizenship. My sister subsequently moved to Russia, and has Russian citizenship through her husband without relinquishing her other citizenships.

Yes, going through customs is a f--ing mess, and we have a million passports thanks to my messy parents. Yay.

Why is it a mess? Don't you present just one passport at customs? DW is dual citizen (US and an EU country) and she just uses the US passport all the time, unless entering her home country.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Of course she should leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it helps anyone, here's my family's passport situation:

My mother was a Canadian-Japanese citizen. She met our French-born father in Paris and they relocated to Vancouver, so we (the children) have EU citizenship, Canadian citizenship, and Japanese citizenship.

Most of my siblings and I have relocated to the US, so we also have US citizenship. My sister subsequently moved to Russia, and has Russian citizenship through her husband without relinquishing her other citizenships.

Yes, going through customs is a f--ing mess, and we have a million passports thanks to my messy parents. Yay.

Why is it a mess? Don't you present just one passport at customs? DW is dual citizen (US and an EU country) and she just uses the US passport all the time, unless entering her home country.

NP here. When you enter a country in which you are a citizen you must use that country’s passport. You cannot use your Canadian passport to enter the US if you’re a US citizen. You must use the US passport. You can’t walk up to the immigration counter at the airport and throw 5 different passports like you’re James Bond and just pick one.

So it’s not a mess. The OP or whoever poster is being dramatic. We are a family with multiple citizenships and that’s how it works.

[Anonymous]

Tell her to come for a month or 2 and then see how it goes.
The situation will either get much better or worse.
Nothing is forever- she doesn't have to commit to moving to America for good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it helps anyone, here's my family's passport situation:

My mother was a Canadian-Japanese citizen. She met our French-born father in Paris and they relocated to Vancouver, so we (the children) have EU citizenship, Canadian citizenship, and Japanese citizenship.

Most of my siblings and I have relocated to the US, so we also have US citizenship. My sister subsequently moved to Russia, and has Russian citizenship through her husband without relinquishing her other citizenships.

Yes, going through customs is a f--ing mess, and we have a million passports thanks to my messy parents. Yay.

Why is it a mess? Don't you present just one passport at customs? DW is dual citizen (US and an EU country) and she just uses the US passport all the time, unless entering her home country.

NP here. When you enter a country in which you are a citizen you must use that country’s passport. You cannot use your Canadian passport to enter the US if you’re a US citizen. You must use the US passport. You can’t walk up to the immigration counter at the airport and throw 5 different passports like you’re James Bond and just pick one.

So it’s not a mess. The OP or whoever poster is being dramatic. We are a family with multiple citizenships and that’s how it works.

Absolutely not true. My dad has British and Argentine citizenship and only travels on his American passport.