Visa Registration

[russ 1]

Here's my report about the state of visa registration in Russia. In my opinion, the situation has worsened. I paid GTR for visa registration in Moscow, knowing how time consuming the process was. They refused to register my visa, as I would not be in Moscow during all of my trip. They sent us to the post office in Lipetsk.

The post office in Lipetsk does not do this, there is a migration and visa office that does. Long lines, etc, etc. After making some phone calls, we went there the day I arrived. We ended up needing to come back the next day. We spent about 3 hours there the next day. At first, they would not register my visa, as it had been slightly more than 72 hours since we entered Russia. We had a copy of the law, stating that the 72 hour clock started per city, and that stays of 72 hours or less did not need to be registered. Didn't matter. 2,000 ruble fine, and I had to sign a statement about my breaking the law. We also need to return the bottom of my registration 3 days before leaving. They did advice making copy to bring to the airport, as there is no other proof that I registered.

The Moscow Times had a good article about this, though I couldn't find it online.

[slim 1,525]

Welcome back to the forum Russ!

Glad to see that everything is going GREAT! for you over there! Seems like you're getting educated on more than just the language! I'm sure you learned some very nice words while waiting in line at that post office.

I've been under the impression from the very start, and your post still supports it, the best thing to do in Russia is whatever the f##k you want, then if you get stopped/questioned on it, feign "ne panemayu parusky... sorry, no Russian. Skolka eta stoit?" And then pay whatever fine the guy asking you for insists on. But only after you negotiate, of course.

[bruc 0]

WOW russ!...sorry you had that problem.

I would probably have had the same problems if my fiance hadn't of called her post office and asked them if they could register my visa.

In one of my post I said that her post office said they knew nothing about it but would find out....they did and had all the neccssary forms for my registration when we got there and I did not have to turn in my form until I got to the airport.

I think I also stated that I didn't know about other cities.

I was told by GTR to register my visa in her city at the post office not in Moscow.

Three more guys I know have been and had no problems registering at the post office in the cities they were going to.

I can't say as I blame the guys going to Ukraine now instead of Russia.

Russia needs to come out of the stone ages .

bruc

[russ 1]

I've been under the impression from the very start, and your post still supports it, the best thing to do in Russia is whatever the f##k you want, then if you get stopped/questioned on it, feign "ne panemayu parusky... sorry, no Russian. Skolka eta stoit?" And then pay whatever fine the guy asking you for insists on. But only after you negotiate, of course.

As the article said (sorry, I haven't found a link yet) - "fines" have been running as much as $300 US.

The advice is to carry a cellphone with the number for the US Embassy saved. When stopped, as for a name and badge number, and tell them you are calling the embassy. Of course, you will need to be able to do this in Russian.

[billsafari 0]

Register your passport in the city you will be staying, not Moscow. I am in Vladimir now, went to the post office it took about 1 hour, my girl had to fill out 1 form and a duplicate, it cost 105 rubles. I dont know if it makes a difference or not but i have a business visa. Well, I am off to gramma's summer house to do some yard work and garden work. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! I have nothing better to do for the next 3 months!!

[russ 1]

Register your passport in the city you will be staying, not Moscow. I am in Vladimir now, went to the post office it took about 1 hour, my girl had to fill out 1 form and a duplicate,

If it is possible to get to that city in 72 hours, that's fine. If it will take longer, you are supposed to register in Moscow (paying the fine is cheaper though).

We also needed internal passport, proof of owning the flat, visa invitation, and a few other documents. They also wanted all copies certified by a Russian notary. Stamps and seals are popular here...

[bruc 0]

Register your passport in the city you will be staying, not Moscow. I am in Vladimir now, went to the post office it took about 1 hour, my girl had to fill out 1 form and a duplicate,

If it is possible to get to that city in 72 hours, that's fine. If it will take longer, you are supposed to register in Moscow (paying the fine is cheaper though).

We also needed internal passport, proof of owning the flat, visa invitation, and a few other documents. They also wanted all copies certified by a Russian notary. Stamps and seals are popular here...

Hey russ...I was in Russia last year on a homestay. I got to Moscow on a Saturday morning and then the girls city on Monday morning....we registered my visa at OVIR on the following Friday the same day we were leaving to go back to Moscow.

We went to OVIR early on Tuesday morning and they gave us an appointment at 9:30AM on Friday morning.

We went, register and they kept my passport until 3:30 that afternoon.

I didn't have to pay any fines nor was anything said about the 72 hour window.

One of my friends and his wife from Atlanta just got back from Ufa. They always stay in her flat when they go for visits...registered at the post office just like I did with no problems. He said it took them about 45 minutes and they were out the door. They were also outside the 72 hour window and had to pay no fines.

Maybe it's just the city your visiting.

I know you're frustrated and glad to hear you're having a great time.

bruc

[russ 1]

We went, register and they kept my passport until 3:30 that afternoon.

I didn't have to pay any fines nor was anything said about the 72 hour window.

One of my friends and his wife from Atlanta just got back from Ufa. They always stay in her flat when they go for visits...registered at the post office just like I did with no problems. He said it took them about 45 minutes and they were out the door. They were also outside the 72 hour window and had to pay no fines.

Maybe it's just the city your visiting.

I know you're frustrated and glad to hear you're having a great time.

The city I'm visiting is part of the problem. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a huge deal.

From what I have read, Moscow is actually the worst, the police are busy shaking down tourists for "fines" during the 24+ hours their passports are being registered. (They like to hang out in front of the bigger hotels.)

The biggest problem I see is that things are not done consistently anywhere.

[slim 1,525]

The advice is to carry a cellphone with the number for the US Embassy saved. When stopped, as for a name and badge number, and tell them you are calling the embassy. Of course, you will need to be able to do this in Russian.

When I stayed in Moscow, that was on the information card in my rental apartment. I believe it's also on the GTR card too. I read it somewhere on one of the sites before I left to go over there. Seems like pretty good advice. It went on to say that you should always "cooperate" with police or any other authority to a point, and then when you get somewhere "calm" (whether that be out on the street where you were stopped, or back at the station house) you should say nothing more than "I need to call my embassy. I would love to help you... but I need to call my embassy first. I can do nothing without a representative from my embassy.... " and by about the second or third "embassy" drops, you should start to get some "cooperation" back from them.