Job Discussion Forums

[Americanartistist]

I've given a bottle of champagne in appreciation and quite a few boxes of chocolates and fancy tea in appreciation, just part of the game here.

[sohniye]

Hello everyone,

Fun turn this thread has taken.

If only I could bribe my relevant embassy with food to respond to my as yet unanswered email. GRRRRRR...

This is getting so irratating so I am just going to call today.

Previous posters are right: I am going to submit everything online. This news of a representative---is that the same as submitting the passport through CIBT?

[Americanartistist]

that can represent you at the embassy, it is kind of like these services here in Russia that you can pay and get either a letter of invitation or to take care of the process of getting your visa. From the Russian Embassy in the US web page: http://www.russianembassy.org/Embassy_eng/Consulate/general.html


3. In order to streamline and improve the visa obtaining process as well as for security concerns the Russian visa section is no more processing visa applications by mail.

In the meanwhile the applicants unable to be present in our visa section in person are strongly recommended to rely on the services provided by the followiing visa services:
Travisa Visa Service, Inc.

Tel:(800) 222-2589
www.travisarussia.com

PVS International
Tel:(800) 556-9990
(703)908-0330
Fax: (703) 908-0332
www.pvsinternational.org

CIBT, Inc.
Tel:(800) 929-2428
www.cibt.com/russianvisa

[sohniye]

Thank you again guys

I am in a real pickle here.

I am still being asked to send my apostiles back to Russia, which wouldn't be so bad but my employer insists that I send them via DHL which estimated at $190.00 is simply too expensive for me.

They insist that if I send them via US Post the papework will languish in proccessing for a month. Is this true?

What do you think, all these upfront costs (none of which are being covered my employer) are really getting me down. I am not made out of money and I am not certain if that is understood

What were your experiences/start up costs?

[Americanartistist]

I can mail something from here back to the US and it takes about two weeks, something from the US to Moscow, about three or four weeks, if you are lucky.

There are many courier services here, DHL, United Partial Service, Wells Fargo, Pony Express and others, i would just tell them that you can not afford their service and ask to use another, why would they refuse, they would still receive it? I renewed my US visa this year, it came by courier and was included in the cost of the passport, it took 10 days from the US to Moscow until the courier delivered it to me.

I can not speak about start up costs since my situation was/is a lot different, I came here on a tourist visa in 2003, fell in love with Moscow, got residence and been here pretty much since. I found work with a small Russian owned school which I still work with from time to time, applied and got residence and then applied for a PIE, so my start up costs would be a lot different from what yours would be. I do not understand when you said none are covered by your employer, what costs are you talking about? Most of the descent schools (used to be covered at least) covered airfare, driver would bring you from the airport to your flat or school, what documents you needed to send were paid for by the school, the schools handled registration, work permits, everything, at least the good schools used to. What is going on now as far as schools go, I really have no idea, since most of my students are private students or with the smaller Russian owned school I work with. So I can not help you out there, somebody who works with a school here should fill you in better than I can with that aspect.
JD

[Russiatobe]

Yes, there are a lot of start up costs in Russia. I had to pay for my own visa, airfare, and hiv test. Granted I got the money back when i came here (first pay check 5 weeks later), but the airfare they pay graually every month. Don't forget that unless you have a hook up for an apartment, most likely you will end up paying for rent, deposit and an agent's commission. Also, find out if the job will pay for the hotel/hostel when you look for a place. You need some money to buy things for the apartment as well, even if it is furnished. Good Luck!

[sohniye]

It's good to hear that someone else has gotten through the sticker shock, here is my estimate:

Start up estimates
Visa + processing (CIBT or similar service) : 205.00
DHL 190.00
HIV: 50.00
Flight to secondary location 90.00
Flight to Russia: 650.00
____________
1,185.00

YIKES!

Yes my living situation is taken care of by the school

This insistance on sending apostilles (exactly 4 pieces of paper) back to Russia via DHL is what is reallly getting to me; especially since most of you did not apparently need to do that..?

