Job Discussion Forums

sohniye · Joined: 15 Mar 2011 Posts: 90

Hello,

I am currently in the proccess of getting a Russian work visa and have come accross a huge delemia.

My passport is from 2004 and old but still very much valid.

My passport that has gotten me through 14 countries, work visas for two, and was used in the exact condition it's in now to travel in Hungary, Turkey and Germany this August might be rejected according to my CIBT agent because it looks too worn. If this happens... I am going to be at least $500.00 shorter if I am forced to apply for a whole new passport. According to this agent, if my passport is deemed ineligible by the state department it will be suspended.

Either way it's going to cost me another $82.00 if I want to risk it with my current passport and just add the pages (because now four blank pages at the back isn't enough!!)

I am downright angry. A valid passport is a valid passport, it's not as if it's torn, uninteligible, has pages missing or scribbled on with crayons.

I made a call later this evening to the State Department and the agent I spoke with there seemed fairly confident that my passport as I described it to her should not be rejected. After all a passport is considered a privillege of citizenship and as long as it's valid you aren't to be harrassed by any government entity national or foreign and though some customs people have joked with me about how 'loved' my passport is they sure as hell haven't stopped me from my travels.

What the hell do I do now? Has this happened to anyone else?

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I don't think it SHOULD be the case, but I think that it's a good idea to get a new passport every four or five years.

They can/do become insufficient for entry into some countries. The US currently, for example, will accept travellers from some parts of Europe ONLY with a biometric passport. My spouse's current Czech passport is still technically valid, but he was refused entry into the US on it on the grounds that biometric is now required.

As the technology used to safety-code passports becomes more sophisticated, having an old 'junker' can be a hassle.

choudoufu · Joined: 25 May 2010 Posts: 3325 Location: Mao-berry, PRC

you've got maybe 18 months remaining? kinda close considering
some countries require six months validity in order to issue a visa.

only four blank pages? you could get extra pages added for $82,
which you won't be able to use fully by the time your passport
expires.

or you could get a brand spanking-new passport for $110 with ten
years validity.

be sure to ask for the jumbo-sized passport! some locations can
issue passports with more blank pages if you can show a need.

Sashadroogie · Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:09 pm Post subject:

Dear Sohniye

Sorry, old bean, but if there is any risk at all of your current passport being deemed unacceptable, then get a new one. It matters not one jot what the US State Dept thinks should be acceptable. It only matters what the Russian think. They, and they alone, make up their own rules. And blatantly break them as well. Follow your agent's advice. (By the way, in Russia the documents themselves are more important than the man who holds them, and you shouldn't expect any privileges whatsoever....)

Be as angry as you want. I know it is annoying. But if this is going to upset you now, and in the comfort of your own home country, then... well... Sorry, but Russia is sure to disappoint you. Getting your initial entry visa is only the beginning of a long and tedious, not to say irritating process.

Get the new passport. And get it at home where it is easier to do so. You don't want to have to transfer Russian visas from an expiring passport to a newly issued one in Russia. Major pain in bum caused by not one, but TWO embassies yay!

Sashadroogie · Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:12 pm Post subject:

And invest in a slip-on passport cover! Protects your documents from wearing away.

sohniye · Joined: 15 Mar 2011 Posts: 90

Hello,

Sound advice everyone.

I am under so much pressure right now to arrive already and when there is a logistical nightmare such as this I feel as though administrators in Russia are blaming me. Why they want me there before a substantial New Year's break I don't know.

I think someone is going to Shocked

a brick if I tell them per getting a new passport and visa it's going to take another seven weeks.

There is also the issue that if I get a new passport, I austomatically need to get a new invitation letter from Russia---this too has turned out to take much longer than we thought it would take.

I just don't know what to do. Add pages and still get rejected (waste 82.00$). Get new passport and piss off new employer big time with extended time frame.

Is it true that the state department is actually going to keep my passport if it's deemed unacceptable?! I never got a chance to say goodbye to 'Stampy.' and it's one of my primary forms of ID...I need it.

It's already becoming clear that Russia is a whole different animal. I am trying to deal with that---but so far feel like I can't get anything right. For those of you who follow the Russia board, I can't even get freakin concert tickets because of red tape with a whole different type of Visa.

This sucks Sad

Sashadroogie · Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:59 pm Post subject:

Tell your school about it. Fill 'em in. Listen to what they have to say. and depending on what that is, take your decision from there.

I'd guess that they'd want you to fork out for any future invitation letter though. Another couple of hundred bucks right there

sohniye · Joined: 15 Mar 2011 Posts: 90

repost sorry.

sohniye · Joined: 15 Mar 2011 Posts: 90

contented · Joined: 17 Oct 2011 Posts: 136 Location: اسطنبول

Sashadroogie · Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 1:14 pm Post subject:

As far as I know, and this is not verified, they'd have to start the whole process again, officially. Might be some unofficial wiggle room there, but it'll still cost. And this is just the invitation letter. There are many more steps and docs that they need to get from the Immigration boys. It does cost.

Tell them the problem about your old passport. Don't try to solve everything for them. They may know something you don't and spot an easy solution. Or they may just go mental. You never really know with admin personnel here...

This may help you!

http://irc.lv/video?id=EeVQyhN5c84v

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

Get a new one. While it may seem like a hassle now, it would be even more so if you tried to get a visa with your current passport and then got rejected and had to do it all over again. If that happened, your employer might not be willing to give you another invitation letter.

sohniye · Joined: 15 Mar 2011 Posts: 90

Sasha that video was funny as hell, and I will PM as this situation dies out.

Well guys, administrators refuse to wait should the visa be denied in current passport (they will not wait for me to get a new passport in other words) so I have to put my passport forward and hope for the best.

If I had the time I would get a new passport, who wouldn't want the new one with the cool 'We the people' Eagle Laughing

(sorry, have to have some humour about something!)

I can't believe I am being put under so much pressure. Twisted Evil

artemisia · Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 875 Location: the world

sohniye · Joined: 15 Mar 2011 Posts: 90