visa to change planes

[Dillup]

Hello

I have a ticket to Ukraine and will change planes in Moscow. Delta rep was not sure if I need a Russian visa. She was not sure - if so, I may need to cancel my trip

any one out there?

dillup

[ConnerVT]

Most likely, Yes, you will need one --

If continuing by a domestic flight (also including Belarus);
or if airport of arrival is different from airport of
departure within the same Russian city (e.g. arriving at
Sheremetyevo-2 and departing from Sheremetyevo-1 airport
in Moscow):
Transit visa required, as entering territory of Russian Fed.

Source: http://www.delta.com/planning_reservations/plan_flight/international_travel_information/visa_passport_information/index.jsp

[Turboguy]

I don't think you do.  There is a transit area in SVO.  I think you go there as long as your connection is less than 24 hours.  Try checking the SVO website.   I read the regulations about 6 months ago but I can't remember where I read them.

[Bruce]

http://www.russianvisa.org/transitvisa.html

This link mentions:

"Note: if you are on a direct flight through the territory of Russia or travel by international airline and change flights in the same airport within 24 hours, you do not need a visa."

[ConnerVT]

Flights to Ukraine fly out of SVO2, or SVO1?  I assumed that he would need to change terminals, thus he would need a visa.

Also, unless his suitcases can be placed on his connecting flight without his intervention, he will also need a visa.  The suitcase claim area is past the Immigration Control booths.

[Turboguy]

Usually they fly out of SVO-1.   He might want to check that to be sure.   They really should have different airline codes for the two airports.  Calling them both SVO can be very confusing to a new traveler to Russia.   Perhaps if Putin follows our forum he will read this and change it. 

[Dillup]

thanks guys -  Someone told me that if you remain in the "international terminal" using a major airline, you dont need a visa. If however you change plans and end up in one of the small terminals, you do need one... what defines big and small I dont know. My friend is from Denmark & cant call him to clearify

[Dillup]

can I bribe someone over there?

[Turboguy]

Dillup,

After I posted I checked the Delta link that Conner posted and it said exactly what I remembered.   If you are staying in SVO-1 and going to be there for less than 24 hours then you do not need a Visa.

You will have to remain in the gate area.  You can not leave it.  You do need to be careful becuase there are two SVO airports.  One is called Terminal two.  It is generally the international flights.  The other is called Terminal one and it is generally the domestic flights.   The two terminals are about 6 miles apart.   If you are flying to Ukraine from Russia it is probable that you will be staying in Terminal one but you should verify that to be sure.

If you are changing airports to SVO 1, DME or VKO you will need a transit visa.   Hope this clarifies things for you. 

[Dillup]

thank you very much - I will investigate

what a great site!

Dillup

[Rags II]

You used to be able to transfer from SVO II to SVO I without a transit visa as long as you were going to another country by going to the "transfer" desk which was located on the arrival concourse before you go downstairs to customs/immigration. They would put you on a bus (under armed guard) and drive you around the runway to the other side (SVO I) where your documents are checked and you had to stay in the secured departure area. I'm not sure if this is still the case as I haven't done this in five years. I assume that you are booked on Aeroflop on your continuation. If this is the case contact their local office (NY/Seattle) to confirm that this is still possible and hope that they have their facts straight which is always not the case. Even if you are not flying with them they may have your answer. The people in Seattle were most helpful to me.

Next time use Aerosvit (pronounced Aerosveet) JFK to Borispol (KBP) for a better flight, better service and less hassles! Forget Delta/Aeroflop/Lufhuansa/Air France and never go through Russia if you don't have to.

[Turboguy]

I am pretty sure the same thing applies.   I have seen the desk there and yes, it is still there.  I almost posted what you said but have never done it personally to be positive and did not want to take a chance on posting incorrect information about something that could be so important. 

They do seem to have changed the flights around so that "all" the international departures are from SVO2 and "all" the domestic departures are from SVO1.  I think a year or more ago "most" would have been the proper word.   They are building a big new terminal for SVO-1.  Hopefully that will make flying domestically a little less unpleasant.  Of course you are usually flying domestically on Aeroflot which means you are still flying unpleasantly.

[dwfunk]

They do seem to have changed the flights around so that "all" the international departures are from SVO2 and "all" the domestic departures are from SVO1.  I think a year or more ago "most" would have been the proper word.   They are building a big new terminal for SVO-1.  Hopefully that will make flying domestically a little less unpleasant.  Of course you are usually flying domestically on Aeroflot which means you are still flying unpleasantly.

