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horrifying US Consulate information
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vox16
Just Starting


Joined: 14 Apr 2010
Posts: 5

PostPosted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 9:32 pm    Post subject: Re: horrifying US Consulate information Reply with quote

start wearing purple wrote:
So, I'm reading the U.S. Consulate travel website (to ready myself for my impending move to Pietr) and their information for Russia is abysmal. The gist of it is:

1. obtaining a visa is impossible. if you're lucky enough to get a visa, it'll be stolen from you, along w/ your passport (follow this link to find information on obtaining replacements).

Ever heard of someone refused visa because they thought... whatever, eg that he couldn't prove 'ties' ?

The rest is mostly of the sort like "don't dry your cat in microwave"

Quote:
that I'm going to have a sensational AIDS-theft-victimizing-free stay in Russia!
aids фигня. mdr tb нет.
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start-wearing-purple
Frequent Guest


Joined: 05 Mar 2008
Posts: 22
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

PostPosted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 9:44 pm    Post subject: Re: horrifying US Consulate information Reply with quote

vox16 wrote:
mdr tb нет.


хороший знать. a friend of mine caught a mild form of TB during his year in France. he wasn't contagious and he treated it with pills, but the fact that he contracted it at all was a shocker.
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gomer
WayToRussified


Joined: 30 Mar 2007
Posts: 445

PostPosted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 3:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

start wearing purple wrote:
4. expect everything you own to be stolen. do not trust leaving things at your hotel, dorm room or host family's home b/c they will steal and subsequently sell everything you have brought (i.e. pack light, so you can carry all your belongings everywhere you go).


While in the Moscow area, I observed:

Two pickpockets running the 'dropped wallet' scam in Red Square.
Two pickpockets ( not the same 2 as above ) running the 'hanging coat' scam in a restaurant next to Red Square.
Man stealing shopping cart from supermarket and a cashier yelling, "Vor!".
Someone yelling, "Vor!" on a Metro platform.
A man running up to a woman, putting his hand in the woman's pocketbook, taking his hand out of the pocketbook and running away while the woman was standing on Metro platform. Don't know if he was taking something out or putting something in?

All this with very casual observation. Interestingly, I never heard anyone yell, "Militsa!".

A Muscovite I knew went to an EU country on holiday, returned to a Moscow airport, walked to the curb and extended her arm to get a driver to stop and take her back to her apartment. A driver stopped, a price was agreed upon, she put her luggage in his car and they left the airport. All she had were large bills for which the driver could not make change. The driver stopped at a business so she could go inside to exchange a large bill for smaller bills. When she went outside, the car, man and luggage were gone. As far as I know, she never saw that luggage again.
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nikir
Frequent Guest


Joined: 17 Mar 2010
Posts: 54

PostPosted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 1:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

gomer wrote:

A Muscovite I knew went to an EU country on holiday, returned to a Moscow airport, walked to the curb and extended her arm to get a driver to stop and take her back to her apartment. A driver stopped, a price was agreed upon, she put her luggage in his car and they left the airport. All she had were large bills for which the driver could not make change. The driver stopped at a business so she could go inside to exchange a large bill for smaller bills. When she went outside, the car, man and luggage were gone. As far as I know, she never saw that luggage again.


I hope that you advised her to start reading some of the posts about personal safety and security on this forum. She may find some tips contained in them useful for future reference.
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danbrew
Just Starting


Joined: 17 Mar 2010
Posts: 9

PostPosted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 1:26 am    Post subject: Re: horrifying US Consulate information Reply with quote

jo jo 7 wrote:
Danbrew....If I read this right, what happens when an American signs a two-year contract in a Western Company and has to remain in Russia under the contract policy? What do you do then? A person has to leave their job in 90 days under the 180 rule? What has to be done to stay in Russia until the contract is over? Do you keep renewing visa's before they run out or do you have to leave regardless?


It depends upon your visa type. As the DoS website says, there have been many recent changes. If you accept a 2 year work agreement, hopefully the company that has hired you will address the visa issue. When these changes were first announced, I read up a lot on them and there are many expats in Russia expressing concern regarding their situation and these new rules.

Quote:

Limitations on Length of Stay: In October 2007, the Russian government made significant changes to its rules regarding the length of stay permitted to most foreign visitors. For any visa issued on or after October 18, 2007, unless that visa specifically authorizes employment or study, a foreigner may stay in Russia only 90 days in any 180-day period. This applies to business, tourist, humanitarian and cultural visas, among other categories. Failure to comply with this rule could result in arrest, deportation, and a five-year ban from entering Russia.
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danbrew
Just Starting


Joined: 17 Mar 2010
Posts: 9

PostPosted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 1:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Paul Holmes wrote:
Hmmm, so Dan, if you had protected sex with prostitutes it is ok in Russia or any other foreign country for you ? Right?

Or should we call you the former Govenor of New York!!!


Well, yeah... hello!!! Just doing my bit to help the local economy/mob/whatever. Speaking of New York, the hooker in that case really isn't that hot (would be a 2 on a scale of 1-10 for a place like Night Flight). And imagine how much money she's going to make after the book/movie/playboy offers start rolling in?

America sure is a funny country sometimes.
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Paul-Holmes
Lounge Wizard


Joined: 12 Apr 2005
Posts: 1073

PostPosted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 8:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

maybe she has buy american on her ass
believe or not never been to the nightflight
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gomer
WayToRussified


Joined: 30 Mar 2007
Posts: 445

PostPosted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 5:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Paul Holmes wrote:
Or should we call you the former Govenor of New York!!!


"It's like deja-vu, all over again. " - Yogi Berra
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