US Citizen traveling to Ukraine using Ukraine passport.

[Faux Pas]

I believe that to be an impossibility, for both Ukraine and Russia.
 
Sure enough, I just checked their USA passports. They entered the USA in August 2010, but there was no stamp for their prior departure. We'll see what happens on the other side when they arrive Moscow in several weeks and there's no record of their 2010 departure. Better keep my cellphone charged that day.

My wife has renewed both her internal and external passports since we've been married. Neither could she do (or couldn't find a way to do) unless she was in Russia. Even there it took IIRC about 3-4 weeks to do it.

[GQBlues]

My wife tells me internal passports can only be renewed in-country. Her international just got renewed last week here in California. It took roughly 4-5 months. She hated the entire experience for many reasons and not least of which because of policy changes.

The renewal is only good for 5 years, in which they'll have to go through the same process again soon. She was told if the renewal took place in Russia, then they get the normal 10-year term.

Where they used to mail the new passports before, everyone now has to go to the Consulate office to pick it up. In our case, we had to make the trip from LA to SF. While she was told that they've streamlined their passport renewal in Novosibirsk, she said the usual jostling and line cutting is very much alive and well inside the Consular office with absolutely no official to supervise folks in an orderly fashion.

[Muzh]

I believe that to be an impossibility, for both Ukraine and Russia.
 
Sure enough, I just checked their USA passports. They entered the USA in August 2010, but there was no stamp for their prior departure. We'll see what happens on the other side when they arrive Moscow in several weeks and there's no record of their 2010 departure. Better keep my cellphone charged that day.

That would be wise.
 
I think that would be taking a big chance to ruining vacation time. Maybe the first time is permisible but I would not be counting on that to be the norm. I do know that my wife's friend gets a visa for her and her daughters when they visit Russia. I honestly don't know if she still has her Russian PP.

[Muzh]

My wife tells me internal passports can only be renewed in-country. Her international just got renewed last week here in California. It took roughly 4-5 months. She hated the entire experience for many reasons and not least of which because of policy changes.

The renewal is only good for 5 years, in which they'll have to go through the same process again soon. She was told if the renewal took place in Russia, then they get the normal 10-year term.

Where they used to mail the new passports before, everyone now has to go to the Consulate office to pick it up. In our case, we had to make the trip from LA to SF. While she was told that they've streamlined their passport renewal in Novosibirsk, she said the usual jostling and line cutting is very much alive and well inside the Consular office with absolutely no official to supervise folks in an orderly fashion.

Does Russia requires a stamp similar to Ukraine's PZM? If so, wouldn't that stamp be a requirement for renewing her passport?
 
Seriously, my wife gave up renewing her UA international PP because they gave her such a runaround that really riled an otherwise extremely calm person.

[tfcrew]

I believe that to be an impossibility, for both Ukraine and Russia.
 
 

It is. They have to return to renew.

However the new internals [renewed ones] do not expire in Ukraine according to the Mrs.

Ukraine customs wouldn't just ask a US citizen for their internal Ukrainian passport. So mums the word. 

It's a dumbdown deal anyway and like Vaughn writes...any irregularity can be bribed away.

Also from VJ..

 

The issue of Ukrainian dual citizenship is completely cloudy. Everything I have read to date leads me to believe that Ukrainian citizenship is NOT "automatically lost" when one becoems a US (or other country) citizen. 
 
 That said, there are other parts of the law which are vague and messy so lets not go there because we do not have to, and I will update you on another recent even reported here.
 
 When entering or leaving UKRAINE a dual citizen (And I am speaking US/Ukraine, like my wife) will show ONLY her US passport.  She enters and leaves as a US citizen and this is fine for visa-less travel up to 90 days, which so far covers anything we need.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/368375-dual-citizenship-ukrainian-any-other/

[JayH]

One of the reasons (or so I thought) that the question "how long were you gone", was to double-check if the passport carrier trying to enter the country is in fact the same person who left. The answer is checked for accuracy in their database.

