An Englishman living in Russia

[Steveb2418]

Hi everybody

I'd like some advice if possible.  I've been living in Russia since September last year studying Russian language as part of a university course.  I'm a mature student, well, 57 actually :-)  and I feel very comfortable living here and I have a occupational pension. 

      Over the last few months I have formed a relationship  with the owner of the school , a beautiful Russian woman who is, inevitably a number of years younger than me.   It has now reached the stage of discussing marriage, with the proposal that I live with her in Russia, something that appeals strongly. 
 
Should this happen, can anyone advise me on her British visa status ?  Currently she visits the UK at least once a year, and has done so for over 10 years. She has also studied at British universities and her links with Britain are strong. She has asked me to find out if having a British husband would remove any of the administrative obstacles  she currently faces each time she applies for a visa ?  Also any advice on my status in Russia would be welcome, in fact any advice at all ! 

[tfcrew]

Here's a search page for that ...


http://www.visajourney.com/search/index.php?cx=007424365766759747816%3Auy9flr-th5y&cof=FORID%3A10&q=british+visa+russia&sa=Search#1677

[acctBill]

Steve, hello and welcome to RWD.  I'm not sure I understand what "administrative obstacles" she would face in applying for a UK visa?  The refusal rate for all types of visas for Russians has dropped over the last few years.  Combine that with her history of visits and time spent in the UK at university, a visa application and approval for her should be almost automatic.  In fact she probably faces less of a hurdle getting than visa to the UK then you do getting a visa to Russia.   

As for having an easier time with the bureaucracy getting a visa if she has a British husband the answer is probably yes. The RealRussia link that I've given will explain the situation far better than I can.  To put it simply as a non-EEA partner she will have has exactly the same rights, derived purely from her relationship to you.  This in theory should apply not only to the UK but to any country in the EU. However some countries in the EU tend to interpret this differently and she may not find it easier to enter these countries.  The UK appears to have gotten its act together and she should probably find it easier to enter the UK.  Some UK citizens I know that are in situations similar to yours take the relevant paperwork (marriage license, EU directives) with them when they travel.

http://www.realrussia.co.uk/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=3120&posts=13 half way down page member Wiz Posted 2010-03-23 5:34 AM (#32173 - in reply to #32164)

As for your status in Russia if you marry a Russian citizen you will be able to apply for permanent residence or citizenship over time. I'm told the process is tedious, even more so than with the UK Border Agency, which is hard to believe. 

http://www.acg.ru/residency_and_citizenship_privileges_held_by_foreigners_married_to_russian_citizens

[Vincenzo]

Actually, there can be more not fewer obstacles.

You can file for an immigration visa for her. If she gets her permanent resident status, it'll be easier for her to travel to the UK. But the status requires that she settles in the UK. While she is waiting for the immigration visa, her tourist visa requests will be denied.

[chivo]

Hi everybody

I'd like some advice if possible.  I've been living in Russia since September last year studying Russian language as part of a university course.  I'm a mature student, well, 57 actually :-)  and I feel very comfortable living here and I have a occupational pension. 

      Over the last few months I have formed a relationship  with the owner of the school , a beautiful Russian woman who is, inevitably a number of years younger than me.   It has now reached the stage of discussing marriage, with the proposal that I live with her in Russia, something that appeals strongly. 
 
Should this happen, can anyone advise me on her British visa status ?  Currently she visits the UK at least once a year, and has done so for over 10 years. She has also studied at British universities and her links with Britain are strong. She has asked me to find out if having a British husband would remove any of the administrative obstacles  she currently faces each time she applies for a visa ?  Also any advice on my status in Russia would be welcome, in fact any advice at all ! 

Steve welcome. I'm curious to know what city you're living in? And yes, contrary to popular belief living in Russia isn't all brimstone and fire.

Seems you found yourself a RW a "number of years younger" than you. There's a shocker . I say enjoy of course unless another even younger wants to hook up .

As far as her situation in the U.K., the others have pointed out that it will be mostly business as usual.

As far as your status in Russia, first I wanted to ask, what kind of visa are your currently using? Secondly, should you tie the knot, my advice would be to quickly arrange for your "Russian" green card (yes not exactly like a green card from America). The first issue will be for 3 years. Should you make it to the next phase, you can renew it for another 7 years and continue to renew it till they take it "from your cold dead hands". This is the road most travelled by foreigners living and working here who are married to RW.

