Crazy new Russia?!

[slim 1,525]

as far as travelling inside russia I hope I still can do the talking myself although I presume my wife could be more effective in most cases.

obender

My wife "did all the talking" in Moscow, and they STILL charged me "foreigner fees" at the museums. I don't really look Russian (I weigh about 95 kilos, and I'm only 173 centimeters tall.... and I wore futbalkas that were all in pa-Englisky and weren't skin-tight.... and my colors matched..... it was probably the Timex watch that did me in though!) and she's from the Far East, so I guess she didn't have the Moscow accent. They tried to charge her foreigner prices too, but she busted out the propiska on that @$$. They didn't buy it that I was Russian too ("he's blat, from blat Far East blat) and made her pay the $8 extra or whatever it was.

I learned a valuable lesson that day.... wear tighter clothes that don't match! (A man-purse doesn't hurt either!)

Edited: I almost forgot, this was about visa registrations..... Wouldn't it be possible to just get a tourist visa through a Moscow based company, register it on your first day there, then handle all your business all over Russia without worrying about being registered locally? I mean, worst case, you pay a fine locally. But, you don't worry about your "exit" from Russia because you're registered in Moscow. I would think this would be possible if you worked it right. I never left Moscow, so I don't know if it would work outside, but to leave Russia (through SVO) you should be covered this way.

Edited May 25, 2007 by slim

[Satellite 1]

Satellite,

How recently was your last experience getting a homestay visa? There have been press reports -- in Moscow Times , for instance -- on how recent changes in law, procedure, regulation or whatever was causing lots of problems for foreigners registering their presence in Russia. It seemed to make sense, given what I was reading there, that Homestay Visas also got procedurally more difficult.

Last one that was done for me was last summer, but other plans came up and I never went, but had the invitation in hand here in March of 2006. As for registration, yes, my last registration is out of date, summer 2004. But based on what Bruc has said, it is even to register now, just go to the post office.

As for procedurally harder to get a private visa, well obviously it is harder than paying some visa company $30 - $400 to have them do everything for you.

But as far as procedure in general goes according to Russian standards, it is no more or less difficult than say registering your property or car in Russia.

Wouldn't it be possible to just get a tourist visa through a Moscow based company, register it on your first day there, then handle all your business all over Russia without worrying about being registered locally?

Tried that, was registered in Tomsk and had to pay a fine at the airport for not registering for our 10 day stay in Sochi.

[russ 1]

Wouldn't it be possible to just get a tourist visa through a Moscow based company, register it on your first day there, then handle all your business all over Russia without worrying about being registered locally?

Tried that, was registered in Tomsk and had to pay a fine at the airport for not registering for our 10 day stay in Sochi.

Same problem here, registered in Moscow, but a fine when I tried to do it in Lipetsk. The only way to register a visa there was to check into a hotel. I paid the fine and ignored that. This time around I've paid the tourist invitation company to register me there (so, at least it isn't really my problem anymore.)

[bruc 0]

According to what the lady told us in the post office about traveling to other cities....she more or less said I don't think it matters as long as you've registered and my fiance let's them know that I had left the country and we did visit another city while I was there. Now Russia had to know I left the country when I went through passport control flying back to Atlanta...so figue that one out even though my fiance was to let them know.

The key thing was...My fiance had registered me in her city but then again....no one at the post office nor SVO knew we had visited another city unless we would have had told them.

I don' t know what would have happened if the police had stopped me, but after many trips to Russia I've never been stopped nor have the police ever paid any attention to me...I've never experienced any of the horror stories I read about on the forums about being in Russia ,even going through SVO has been only the frustrations of internatonal travel.

I think a tourst visa and registering at the post office is a huge step-up from when I was going on a homestay.

I'll be sending off for another toursit visa and will return again to Russia in July and once again I anticipate no problems...but who knows about Russia.

bruc

[russ 1]

Edited: I almost forgot, this was about visa registrations..... Wouldn't it be possible to just get a tourist visa through a Moscow based company, register it on your first day there, then handle all your business all over Russia without worrying about being registered locally? I mean, worst case, you pay a fine locally.