But if there's no record of 'departure', what are they checking it against?

Firstly-it is not about the stamps--it is computer data base that will trigger questions and harder look.
Second- the OP's question was in reference to Ukraine

[tfcrew]

Second- the OP's question was in reference to Ukraine

Exactly, Russia and Ukraine is apples and oranges.
See my post w/link added above.
  The USA passport should be used else why all the trouble and expense to get one?

[JayH]

Exactly, Russia and Ukraine is apples and oranges.
See my post w/link added above.
  The USA passport should be used else why all the trouble and expense to get one?

It would help if new( non Ukraine) passport was issue in married name  eg  if Ukraine passport is issued  in the name of   Olga Joneskaya and then new passport in new country is issued in the name of Olga  Smith .Then use only new passport.
Sometime in the last 2 years they seem to have stopped requirement to fill in forms on entry-- those old forms required place of birth-- and I  seem to remember seeing any other names? Maybe somewhere else -- but if that was still being used it would also trigger questions.

[tfcrew]

The Ukrainian internal passport can remain specifically that.
There is really no need to change that name so why do it?

[GQBlues]

Does Russia requires a stamp similar to Ukraine's PZM? If so, wouldn't that stamp be a requirement for renewing her passport?
 
Seriously, my wife gave up renewing her UA international PP because they gave her such a runaround that really riled an otherwise extremely calm person.

The stamp is only for Ukrane, it is not necessary for Russia  Muzh. My wife is seriously contemplating on possibly never renewing her passport again or renounce her Russian citizenship altogether as she shares the sentiment your wife do.

[GQBlues]

Firstly-it is not about the stamps--it is computer data base that will trigger questions and harder look.
Second- the OP's question was in reference to Ukraine

JayH-

The particular subject exchanges had to do with folks with dual passports (FSU/USA). When FSU folks use their 'fsu' passports to travel back home, they would have to use the US passport upon returning to the USA (since they're US citizens and they won't be able to do so with their FSU passports. Whether it's Ukraine or Russia). It is that scenario that the side question was raised. There never was an 'exit' stamp leaving the USA to begin with because they used the FSU passport during departure. Thus, the question was how can there be an 'entry' (upon their return) when there never was an 'exit'. So it won't matter whether it's Ukraine, Russia or Somalia.

[JayH]

GQ--my comments were about entering and leaving UKR.

[GQBlues]

OK, but the particular quote you used of mine pertained to the specific conversation I was having with both Vaughn and Faux Pas, which was the topic I just explained.

[JayH]

I think you will find I was agreeing with you ie  use new passport--- then my point was-- if passport has a new surname  -it will not trigger any alarm.That would be the safest way if desire is to keep 2 passports.
FWIW-- it is not just US that this is an issue for--many other nationalities will be interested in this topic.

Where has the OP gone?

[Faux Pas]

Where has the OP gone?

No matter really, nobody has came up with a pliable answer. The question comes to me because I have travel quite extensively out of country and most every time on my return they make a point to let me know, they know when I left. I'm only using one passport. Personally, I couldn't imagine using two

[tfcrew]

No matter really, nobody has came up with a pliable answer.

My wife got her US passport this spring and if we use her Ukraine passport

Hi Tech

The most logical,   fluid, sensible, and practical answer is be done with the old passport.

[Faux Pas]

The most logical,   fluid, sensible, and practical answer is be done with the old passport.

But, the Ukrainian contingent doesn't really apply to the Russian. I don't know why with the visa situation a Ukrainian would use a UA passport. If my wife was Ukrainian, I'd probably say just stick with the U.S. passport if, what you posted earlier is true.

Russian on the other hand is a bit more dicey, which is what I am dealing with. My wife doesn't have her US passport just yet. She has no problem when she returns with her GC and Russian passport. When she does have a US passport, I don't know what to tell her as to how to travel. I find US customs and passport control a PITA and I'm solid in documents and citizenship.

