Connection at DME
Feb 10, 2009 | 9:08 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Alexandria, VA
Programs: UA 2P / Starwood Gold / Hilton Silver / Marriott Silver
Posts: 52
Connection at DME
For my honeymoon to Bali, I was able to get an award ticket taking me from IAD - DME - SIN - DPS. The first leg is the new route between Was & Moscow on UA. The second leg is between Moscow & Singapore on Singapore Air. Does anyone know if I need a Russian Transit Visa to be able to switch planes in DME? It'll cost me $400+ for two people to be able to do this. Any advice would be appreciated!
Feb 10, 2009 | 9:40 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: AMS
Programs: Flying Blue Gold
Posts: 1,849
In theory you might be able do a Transit Without Visa (TWOV) if departing again within 24 hours and you do not leave the transit area. However double check all this as although there is information about this on the SVO site, they don't mention it on the DME site. There might be more up to date experience on the Russia forum of FT:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/russia-485/
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/russia-485/
Feb 10, 2009 | 11:06 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: VIE, MEL
Programs: BD *G, VS silver
Posts: 67
No, you do not. But please allow at least 3-4 hours time between the two flights (!) - this is very important. I transitted in DME, arriving on OS from VIE going to SIN on SQ: no visa is needed, as it's two international flights leaving from the same terminal. When you disembark the aircraft, you have to use Transaero's transfer desk to get your boarding pass to SIN ... they were *very* inefficient in my case: the lady took my passport and ticket and just went away for 1 1/2 hours ... I was panicking when she arrived *just* in time for the flight ... I rushed through security, found my gate and off I was ...
Feb 10, 2009 | 12:01 pm
#4
Moderator: Flying Blue (Air France & KLM), France and TravelBuzz!
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Location: Paris, France, AF F+ Rouge pour toujours, Flying Blue whatever, LH FTL, HHonors Gold, formerly proud SCC Executive, now IC Ambassador, BA down to nobody, Grand Voyageur Le Club
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Please continue this discussion in the Russia forum. Thanks for your understanding.
Jouy31
TravelBuzz moderator
Jouy31
TravelBuzz moderator
Feb 18, 2009 | 11:46 pm
#8
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: ORD
Programs: UA *G
Posts: 1,720
You definitely won't need a visa. You'll land, head for the transit area (as was said), then after getting your onward BP; move on to your next flight. DME isn't a half bad airport (Although I haven't been to the lounges there, the terminal is pretty much new)
-a
-a
Mar 4, 2009 | 2:58 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2003
Location: ATL/MOO (Many Others Often)
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Posts: 2,456
You won't need a visa so you'll be fine. You might need to remind your carrier into DME though that you are transiting and that is absolutely allowed without a visa. Their computer will tell them that an American (assuming you are one) needs a visa to fly to Russia. Not totally true depending on where said American is going after he flies there. A co-worker of mine has done this a few times the last few years when his flight KBP is oversold. He'll fly to Moscow and then KBP all without a visa.
Mar 5, 2009 | 12:39 am
#11
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: MOW
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You won't need a visa so you'll be fine. You might need to remind your carrier into DME though that you are transiting and that is absolutely allowed without a visa. Their computer will tell them that an American (assuming you are one) needs a visa to fly to Russia. Not totally true depending on where said American is going after he flies there. A co-worker of mine has done this a few times the last few years when his flight KBP is oversold. He'll fly to Moscow and then KBP all without a visa.
Last edited by Razdva; Mar 6, 2009 at 6:32 am
Mar 5, 2009 | 5:46 am
#12
Join Date: May 2003
Location: ATL/MOO (Many Others Often)
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Posts: 2,456
But can you imagine - it's not the case for the Russian citizens flying for example from the USA to Ukraine via Moscow. They MUST pass thru the border and than pass thru the boarder once again. Our government wants to control Russians even in case when they fly in connection fly.
Mar 5, 2009 | 10:28 am
#13
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Moscow
Programs: DL GM and so on
Posts: 1,200
These fears are greatly exaggerated. Despite the crisis Russians still get visas with almost no documents required and the refusal rate is about 8% now.
Mar 5, 2009 | 10:50 am
#14
Join Date: May 2003
Location: ATL/MOO (Many Others Often)
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Posts: 2,456
That's my experience at least...
Mar 13, 2009 | 12:58 am
#15
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: SAN
Programs: AA EXP 4 MM, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 885
No, you do not. But please allow at least 3-4 hours time between the two flights (!) - this is very important. I transitted in DME, arriving on OS from VIE going to SIN on SQ: no visa is needed, as it's two international flights leaving from the same terminal. When you disembark the aircraft, you have to use Transaero's transfer desk to get your boarding pass to SIN ... they were *very* inefficient in my case: the lady took my passport and ticket and just went away for 1 1/2 hours ... I was panicking when she arrived *just* in time for the flight ... I rushed through security, found my gate and off I was ...