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Veteran
Posts: 236
 
Location: Hampshire | Hi All... Am off to Rostov next week. Previously we have always stayed in a large hotel who have registered my visa. However, this time we have chosen a much smaller hotel as we really only sleep there, spending the daylight hours with Olga's family (and of course watching the pennies in these tough times!) Anyway, the hotel have said that they register visas but being a pessimist, I'm nervous....
...Worst case scenario, Hotel cannot register my visa, what do I do / where do I go, to do this myself?!?!
Cheers |
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Expert
Posts: 2150
Location: When at home either Sakhalin Island or Scotland | Benny,
As far as I am aware there is no DIY option for registration.
The registration must be done by either your host (if in a private rented apartment) or by the hotel.
Please note that there has been a slight change in the procedure for private registration, you will find it
http://www.realrussia.co.uk/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=2546&p...
I am quite sure though that if the hotel said that it will register your visa then you should have no problems.
Enjoy your stay in Russia |
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Expert
Posts: 3195
Location: Volgograd & Moscow | worst case, then you will have to ask Olga's family to assist you register through the UFMS or post office. There have been a few reports of airport militia scamming people on their way out of Rostov area - things like "ooo, look your visa was issued by a Moscow company, thats wrong" or "this is the wrong type of registration stamp". So make sure you get something, you can always contact our visa team to see if we have any "friendly" hotels in the area. However, if the hotel you are staying at say in can be done, then I dont think it will be a problem. Chris |
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Regular
Posts: 59
Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire | Hi Benny,
As a frequent traveler to this airport and city, I understand the system very well,So a couple of questions for you.
Are you flying in direct to Rostov from outside of Russia or are you entering in from say Moscow? If you are flying from outside of Russia then it is easy just make sure you have as an extra item to your Visa a travel voucher, if you got your Visa from RR and it is a single / double entry Visa you will need this to leave through Rostov on Don airport to avoid the Fine ? Bribe currently running at 4000 rubles  but with the voucher it is no problem.
If you are traveling in to the Airport from within Russia the Entry is no problem, the problem arises when you are leaving, the guys this side seem to be the worst in the game, several guys I know have been pulled to one side taken to a small room searched and made to pay bribes no matter wether or not they had broken the rules!
It would seem that the customs guys that work this side do not get their fair share of bribe opportunity's so will try it on all ways, one Guy who I know very well was taken to this room told to strip so they could search all of his clothes, then he was asked to open his case where they removed the bottle of Vodka he was taking home and some gifts that had been brought for him to give to his family by his Fiancee and her family, all this was carried out whilst his Fiancee was outside demonstrating to these guys that they would be late for the plane, and to what was going on!!!!!
I have heard another guy traveling on his own actually missed his flight!!
As for Registering, if you do not get your hotel to register you then it is easy to get your Wife's family to go to the Post office and fill in the forms for registration and you will be fine, warning do not go to the UFMS in Rostov they will make the whole process last for about 3 hours did this once will never go again!! use the main post office if required only takes 30mins, but as Chris says make sure you just get the maximum you can 
As for myself I have a business Visa and have been through some 15 times now so I think they recognize me but then I always enter from outside of Russia to the International terminal in Rostov they do not seem to bother the guys with business Visas.
Well I hope this helps and gives you a heads up good luck!
Mark |
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Veteran
Posts: 236
Location: Hampshire | Raffi / Mark / Chris - thanks very much for your advice.
We're flying in from Moscow but last time we left I had exactly the same problem... it nearly resulted in us missing the flight whilst I was being robbed in the small room and Olga was outside going ballistic and nearly getting herself arrested. Complete scam, they were insisting I had a 'travel voucher' (basically an itinary) showing every detail of the trip on one piece of paper. The 'exaple' they showed me was a much photocopied scrap of paper which I could have produced in 5 mins if I had a laptop with me!! I think it cost me 3000 rubles so obviously the price has gone up now!
I'm sure the hotel will be fine, but it's good to understand the UFMS / Post Office process just in case there was a problem. Thanks again.
Chris - my visa was through yourselves... any chance of a 'travel voucher' document should I need it?
Thanks again
Ben
Edited by Benny 2009-07-30 9:49 AM
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Expert
Posts: 3195
Location: Volgograd & Moscow | no problems - just email the visa team when you have your visa and they will email one for you. |
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Regular
Posts: 59
Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire | Benny - 2009-07-30 9:45 AM
Raffi / Mark / Chris - thanks very much for your advice.
We're flying in from Moscow but last time we left I had exactly the same problem... it nearly resulted in us missing the flight whilst I was being robbed in the small room and Olga was outside going ballistic and nearly getting herself arrested. Complete scam, they were insisting I had a 'travel voucher' (basically an itinary) showing every detail of the trip on one piece of paper. The 'exaple' they showed me was a much photocopied scrap of paper which I could have produced in 5 mins if I had a laptop with me!! I think it cost me 3000 rubles so obviously the price has gone up now!