Russia's version of the green card will allow you free travel in an out of Russia as you wish. If you really want to become a Russian citizen then by all means you can. Maybe it will be easier years down the road, but that's a big maybe. Enjoy.

[TwoBitBandit]

I'm also curious what city you're in and how you got a visa.  (Perhaps a student visa?)

I'm considering following in your footsteps...

[Steveb2418]

Thank you  for the replies and advice . 

I'm living in the city of Yaroslavl, not too far from Moscow . I'm on a 12 month multi entry student visa which expires in September when I must return to the UK to complete my final year at universiity. She has told me that visa renewal would not be difficult, she deals with student visas on a regular basis  and seems to have some significant contacts!         

[nicknick]

The RealRussia link that I've given will explain the situation far better than I can.
http://www.realrussia.co.uk/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=3120&posts=13 half way down page member Wiz Posted 2010-03-23 5:34 AM (#32173 - in reply to #32164)

I must admit that I would disagree with what is said in the above link.  Not with what it actually says - as it is clearly correct - but with the applicability to the OPs situation.


Also, this comment is totally wrong, I would suggest:-

Actually, there can be more not fewer obstacles.

You can file for an immigration visa for her. If she gets her permanent resident status, it'll be easier for her to travel to the UK. But the status requires that she settles in the UK. While she is waiting for the immigration visa, her tourist visa requests will be denied.

The advice given in the link above is only relevant where you are a citizen of one country and living in another.  For example if you had an Irish passport and were living in the UK or had a British passport and living in Spain for example.

It does NOT apply if you are a British citizen and you want her to settle in the UK.


OK, there are a number of different options open to you if you get married.  I am assuming that you are more likely to remain in Russia for the first few years after marraige rather than relocate to the UK.

After marraige you could apply for a settlement visa for her, but this will cost 38,000 roubles.  It will be valid for just over two years and is intended for people who intend to actually settle in the UK during that time.

Towards the end of the two years you have to prove the relationship is still enduring and that you have spent a reasonable amount of time in the UK she can then apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain, which, as it says on the tin, is Indefinite.

If you are not likely to spend much time in the UK for the first two years of your marraige then I would suggest this is not the best option.


The other alternative is to get a longer term visitors visa in the short term.  Given her history of frequent visits to the UK I would suggest that a longer term visitors visa would be no problem.  This would all depend on how often you are likely to go back to the UK each year.  For example, a 2 year visitors visa currently costs 12,500 roubles.

Then, once you have been married for 4 years she can apply for Indefinte Leave to Remain without having been in the UK at all.

Also, in the short term, once you are married, it makes it straight forward for her to get a Schengen visa and there is no charge for her being the spouse of an UK citizen.


The link about getting Russian TRP and PRP is right.  However, one thing to note is that when you have TRP you actaully need a visa to leave the country.

[acctBill]

I must admit that I would disagree with what is said in the above link.  Not with what it actually says - as it is clearly correct - but with the applicability to the OPs situation.


Also, this comment is totally wrong, I would suggest:-

The advice given in the link above is only relevant where you are a citizen of one country and living in another.  For example if you had an Irish passport and were living in the UK or had a British passport and living in Spain for example.

It does NOT apply if you are a British citizen and you want her to settle in the UK.


OK, there are a number of different options open to you if you get married.  I am assuming that you are more likely to remain in Russia for the first few years after marraige rather than relocate to the UK.

After marraige you could apply for a settlement visa for her, but this will cost 38,000 roubles.  It will be valid for just over two years and is intended for people who intend to actually settle in the UK during that time.

Towards the end of the two years you have to prove the relationship is still enduring and that you have spent a reasonable amount of time in the UK she can then apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain, which, as it says on the tin, is Indefinite.

If you are not likely to spend much time in the UK for the first two years of your marraige then I would suggest this is not the best option.


The other alternative is to get a longer term visitors visa in the short term.  Given her history of frequent visits to the UK I would suggest that a longer term visitors visa would be no problem.  This would all depend on how often you are likely to go back to the UK each year.  For example, a 2 year visitors visa currently costs 12,500 roubles.