So far half of all my International arrivals were at Domodedova (DME). All of the trips my Buddy took were also arrivals at Domodedova (DME).  Domodedova (DME) has been under construction for remodeling and expansion for the last 2 years and they have much more to finish, so expect to be confused and inconvenienced.



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David & Natalia
Republic of Texas/Moscow , Russia
УЛ. КОНЕНКОВА
16th World Spacemodeling Championships

[Turboguy]

I am sorry DW, I was not clear on what I was trying to say.   I was just talking about arrivals and departures at SVO.  Way back I saw a few domestic flights out of termianal two.  I don't think there were any international ones out of terminal 1. 

You are right.  There are also internatinal and domestic flights out of DME which is really a nice airport compared to SVO.  VWRW is flying both domestically and internationally from DME next month on our trip to Thailand.  There are also International flights from VKO and the plans are to expand that airport considerably over the next years.

[Rags II]

Flights to Ukraine, Belarus, Geogia, Moldovia, ect. were still considered "domestic" routes and flew out of SVO I when I was flying through there but things may have changed. Transiting through Russia is no matter to be taken lightly I assure you.

I had a transit visa even though I only had a four hour layover and both flights were on Aeroflop. Unfortunately my flight (shortly after 9/11) was delayed by all those people  who could not follow the rules which were posted quite clearly at all ticket counters forbidding carry on bags. Each bag had to be searched at SFO and again at SEA. I saw my plane taking off across the tarmac as I was landing.

No Problema... Aeroflop assured me that my transit visa was good for the two weeks between then and my return flight (even though I could clearly see that it was good only on the two specific days on which I had flights). They put me up at the airport hotel and gave me a new ticket for the same flight (last one out of Dodge) the next day. They even gave me a phone card so that I could call my then fiancee and let her know that I had been delayed.

Unfortunately I could not get any of the phones to work (in the airport) with this card. OK, I'll call when I get to the hotel. Of course this requires a different card which as you could guess didn't work either. I'll call in the morning as my plane has already landed and hopefully my Love has figured out that I missed the flight. Jet lag kicks in and I sleep until 3 PM the next day. I get up and try the phone again with no luck. I check out and take the card back to the front desk to get one that works. I call but nobody's home.

I caught the shuttle to SVO I and wait to check in. (For those who have never been there you cannot check in and get a boarding pass until the signs tell you that you can, typically 20-30 minutes before your departure.) I try my "airport " phone card again with no luck. So I wait until my flight number is called with the throngs of humanity which crowd SVO I, go through Customs (surrendering my customs declaration which was stamped when I came through SVO II), get my boarding pass, get to the Immigration control booth (yes they check everyone coming in and going out) and the lovely girl in the sexy short uniform looks at me, looks at my passport, looks at my visa, and gives me that "Boy, you're in a heap of trouble look". I am quickly escorted by two armed guards to an interogation room right out of the movies and/or nightmares. I'm questioned for an hour by the sternest middle aged woman explaining all the time about the airline (their airline) being late and assuring me that my visa would be OK. She's not buying any of it and I'm illegally in her country for violating my transit visa. I end up getting a three page report made up on me and pay a $50 fine after which I am escorted back to the lobby dumped.

I find the proper Aeroflop office after four tries and fly into a rage (which for those who have been there know, does no good). They tell me to go back to the main office in SVO II the next day and they will clear it up, book me another hotel room and give me a ride back to the hotel. I try my "hotel" phone card when I get to my room and it tells me it is no good (after calling once and getting a busy signal). Luckily I had hooked up with an American dude before I was carted off to the interrogation room and gave him V's phone number to call and explain what was happening.

I got up at the crack o' dawn the next day and marched over to the Aeroflop office ready to tear somebody a new one. Finally, after getting the run around, I got a cool guy who sent somebody off with my visa/passport (SCARY) to get a new transit visa for that day and booked me on the next flight out to KBP. I walk out feeling better thinking everything was going to be smooth now and I would be in my sweet baby's arms in another three hours.

I catch the shuttle back to SVO I, wait for my flight to be called and walk up to the Customs officer...Dermo! Remember, I turned in my customs document last night and by the time I was done being interogated and brought back to the lobby all the ticket agent and customs officers were gone (not that I was exactly thinking about that seeming insignificant document at the time). I try to explain all this to a guy who speaks no English what so ever and picks up the phone twice (to call in the goons I assume) but doesn't. Finally he throws up his hands, after searching everything that I have (which isn't much because unlike those other people  I packed everything in my checked luggage), he lets me go pick up my boarding pass. Cool, I'm going to get out of this country after all. I go to Immigrations and pick a line. Guess which officer I get? That's right, the same one from last night who takes one look at me and calls in her supervisor.

