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MIKEBUCHAN
Joined: 18 Mar 2007
Posts: 106
Location: Russia
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 Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 1:40 pm Post subject: ? |
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Hi everyone -
I just cut and pasted the email that was sent to me from the US Embassy's Wardens Office.
I think that the blackcorsair is highly jealous of me. At every post of mine - I get attacked! And on all the different forums too boot! I have read that other posters on the different forums and this one have written off the blackcorsair as being far to negative and offering nothing constructive to the thread. And it seems so here too. At least the blackcorsair is living up to his/her nickname! It is a shame that someone has such a dour and negative outlook on life. It is sooooo easy to kick others if that is what it takes that makes you feel so superior. I also believe that hubris goes before a fall.
A US citizen can enter the Ukraine without a visa and stay for 90 days, but only as a tourist. So, Red and white you are correct. I was there in the Ukraine as a tourist a few months before joining you in Baku.
And rusmeister, etal - thanks for the nice words. BTW I am an American and still wear my kilt.
Mike |
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BELS
Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 402
Location: Moscow
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| Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 5:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Nexus wrote: |
A friend's visa was processed same day last week in Kiev. My understanding is that the 10 day processing is connected to the Russia - EU visa agreement and will probably only affect consulates in signatory countries. Not UK, not Ukraine. The London consulate is probably best handled by post with a local agent anyway. The Kiev consulate is very friendly, helpful and efficient.
If the law as it seems to be stated is taking effect, then the 12 month multiple-entry business visas many teachers have been using will only allow you stay in for 90 days continuously. Then you 'd need to be out for 90 days. Ora total of 90 days out of every 180. These visas were originally designed for people coming on short trips like sales and conferences, not living here year-round.
Now people need a work (or teacher's) permit or residency. A work permit is a separate green coloured document that isn't stamped in your passport. A 'teacher's visa' is equivalent to that (same document) but has 'prepodavetel' written on it. You take your invitation to the consualate, they do stamp a visa (3 months, single entry) into your passport but this is submitted to the ministry when you're in Russia and the green permit is issued from this.
If your school or whatever won't do this invitation / permit for you, I'd look around for someone who will. |
Answer from the highlighted quote. You can't because the school must have the right to invite. If they have there is no problem. Go to schools wha can invite and its their name on the invitation. Nothing has changed in this respect and you will be able to avoid this 90 days in and 90 days out business. Yes it will cause some schools a problem to employ, if they have a problem having the right to employ foreigners.
Funny these laws already existed, but were ignored. Only change is this niety day business and how to change it.
Good news in a way, less teachers being abused. The resident with an entrepeneurs license are loving it  Fees can go up, no more back-packers to put the prices down
A lot of posts, too many words and a lot of confusion. Simple |
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rusmeister
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 867
Location: Russia
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| Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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| blackcorsair wrote: |
A fair point, rusmeister. The nationality of any one here is irrelevant and all should be encouraged to post their thoughts and advice. Banter to pass the time. There was an element of leg-pulling in my post, though. Did you notice?
I just thought it was interesting in the light of the poster's recent scathing and almost paranoid attack on Britain (all British teachers being incompetent and unqualified and the implication being that they are unwanted in Russia) and more recently, that we should all of us get out. Now this is all very intriguing in the light of the recent deterioration in relationships between the UK and Russian governments. I'm stressing 'governments' here. Ordinary people wherever they are generally see through a lot of the political point scoring and sabre rattling.
You should also notice that the poster has consistently done his best to discourage teachers from coming to Moscow and Russia because the cost of living is too high and the wages are crap. Now, surely that's the business of the individual? Why go on about it ad infinitum? Wouldn't you think it strange if the person giving that advice was a native Russian teaching English himself? Maybe not. |
I'll admit that I didn't pay attention to attacks on British folk - they always laugh a little at American speech in the textbooks (British textbooks ARE superior, so I use them), and I laugh in turn at britishisms - I teach my kids everything that's in the books , as well as the ways in which Americans express themselves differently and go on to encourage American English while accepting anything they got from the books (it IS better to understand all widely-accepted versions).
Actually, I disagree with the idea that people 'see through' the sabre-rattling. They far more often buy whatever media versions are presented.