Well, no one outside of Moscow is going to bother you about it anyway - so not much to worry about. Most Russians can't get their own passports registered in Moscow for more than 90 days.

And unless you are in a hotel, they really have no way of knowing.

[obender 0]

not quite, russ,

for example, we will fly in and fly out of russia from different cities... so they'll know.

two registrations are coming my way anyhow...

obender

[etripke 0]

After reading all of this, I am SO Happy to be marrying a Ukrainian. Fly when you want, walk through passport control, get stamp, meet fiancee, head for her place.

[slim 1,525]

After reading all of this, I am SO Happy to be marrying a Ukrainian. Fly when you want, walk through passport control, get stamp, meet fiancee, head for her place.

That would be very nice indeed. Truth be told, it's really not that difficult to get into/out of Russia... just a little more of a headache, and a little extra cash.

Ukraine is trying to be European and increasingly Westernized, while Russia wants all the benefits that come with it, but still wants to maintain it's independent nature and the "Russian-style" of the U.S.S.R. and Eastern Bloc.

[etripke 0]

After reading all of this, I am SO Happy to be marrying a Ukrainian. Fly when you want, walk through passport control, get stamp, meet fiancee, head for her place.

That would be very nice indeed. Truth be told, it's really not that difficult to get into/out of Russia... just a little more of a headache, and a little extra cash.

Ukraine is trying to be European and increasingly Westernized, while Russia wants all the benefits that come with it, but still wants to maintain it's independent nature and the "Russian-style" of the U.S.S.R. and Eastern Bloc.

Ukraine is still feeling it's growing pains like all of the FSU. The political circus that has been going on there since early April has been something to read about, and according to my fiancee something to watch. Cool heads have prevailed thankfully, otherwise it could easily evolve into another Balkans mess.

[slim 1,525]

Ukraine is still feeling it's growing pains like all of the FSU. The political circus that has been going on there since early April has been something to read about, and according to my fiancee something to watch. Cool heads have prevailed thankfully, otherwise it could easily evolve into another Balkans mess.

That's going to go a long way with the EU when it comes time. Nothing is more democratic than a peaceful revolution!

[etripke 0]

Ukraine is still feeling it's growing pains like all of the FSU. The political circus that has been going on there since early April has been something to read about, and according to my fiancee something to watch. Cool heads have prevailed thankfully, otherwise it could easily evolve into another Balkans mess.

That's going to go a long way with the EU when it comes time. Nothing is more democratic than a peaceful revolution!

The biggest problem they have is the split between those in Western Ukraine, and those in the East/South. The West has strong Nationalist feelings while the rest of the country either wishes for the "good old days" or is busy worshiping Putin & a desire to be part of Russia. Never mind the Holodomor, Energy cost manipulation, or other historical fact.

Oh well, it's their country and they have the right to decide their own path.

[slim 1,525]

Oh well, it's their country and they have the right to decide their own path.

Yes, I envy people who are allowed to decide their own path. Must be nice.

[Thomas-n-Elena 0]

hmm a little political backlash there slim.

I decide my own fate all the time. I vote to ensure the person I like never gets elected.

Its interesting you mention the differences with the Ukraine have no Visa req. while Russia still maintains theirs. I would imagine that eventually russia will drop the req. when there is some sort of benefit to them, you know the russian way.

I was doing some family tree research and learned some interesting things. My family is from 2 parts of Poland, one part of the family is from the NW, the other from the SE part of Poland. Having such a rich and often invaded history(at several points the country didnt exist) the village my grandmother came from was actually in the Ukraine. When I told my wife this, she replied "Russian dont really like Ukrainians very much" I of course replied " Forget I said anything!!!"

[billsafari 0]

I just arrived in Russia on June 1 for 3 months. I had a hotel reserved but decided to stay at the women's house and registered at the local post office. I hope they dont say anything about it because technically I should have a home stay visa instead of a business visa. I think?? Oh well!!

[Satellite 1]

I hope they dont say anything about it because technically I should have a home stay visa instead of a business visa. I think?? Oh well!!

You shouldn't have a problem. A business traveler is not limited to where they can stay while they conduct their business.

Ironically the business visa I think is the most appropriate since you are bride shopping. Sounds like business to me.