# Visa requirements and policies for traveling abroad



## Junkie (Oct 5, 2007)

I want to open a new thread here so we can discuss about visas, official traveling documents and the right for free movement with or without providing additional papers. (On highways and autobahns) 
I will start with the recent news regarding Ukraine's visa free regime.



> *Almost six million Ukrainians visit EU in three months, 61 denied entry*
> 
> A total of 5,799,360 citizens of Ukraine entered the EU countries during the first three months after the entry into force of the visa-free regime, from July 11 to Sept. 11, the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine has reported, citing the figures of the Ukrainian State Border Service.
> 
> ...


https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-po...ns-visit-eu-three-months-61-denied-entry.html

I want to hear opinions from different countries and regions about respective visa policies and requirements when some of you is going abroad.


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## xrtn2 (Jan 12, 2011)




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## NordikNerd (Feb 5, 2011)

Brazilians dont need a visa to Russia ? really ? I think that visafree travel to Russia is only possible for cruise ship passengers and citizens of former USSR-republics (except the Baltics)


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## Junkie (Oct 5, 2007)

^^
I need visa for Russia my country of origin is Macedonia. Also I know that all of the European countries do need visa to go there. But I think Serbia is the one that don't need.


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## Midnight Sun (Jun 14, 2017)

NordikNerd said:


> Brazilians dont need a visa to Russia ? really ? I think that visafree travel to Russia is only possible for cruise ship passengers and citizens of former USSR-republics (except the Baltics)


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## xrtn2 (Jan 12, 2011)

NordikNerd said:


> Brazilians dont need a visa to Russia ? really ? I think that visafree travel to Russia is only possible for cruise ship passengers and citizens of former USSR-republics (except the Baltics)


Brazil and Russia signed reciprocal exemption of visa some years ago


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## NordikNerd (Feb 5, 2011)

xrtn2 said:


> Brazil and Russia signed reciprocal exemption of visa some years ago


Visafree travel to Russia, but how many brazilians visit Russia ? There are no direct flights between the two countries.

Getting a russian visa for a swedish person is somewhat kafka-esque for an independant traveller. You go to the russian visa-center in Stockholm or Göteborg (not the embassy) You need to bring an invitation from a hotel in Russia or from a russian citizen, fill in the form. Pay 30 EUR and wait 4-10 days. Then when your visa is done you go back to the visa-center to pick it up. The worst thing is that the visa center never send visas by mail, so if you dont live close to Stockholm/Göteborg you have to go there twice. Also when you arrive in Russia you have to register your visa at an immigration office OVIR...meaning standing in line for a few hours to get a stamp in your passport. :grumpy:


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## golosa (Oct 20, 2012)

it is comparable to getting schengen visa for Russians.
if you don't live in major cities with visa-center, then you need to go to nearest city with visa-center. For me it's 350km to Ekaterinburg and I'm lucky to live that close. The visa centers work only on working days, so I need to skip the job to get it. And I need to take all my family with me even my one year old daughter. I also need to book hotels or get an invitation from eu-citizen, get a paper from my bank account that i have enough money, pay 35 euros visa fee and to buy medical insurance.

the good thing is that some countries like Greece or Spain give a 3-years multi-visa, so i don't need to get a new one for every travel.

As for visa policy, it is reciprocity norm in Russia. If EU countries cancel visas for Russians then Russia will cancel visas for eu-citizens. I don't think it will happen iany time soon with all this political hysteria around my country.


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## NordikNerd (Feb 5, 2011)

golosa said:


> it is comparable to getting schengen visa for Russians.


Yes. Russia is not very far from Scandinavia geographically but most people here think it's a difficult destination due to visa requirement, burocracy and an overall not a tourist friendly attitude. Also words in kyrillic and service staff with poor knowledge of english does not make the trip easier. The positive thing is that there is a visa free cruise from Stockholm to St Petersburg with the St Peter line. It takes 39hours and operates once a week.

Finland has facilitated the visa application process for russians so most russians apply for a Schengen visa in the finnish embassies and consulates.

Finland also promotes a future plan of introducing visa-free travel for russians to the EU. 

