Get Russian visa

[gogal2020 0]

Hi all,

Does anyone know anything about getting a Russian visa while having a Russian citizenship? I have a friend who entered the USA as a child (14 y.o in 1998) from Russia, and since has gotten his US Citizenship. He wants to travel to Russia, but I know that since he has arrived a lot of things have changed. He never had a russian passport, since he was under age and never was registered for the armed forces in Russia for the same reason. He also never registered with the Russian embassy here in US. If he goes to the Russian embassy with his US passport to try to get a visa, what are his chances? As of this moment he cannot remounce his citizenship and cannot 'renew' or get his Russian passport due to work reasons.

Thanks for the input.

Mike.

[ScratchIt 12]

Hi all,

Does anyone know anything about getting a Russian visa while having a Russian citizenship? I have a friend who entered the USA as a child (14 y.o in 1998) from Russia, and since has gotten his US Citizenship. He wants to travel to Russia, but I know that since he has arrived a lot of things have changed. He never had a russian passport, since he was under age and never was registered for the armed forces in Russia for the same reason. He also never registered with the Russian embassy here in US. If he goes to the Russian embassy with his US passport to try to get a visa, what are his chances? As of this moment he cannot remounce his citizenship and cannot 'renew' or get his Russian passport due to work reasons.

Thanks for the input.

Mike.

If he has an American passport, it may be a good idea to enter Russia as an American citizen rather than a returning Russian citizen. 14 + 10 = 24 y.o., which would qualify him for instant admission into the Russian military. A chance I would not take. Apply via the Russian Consulate for a Russian travel visa and if issued then you are in and out of Russia as an American citizen without the military issue. There are two different "passports" issued in Russia. One essentially is a federal identification they use to track you domestically and the other is an international passport. I'm guessing he does not have the international passport but probably has the domestic version that would identify him as a Russian citizen inside of Russia. I would not volunteer too much detail when applying for the visa, i.e. he was born in Russia but he is an American citizen and here is his American passport. All the other stuff about his Russian citizenship might raise red flags. JMHO!

[mox 298]

If he has an American passport, it may be a good idea to enter Russia as an American citizen rather than a returning Russian citizen. 14 + 10 = 24 y.o., which would qualify him for instant admission into the Russian military. A chance I would not take.

This is by far the best reason for him to travel on his US passport. Not to mention easier. Just use any visa processing company (Google "visa Russia") and he should have a visa in his US passport within 2-3 weeks of requesting it.

[Satellite 1]

Read the FAQ on the Russian consulate website.

Basically if you put that you were born in the former USSR, you have to prove you are not a Russian citizen. He certainly sounds like a Russian citizen to me. As such a visa will not be given to him to enter on his US passport, no more so would one be given to him if he applied for a US visa in his Russian passport to enter the US.

"12. I came here from the former Soviet Union (USSR) or Russia and right now I am US citizen. Why do I have to confirm the absence of Russian citizenship in order to get Russian visa?

If you are a citizen of Russia and receive US citizenship, it does not mean that you automatically lose your Russian citizenship, because, according to the Russian Law, no person can be deprived of his/her citizenship, but on his/her stated (i.e. put officially in order) will. Russian Law does not forbid you to have several citizenships, however, considers you only a Russian citizen and does not recognize dual citizenship, and therefore, requires you to travel in and out of Russia on your Russian passport. The Consulate General as federal organization enforces the Law of the State, so, every person, whose foreign passports or travel documents indicate his/her place of birth as "Russia" or "USSR", or one of the states, which was a republic or a part of the former USSR, will be required to present a proof of absence of Russian citizenship."

http://www.consulrussia.org/eng/faq.html

[gogal2020 0]

As far as I know he called the visa servce company, but they require that proof of him renouncing Russian citizenship. To do that, he has to pay to record his name with the embassy, then pay and apply for a Russian passport and only then pay again and renounce his citizenship. His current job does not allow to have another passport, so it's a catch 22.

Mike.

[obender 0]

Mike,

very short and very precise answer to your question is NO. Satellite is the only one in this topic who has relevant information (as he usually does bring). I am/ was in this situation. It very simple really if you have 2 passports you can only travel to russia with russian passport. if you have american passport but it says you were born in russia (or ussr for that matter) you have to provide the russian embassy a piece of paper... (it takes about a year, it might paradoxically need a trip to russia: russian court, tax, and military registration services, and about 600$)

bastards...

indeed many us jobs now would not let you have second passport so, unfortunately, your friend should forget about trip there for some pretty long time and enjoy the rest 5/6 of the land on the planet.

obender

[slim 1,525]

He could have the family/friends visit here as visas to the U.S. have been getting a lot easier. If he still wants to go there it's probably best to wait about 10 more years til he's over the age for military service.