URGENT !!! NEED HELP IN MOSCOW NOW !!!

[viking]

My neighbor has a 16yo brother, an American citizen carrying an US passport who was denied boarding his flight home because "he arrived showing his Russian passport on arrival and his American passport upon departure". The authorities have detained him in a shelter and will be taking him to an orphange TODAY , someplace in Siberia, if something is not done.

We are looking for someone who lives in Moscow who can pick up this child and take him to the American Embassy. From there we can make other arrangements. The only other option is for his older brother, my neighbor, to get a flight out today to Moscow.

If anyone can help please call me on my cell at 516-724-2070 New York Time and I can provide the details where the child is being kept.

All we are asking is to take the child to the US embassy.

[kievstar]

Viking if this 16 year old was born in USA than I would call the USA embassy.  They will take care of it. 

[BC]

Due to dual citizenship status, the Consulate may not be able to officially do anything but can at least give some advice.

http://moscow.usembassy.gov/acs-emergency.html

U.S. CITIZEN SERVICES

In Case of Emergency

If you are an American citizen with an after-hours emergency, please call our after-hours hotline at: (7) (495) 728-5000.

American Citizens with an emergency during regular office hours (M-F 9am-6pm, excluding Russian and U.S. holidays) are welcome to visit the ACS Unit at the U.S Embassy, 21 Novinsky Blvd., Moscow.  Our office telephone is (7) (495) 728-5577.

For Non-Emergency Issues, please make an appointment.

A legal firm might also be able to assist.

http://www.hg.org/lawfirms.asp?action=search&City=Moscow&country=Russia

Some law firms have offices, or are based in the US and would have the ability of getting hold of their staff in RU at all hours.

[Manny]

If he arrived on a Russian passport and foolishly tried to exit on an American one (with no visa or entry stamps), this why they detained him yes?

That being the case, when in Russia, as a Russian citizen, my understanding is that any other nationalities held are invalid. The US Embassy may not be interested. Their role is to help American citizens in Russia, not Russian citizens -- who happen to have a US passport as well -- in their home country of original citizenship.

I wonder why they didn't simply correct him, and ask he showed his Russian passport on exit instead of his American one.

[Boethius]

foolishly tried to exit on an American one

Give him a break, he's sixteen!!!

I think the American embassy will request information on a US citizen, whether naturalized or not, and whether or not he also holds a Russian passport.

[thompsongunner06]

First,,I hope he did get help.
Second,, Why have dual citizenship?? seems like a dangerous thing.I would not advise anyone to do this.

[acctBill]

First,,I hope he did get help.
Second,, Why have dual citizenship?? seems like a dangerous thing.I would not advise anyone to do this.

thompsongunner06 this is done all over the world. Many people who have lived all over the world have dual citizenship or greater.  Believe it or not it is possible to have, although uncommon, citizenship in 3 or 4 different countries and of course the associated passports.  Having more than 1 citizenship allows you to be involved in the affairs of multiple countries and grants you privileges that non-citizens don't have.  For example working in a country might require citizenship or to own property might require citizenship. International corporations routinely look among their employees for individuals who have citizenship in a country that they intend on establishing a presence in.

The young man in this case just made a mistake.  He should only show his American passport when entering/leaving the US and show his Russian passport when entering/leaving Russian.

[Faux Pas]

The young man in this case just made a mistake.  He should only show his American passport when entering/leaving the US and show his Russian passport when entering/leaving Russian.

I'm a bit confused on the dual citizenship thing. Showing the RU passport when entering Russia is fine but, showing it when you leave is fruitless it would seem. They won't let you board coming back unless you have a green card or a visa in the passport will they?

[viking]

Hello everyone and thanks for the advice. The boy's brother was his way to the Russian Embassy when we last spoke. It seems things got a bit more complicated. Here is the whole story as told to me.

The 16 yo boy was adopted by an American woman and lived here for some years. Russian born, he carried a Russian passport. As a naturalized citizen, he also carried an American passport. It was his first trip back.

He used the Russian passport to arrive in Moscow. However, it expired while he was there ( about 6 weeks) so useless to go home. the American passport carried no visas ( required to enter Russia or leave). so they turned him away at the airport. Considered a minor they put him in some type of shelter with the intentions of shipping him to some type of orphange in Siberia ( where he was raised) but then found a relative in that area where he will stay until this matter is sorted out.

Unless the authorities will accept a " gratuity" and put him on a plane, most likely he is stuck until either he can renew his Russian passport, or the American Embassy can issue some type of visa to allow him to go home under that passport.

His older brother did call the American Embassy in Moscow but for some reason they were not hot to trot to help out. Poor guy was having a very hard time trying to get this fixed. I'm sorry I could not be of more help.

