Way to Russia Talk Lounge

romdur · Lounge Lizard Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 151 Location: USA

Short version: I've been told I could have troubles, because I was late dealing with registration of a business visa in Moscow.

Longer version: I've always used visa service companies to obtain invitation letters, and to get the visas. I also use their services to get the visas registered, so I don't need to work this out with the landlord (I stay in rented apartments).

On my arrival day (Wednesday), I got through passport control around 14:00, and by the time I reached the city center and was checked in to my apartment, it was too late to get to the travel office, which closes at 18:00. Usually I go on the next business day after my arrival, but on Thursday, I was so tired (jet lag, plus a flight with seats too small for sleeping) that I slept most of the day, and didn't get out until evening. So I finally reached the travel office on Friday afternoon, by which time it was to late for my papers to reach the migration office before Monday.

Now, I have long understood that registration must be taken care of within 72 hours after arrival, not counting weekends (indeed, there is language to this effect on waytorussia). According to this understanding, getting the paperwork into the federal migration system by Monday morning would be fine. But the lady said, "registration must be done by the third business day." I asked her specifically, what if I had arrived on 23:00 Wednesday, and her answer was that Wednesday would count as the first business day, and that registration must be completed by Friday.

So she was telling me, that the migration officials could give problems about this, but that "we can pray" that all goes OK on Monday. [I should note here that the process for business (деловая) visas is not identical to that for tourist visas.] She warned that I could have difficulty entering Russia again.

Before someone jumps in to reply that the woman at the travel office is completely wrong (I don't know whether she is, or not), if there's one thing I've learned about rules in laws in Russia, it is this:

Laws and regulations in Russia vary from time to time, and place to place, depending on which official or office is interpreting them. I'm getting shy about offering advice to other travelers - what worked for Joe in February in one town, may not work for Sally in April in a town 50 kilometers away.

I'm not deeply worried. If there is any problem, it can probably be smoothed over. In principle, registration is not the responsibility of the traveler, but of the party providing accommodation (in this case, theoretically the travel office), so whether I would be "punished" is not clear.

In any case, I'll know the outcome by Monday night, and will post back.

P.S. Since the 2007 rule change, I've heard several times that it is not necessary to have papers proving your registration - nobody checks for them, foreign visitor status being kept on computer. But according to my travel office, it is essential that I pick up these papers.

romdur · Lounge Lizard Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 151 Location: USA

My visa was registered without problems.

A "tempest in a teapot," perhaps...

To be on the safe side, I shall be sure to take care of registration on my second day (or if that falls on a weekend, the next business day) in Russia.