Then, once you have been married for 4 years she can apply for Indefinte Leave to Remain without having been in the UK at all.

Also, in the short term, once you are married, it makes it straight forward for her to get a Schengen visa and there is no charge for her being the spouse of an UK citizen.


The link about getting Russian TRP and PRP is right.  However, one thing to note is that when you have TRP you actaully need a visa to leave the country.

nicknick why would she apply for a Schengen visa?  The UK is not in the Schengen zone. If they marry she will have no need for a Schengen visa to travel to most European countries.  An EEA Citizen, (the UK in in the EEA, Russia is not), has an absolute right of residence in the UK or any other EU country for 90 days. After that period he/she must be exercising a Treaty Right (work, study, job seeking etc).  The non-EEA (Russians for example) partner has exactly the same rights, derived purely from her/his relationship to you.

[Steveb2418]

Thank you for these very helpful replies.
 
I appreciate the help and I'll let you know of any developments :-)

[mendeleyev]

Steve, here are some folks from the UK who live in Russia:
 
Soviet City http://www.sovietcity.com/blog/ is run by an Englishmen who says that "I’m a born and bred Englishman but I often find English people a little annoying with their fake politeness and pretence." We like him already!  Plus, he is a regular reader of the Mendeleyev Journal. +2! (He also happens to have some of the best articles explaining the new Visa rules.)

 
England-Moscow is another British guy living in Moscow: http://www.england-moscow.com/
(Nicknick pointed this one out.)

 
 

[acctBill]

Steve, here are some folks from the UK who live in Russia:
 
Soviet City http://www.sovietcity.com/blog/ is run by an Englishmen who says that "I’m a born and bred Englishman but I often find English people a little annoying with their fake politeness and pretence." We like him already!  Plus, he is a regular reader of the Mendeleyev Journal. +2! (He also happens to have some of the best articles explaining the new Visa rules.)

 
England-Moscow is another British guy living in Moscow: http://www.england-moscow.com/
(Nicknick pointed this one out.)

Mendeleyev I disagree with my fellow Brit and several of the comments he made in his blog.  I agree that life in the UK can be boring and thankfully life in the UK is "orderly, neat and controlled", the government and law enforcement work hard to keep it that way.  He doesn't mention where he lives but when I lived in London there were people on the streets all the time.  As for the "fake politeness and pretence" most people I know in the UK are very chatty and if you talk to them for awhile any pretence disappears.  Entitlement in the UK is of course legendary, however the Russian babushkas working outside in all types of weather are quite willing to complain if you speak to them for any length of time.

Salary comparisons can be done easily with Moscow and St. Petersburg where as the blogger states accurately the prices are "ridiculous" just compare the prices with London where prices are equally ridiculous.  The bloggers Russian friends in their 20′s and 30′s that are buying flats for cash aren't buying the flats  in Moscow or St. Petersburg, the flats are obviously being bought in the smaller provincial cities and towns, a similar phenomenon can be found in the smaller towns and villages of England, Ireland and Scotland where those who have made money during the recession snapping up some great deals.

Finally, the blogger is also stating a myth that seems to be quite common among those who aren't in business and don't follow any type of business or economic news.  He states that " The UK doesn’t make anything anymore, most factories have closed and everything is made in China."  In fact according to the BBC the manufacturing industry in the UK is "in rude health" (British slang meaning very healthy and look it), with UK unemployment at 7.8%  not much different from Russia's which is at about 7.5%. 

My apologies but the blog doesn't appear to be particularly accurate at least with regard to life in the UK. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11921894   

[mendeleyev]

Sorry, I should have stated upfront that I share your view on his UK experiences and I'm not a citizen of the UK either. However his info on living in Russia and his info on Russian visas are more accurate. Thanks for pointing that out.

[chivo]

Overall a pretty good link as far as living in Moscow Mendy. I don't agree with everything he wrote, but he has a nice writing style and he's spot on with many of his observations about living here. Thanks for the link.

[mendeleyev]

You are welcome, Chivo.

[Steveb2418]

Hi  Sorry I haven't posted recently but I've been very busy :-)   My situation now is that I'm living in Russia, my student visa has been renewed for a further year and can be renewed for a further year after that.  It's a challenge, especially as I'm now driving here !  But isn't that what lifes about ?? :-)
 
We are planning to marry next year and to remain here!