#11
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2003
From: Neil McGowan <neil@trans-siberian.co.uk>
Subject: Immigration cards
An important piece of information for all JRL readers who might be travelling to Russia shortly.
There is now in place a system of IMMIGRATION CARDS. They are compulsory for all non-citizens of the RF. The card is held to be an addendum to your passport whilst in Russia. Without it you cannot check into any hotel nor register your visa with OVIR/UVIR. However, due to administrative "problems" for which no-one seems willing to accept responsibility, there are not enough supplies of the stationery for this Card at all border points. At Moscow SVO and DME airports, there have been no cards available for several days. However, the card cannot be ignored. As an indication of how seriously this is being taken, a non-Russian friend of mine is this week having to make an unwanted trip to Tallinn - merely to leave the country and re-enter, in the hope there will be Immigration Cards at the Russo-Estonian border. Please be aware that not having a card places you in a severely unpleasant position regarding your status in Russia, and you MUST insist upon an a card when crossing the Russian border. Tourists with pre-paid hotel reservations have been turned-away into the street because of not having this document!!
Neil McGowan, Russia Experience Travel Co, London/Moscow.
Russia Experience + Beetroot Bus
Office 224
ul Kosomonavtogo Volkogo 10,
Moscow, Russia
Tel (+7-095) 150 4996
Fax (+7-095) 775 7709
Mob (+7-095) 761 6079
Direct-Dial to our Moscow Office at UK National Rates:
Just dial UK number: 0870 068 1000
http://www.trans-siberian.co.uk
http://www.beetroot.org
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