[Americanartistist]

passed last August, schools must now have all degrees and certification certified with an apostille seal to prove they are legit and not some cut and paste job that some teachers here were using. But as far as only being able to use one certain delivery service, that sounds fishy, almost as if the brother of the school's director owns DHL or something. I would just say, I am using FEDX and you can accept or not. All these courier services in the US operate here, so making a demand that you use DHL is unreasonable to me.
JD

[Sashadroogie]

Dear Sohniye

To whom in Russia are you supposed to send the apostilled documents? To your school or a government office?


S

[Americanartistist]

with one of the schools here and she said that is pretty much the norm now. You should not send any original documents, only copies with an aposille to show that they are legit documents. You should bring originals with you that have an aposille seal because the Ministry of Education may want to check if it is a real diploma and certification, but copies should only be sent, not originals. There is a new law that says all teachers whether public or private must have certain qualifications. So many schools are now checking teachers degrees and certifications more carefully than they did in the past, because the Russian Federation Ministry of Education have started doing spot checks and looking at teacher qualifications now.

I have heard that even BKC is now requiring all teachers they hire to provide a background check from the police here saying they have never been in trouble. This came about because many schools here run more or less a teacher treadmill and did not bother checking out who they hired. So I would assume it is the school asking to see this because I think they have to provide copies to the government when they pay the taxes on the teachers salary. They may now have to provide this info to the Ministry of Education in order to be able to hire the teacher legally now, but I am not sure about that.

I know when I registered as a PIE, as a teacher, I had to provide a copy of my degree and teaching certification to the tax authorities before they gave me approval, so I assume it is the school requesting this. But I would never send original documents, only copies with an aposille seal. Your originals should have an aposille seal. From everything I have heard the Ministry of Education here is starting to crack down on this. I can not say this is fact, only what I have heard and experienced when I registered as a PIE to teach.

I remember when I first came here, schools pretty much handled all the costs, paid airfare to Moscow, and return flight when you completed your contract, took care of visa costs, invitation costs, work permits, taxes, pension payments, provided a flat (though not too good), but I guess this has changed, at least with some schools.

[Americanartistist]

and he said under no circumstance should you send your original diploma and certificate, that you should be able to email copies that have an apostille seal for verification, then when you come you should bring your original with you that has an apostille seal. I knew this sounded fishy from the demands you only use some certain service. The director I talked to this afternoon said you should be able to email copies of everything for initial verification, then have your originals when you come here. Do you mind telling just who this school is? I know the Ministry of Education is getting tough with verifying legit diplomas, but to send your original across the world, to persons unknown is just too risky. I would like to know just what school this is, because this is something else.
JD

[Russiatobe]

yes, I completely forgot to mention that I had to do my own background check which cost about 80 or 90 bucks. But, for some reason, I didn't have to apostille any documents and I arrived on September 1st.

[MadGoldfish]

[sohniye]

Hello,

No worries about sending originals, I was never asked to do that (nor would I) just apostille copies.

I am sending my documents to my school not a government office for the time being.

Manager is still very insistant on DHL only. Apparently because that's the only guaranteed method that the documents will get there in five days or so---according to their perception.

Apparently a lot of documents get held up if are sent by say the US Postal service for weeks or months at a time once they arrive in Russia. Is that true in your experience?

I mean how exactly does DHL avoid this hang up but something via a national post does not?

There's a huge difference between $30.00 (US Post) and DHL $150.00 and FedEX $90.00.

[Sashadroogie]

Dear Sohniye

Good about the original degree. But your opening post was a little ambiguous - at least to me - I thought you meant you had to send the originals to the school in Russia.

About the postal service - probably the US service will do their bit, but it is the Russian side that messes up deliveries. Totally primitive. So, the manager is right not to depend on standard post. As to whether UPS or DHL is better, couldn't say. But make sure the school pays for all of these costs - not you.

S