Way to Russia Talk Lounge

NatFL · Just Starting Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 2 Location: USA

My friends rented appartment in Moscow and St Pete through GoToRussia company in June.I let them know that the landlord will have to register visa.So when they asked people from GoToRussia company in Moscow to do just that, they were told "No,you do it yourself" and gave them address far away to go for registration.My american friends decided they are not spending all their precious vacation time on registration and did not do it.No questions were asked at the border patrol and they happily left.I personally agree with everyone here that this registration procedure is pure nonsense and half of the Russian officials have no clue what this is for.none of the civilized countries who really want to grow their tourism industry would come up with such a thing.Let's all hope this will go away eventually and more and more people will be encouraged to travel to this great country with such a great people.
Laughing

surfguy · Lounge Wizard Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 6979

yes it is rediculous and needs to go away.

laurealazet · Just Starting Joined: 10 Sep 2007 Posts: 2

Hey, I hope that Way to Russia staff will read and answer it. I'm a bit confused with registration. I'm a current student at the MGu. My boyfriend is going to visit on october. He's arriving on wenesday in the middle of the afternoon and comes home on sunday in the late evening. We're going to stay at friend's place. Does he have to register? He's spending three business days in russia: wenesday, thursday and friday. Do saturday and sunday have to be taking into account???

Answer quickly please. thanks!

NatFL · Just Starting Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 2 Location: USA

raggedclaw · Frequent Guest Joined: 22 Jul 2005 Posts: 18

Charles --
Yes, well, my visa does show who "invited" me, but it is pretty much meaningless to me and, I suspect, to OVIR as well.
OOOАльмавива is the company that is listed on my visa. When I googled that, I get a type of wine, as best I can figure.
Having grown up in the U.S.'s "Old South," I've learned to adopt a manner of dealing with customs, immigration and other such little bureaucrats that is quite fawning and reminescent of blacks in the 1950s -- "Yas, suh; yas, suh. I'se sorry suh. I jist an ole' ignorant Amurikan can youse help me, please?" is my approach to everything official in Russia. It worked to keep blacks alive in the South, and so far it works with Russian bureaucrats. I only get pushy when I know that the full force of the law is on my side (and that blissful state is not likely in Russia).

charles · Lounge Lizard Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 180 Location: USA

charles · Lounge Lizard Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 180 Location: USA

laurealazet · Just Starting Joined: 10 Sep 2007 Posts: 2

thanks a lot!!!

gomer · WayToRussified Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 446

charles · Lounge Lizard Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 180 Location: USA

Looks like my registration problem will be resolved finally!! I have received a letter from a company in Novosibirsk, requesting that I be registered through the end of my visa period (july 2008) The letter mentions the company who invited me to Russia (as written on my visa), and that I am doing business here through an agreement between the two companies. All this has been arranged by a friend of an acquaintance, who is doing this as a favor to me! She agreed to help without even meeting me first, and she's spending a lot of her own time to take care of it! (really lucky to have met her, and yes she will be compensated one way or another) Well, she knows a woman who will do all the paperwork at the migration office for a fee, and can register me at a different address, so I don't have to get my landlady involved. For registration at that address I need to pay 500 roubles per month, plus 1000 for the paperwork. As mentioned above, they are requesting that I be registered through july 2008 (10 months). My friend says it will be no problem, and I won't have to leave the country after six months (I have a multi-entry business visa). Does that sound right? She also says I'll have to pay a 2000 rouble fine for not registering, but paying the fine should clear my record. So, if all goes as planned I'll get a 10-month registration for 8000 roubles. That's half the price of a plane ticket to Kyrgyzstan...

gomer · WayToRussified Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 446

charles · Lounge Lizard Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 180 Location: USA

First I will see if they give me a 10-month registration. But read here:

http://www.waytorussia.net/TalkLounge/viewtopic.php?t=9480

surfguy · Lounge Wizard Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 6979

yes...I am curious too

mobeale · Just Starting Joined: 20 Sep 2007 Posts: 1

First: Make sure you carry a copy of your actual invitation and Voucher at all times (along with visa/migration card).
Now, according to 50% of hotel and passport registration offices you don't even need a migration card. The other half will stamp your card for a fee.
I think the process is in the middle of a transition period. The hotel passport guy and the township passport office were very harried about the process and after alot of pecking at a computer both presented me with a print-out as proof of registration. We also went to another hotel and for 600 rubles got my migration card stamped but this may have been bogus.
On the other hand I was asked for the migration card a couple of times and gave it to customs who willingly accepted it at the airport.
On a train during a routine night time document check the not nice militia man, while not bothering me, demanded of my Russian wife my Travel Voucher. Unfortunately I didn't have it with me. He called her to the car stewards room and scared the crap out of my usually unflappable wife and extorted 500 rubles with the advice to never tell or "I will break your feel for life".
Also, at all train stations there is a "dark" witness-less room where if you are taken to by militia it is very difficult to come out of - i.e. lawyer, paper work, rubles may be required.
Also I wouldn't assume that the militia are particularly gullible. You are on their agenda if they stop you and the simple fact that you are foreign may make or break the situation for you, not play-acting on your part.
I've been to Russia several times as a tourist and never had any problems until this trip. Still looking forward to going back again.
If anyone can share any clarity to the new migration process I'd sure like to know.
Bill