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The Flight to Russia

Preparing for the Flight to Russia

When traveling internationally, carry your passport even if you don't need one (it's always the best form of I.D.) and make two photocopies of the data page (one for someone at home and another for you, carried separately from your passport). If you lose your passport, promptly call the nearest embassy or consulate and the local police. The best time to apply for a passport, or to renew your old one, is in fall or winter. Before any trip, check your passport's expiration date, and, if necessary, renew it as soon as possible.

 

Visas and Legal Documents

All U.S. citizens, even infants, need a valid passport to enter Russia for stays of any length. Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond the date on which your travel in Russia will end.

U.S. citizens traveling to Russia are also required to obtain a visa. You will need to submit the following items to the Russian Consulate at least 21 days before departure: a completed application, a copy of the signed page(s) of your passport, three photos, reference numbers from the hotels you'll be staying at (to prove that you have confirmed reservations) or a properly endorsed business invitation from a host organization, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a $65 application fee. The fee is higher if you need a faster turnaround time ($75 for seven days, $105 for four business days, $145 for next-day service). Requirements vary slightly if you'll be staying as a guest in a private home or if you're traveling on business.

Russian Consulate General ( 11 E. 91st St., New York, NY 10128, PHONE: 212/348-0926 or 800/634-4296).

 

On the Flight to Russia

The flight to Russia is a long one. It takes around 8 and a half to 9 hours. There are two meals during the flight, one right after take-off and another before landing. The time in between, the airlines usually fill with American and Russian films and Duty Free shopping on board.The best idea, though, is to get some sleep. You can be sure to get jet lag when you get to Russia. Everything will be 8 hours ahead of American Eastern Time, if you're traveling to Moscow or St. Petersburg. Before landing, you will be given a declaration form to fill out on the flight to Russia. Fill out the form promptly, and keep it with you until you get to customs at the airport.

 

After the Flight to Russia -- Arriving at the Airport

Upon arrival in Russia, you first pass through passport control, where a border guard will carefully examine your passport and visa, and retain one sheet of your Russian visa. You can speed your transit through passport control by bringing along a photocopy of your visa and handing this, along with the original, to the border guard.

After retrieving your luggage, you fill out a customs form that you must keep until departure, when you will be asked to present it again (along with a second, identical form noting any changes). You may import free of duty and without special license any articles intended for personal use, including clothing, food, tobacco and cigarettes, alcoholic drinks, perfume, sports equipment, and camera equipment. One video camera and one laptop computer per person are allowed. Importing weapons and ammunition, as well as opium, hashish, and pipes for smoking them, is prohibited. The punishment for carrying illegal substances is severe.

You should write down on the customs form the exact amount of currency you are carrying (in cash as well as traveler's checks); you may enter the country with any amount of money, but you cannot leave the country with more money than you had when you entered. You should also include on your customs form any jewelry (particularly silver, gold, and amber) as well as any electronic goods (cameras, personal tape recorders, computers, etc.) you have. It is important to include any valuable items on the form to ensure that you will be allowed to export them, but be aware that you are expected to take them with you, so you cannot leave them behind as gifts.

If an item included on your customs form is stolen, you should obtain a police report to avoid being questioned upon departure. (You are allowed to bring into the country up to $2,000 of consumer items for personal use and gifts. But customs at the airport has been enforcing this rule sporadically at best, and will not likely challenge you on this front unless you have an excessive amount of luggage.)