Almost free tickets - what is current visa registration scam?

[Satellite 1]

How did they know your were in Sochi for 9 days? I registered only in Kazan' and went where ever I pleased. If I were ever stopped, (which I was once) I just said, I'm passing through.

They got me at the airport on my flight back to Tomsk. They looked at the receipt of my round trip ticket and concluded it was more than 72 hours. I think it is all a large scam by the officers who check your passports as you are going through security. They are only supposed to check it for ID purposes to match the ticket, but all they are interested in is the registration.

this thread is the first time i've ever heard of anyone getting a private visa instead of a tourist or business visa.

As far as I know I am the only one here who has successfully done the private visa. I did it both times on my trips to Russia. My wife took care of it and all I sent her was a copy of my US passport by email and she printed it out there. Made all the appropriate copies, filled in all the appropriate forms and paid the much smaller fees then tourist visa support charges and I registered likewise with little hassle paying some nominal fee. Everyone else one here just pays for convenience. Both my wife and I have always planned the trips well in advance and did not have any issues, and we both agree that the extra money wasted on visa support can go elsewhere.

[eekee 182]

How did they know your were in Sochi for 9 days? I registered only in Kazan' and went where ever I pleased. If I were ever stopped, (which I was once) I just said, I'm passing through.

They got me at the airport on my flight back to Tomsk. They looked at the receipt of my round trip ticket and concluded it was more than 72 hours. I think it is all a large scam by the officers who check your passports as you are going through security. They are only supposed to check it for ID purposes to match the ticket, but all they are interested in is the registration.

this thread is the first time i've ever heard of anyone getting a private visa instead of a tourist or business visa.

As far as I know I am the only one here who has successfully done the private visa. I did it both times on my trips to Russia. My wife took care of it and all I sent her was a copy of my US passport by email and she printed it out there. Made all the appropriate copies, filled in all the appropriate forms and paid the much smaller fees then tourist visa support charges and I registered likewise with little hassle paying some nominal fee. Everyone else one here just pays for convenience. Both my wife and I have always planned the trips well in advance and did not have any issues, and we both agree that the extra money wasted on visa support can go elsewhere.

Visa support isn't *that* expensive, and I'd rather pay and save on hassle. Plus, there's a much higher risk of your private visa being rejected.

[Neonred 3,564]

How did they know your were in Sochi for 9 days? I registered only in Kazan' and went where ever I pleased. If I were ever stopped, (which I was once) I just said, I'm passing through.

They got me at the airport on my flight back to Tomsk. They looked at the receipt of my round trip ticket and concluded it was more than 72 hours. I think it is all a large scam by the officers who check your passports as you are going through security. They are only supposed to check it for ID purposes to match the ticket, but all they are interested in is the registration.

this thread is the first time i've ever heard of anyone getting a private visa instead of a tourist or business visa.

As far as I know I am the only one here who has successfully done the private visa. I did it both times on my trips to Russia. My wife took care of it and all I sent her was a copy of my US passport by email and she printed it out there. Made all the appropriate copies, filled in all the appropriate forms and paid the much smaller fees then tourist visa support charges and I registered likewise with little hassle paying some nominal fee. Everyone else one here just pays for convenience. Both my wife and I have always planned the trips well in advance and did not have any issues, and we both agree that the extra money wasted on visa support can go elsewhere.

I have done the private visa on one occasion and found it was more trouble than it was worth (unless of course one is planning to stay more than 30 days). I am not sure what you mean by "much smaller fees than tourist visa support charges" as this usually costs about $35 and in my mind beats the heck out of someone in Russia dealing with OVIR to get the invitation and then having to send it to the US. As I said, I did it once and decided it wasn't worth it for a 2 or 3 week visit.

[Neonred 3,564]

For our last trip in October I was registered at the former OVIR office. Wife and her "special friends" didn't want to do the post office registration. Guess it had something to do with the fact I am listed as co-owner on our apartment there, but registration was fairly easy and I didn't have to have anyone turn in any papers after I left. I believe my registration indicated I was a property owner but not a resident of Russia. I don't remember needing to pay any fee.

[Jason-Sasha 1]

I've never been stopped by Russian police. Never been questioned, never been checked, nothing. Don't really know why. Seems I blend in quite well, especially with Sasha. And I've been there many times. Been lucky I guess. Knocking on wood.

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

Ahhh. That explains it. I traveled by auto and train. I can see where an airport would look closer.

They got me at the airport on my flight back to Tomsk. They looked at the receipt of my round trip ticket and concluded it was more than 72 hours. I think it is all a large scam by the officers who check your passports as you are going through security. They are only supposed to check it for ID purposes to match the ticket, but all they are interested in is the registration.

I gotta say, the ONLY reason I was stopped my one and only time... I was with my son and friend that refused to try and blend. They saw two obvious Americans and checked me to discover I was too. I went everywhere my year around Kazan'. Never even looked at by an officer on the street, alone or with Alla.