I have to agree with Bels despite his style of speech that it is extraordinarily difficult to come to Russia and make what people over 25 years old would call good money. Furthermore, I do believe that people who are just passing through and looking to make a quick buck off of unsuspecting natives who don't know that they don't really have any idea how to teach should not come into the country for that purpose. It's bad for serious teachers and bad for the locals. That said, I don't support attacks on people based on nationality, bigotry or whatever. |
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BELS
Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 402
Location: Moscow
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| Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 6:19 pm Post subject: |
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| rusmeister wrote: |
| blackcorsair wrote: |
A fair point, rusmeister. The nationality of any one here is irrelevant and all should be encouraged to post their thoughts and advice. Banter to pass the time. There was an element of leg-pulling in my post, though. Did you notice?
I just thought it was interesting in the light of the poster's recent scathing and almost paranoid attack on Britain (all British teachers being incompetent and unqualified and the implication being that they are unwanted in Russia) and more recently, that we should all of us get out. Now this is all very intriguing in the light of the recent deterioration in relationships between the UK and Russian governments. I'm stressing 'governments' here. Ordinary people wherever they are generally see through a lot of the political point scoring and sabre rattling.
You should also notice that the poster has consistently done his best to discourage teachers from coming to Moscow and Russia because the cost of living is too high and the wages are crap. Now, surely that's the business of the individual? Why go on about it ad infinitum? Wouldn't you think it strange if the person giving that advice was a native Russian teaching English himself? Maybe not. |
I'll admit that I didn't pay attention to attacks on British folk - they always laugh a little at American speech in the textbooks (British textbooks ARE superior, so I use them), and I laugh in turn at britishisms - I teach my kids everything that's in the books , as well as the ways in which Americans express themselves differently and go on to encourage American English while accepting anything they got from the books (it IS better to understand all widely-accepted versions).
Actually, I disagree with the idea that people 'see through' the sabre-rattling. They far more often buy whatever media versions are presented.
I have to agree with Bels despite his style of speech that it is extraordinarily difficult to come to Russia and make what people over 25 years old would call good money. Furthermore, I do believe that people who are just passing through and looking to make a quick buck off of unsuspecting natives who don't know that they don't really have any idea how to teach should not come into the country for that purpose. It's bad for serious teachers and bad for the locals. That said, I don't support attacks on people based on nationality, bigotry or whatever. |
For those that are resident and have gained a good local reputation as a teacher will do very nicely. But as beginner coming to Russia for the first time and have no wish to settle. Of course the money is very poor.
Attack on the Americans ? Don't take it seriously. We have been doing it for years to each other. And normally it doesn't cause offense, because we are both so arrogent about ourselves as a nation.
Still, I have noticed that it is the British English in Russia. This avoidence of the perfect tense doesn't wash. |
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4ekrus
Joined: 16 May 2007
Posts: 5
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| Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 7:50 pm Post subject: New to the "new" visa renewal problem |
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Hi Folks,
My visa is up the end of November. I am an American and was told to go to Helsinki or Tallinn to renew. I would hate for the the embassy to be right and for me to have to go home to renew my visa. I came here on a three month visa and my school said I would need to leave in order to change it to a 1 year visa.
Should I try Kiev? Helsinki? Tallinn? It is said to be confusing to the folks working at the Russian embassies. Any advice? |
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Nexus
Joined: 08 Mar 2004
Posts: 189
Location: Moscow
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| Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 6:44 am Post subject: |
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If you don't mind sharing - can you tell us what type of visa is expiring (Business Visa / Tourist visa?) and which school you work for?
Things have changed a bit very recently and it seems that you may not be able to get visas processed in any consulate outside your home country (or a country where you have residence) Check out the threads on redtape.ru on this topic.
What type of visa is the school offering to provide for you? |
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4ekrus
Joined: 16 May 2007
Posts: 5
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| Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 7:41 am Post subject: Visa renewal |
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My visa is a business visa, 3 month double entry. The school says that they will be able to get the next visa extended to a 1 year ME business visa. This was said before the law in October, and I have been here since August. The school is legit, and very fair. I am with the Sunhill School - Istra. If there is any problems, it is not their doing. It would just be a huge expense to go back to the USA and do a visa in New York, my 'local' consulate.
Their ex-DOS said he always went to Helsinki, no problems. He said Tallinn was always a 2 day wait. I have looked on the redtape.ru site, but there is little clear info. A lot of stories about Australians being refused everywhere, including London.
