visa deal in the works for Russia and US

[V and A 1]

U.S. Visa Deal May Be Set for New Year

22 November 2011

By Nikolaus von Twickel

A long-awaited visa agreement between Russia and the United States will hopefully be ratified before the New Year's holiday, although it will have to wait until after a State Duma is voted into office, U.S. Embassy officials said Monday.

"We hope for a fairly speedy ratification with mid-December as a goal," a senior consular official said in a telephone interview.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with embassy policy, also confirmed that the agreement would have to be approved by both houses of parliament, the Duma and the Federation Council.

But the official said Foreign Ministry officials had told their U.S. colleagues that ratification should be completed by the end of the year and pointed out that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had promised in July that the agreement would be in force before "Catholic Christmas," which is on Dec. 25.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Vavilov referred all questions regarding ratification to parliament.

Andrei Klimov, a deputy chairman of the Duma's foreign relations committee, confirmed that lawmakers will not look into the agreement before the Dec. 4 parliamentary elections.

"There is too little time left," he said, adding that once initiated, ratification would probably require two weeks.

The agreement stipulates that standard visas granted to both Russians and Americans will be now be valid for three years and allow multiple entries. The embassy official said those seeking both tourist and business visas will no longer have to provide written invitations from the host country's citizens.

"Documentation requirements will be dramatically changed," the official said, calling the agreement "historic."

The agreement will go into effect 30 days after both parties exchange another set of notes following ratification, according to a White House Fact Sheet published on the State Department's web site.

The ratification issue was not mentioned on earlier fact sheets, but the embassy official said it was clear from the onset that it would be required. But under U.S. law, the agreement will not require ratification by Congress because it is not classified as an international treaty.

The European Union and Russia are also discussing a facilitation agreement that would make it much easier for businessmen, journalists, NGO members, lawmakers and governments officials to obtain short-term visas.

Talks have been ongoing since last summer, when officials said an agreement might be reached by the end of the year.

EU delegation spokesman Soren Liborius said in an e-mail Monday that it was impossible to say before a final negotiation round is set whether a deal would be reached at the December EU-Russia summit. Further negotiations could start early next month.

At the summit, expected to take place in Brussels on Dec. 15, both sides plan to start a program toward totally abolishing visas.

The so-called common steps consist of more than 40 conditions that must be met before visa negotiations can begin. Moscow's EU ambassador Vladimir Chizhov said last week that those conditions could be completed "in one or 1 1/2 years."

Read more: http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/us-visa-deal-may-be-set-for-new-year/448299.html#ixzz1ebXhPkL1

The Moscow Times

This would sure make it easy for loved ones her in the US and Russia

[Boiler 45,402]

What difference will it make?

On the US side, I know nothing of the issues about going to Russia.

[V and A 1]

What difference will it make?

On the US side, I know nothing of the issues about going to Russia.

The agreement stipulates that standard visas granted to both Russians and Americans will be now be valid for three years and allow multiple entries. The embassy official said those seeking both tourist and business visas will no longer have to provide written invitations from the host country's citizens.

Currenty a standard tourist visa is only good for the exact dates you will be there up to 30 days and you need a visa support letter. It would be nice to be able to get a visa that will be good for 3 years and multiple entry. I dont know how many times you have been there but it is always a pain in the a$$ to have to pay 140 bucks everytime to get a visa. If you dont live near the consulate you need to use a visa service that will cost you about 300$ with shipping

[Boiler 45,402]

The usual US Tourist Visa is 10 years multiple entry. Although the Consulate can issue for shorter periods/ single entry.

The cost etc is presumably about getting a Russian Visa, so it sounds more beneficial for those going to Russia than the US.

[ONA 133]

The usual US Tourist Visa is 10 years multiple entry. Although the Consulate can issue for shorter periods/ single entry.

The cost etc is presumably about getting a Russian Visa, so it sounds more beneficial for those going to Russia than the US.

"The usual" US Tourist Visa is different for each country. It was 1 or 2 year multiple visa for Russia. In Ukraine it is 5 years multiple visa. I heard that for Israel it was 10 years visa, but it doesn't mean that the same rule applies to every country.

[Boiler 45,402]

So if that was true, and I have no idea how you would know either way, then there will be some people missing out who would have otherwise have got a more limited visa.

[Pinenut 1]

Yay! It is so annoying when our countries play visa retribution politics and we get caught in the middle, like a year or two ago when the US visa price went up and the Russian price went up the same amount right after... or the other way around, I don't know who was first.

This is a step in the right direction.

[Pupsik 4]

it makes sense that this would happen because I am currently in the waiting game for my Russian Visa. What a pain that application was and getting the "invitations" and trying to understand everything.

Its just me luck that this would get approved right after I had to do it the old way. Hopefully it does pass and I can get the 3 year and be done with it.

Edited November 26, 2011 by Pupsik

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

If this goes through I see the population of Brighton Beach growing but I don't see then relaxing the visa restrictions anytime soon.

Edited November 26, 2011 by Why_Me

[V and A 1]

it makes sense that this would happen because I am currently in the waiting game for my Russian Visa. What a pain that application was and getting the "invitations" and trying to understand everything.

Its just me luck that this would get approved right after I had to do it the old way. Hopefully it does pass and I can get the 3 year and be done with it.

im in the same boat)) im wiating for my Russian visa to be sent back to me as well. Will be nice to be able to get one and have it be good for three years