Way to Russia Talk Lounge

menace · Just Starting Joined: 25 Mar 2004 Posts: 2

Hi, I am sure that a few months ago, before I went to St. Peterburg...I saw a post that mentioned somewhere in its text

Quote:

you do not have to register your visa, if you are not staying in one city for more than 3 days...

I planned to stay in st. peterburg for one day, then go down to stay with a friend in Ufa for 11 days and then return to St. Peterburg for my flight home....
ok sounds simple enough, but on the day...my flight was cancelled til the next day (so there was no chance of a stay in St. Petersburg and also I couldn't get my Visa registered there)
I didnt fancy paying expensively for a nights stay to get registered in Ufa, especially when the Police have never checked me before...
I remembered what I had read about the 3 day rule per city and decided to use this bit of knowledge if I would be challenged...I used it once to a policeman, when he tried to bribe me (he spoke english well) he denied (unconvincingly) that that rule was not real...but he gave in after a while, because I was sure he was just convinced I wasn't gonna budge from that!
I got checked on the train to and from Ufa...and each time I mentioned that I have not stayed in any city for more than 3 days and each time I got away with it...
However...when I went to stay at a hostel in st. peterburg,the owner made such a fuss, and said that I was stupid not to have registered...so I had to pay for them to *RISK* registering me and on the condition that I dont go out until I go to the airport for my flight, because I got bad advice!!!!!!! and I was just lucky...
So, my plans for seeing the great wonders of St. Petersburg were ruined Mad

well anyway...I decided to check that I read it right when I got home and now I just cant seem to find this post anywhere?
Did anyone else see it ?
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WayToRussia · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 6:41 pm Post subject:

I don't know where the post is, but it is really true that you don't have to register your visa if you're staying in one city NOT more than 3 days.

This policeman would be better off using his knowledge of English to help tourists rather than trying to rob them. And the hostel owner is crazy, that's all I can say about him. Which hostel was it? I know most of the hostels in St. Petersburg always make unnecessary fuss about visa. Maybe it's like this because they have some problems with authorities, so they're afraid of everything.