[acctBill]

I'm a bit confused on the dual citizenship thing. Showing the RU passport when entering Russia is fine but, showing it when you leave is fruitless it would seem. They won't let you board coming back unless you have a green card or a visa in the passport will they?

FP here is the relevant section from a US website regarding dual citizenship and travelling with 2 passports.

http://www.newcitizen.us/dual.html

On Being a Dual Citizen

As mentioned previously, the United States government does allow dual citizenship.  They don't approve of dual citizenship they simply tolerate it.  You need to understand this distinction so you won't have problems with the US government at the border, at the airport, or abroad at one of their embassies or consulates.

In America
When leaving or returning to the United States always present yourself as a US citizen (show your US passport and declare yourself to be a US citizen).  When inside the United States and dealing with the local police or any other local, state or federal official, if a question comes up about your citizenship, tell them you're an American.  It's that simple.  Don't mention your dual citizenship or that you are a citizen of another country unless specifically asked.  Ninety-nine percent of the time the police and government officials don't care because in the eyes of US law you are an American first and foremost and subject to our laws.

In Your Native Country
When returning to or leaving from your native country, always present yourself as a citizen of their country (show them your native country passport, not your US passport, and declare yourself to be a citizen of your native country).  When inside that country, be a citizen of that country.  When dealing with the local police or any other local or federal official, if a question comes up about your citizenship, tell them you are citizen of that country.  If they ask where you live, tell them in America.  Don't mention your dual citizenship or that you are an American unless specifically asked.  In the eyes of that government you are citizen of that country first and subject to its laws and regulations even though you live in America.

If you go to a US embassy or consulate in your native country for help or assistance, represent yourself as an American.  The embassy staff will probably ask about your dual citizenship.  Why?  Because as far as international law goes, your native country has legal claim on you first when you're in that country.  This may limit the kind of help the US embassy or consulate can give you, especially if you are in trouble with your native country's laws and government.

[Faux Pas]

acctBill, Fanks!

I think it is all clearer now 

Although, I'm not completely sure. A dual citizen (US/RU) upon returning to the US shows the airline his US passport and RU border control his RU passport?

[Misha]

acctBill, Fanks!

I think it is all clearer now 

Although, I'm not completely sure. A dual citizen (US/RU) upon returning to the US shows the airline his US passport and RU border control his RU passport?

That is pretty much how I understand it. The airline wants to make sure that you will be allowed to enter the USA upon arrival (otherwise they will have to fly you back on their dime), while the Russian border guards want to make sure you were in Russia legally (i.e. had a visa or are a Russian citizen).

[Faux Pas]

That is pretty much how I understand it. The airline wants to make sure that you will be allowed to enter the USA upon arrival (otherwise they will have to fly you back on their dime), while the Russian border guards want to make sure you were in Russia legally (i.e. had a visa or are a Russian citizen).

Makes sense

[acctBill]

Makes sense

Misha's right FP some people seem to think that somehow the Russian border control are being fooled when you show them your Russian passport and the airline rep your American passport.  The Russian border control know all about this and if they really wanted to find out what passport you showed the airline they could.  

The difference is if you accidentally bring out 2 or 3 legitimate passports in your name and from different countries when exiting/entering Russia you might end up being detained for a few questions, the Russian border control people don't have a sense of humour about dual citizenship.  When I've seen this happen at UK border controls the agent just jokes or smiles and picks up the UK passport examines it and sends the person on their way.

[Shadow]

Russian border control is not interested in how many passports you have. All they are interested in is following the laws.
If you wish to exit the country, you need either a valid Russian (international) passport, or a foreign passport with visa for Russia and entry stamps. In this case the boy had neither, which makes you wonder why he would travel knowing his passport will expire in that time.

[Olga_Mouse]

Oops have just found this topic...

If that teen has been detained by Russian authorities, they won't release him if a stranger appears at the shelter door and says "I'm gonna take him to the airport and send to the States!".

The authorities can let that teen go only accompanied by:
- mother (provided she has his birth certificate);
- father (provided he has his birth certificate);
- step-mother (provided she has papers confirming adoption);
- step-father (provided he has papers confirming adoption);
- any other close relative older than 18 y.o., if that relative has a court decision that he\she is appointed to be that teen's legal guardian (опекун);
- an employee of a Russian educational establishement, provided he\she has papers proving the court has decided that teen shall be sent to that educational establishement.

Viking has posted above the unlucky teen's brother is flying to Moscow; I hope that brother has necessary papers (at least both birth certificates, to prove they really are brothers!) to get access to the youngster?

 ???