[tfcrew]

Russian on the other hand is a bit more dicey, which is what I am dealing with. My wife doesn't have her US passport just yet. She has no problem when she returns with her GC and Russian passport. When she does have a US passport, I don't know what to tell her as to how to travel. 

Russia provides a duel citizen deal [I don't know the specifics.]
What advantage is there to using Russian citizenship?

[Shadow]

Looking at the link provided by tfcrew, Ukraine also recognizes dual citizenship, or at least doe not recognize a change without Ukrainian citizenship being formally renounced.

[BC]

Dual Nationality in Ukraine

Ukraine does not recognize dual nationality.  Local authorities will treat dual nationals entering the country on Ukrainian passports as citizens of Ukraine.  This may include fulfilling requirements for mandatory military service.  In addition, individuals who do not relinquish their Ukrainian citizenship upon acquiring American citizenship face potential fines.

The dual national may also have obligations to his or her other country of citizenship.  Failure to fulfill any such obligations may have little adverse effect on the dual national as long as he or she is in the United States.  However, if the dual national travels to his or her other country of citizenship, he or she may be forced to comply with those obligations.  In addition, if the dual national encounters difficulties in his or her other country of citizenship, the ability of the U.S. Embassy to assist the person may be very limited since the other country may not recognize the dual national's claim to U.S. citizenship.

http://ukraine.usembassy.gov/dual-nationality.html

[Muzh]

The stamp is only for Ukrane, it is not necessary for Russia  Muzh. My wife is seriously contemplating on possibly never renewing her passport again or renounce her Russian citizenship altogether as she shares the sentiment your wife do.

GQ, maybe I overstated. I don't believe my wife would go to the point of "officially" renouncing her UA citizenship. She's just fed up with the corruption and prefers to whip out the blue passport whenever she travels there.

[Faux Pas]

Russia provides a duel citizen deal [I don't know the specifics.]
What advantage is there to using Russian citizenship?

No visa or registration when traveling to Russia. My wife owns property there but, I do not know what ramifications there maybe with that if she doesn't have a Russian Passport. A moot point for us as she renewed it last year in Russia and it's good for 10 more years.

I don't think Russia recognizes a dual citizenship but I could be wrong.

[Muzh]

Russian on the other hand is a bit more dicey, which is what I am dealing with. My wife doesn't have her US passport just yet. She has no problem when she returns with her GC and Russian passport. When she does have a US passport, I don't know what to tell her as to how to travel. I find US customs and passport control a PITA and I'm solid in documents and citizenship.

FP, I totally forgot the permanent resident (GC) procedure. Once a Russian national have this document/card the Russian national doesn't need a visa to enter the US. They will definitely need the entry and exit stamps. It happen to us before UA changed their visa conditions for US citizens and the wife becoming a naturalized US citizen.
 
Regarding UA dual citizenship, BC provided the link and it is clear that it will affect the person traveling to UA with a UA passport; not the US. Not sure about Australian or UK or Martian.

[Muzh]

Russia provides a duel citizen deal [I don't know the specifics.]
What advantage is there to using Russian citizenship?

Boy, can we leave the arms out of this?? 

[Ranetka]

What advantage is there to using Russian citizenship?

 
If someone keeps ties with Russia (visiting relatives, having property, will have inheritance in future) and more importantly WANTS to keep ties it makes all sense to keep Russian citizenship and thus Russian passport.
 
There is ZERO  problem travelling with two passports, I do it all the time. So do thousands of other people of hundreds of other nationalities.
 
By the way accourding to INTERNATIONAL TREATIES a citizen of country A when in country A is treated as a citizen A regardless of other citizenships he may posess. By international law  American embassy willl not be helping Ukrainian/American citizen when in Ukraine, regadless of what passport was used on arrival.