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Mustbcrackers

Hello and thanks to everybody who makes this site so fantastic as a resource for Russophiles!

This question has had passing references elsewhere but no definite answer as it seems to be a very unusual situation.

We are going to tour Russia for 30 days in a motor home in summer 2009.

After we have registered our visas at a hotel in St.P on arrival, and stayed for three days, we will set off touring for the other 27 days and we don't expect to spend more than one or two nights in any one place - though Sochi may be one place where we will stay three nights.

So, what will be our legal situation?

For example, if we get a 30 day registration in St.P will that pass inspection by police in Yekaterinberg two weeks later or will we be arrested and/or fined? As we will not be leaving Russia via St.P (but into Ukraine) will the agent get into trouble for not getting the slip back?

If we register for just three days in St.P and hand back the registration slip on departure from there what will be our status on the rest of the trip where we will not be staying anywhere for more than one or two nights - and these stops tending to be at truck stops, car parks or just on the side of the road?

Many thanks in anticipation.

Harry

DITTRICH · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 5:23 pm Post subject:

Dear Harry,
So long as you register within 3 days after crossing the border, I don't think this will be a problem. The rules as I understand them say you definately have to register within 3 days of crossing the border. After that if you are travelling around, and don't stay in the same place for more than 3 days you aren't technically breaking the rules. I habitually register for the whole stay of 30d at my russian apartment but I'm hardly ever there - more like at the dacha or other towns surrounding moscow. Now if you look at the questions asked by people doing long train journeys they often state that you don't have to register because you're never in the same city for 3 days. My advice to get registered initially is partly "insurance" to show you did register and partly because the customs (a different organisation to the migration service) need to see the registration paperwork (the bit you initally retain) in order to extend your temporary import permit for the vehicle. At least the customs required this of me 2 years ago. See other forum posts. So my best "guess" is that it isn't really necessary. You could also look at horizonsunlimited, the bulletin board forum for 2 wheel travellers doing the trans siberian highway - some of them seem to get away without registering and some even without extending their temporary import permit. Generally, if you do get stopped by the cops (mainly out of curiosity) they almost always ask to see an IDP (you know what this is right?) and the temporary import certificate. Extending the TIC is just another form of "insurance" against possible "problems" either with the cops or being fined on the way out by the customs because you didn't extend it. The fines are supposed to be less than the cost of the extension some say but the potential savings are small compared to the potential hassle. Some people in the past claimed to get TICs >10 working days but I've never managed it - its a bit like the legendary "auto-tourism" visa and getting car details stamped in/out in your passport - it just never seems to happen. At the end of the day its not what's written in the laws or internet but what works in practice that counts. A professional non confrontational attitude and a few words of Russian will get you a long way.

I don't necessarily have all the answers, but I know what has worked for me in the past. Best of Luck.

Les

Mustbcrackers · Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 7:09 pm Post subject:

Thanks Les, great info.

What is an IDP?

I guess the TIC is a Temporary Import Certificate that you have to extend beyond the ten days?

I'm beginning to add up all the overhead costs for the bureaucracy on this trip, with everyone wanting their pound of tourist flesh!

Harry

DITTRICH · Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 5:47 pm Post subject:

Mustbcrackers · Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 7:00 pm Post subject:

Thanks Les

I knew I needed an IDP, honest, just the abbreviation didn't click!

But what's this about a Russian translation?

Cheers

Harry

DITTRICH · Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 7:52 pm Post subject:

kjedwards · Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 7:49 pm Post subject:

Hi

I have a similar question, my wife and I will be travelling to Russia late May 09 by car from the UK via Ukraine.

We will be staying in Ukraine for a couple of weeks to rest and then on to Russia. Our destination will be family in the Volga Region but we intend to enter Southern Russia and tour around for several days before arriving where will stay.

Question is how to register? We will be travelling for maybe 5-6 days through various Russian regions and will not be staying in hotels but camping just for the night. We had intended to register once we arrived in the Volga Region and where we are likely to stay for a week or two but no way we could do the registration before the 3 day time limit because we won't be staying nor have anyone to register us.

Does anyone know, if it will be ok to delay registering until we finally arrive in the Volga Region?

Thanks

Kevin
PS We have the International Driving Permit but do we need anything else before we go? We had assumed we just register the car details on arrival at the border is this correct?

DITTRICH · Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:04 pm Post subject:

Dear Kevin,
If you have read my previous posts on the subject you will realise several things:-

1 Firstly, it might not be strictly necessary to register within 3 days of arrival but why take that chance. My advice is to cross the border and stay ONE night in a hotel to get registered at least once. This way if things are queried later then you can prove you did register on arrival. The letter of the law and practice are completely different in RUssia.
2 You are likely to receive a 10 working day valid temporary import certificate at the Russian Border for your vehicle. If you intend to stay longer than 10 working days in Russia you will need to extend the validity of this piece of paper. You need to be registered at an address in order to do this. Without registration, extension of the TIC is not possible in my experience.
3 Precisely where you can extend the TIC is a matter for your research on the internet - Russian Customs have a website in Russian with bits in English. I know of the places in Moscow and StP where this is done but elsewhere - I don't know.
4 You need a number of things for the car and it is all detailed on the website under travelling to Russia by Car in the transport section. Note you may now be able to receive a RUssia valid green card from your UK insurance company - make sure it has RUS on it.
5 Follow the suggestions and instructions in the various posts and on the website and you'll be okay.
Les

kjedwards · Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 12:42 am Post subject:

Hi Les

Thanks for that, I've just found this forum so will spend some more time looking tomorrow

The wife is Russian now British so language is no problem, just the info - I'm sure you know how the Russians love their bureaucracy.

Yours

Kevin

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