I've never been stopped by Russian police. Never been questioned, never been checked, nothing. Don't really know why. Seems I blend in quite well, especially with Sasha. And I've been there many times. Been lucky I guess. Knocking on wood.

[Bobalouie 0]

How did they know your were in Sochi for 9 days? I registered only in Kazan' and went where ever I pleased. If I were ever stopped, (which I was once) I just said, I'm passing through.

They got me at the airport on my flight back to Tomsk. They looked at the receipt of my round trip ticket and concluded it was more than 72 hours. I think it is all a large scam by the officers who check your passports as you are going through security. They are only supposed to check it for ID purposes to match the ticket, but all they are interested in is the registration.

this thread is the first time i've ever heard of anyone getting a private visa instead of a tourist or business visa.

As far as I know I am the only one here who has successfully done the private visa. I did it both times on my trips to Russia. My wife took care of it and all I sent her was a copy of my US passport by email and she printed it out there. Made all the appropriate copies, filled in all the appropriate forms and paid the much smaller fees then tourist visa support charges and I registered likewise with little hassle paying some nominal fee. Everyone else one here just pays for convenience. Both my wife and I have always planned the trips well in advance and did not have any issues, and we both agree that the extra money wasted on visa support can go elsewhere.

Yea, those guys at the Sochi airport try to shake me down the same way all 3 times I have flown out of there, and once when I arrived. They are just after money. I think you got hit with the "payable on demand" fine

[Bobalouie 0]

Ahhh. That explains it. I traveled by auto and train. I can see where an airport would look closer.

They got me at the airport on my flight back to Tomsk. They looked at the receipt of my round trip ticket and concluded it was more than 72 hours. I think it is all a large scam by the officers who check your passports as you are going through security. They are only supposed to check it for ID purposes to match the ticket, but all they are interested in is the registration.

I gotta say, the ONLY reason I was stopped my one and only time... I was with my son and friend that refused to try and blend. They saw two obvious Americans and checked me to discover I was too. I went everywhere my year around Kazan'. Never even looked at by an officer on the street, alone or with Alla.

I've never been stopped by Russian police. Never been questioned, never been checked, nothing. Don't really know why. Seems I blend in quite well, especially with Sasha. And I've been there many times. Been lucky I guess. Knocking on wood.

I am the same Kazan, never had any problems with any of the militsia on the street. They dont look at me, and I dont look at them. I give them as wide a berth as possible, since I dont carry my passport with me when I go out, I only carry copies, and dont want the risk of them hassling me if they do check. The guys at the Sochi airport are just wanting bribes, simple as that. My first time, my translator basically told them to screw themselves and they let me pass. The next 3 times I played stupid "I net speaka in russkie" because I wasnt using a translator anymore, and they got tired of messing with me because I could not understand and let me go. At SVO and St. Pete, they have never looked twice at me. Or even once for that matter.

Edited February 20, 2008 by Bobalouie

[Chris Parker 11]

Second, and this is where my question is, my understanding is that the whole visa registration thing has changed quite a bit since the last time I was there. Can anyone point out what the current procedure is? I should point out that we do NOT plan to stay at a hotel in Moscow or anywhere else. We'll fy into Moscow, goof off a bit until it's time for the flight to Kazan, and then stay with a friend there for a couple of days before going to Bavly. Once there, we will stay with her parents. My understanding is that we can register the visa through the OVIR or whatever there - but I've heard that in these small towns, the people involved in this kind of thing are generally clueless. Bavly is a small town and I expect to encounter cluelessness. So - does anyone actually know what today's skinny is on this topic? Not looking for speculation - I can do that on my own. I'm hoping to hear from a recent traveler who has done something similar (i.e. not stayed in a hotel, but used a tourist, rather than visitor/homestay visa).

I went through a somewhat similar process to yourself this past December.

Tried to get an invitation through visatorussia.com (i.e. IntelService), but they refused to issue an tourist invitation listing a city other than Moscow or St. Petersburg (yes, they denied the invitation request and refunded the $30 fee). So, we had to make some calls and found the only travel agency in the destination city that issues tourist visa invitations (yeah, also more expensive). We also checked with FMS (formerly known as OVIR) about if we could register the tourist visa for staying at a private residence, they said yes. While the travel agency could list the actual city of desination on the tourist invitation, they still had to show a hotel on that invitation. Upon arrival in the city, local FMS office nevertheless registered the visa/passport/migration card at the private residence I was actually staying (not entirely sure if that was legal to do, especially as I'm told the rather high registration fee of $60 was put in his pocket).

Getting a registration within the city you are staying is very important; do not think you can register at an office in Moscow and then go to another city for the rest of the trip and expect to return home without difficulties; the passport inspection when trying to leave the other city to go back to Moscow to go home will expose no registration in the city and you'll be in trouble!

