Visa when returning to visit Russia?

[Goombah]

Is it any easier for an AM married to a RW to get a visa to go back and visit her family?  Presumably until she gets her citizenship (and after she is free to travel) she can freely return to Russia, but would I still need to go though the month process to get a Visa, including invitation letters, and the like?  Does anything change once we are married?

Kevin

[Son of Clyde]

Goombah,

I know of someone who requested a private visa and enclosed a letter asking the Embassy to please grant them a visa of a longer duration than 6 months. They gave a very similar reason, that they were going to return often to visit their spouse's family.

They were issued a 5 year visa.

It can't hurt to try.

[Turboguy]

Hi Kevin,

I don't think anything would change for you unless you applied for Russian Citizenship and went with a dual status.    Otherwise you are still traveling on a US passport and have to deal with all the issues.

Personally, by the time you are dealing with this it may not be an issue.   It gets easier and easier to go to Russia.   When I think back to my first trip in 1996 and what I went through in Customs and compare it to now it was amazing.   There were no agencies to help with the visas, even the Russian Embassy would not give you the time of day.   You had to show your money, your bags were searched you spent 5-10 minutes with the passport control.   Now the visa is more like a tax.   You just spend a minute with the agent, pull your bag right through the green line and wade through the horde of cab drivers looking for you money.    Give it a few years and it will be like going to western Europe.

[Goombah]

Russia or Ukraine?

[Son of Clyde]

Oops!

I was referring to Ukraine visa's.

Sorry.

[Turboguy]

I was talking about Russia.   I think Ukraine is already easing their program.   Russian customs and immigration used to be an ordeal.   Now you just waltz right through.  I think the visa is more a money making thing than anything these days and I think the day will come when you just pay a landing tax or the like and don't have all the rigamaroll.    It probably won't happen until Russia and any former satelite countrys settle their problems.   I think terrorism is the one thing that might make them keep the current set up in place.    We will see.  

Personally after all these trips to Russia I have been making I will be glad after my next trip not to have to go back for a while.   I do like it there, but I will be happy not to be there for a while.