Luckily this time my papers are in order. I catch the bus from the departure gate out to my plane (no jetways at SVO I) and arrive at a Tupe which literally has duct tape on the wings and fuselage.

I DON'T CARE, just get me out of here.

I arrive at KBP to find my bags came in the night before and are secured in Customs. I'll have to come back (40 miles) tomorrow at 10 AM (which happened to be lunch time and they were closed) and pay a bribe to get my stuff back. This is day four in the same clothes folks, I'm rank!

Now the good part, I bust out through those double doors to have my beautiful Darling run and jump into my arms crying inconsolably. She (and her friend) had spent the last three days from berfore dawn until the last plane load cleared Customs waiting for me.

I knew then and there what I had found and the depth that friendship means to a Ukrainian.

[Bruce]

Rags - what a horrible and beautiful story!

[Rags II]

Sometimes you have to traverse the jungle to find your pot o' gold but this really opened my eyes to what I had found. Even my best friends or family would not have waited at an airport for me three days running.

Needless to say, that was my last trip through SVO or on Aeroflot.

[BillyB]

A guy who's in Uzbekistan right now did not need a visa to go through Moscow. His connecting plane left the same airport I believe.

My first experience in SVO II was horrible. I was going to Novosibirsk and I arrived a day earlier in Moscow when I was supposed to be in Novosibirsk the next day and that was the day my visa was to allow me in Russia.

After a female airport personnel was flirting with the guy at passport control he looks at my passport and visa and says "You have a problem, you have a very big problem". I go and pay the fine and then Aeroflop security takes me to their office and says this might cost some money to fix the problem. I said "Oh mean I have to pay a bribe? How much is this going to cost me?", Security officer said "$100, but first we must wait for the right people to come to work to get you through the gates"

After waiting 5 hours I go to the office where visas are issued and they won't issue me one. After waiting another 3 hours for the proper people to work the gates, I go back and they finally issue me a visa but I have little time and a friendly Airport officer who speaks English with a British accent tries to help me get through SVO II so I can get to SVO I in time. I go to the lost baggage claim to hunt for my bags. After searching 500 bags in a room, mine just happen to be the last ones out of all I searched. losing precious time, I needed to fine that stupid form that was filled out prior to passport control. 6 airport personnel surround me trying to assist. Not keeping all my cash in one pocket I put a little everywhere. I reach into my front pockets and wads of cash come out but no form. the 6 personnel sees the money and turn around briefly. I reach into my back pocket and more money comes out but no form. They turn around again. I reach into my shirt pocket and money comes out. They turn around again. I guess with the airport passengers standing around, they didn't want it to look like a payoff for a bribe. We get a call from SVO I and the plane won't wait for me so I sleep at SVO II on a row of seats. I get woke up at 1 AM in the morning by the cleaning ladies buffing the floor. I go to the bathroom and come back and there's this good looking Uzbek woman, 22 years old, going to Denmark for school. We have a good conversation and she gives me some dried up Uzbek goat cheese. It was too strong for my taste but I pretended to like it. I should have asked to stay in contact with her but I was staying true to the lady I was visiting.

I purchased a ticket to go to Novosibirsk for $360 since I missed my original flight. I head to SVO I 5 hours early since I was bored with SVO II. Big mistake. It's a lot less comfortable there but a beautiful Russian woman, probably 19 Yo, sat across from me but later sat next to me and fell asleep with her head resting on my shoulder. I was thinking about asking for her contact info but decided to stay true. That's the problem going WOVO. It sucks sometimes.

I get on the Russian made plane with noisy engines and fall asleep before the plane takes off. I wake up when the plane lands. I was completely out from mental exhaustion from my experience at SVO II.

[Kuna]

Billy,

Sounds like us newbies should be planning some uncomfortable stop overs in moscow airports???   

Kuna

[dwfunk]

Billy,

Sounds like us newbies should be planning some uncomfortable stop overs in moscow airports???   

Kuna

As the Russians say, "Expect the worst!"


However, It doesn't hurt to be prepared and forearmed with as much knowledge as possible.


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David & Natalia
Republic of Texas/Moscow , Russia
УЛ. КОНЕНКОВА
16th World Spacemodeling Championships