[Satellite 1]

I have done the private visa on one occasion and found it was more trouble than it was worth (unless of course one is planning to stay more than 30 days). I am not sure what you mean by "much smaller fees than tourist visa support charges" as this usually costs about $35 and in my mind beats the heck out of someone in Russia dealing with OVIR to get the invitation and then having to send it to the US. As I said, I did it once and decided it wasn't worth it for a 2 or 3 week visit.

Visa support isn't *that* expensive, and I'd rather pay and save on hassle. Plus, there's a much higher risk of your private visa being rejected.

On MY two trips I have always stayed more than 30 days because I was a poor college student at the time with a long summer break and plenty of time to go through any possible hassles. So when you compare the price of a business visa support v. private visa it was either my wife pays 400 rubles or I expend several hundred dollars. Likewise if you go the multiple tourist visa route, leaving the country and returning every 30 days is no fun either. As far as the private visa getting rejected, why that sounds like something the visa support websites put up, because they want your business. In MY experience I have had no problems twice.

As far as hassling your significant other to do the private visa, why not is my response. You have to be hassled for her K1; she can do her part for your visa too. The K1 is a lot more work and time in my opinion.

I was too broad in my statement about 400 rubles being a smaller fee than $35 but I read on here how these agencies also try to collect another $30 at registration and as others have indicated the tourist visa route has issues with being forced to find your company in a specific city for registration purposes.

As far as being stopped, I speak fluent Russian so I am not sure why I couldn't blend in. It has to be the clothes and the haircut. Just look at the guys over there, all the same in both departments.

[slim 1,525]

Since we're talking numbers and fines here, did I read correctly the $123 plus 100,000 miles???

That's a steal!!! What did you do, call them up and say "Hey, I've got miles, hook me up?" I'm going to have to start using that credit card a whole lot more.

[akdiver 3]

Since we're talking numbers and fines here, did I read correctly the $123 plus 100,000 miles???

Correct

What did you do, call them up and say "Hey, I've got miles, hook me up?" I'm going to have to start using that credit card a whole lot more.

More or less. I was on the phone for an hour or so, trying different dates. The ones I got, out on April 16th, back on May 7th, were pretty much as late as I could get. After that, the # of seats allocated for miles tickets seems to go to zero.

And yeah, a credit card is an easy way to get miles. It's how I got most of mine. You get 30,000 just for signing up for the Alaska Airlines Signature Visa card (:

[Chris Parker 11]

As far as the private visa getting rejected, why that sounds like something the visa support websites put up, because they want your business. In MY experience I have had no problems twice.

I did have a problem in this regard---however it wasn't in getting the visa but in getting the invitation. The private visa invitation was ordered at FMS in September 2007. Paid extra too to get it by November 15, 2007. It didn't come by November 15, 2007. Inquiry in early December revealed---"no private visa invitations for people coming from USA or Republic of Georgia will be ready until after the New Year." In fact, it still hasn't come! When there was no time left, had no choice but to get the tourist invitation and tourist visa, and the problems doing that were previous described here.

In the past, private visas haven't been a problem to get from the consulate. However, be warned that if you get a private visa, it can only be registered at the residence of the sponsor who got the invitation (at least that was the case in year 2000). However, when I needed to register elsewhere (in a different city too), a new private visa invitation had to be applied for by the alternate sponsor simultaneous with the registration, so even that legal mess was recoverable (actually, with money, almost any legal mess in Russia can be recovered). They might be much more strict about this now, however, since they supposedly have a visa blacklisting system now.

If you can get the original invitation in time, private visas are useful because: (1) Cost obtaining the invitation is very little, (2) the validity period is 90 days, and (3) visa period can be extended while in Russia or you may be able to obtain a temporary residence permit (and later a permanent residence permit) if you entered with one.

Edited February 20, 2008 by Chris Parker

[Blues Fairy 0]

When my then-fiance was planning to visit me in Moscow, I had StarTravel issue him a tourist invitation. He listed their recommended hotel as his intended place of stay on the visa application, but of course never went there and stayed the whole time at my place. We never went to any OVIRs and completely dissed the whole registration thing.

On the last day he shows me the arrival/departure slip in his passport and asks what to do with it. I jokingly press my lips to it and leave a kiss mark with my red lipstick! Then I drive him to the airport, he passes the luggage inspection and ticket registration and goes to the exit customs with a poker face; the officer looks at the kiss mark, chuckles, shrugges his shoulders and lets him go without further questions.

[eekee 182]

When my then-fiance was planning to visit me in Moscow, I had StarTravel issue him a tourist invitation. He listed their recommended hotel as his intended place of stay on the visa application, but of course never went there and stayed the whole time at my place. We never went to any OVIRs and completely dissed the whole registration thing.

On the last day he shows me the arrival/departure slip in his passport and asks what to do with it. I jokingly press my lips to it and leave a kiss mark with my red lipstick! Then I drive him to the airport, he passes the luggage inspection and ticket registration and goes to the exit customs with a poker face; the officer looks at the kiss mark, chuckles, shrugges his shoulders and lets him go without further questions.

cute! but risky.