Taking baby back to Russia

[Goombah]

All -

We are starting our planning to return to Russia next summer and spend several weeks with family and friends there.  We are going to start in Moscow, take a train to Omsk (so I can see some Russian countryside), spend a couple of weeks in Omsk (and have a wedding celebration amongst other things), then fly back to Moscow and come back to the USA.

It is clear the Evia and Nastya will travel on their Russian passport, and I on my American one.  I'll need a stay-at-home Visa, but we know the process for getting that (its not hard, you just have to start a few months early).

The big question is around what we need for Alexandra, our 6 week old baby?  We just heard that had we gone to the Russian Embassy in New York within the first month of her life, she could have been registered as a Russian Citizen and added to Evia's passport, but alas that would have been tough for us even if we knew it in advance.

Do I need to get a US Passport for a 6 week old child?  She will be about 9 months old when we actually travel...

Thanks!

Kevin

[Bruce]

We got our daughter a US passport and got her Russian citizenship at five months of age.  It was no problem going out of the US, bringing her to Russia or out of Russia or bringing her back to the US.  The one month thing you heard is either very wrong or very new.

[jb]

Your daughter is an American citizen and as such is entitled to her own passport.  I believe you can also apply for a "Family" passport with her picture and yours in the one booklet.  Either way, you won't have trouble bringing her back home if you can get her Russian babushka to turn loose of her.

[BC]

Basically same experience here as Bruce.  RU consul did a report of birth abroad and included our son in her RU passport.  US and EU passports were a breeze. No questions asked at customs on either side. 

[William3rd]

You can handle this either through the local US passport office-located at most federal buildings-or through many US post offices. You need to bring the child's birth certificate-not an abstract- and BOTH parents should go. Appointments are easy to get.

You definitely must have a US passport for the child.