We will try to give you a few tips and you are welcome to ask any questions you like.

  Photo - Don't bother sending a letter without one as the lady will rarely respond. Even a passport photo is better than nothing. She took the trouble to provide hers and she wants to see who is writing to her.

  Personal details - Tell her about yourself, your height/ weight/ colouring/ etc, do you drink or smoke, where do you live, what you do, your likes, interests, hobbies and activities - give her a reason to be interested in you.

  Give her your name - Your real name that is and some means of contacting you directly. It shows considerable sincerity on your part and helps build trust. It could even be very helpful if there is a problem at the agency or she has a problem getting to them. She may want to write to you direct to show her sincerity and her English skills. That happens sometimes.

  Family information - Family is extremely important to Ukrainian / Russian ladies. Give some brief information about close family, especially children. Show her you are a caring person, make her want to like you.

  Ask her about herself - Give her something to write about. Ask tactfully about things that she mentions in her profile. Make it easy for her. You need to find out who is behind the photo.

  Personalise your letter - Maybe you are writing to several ladies and don't have time for several 'unique' letters but at least use an individual introduction paragraph, talk about something from her profile and mention something about yourself that she could relate to. Mention her name at least once in the body of the letter and make sure you send the right letter to the right girl. It doesn't matter if you have a stock section about your profile that you paste in to each letter.

  Be honest and be yourself - otherwise don't bother writing. If you're serious you can't afford to lie and if you're not serious then don't bother wasting everyone's time.

  The ladies you want are not for sale - so don't insult them by acting as if they are. At this stage the only ones who are interested in your appliances and other possessions are the type that you don't want to meet. If you do find a girl who seems too interested in your wallet from the start then TELL THE AGENCY.

  Ukraine is not 3rd World countries - so don't kid yourself that they are. They may be having some major economic upheavals as they undo several generations work in a decade but they have societies with cultural and educational standards that exceed many 'western' countries.

  If you expect to find a lady who will fall in love with your passport - and be your slave for life in exchange for a visa - then get real and forget it.

  Remember - these are generally intelligent, well educated, competent, self reliant, talented, capable (usually professional), highly motivated ladies who are hoping to find a better companion in a more fulfilling life than they see available to them at present. They aren't interested in arrogant, drunken egoists. They have plenty of those where they are now.

  Above all - be considerate, be yourself and if you're a nice guy then you would be very unlucky if you don't find yourself a lovely lady to share your life.

  Good Luck!!