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[expatella_girl]

Tuesday, November 13, 2007. Issue 3784. Page 5.

Officials Explain Visa Changes

By Dave Nowak and Max Delany
Staff Writers

Foreigners in Russia will have to apply for visas in their home countries or in a country where they can stay 90 days or more, a Federal Migration service official said Monday.

The clarification came as government officials attempted to explain the restrictive new rules after foreign business associations were swamped with inquiries about the new system.

Puzzled company representatives packed out events held by the American Chamber of Commerce and Association of European Businesses on Monday, where officials spoke from the Foreign Ministry and Federal Migration Service.

Confusion has reigned among expatriates over an Oct. 4 decree issued by Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov that shook up the application process and slashed the length of time foreigners can stay in Russia on multiple-entry business visas.

Speaking at the AEB meeting, Alexander Aksyonov, head of the migration service's visa and registration department, said foreigners could now only receive a new visa in countries where they are legally entitled to stay for more than 90 days.

This would essentially mean that many non-EU citizens could not get new visas in European countries and would have to return home.

Aksyonov also clarified another contentious part of the new legislation.


Multiple-entry business visas received before Oct. 17, the day the decree was adopted, will not be affected by the new legislation. But multiple-entry business visas issued after that date will now only allow stays of up to 90 days at a time.

Under the new rules, such visas will still last one year. But they will only let foreigners stay in Russia for up to 180 days of that visa year, and for no longer than 90 days at a time. Moreover, if a foreigner stays in Russia for 90 days straight, he or she is then required to leave and not come back until another 90 days have passed.

Aksyonov said the primary reason for implementing the new legislation was to bring Russian visa practices into line with "the European system," referring to the Schengen visa regime used by about half the countries in Europe. Under that system, Russians can get a single visa that allows them to travel freely between those countries.

Aksyonov said the new rules were in line with those in 33 countries that had the same rules for Russians traveling on business visas. He called the new rules a "liberalization" of Russia's migration policy.

Paul Vandoren, deputy head of the delegation of the European Commission to Russia, told the meeting that there remained a number of "outstanding issues" on visa policy but that dialogue was continuing between Russian and foreign officials.

"So many individuals have difficulties with visa legislation and are uncertain about the rules. It is too difficult for each individual to voice their concerns to the Russian authorities," Vandoren said.

Andrew Somers, president of the American Chamber of Commerce, said the organization had received a large number of e-mails and phone calls on the matter.

Russian officials had agreed to come and field questions at a members' meeting on the matter at very short notice, Somers said.

"It looks like the spirit is willing to resolve this situation," he said.

Somers said the chamber's lawyers were digesting the latest pronouncements from Russian officials and would produce a report later this week.

In the end, however, it seemed that some businesses were left just as confused as ever.

"It seems the officials don't understand the rules completely themselves," said Natalya Komoltseva, head of human resources at Nissan.

And despite the official reassurances, telephone calls to a number of Russian consulates around Europe on Monday showed that the system was by no means applied evenly.

A spokeswoman for the Russian Consulate in London said they were currently still issuing same-day visas and visas to U.S. citizens not residing in Britain but that the system was likely to change sometime next year.

"Either you will have to be a resident here or apply for the visa in your own country," the spokeswoman said.

"In the future anything is possible," she said.

A spokesman for the Russian Consulate in Dublin said U.S. citizens were currently only being given visas if they are resident in Ireland. She was uncertain if other EU citizens not resident in Ireland could receive visas in the country.

The consulate in Helsinki is currently refusing to issue visas to U.S. citizens or citizens of non-Schengen countries, said one U.S. businessman, who recently applied for a visa there. He added that there were even discrepancies between the various consulates within Finland.

[zeke0606]

expatella_girl ----

Good one and thanks!

[coledavis]

"
Under the new rules, such visas will still last one year. But they will only let foreigners stay in Russia for up to 180 days of that visa year, and for no longer than 90 days at a time. Moreover, if a foreigner stays in Russia for 90 days straight, he or she is then required to leave and not come back until another 90 days have passed.
"

Thanks Expat_Girl. I think the paragraph I've copied from your message is still the salient point for people considering applying for new visas. The business visa is out for those intending to teach for a year in Russia.

[Nexus]

And you can read the transcript of the meeting this week between AmCham and the Migration Service etc here:

http://www.amcham.ru/pr/events/2007.11.12_FMS/12.11.07_FMS_eng.pdf

[maruss]

So in other words,no more freelancing will be viable using business visas if you have to leave every 90 days and then cannot come back for another 90-unless you find one of the firms that can issue work permits for teachers with a one year stay and will agree to let you work on a hourly basis?
I suppose it had to happen sooner or later and people have been getting away with it for a long time!The effects though still remain to be seen.....

[embojangles]

I'm flying to Moscow tomorrow to start teaching on a one-year multiple entry visa that I was issued yesterday.

Does this mean that I can only teach for half the year (even though I signed a 9 month contract)? And that I have to take a quick trip out of Russia within what, 80 or say days after I arrive (so I don't have to wait another 90 to come back?)?

Oh dear.

[expatella_girl]

In some sense, the new regulation seems clear: on a 1 year multiple entry visa one may stay in Russia for a maximum of 90 consecutive days. And then one must leave for 90 days and then come back for another 90 days; totaling 180 possible days in Russia on a 365 day visa.

embojangles, I hope that the school footed the bill for your airfare and that you didn't pay for it yourself. Because you'll be out of the country in 90 days.....and not for a short hop over the border either. You will have to stay out of Russia for 90 days.

(this is starting to sound repetitive)

[embojangles]

Is this law restricted to EU citizens or any foreigners on multiple entry visas? (I'm American and I keep reading about a lot from the EU-ers' point of view.

Does anybody think this law will change in oh, I don't know, the next 90 days or so?

I'm reaching for straws here but I'm just pretty stunned. I'm leaving in 24 hours and now I suddenly wonder if I should unpack all my spring clothes.

Funny how the NY Russian Consulate page said nothing of these restrictions!

[expatella_girl]

No this is not restricted to Europeans only. It is across the board. Everybody with a 1 year multiple entry business visa. 90 days.

You should definately think twice about getting on that plane.

Perhaps the school you signed on with hasn't had time to digest the new regs or maybe they aren't even aware of it yet. It's all new in the last month.

But that's the thing about Russia. Stuff just comes out of nowhere and clobbers you over the head.

[rusmeister]

[Nexus]

Yes embojangles - I'm slightly stunned that a school is flying someone in on a biz visa.

They must have heard about these regulations if they're in the business of recruiting from overseas.

Call the school immediately and ask them how they are going to solve the situation if / when you arrive. They may prepare a new invitation for a legit work visa when you're here.

However, you also need to know from them where you will go to get the new visa processed - will they pay for you flight back to the US? Will they pay for you to stay 10 days or so in Scandinavia?

[BELS]

Looks like many of us are still very confused. There will soon be a special visa for workers and teachers. Can't remember the name. However nothing has really changed its basically the same. If a school has the right
to employ and can issue their own invitation I see no changes. Same as those workers with a work permit. It those schools have been illegally employing I see the problems.

However, I'm wondering if Americans are going to have problems if they have to return each time on a visa trip to America.

Also the Russian Embassy in London still claims no changes for the time being. And there is recent evidence of many Brits and some Americans applying for visas in London and claiming they have visas with no 90 days restrictions and claims that the staff of this Embassy confirms this.

Funny, but some of the quotes from the Moscow times appears to have originally come from expat.ru