Originally Posted by
knownoname
I hope I can find help here or anybody who had a similar journey not too long ago:
I'm flying:
12 NOV:
Flights: S7 - 3290
From: OSS-OSH (Kyrgyzstan) Departs: 17:50
Departure Terminal: TERMINAL 1
To: NOVOSIBIRSK (OVB) Arrives: 21:30
Arrival Terminal: TERMINAL B
and have a connecting flight:
13 NOV
Flights: S7 - 859
From: NOVOSIBIRSK (OVB) Departs: 05:15
Departure Terminal: TERMINAL B
To: SUVARNABHUMI (BKK) - Thailand Arrives: 12:15
Arrival Terminal: Terminal 1
I'm permanently based in Bangkok and the Russian embassy states that for a 24-hour layover I don't need a transit visa if I stay within the transit zone.
However Novosibirsk Airport now say they only allow people to stay in the transit area for 4 hours:
http://eng.tolmachevo.ru/passengers/...tion/transfer/
Currently I'm at OVB airport (had a transit visa for traveling to Osh this afternoon, as I stayed at the Skyport hotel) and I asked the S7 staff and they said I
don't need a transit visa for my return flight.
However this information would be contrary to what is written on the OVB website (4 hours max without transit visa). I'm not sure if I should rather try to get another transit visa during my stay at the Russian consulate in Osh to be on the safe side?
Anybody had experience transfering in OVB recently coming from an international destination and traveling onwards to another country?
I think this can be broken down into two questions:
Will S7 let you board your flight from Osh to OVB if you have no transit visa?
Given the contradictory information, it might be best to check this out with local S7 checkin staff in Osh. This is the first place where you could get stuck.
If S7 lets you board the flight, will you have problems in OVB?
That's a bit of a gamble - from looking at the map it doesn't seem clear whether you'll pass through any security or passport control checkpoint on the upper floor, but I assume you would. There is also the little green loop through passport control on the ground floor for transit passengers. Now, when you show up there, what can they do? Not much really, and you have your onward flight so I doubt they would care.
If I was in your place, given the potential for flight irregularities and also the arrival and departure times, I'd still get the visa and spend the (short) night in the Skyport hotel - seems much more comfortable.