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Russian VISA for Canadians born in Russia

Way to Russia Talk Lounge Forum Index -> Russian Visa Forum

Author	Message
sloby89 Just Starting Joined: 12 Nov 2010 Posts: 3	Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 3:12 am    Post subject: Russian VISA for Canadians born in Russia I was born in Russia , and immigrated to Canada in 1993 as a child. I want to visit my friend in Moscow, so I obviously need a visa for this. However, since I was born in Russia, how do I prove that I renounced my Russian citizenship, even though I was written in the passport of Grandmother? So technically didn't even have any documents other than my USSR birth certificate, which is God knows where. If lets say I do get granted a visa through my Canadian passport, am I in the clear? Any help would be much appreciated!
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overseas_expat VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 741 Location: Moscow	Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 5:06 am    Post subject: If you travel on your Canadian passport as a Canadian citizen with a visa, I don't understand why you would want to or need to prove Russian birth? In the event your Canadian passport lists your birthplace as Russia it will be a little stickier situation. Your question is unclear. Also please read this nearly identical post from a week or so ago by another Russian/Canadian. http://waytorussia.net/TalkLounge/viewtopic.php?p=91637&highlight=#91637
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sloby89 Just Starting Joined: 12 Nov 2010 Posts: 3	Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 6:53 am    Post subject: That's the problem, it does list my birthplace as St.Petersburg! And I read that post and it was unclear if the citizenship ceremony is a valid indicator of renunciation ! So I'm wondering how will I prove this otherwise I'm just worried that they will hassle me on the way back to Canada!
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overseas_expat VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 741 Location: Moscow	Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 10:26 am    Post subject: With this issue of Russian birthplace listed on a Canadian passport, the only thing you can do (as was discussed with the other Russian/Canadian poster) is to go to the Russian embassy in Canada to attempt to sort things out. Way to Russia cannot solve international migration issues like these. And as was advised in the other thread with the identical problem, if you are a young male and of Russian birth, traveling to Russia could get you drafted into the Russian army--with or without your consent. This is a jeopardy which you should not ignore.
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sloby89 Just Starting Joined: 12 Nov 2010 Posts: 3	Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 11:07 am    Post subject: Another question: If I get a private visa Can my friend scan the invitation and I print it out? Or must it be mailed to me? Cheers ,
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nikir Frequent Guest Joined: 17 Mar 2010 Posts: 56	Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 12:12 pm    Post subject: No, it has to be the original printed on special paper with a watermark. In any case you will not get a private visa, just having citizenship in another country does not cancel Russian or FSU citizenship. Take the advice above and discuss it with the embassy. At least you will get correct information. For what its worth all the Russians I know keep their zagran passports current solely to travel back to Russia.
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romdur Lounge Lizard Joined: 17 Mar 2010 Posts: 197	Posted: Sun Nov 14, 2010 10:55 pm    Post subject: sloby: As far as the Russian Federation is concerned, you are today a Russian citizen. If you are female, you have two options: you can apply for a Russian zagranichny passport in Canada, or you can officially renounce your Russian citizenship. I have only read a little about this, but my understanding is that either course will probably take several months, and require a good deal of paperwork. I suppose that to get a passport, you will need to find a copy of that birth certificate, and probably a few other hard-to-find documents as well. Probably some legwork will be required in Russia: perhaps by your friend, a family member living there, or perhaps you could pay an attorney. Unfortunately, formal renunciation probably also requires a fair amount of documentation (to prove that you don't owe any taxes in Russia, and other nonsense). If you are an able-bodied male, and don't want to serve a tour in the Russian military, then formal renunciation is the only way to go. Once you have completed this process, you can apply for a visa as any Canadian citizen would. As I advised the other recent poster, I would consult a Russian attorney experienced with cases just like yours, about how to be sure you can visit Russia without being conscripted.
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