I'm sure the hotel will be fine, but it's good to understand the UFMS / Post Office process just in case there was a problem. Thanks again.
Chris - my visa was through yourselves... any chance of a 'travel voucher' document should I need it?
Thanks again
Ben
Hey Ben
Thanks for the clarification it was not just my friends that get this treatment, hey ho that seems to be the norm with regards to traveling into Rostov from within the country when you are not Russian!!
Just as a thought have you looked a Czech Airlines they are doing some good deals a bit of a layover but not to bad went there in May for £290.00 all in that is the best I have ever got.
Good luck with your trip and have fun
Mark |
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Veteran
Posts: 236
Location: Hampshire | Just got back from 2 great weeks in sunny Rostov and thought I would share this years 'airport experience'.....
..... The travel 'voucher' RR kindly put together to satisfy the robbing bastards at the airport worked a treat. Checked in the bags and over to security. Olga, check, though. Ben, spot the UK passport, pass to security.
"Have you got a travel voucher?"
'Stor'
"You should have been given a voucher detailing your trip, you need this. Do you have one"
'Da'
"Da???, are you sure"
'Da'
"Maybe you would prefer to come into the room to find your documents in private?"
'So you can rob me? Nyet, I have it here' (produce voucher)
"Errrr, hmmmm, Davai" (waves me through with a face like he was sucking a lemon without so much as a Kopek in his sweaty pocket)
And a very sweet and victorious pint followed soon after 
Of course, they still seem to have 'magic' scales at Rostov, and maintain that hand lugguage forms part of your weight allowance (even though it doesn't at Heathrow or Sheremetyvo with the same airline)!! Maybe that can be next years challenge?!?!? |
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Expert
Posts: 2150
Location: When at home either Sakhalin Island or Scotland | I love stories that have a happy ending.
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Regular
Posts: 57
| Still at it at Rostov then , almost every time I went there I had to give them money , normally 1000 roubles , we used a little hotel to register my visa , paid about £10 if I remember rightly , first time worked a treat , got through with no problems , second time got pulled to one side , taken to a little room and was told that my visa was not registered , when I asked why not , they said that this hotel was not on their computer . Once I hid my money in another pocket , when they asked me for 1000 roubles I pulled out my wallet and told them , look , I only have 700 roubles left and that I need 500 roubles for my taxi transfer in Moscow. He had a chat with his mate , and told me to give them 200 roubles , at least it saved me 800 roubles . Then the woman at the ticket desk was babbling on in Russian , I did not understand her , until she drew a dollar sign on a piece of paper , the cheeky bitch wanted me to drop her a bung as well , I just gave her a polite no, couldn't believe it.
Some things just don't change , but glad you managed to get through without giving them anything.
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New User
Posts: 4
Location: Hampshire | Hello everybody,
Firstly, thanks for an excellent forum - I've found lots of useful information here, including this thread which first alerted me to possible fun and games at Rostov airport.
I had the pleasure of passing through Rostov a couple of weeks ago on domestic flights (to and from Moscow SVO), so I thought I would add my little experience:
I was travelling around in Russia without spending more than 3 working days in any one city, so there was no need for me to get my visa (a tourist visa) registered anywhere (this was confirmed by the good people of Real Russia).
However, since the Moscow and St P hotels where I was staying offered to do visa registration, there didn't seem to be any harm in getting it done (and I thought that it would at least show that I was making a bit of an effort).
There were no problems on arrival at Rostov, but on departure the Militsiya man was called over when they saw my foreign (UK) passport. He didn't like the fact that I had stayed for 2 nights at my girlfriend's flat without having registered my visa in Rostov (even though this is perfectly within the rules). He came out with all sorts of rubbish including "you need to register your visa on the first day". We knew that this was untrue, however, since we didn't have a copy of the relevant Russian law with us, it was a bit difficult trying to point this out.
Maybe I was lucky - I wasn't taken to their special room and he let us go after a couple of minutes and without asking for money. I didn't even need to show the magic voucher. Maybe it helped that my Russian girlfriend was next to me the whole time and we did a bit of polite protesting. Maybe it was because it was early in the morning and he though that he would have plenty of other chances later on to try to extract money from people?
Unfortunately, it looks as though the Rostov airport Militsiya will still try pretty hard to find fault with your visa registration (or lack of), which is a real shame. On my other domestic flights (from Moscow SVO and from St P) and when I finally came to leave the country from Moscow DME, there were no problems and not even any questions about the visa or where I had been and when.
Overall the trip was excellent. Many thanks to Real Russia for their help with the visa.
Simon
Edited by sjm 2010-09-05 4:22 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 604
| In all honesty Simon traveling around Russia without registering your visa, could complicate things for you in the in the future.
