RussianTexan

Yeah, yeah, I know I'm a darn near regular on here, asking all sorts of questions. Ironic, since I was born in Russia. Alas, that's very well the problem.

Anyways, I just found out this morning that one of my best bros in Kazakhstan is getting married. The wedding date is set for June, and in summer, airfares to Kazakhstan are out of control, with international students coming home & vacationers and blah blah blah. I decided to shop around & found out that an IAH-DME via Singapore Airlines combined with a DME-ALA via Transaero will be significantly cheaper than flying through Frankfurt or Amsterdam.

I realize that while it may technically be possible to transit DME without a transit visa, I don't want to take the risk. However, say I do get a double-entry transit visa: what am I able to do with that? I will have a 72-hour window in Russian territory, correct? I was thinking, would it then be possible for me to fly to St. Petersburg (on S7 Airlines for $159 round-trip) for a day or two to see my family there, as well as adjust to the new time zone so I can party hearty for the wedding week? Or will I have to stay in Moscow?

Last question: if they reject my request for a transit visa, on what grounds would they reject it? And what the heck do I do after that? This is based on the fact that I get my Kazakhstan visa and I buy all the requisite tickets and show all of this to whoever needs to see it to get a Russian transit visa. What do I do with those tickets if the transit visa is rejected?

Of course, I could just try and get a Russian passport & fly to both countries on that, but it seems to me that getting the visas will be easier than that!

Mega thanks in advance. I love you guys, seriously!

dsauch

your visa will most likely be rejected on the grounds of you being Russian citizen by virtue of birth, as well as your parents presumably being one as well.
Russian citizen cant get an entry visa, unless s/he renounces his citizenship which may take up to a year after a letter to Pu&Co.

If you are US citizen your passport states your place of birth, which would be enough for them to raise questions.
Your best bet is to get passport. As Russian citizen you probably wont need viza to KZ.

dsauch

useful link http://stpetersburg.usconsulate.gov/...formation.html

full of useful warnings :-)

Russian immigration and visa laws have been recently changed, and, reportedly more changes are being contemplated. The implementation of these laws has not always been transparent or predictable. In addition, Russian Immigration officials at times implement the laws and regulations governing entry and exit inconsistently, especially in remote areas.

U.S. citizens who have at one time held Russian citizenship are often required to renounce Russian citizenship before applying for a Russian visa in their U.S. passport. Unless a former Russian citizen has formally renounced his or her Russian citizenship through a Russian Embassy or Consulate, he or she always risks being considered a Russian citizen and not allowed to depart on any travel document except a Russian passport. This can also interfere with access to U.S. consular services in case of an emergency. This risk is greatly diminished if the traveler enters Russia on a U.S. passport and Russian visa.

Palal

BTW. IIRC Kazakhstan is entering into a customs union with Russia very soon (don't remember when). I don't know if that will mean something similar to Belarus or just a lack of customs inspection on entry/exit.

MaecDavidMiller

dsauch raised the biggest issue regarding YOUR citizenship which you really do need to address. I would only caution that just because you enter with a US passport you are, if you are considered to be a Russian citizen, in violation of Russian law.

Assuming you are only a US citizen, I would actually get a dual entry tourist visa, rather than transit visa. If you are flying from Moscow to St Petersburg you could have problems doing this on a transit visa (application of laws is inconsistent).

I doubt there will be any changes in visa requirements or customs when traveling between Russia and Kazakhstan for most passengers.

In over seven years of getting visas for clients I have never had a client rejected, so you shouldn't be as long as your paperwork is in order. If your visa application is rejected, you can apply for a refund for the air tickets under whatever restrictions the tickets have (which are generally heavy).

I can't over-caution you that you need to resolve the citizenship issue. Every story of experience that you read on the internet will be meaningless should you find yourself turned away upon landing in Moscow, or worse being detained, or (the most likely outcome) your visa application being denied. You'll have, at the very least, a visa violation on your record, preventing you from visiting Russia for five years.

MaecDavidMiller

The customs union is at such a beginning stage that, for travelers, there are no practical consequences; we are advising clients to plan for a Russia-Kazakhstan trip as they would today.

Krysenok

They are already in customs union. But do not confuse this is not a border union (as Schengen in Europe). So that means almost nothing for the travelers.

Krysenok

Surely won't need.