Transfer to visa-free travel is ultimately based not only on technical criteria but also on mutual confidence and a sense of security. Europe expects reforms in Russia, including development of more secure passport granting procedures. All Russians who apply for a passport should receive one that is reliable. Corruption among the public authorities has to be addressed. Problems arising from illegal immigration to Russia spill over to Europe too  Russia should be capable of enhancing its border control.


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## xrtn2 (Jan 12, 2011)

NordikNerd said:


> Visafree travel to Russia, but how many brazilians visit Russia ? There are no direct flights between the two countries.


Unfortunately a few brazilians visit Russia each year


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## xrtn2 (Jan 12, 2011)

UK visa policy VS schengen Visa Policy 

Both don't have visa-free for russians :nuts::nuts:

UK policy 









Schengen policy


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## Junkie (Oct 5, 2007)

^^
In Europe, Western Balkans states plus Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova can visit the area visa free for 90 days in 180 days period. But as you can see NO UK. It's ugly but UK is doing its own way of visa policy. Also no Ireland for us.


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## Kpc21 (Oct 3, 2008)

The EU accepts the US citizens visa-free. The US... accept the citizens of most EU countries visa-free (in the Visa Waiver Program), with just a few exceptions, including Poland. I am not really getting what's the reason.


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## NordikNerd (Feb 5, 2011)

Kpc21 said:


> The EU accepts the US citizens visa-free. The US... accept the citizens of most EU countries visa-free (in the Visa Waiver Program), with just a few exceptions, including Poland. I am not really getting what's the reason.


I would say that the long distance between countries makes it easier to support visa free travel. It's expenisve to travel between continents and that may be an obstacle for non wanted poor trouble makers who want to enter a country to work illegaly or commit crimes.


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## Kpc21 (Oct 3, 2008)

Yeah, but for Poles it's anyway much easier to work abroad, not even illegally, without problems in the whole EU. I could understand it before we joined the EU, but now - not really. There is no reason for Poles to go to the US and start working there (illegally, because doing it legally is anyway almost impossible).


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## Heavyduty (Mar 24, 2017)

Next Year in March 2018 i plan to visit Japan (Tokyo) for the 1st time. On my Return back to UK, i found Russian Aeroflot flight to be the best value on Expedia flights. The flight is from Tokyo to Moscow, then change from Moscow to London. I will be at the Sheremetyo Moscow airport for 1.5 hours. 

My question is do i need a Russian visa, even thought i will spend the 1.5 hours inside the airport and not go out ?


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## Midnight Sun (Jun 14, 2017)

Heavyduty said:


> My question is do i need a Russian visa, even thought i will spend the 1.5 hours inside the airport and not go out ?


http://www.svo.aero/en/transit/rules/

Foreigners can stay in the transit zone of Sheremetyevo Airport waiting for their connecting flight for up to 24 hours without a Russian visa. The passenger must have a boarding pass to his next flight.


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## NordikNerd (Feb 5, 2011)

Midnight Sun said:


> http://www.svo.aero/en/transit/rules/
> 
> Foreigners can stay in the transit zone of Sheremetyevo Airport waiting for their connecting flight for up to 24 hours without a Russian visa. The passenger must have a boarding pass to his next flight.


What if your flight is delayed or cancelled and you stay more than 24 hours ?

At Pulkovo airport 1996 or so. Our flight LED-ARN was cancelled due to bad weather and we were offered a flight home the next day, but my visa had expired, because it was valid only to the date of the planned departure. 

The Airline extended the visa for free, but it was the usual russian hassle of standing in line, waiting, filling in forms, waiting again, language barrier, arguing...at least they offered us dinner and breakfast. Also remember I met a norwegian businessman that I had to share a hotel room with and we had some interesting conversations. :cheers:


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## Heavyduty (Mar 24, 2017)

Midnight Sun said:


> http://www.svo.aero/en/transit/rules/
> 
> Foreigners can stay in the transit zone of Sheremetyevo Airport waiting for their connecting flight for up to 24 hours without a Russian visa. The passenger must have a boarding pass to his next flight.


Thank you so much for the answer and the link which i need to see thoroughly


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## Cloudship (Jun 8, 2005)

Technically as of Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017, but effectively January 2018, for a large number of US States, Citizens are going to need passports just to fly withiun the United States.

https://thepointsguy.com/2017/09/real-id-act-compliance-update/


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