Way to Russia Talk Lounge

hildung · Just Starting Joined: 19 May 2004 Posts: 2

Is there no solution to this? I had my entry visa issued in August last year, on the basis of an invitation from the uni where I have been studying up until now. My last day of study is tomorrow, and that is the date they prolonged the registration until as well. Nothing I said could make them register the visa for another month - except paying for another month of studies. I am now basically just waiting for my girlfriend to finish her studies (late June) and we are rather tight on money by now, so paying for more studies was not really an option. Those who paid for the whole academic year at once, or the whole semester, have all their visas registered to the end of June (courses for all end in the end of May). In my case, they say they cannot do anything to help me, because of new rules. It feels as if they are just being nasty because I wouldn't pay to study another couple of weeks.

So, I have a single entry 'entry visa' without final date, but it's only registered until tomorrow. They said that because of the new rules, all students would have their visas exchanged by multi entry visas, but everything looks the same as when I handed in my passport for the last prolongation of the registration (which was right now, so I got my passport back only yesterday). As I understood before, I would have to apply for an exit visa when I leave the country - is that right? My girlfriend was told the same (she studies at another uni), but she got a paper that said she would only need the exit visa in case she would leave the country after the visa was expired - like me she only has a single entry 'entry visa' without date for leaving the country...

OK, hope something makes sense here... I really don't know what to do. I've tried a few visa agencies - they all say that only my uni can register the visa.
Could I play stupid at the border control, like "I thought they said the visa would be registered until the end of June"? (The 'spravka' they gave me when they had the passport for registration says that I am studying with them until June 30. I have kept this paper.) Could I claim that I have been travelling around the country the last weeks,not staying anywhere longer than a night or two, thus not needing any registration? Where can I find the exact formulations of the law that stipulates that the fine for not having a registration is not to be more than 1000 rubles?

Sorry for a long message, I really hope for some good advice, or at least enlightenment Idea

on what to expect.

WayToRussia · Posted: Thu May 20, 2004 4:17 pm Post subject:

Excuse me, but I don't really understand the question -- it's too long..

In short, I would recommend you to try your university solve the situation for you, and if it doesn't work, you can always get an invitation (through a travel agency or this site) and go to Baltic states or Finland and get a new visa there.

hildung · Just Starting Joined: 19 May 2004 Posts: 2

1) I want to stay until my girlfriend finishes her studies, until June 21.
2) I have a study visa.
3) I studied until this week.
4) My visa was only registered until today.
5) Money is tight.
6) They will only register my visa longer if I pay for another 3 weeks of studies. (I am all busy planning our trip home so I wouldn't attend the lessons anyway...)
7) Those who paid for the whole semester (until May 30) at once had their visa registered until the end of June without discussions.

I have kind of already understood now that there actually are no solutions. Obviously they don't care that they might be fined themselves for me not being properly registered. Today when I talked to them again, they told me that an exit visa is already made, so I got it - and it expires today! So now I'm really in trouble. They said I could come tomorrow and pay, so I will just have to pay for studies I won't attend... Dunno know if the exit visa will be just "cancelled"... If I could leave the country now, I wouldn't hesitate, but we cannot really do that until next month.