So, I basically have two weeks to see if I am out of luck and have to go home. |
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BELS
Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 402
Location: Moscow
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| Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 8:19 am Post subject: |
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Try the forum section in the original expat.ru site
Yes a lot of cunfusion, but there are a lot of schools now offering invitation and you can stay for a year. But you need that invitation direct from the school, with the schools name on it. |
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Nexus
Joined: 08 Mar 2004
Posts: 189
Location: Moscow
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| Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 8:22 am Post subject: |
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4ekrus: A one year Business Visa will only let you stay for 90 days out of 180 from now on, so they need to provide you with a teacher's visa.
I can PM you the info of some schools in Moscow that will do you a teacher's visa but it's looking like you'll have to go back to the USA to get it processed.
That's probably the case with any visa you ask for, teachers, business visa etc. Friends have phoned consulates in Helsinki, Kiev etc and it's 10 days processing time. |
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maruss
Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Posts: 1145
Location: Cyprus
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| Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 8:23 am Post subject: new visa rules |
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These bureaucrats are having a field day inconveniencing us!What we need to know and urgently is which nationalities are affected by the '90 days in and 90 days out rule' and where can they renew their visas?
As far as the question of work permits goes,it seems that only a few firms such as the notorious 'big 3' have the right to issue these,while the ones which pay good hourly rights for freelance work inevitably don't!If this is the case,it's very bad news for anyone who wants to make decent money for enduring Russia!Furthermore, I don't think private students would be very happy when we tell them to come back after 6 months as we have to leave the country etc! |
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Nexus
Joined: 08 Mar 2004
Posts: 189
Location: Moscow
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| Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 9:02 am Post subject: |
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I thought every nationality was affected by the 90 day "in and out" if you have a Business Visa.
But yes, the info about which consulate you can go to and how long it will take to get the visa processed is very patchy. Hopefully, thinks will get clearer in the next few weeks.
There are many more firms than the 'big 3' who can provide teacher's visas - but they require different commitments. Some want you to work full-time but others ask for less hours (especially if you're a qualified, experienced teacher). It seems that most things can be negotiated |
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4ekrus
Joined: 16 May 2007
Posts: 5
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| Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 10:26 am Post subject: Teacher visa versus Business visa |
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Hi Nexus, et. al.,
What is the teacher visa? Is it something that they always have had? It seems I may have had that the last time I was in Russia. I was working for one of the 'Big 3' at the time.
I am having a meeting with my administrator today. I will let her know what everyone is saying and preparing myself for a trip back to the USA.
Nexus, if you could PM me with the teacher visa info, I would appreciate it. It seems I can't PM anyone yet. Not enough posts. I am sure this visa thing will get me enough posts.
Thanks for all the help and info. I will be on expat.ru, redtape.ru and visarus.co.uk all weekend. And some travel sites. |
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Nexus
Joined: 08 Mar 2004
Posts: 189
Location: Moscow
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| Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 10:39 am Post subject: |
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The teacher's visa that people have been talking about is a separate permit, the same as a work permit, but there's a category for teachers.
It's green, has your photo on, and isn't fixed in your passport. The big 3 schools have been issuing them so you probably did have one before.
It's multiple-entry and I think you can renew it within Russia. You will need to go somewhere initially to have the invitation processed (they put a 3 month visa in your passport which is then converted at the ministry in Russia) but after that you won't need to do more visa trips.
I'll PM you. |
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maruss
Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Posts: 1145
Location: Cyprus
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| Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 4:44 pm Post subject: New visa rules |
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| From the ex-pat.ru site and what Bels has posted today,it seems nothing has changed unless you are from a Schengen country? |
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BELS
Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 402
Location: Moscow
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| Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 6:05 pm Post subject: Re: New visa rules |
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| maruss wrote: |
| From the ex-pat.ru site and what Bels has posted today,it seems nothing has changed unless you are from a Schengen country? |
Careful though, nothing has ever changed for teachers. The teacher needs a proper invitation from school. However it has become more difficult for the schools who have not got the right to invite.
You must check expat.ru for yourselves. As this site covers far more than just issues of teachers. It covers issues of everything in regards to living in Russia. The other site mentioned is simply an an attempted copy cat of expat.ru
expat.ru is the original site for red tape for ex-pats in Russia.
Stick to the established sites that have been around for many years. Many web-sites die as we know. |
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