Yes visa's must be registered within 3 working days, however when staying in a hotel or other organisation rendering accommendation services such as a hostel this must be done within 1 day...hence why the hotels in Moscow and STB insisted on registering you.
The best as advice is always have your visa registered where possible, regardless of how long you stay there.
Edited by Michaeldunha 2010-09-05 7:41 PM
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Expert
Posts: 2150
Location: When at home either Sakhalin Island or Scotland | Simon, Hello and welcome to the forum. Regarding registration in Russia. If you are staying in a hotel or other organisation rendering accommodation services then you must register within one day taken to be the day of arrival but because (at least) in every hotel that I have been in the registration is part of the check-in process it is not a problem.
(please see the scan of the back of the migration card) this is the Side "A" that is surrendered to the immigration officials upon arrival in Russia so you do not get to keep it.
Next time you go to Russia in my opinion it is a good idea to acquire a second migration card and carry it with you you then always have a copy of the relevant law in both Russian and English.
If one is on a whirlwind tour and not staying in any one place (private accommodation) for more that three days then keep a copy of all travel tickets (a brief travel diary will also help) so that if questioned about registration you have proof that you did not stay in any place for more that three days and therefore not fallen foul of the registration law.
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New User
Posts: 4
Location: Hampshire | Hi Michael and Raffi, Thank you very much for your comments and advice - I agree entirely. Raffi - thanks for posting that scan. Actually, I had exactly the same thought - I wished I had kept a spare "Side A" because it might have come in handy if the Rostov Militsya (or anyone else for that matter) had started trying to make things difficult. I mistakenly thought that the text on the back of "Side B" (the bit that you keep) would be the same, but I was wrong. Best wishes, Simon |
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New User
Posts: 1
| Hey everyone,
I am going to Rostov next week from Uk on a tourist voucher (although I'm going to stay in private accomdation). The hotels address is on the visa so will they register my visa (if I go to them when I arrive) for me even though I'm not actually staying there? or will I need to go to post office or other official building? and how will that work if I'm not actually staying at hotel? I also hope to avoid the bride merchants at the airport... I don't really know what a travel voucher is... is it the same as invitation...? |
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New User
Posts: 1
| There have been a few reports of airport militia scamming people on their way out of Rostov area - things like "ooo, look your visa was issued by a Moscow company, thats wrong" or "this is the wrong type of registration stamp".
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Veteran
Posts: 236
Location: Hampshire | Hi Everyone.... an old post but am finally heading back to ROV having not been for 3 years (new baby, lots of passport applications, etc... meant Olga and baby Denis have been going back there without me) However finally heading back as a family. I wonder if the ROV airport Militya have missed me?
Any advice for registering/de-registering/avoiding fraudsters at the airport? I wonder whether things have changed since this last visit? Will update you all when we're back.... wish me luck :-S |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 686
Location: Redcar & Lermontov Nr Pyatigorsk | Welcome back Ben. I dont think anything has changed just make sure you have a travel voucher too. If the visa registrations are done correctly and you have the voucher - then they cant touch you, they can try but they'll have to laugh it off and concede. they tried it with me too in the small room the last time in MRV. Then they laughed and offered me vodka. 2 more minutes and I'd have missed the plane out and another 7000pyb, thankfully the check-out attendant was made aware and she called the boarding bus again to take me. thieving bastards. Good luck.
edited - should explain to anyone new who's reading - that the travel voucher is an additional document to the Visa and is FOC from RR. Just let the guys at RR know and they'll be able to email you a PDF of the voucher before you travel (Ben knows this already I think) and keep it with you at all times when at risk of being stopped by militia
Edited by DeaconStreet 2012-04-23 10:21 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 686
Location: Redcar & Lermontov Nr Pyatigorsk | for anyone interested, who hasnt seen one or doesnt know what it looks like... ask RR to include all cities to be visited.  |
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Veteran
Posts: 236
Location: Hampshire | Hi Deacon Street! Thanks.... Yep, that's the document I got last time and it worked a treat. The slight difference this time is that I am staying at a private address. RR Have provided this but with the name of a local hotel (where i am not staying) - apparently you cannot stay at a private address on a tourist visa???
So am slightly worried that I will show them a voucher but my visa will not have been registered by the hotel named on it... as I will register at the post office.
Anyone know if this is ok / normal?
Cheers |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 686
Location: Redcar & Lermontov Nr Pyatigorsk | I've had one of these each time I've travelled to that region (which is/was also classified as 'restricted' like ROV). I've had plenty of stops especially anywhere in sniffing range of the airport and when they see this - they [militia] give up. Only had one stop at a hotel and then we did private apartment and then more lately, I've always stayed at a private address registering at a local office and no-one at that office ever asked to see this travel voucher. As I understand it, as long as the address given on the immigration form and the support docs for visa registration (provided by your wifes parents) are the same and you give them all their little ruble notes - there will be no probs.
From my experience - this document is the killer for the militia and bang goes any chance of them making a score. |
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