Quick Question about Russian Visa Registration
Replies: 29 - Last Post: May 7, 2013 4:48 AM Last Post By: jonhanks
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17
Registration is done automatically by hotels. It is the responsibility of the host but hostels operate in a gray zone (they are officially dormitories) and hence don't automatically offer this. If you are staying at a hostel for more than 7 business days, then you need to get them to register your visa and you will likely have to pay a fee for this. If you are not staying in one place more than 7 business days, then don't worry about registration and just hold on to your train/plane tickets.Ruth
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It is the responsibility of the host but hostels operate in a gray zone (they are officially dormitories) and hence don't automatically offer this.Russian law is very clear on the responsibility of registration and when this should be done, if you have evidence to back up this claim that hostels are not required to register their guests or are exempt law then post this Ruth.
The short answer to your question Phil is that any hotel or hostel can register you.
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Russian law is very clear on the responsibility of registration and when this should be done, if you have evidence to back up this claim that hostels are not required to register their guests or are exempt law then post this Ruth.
I didn't say that they weren't required to register you. I said that they don't do this automatically and in my experience they don't offer unless you ask. Also unlike hotels, hostels demand payment for this, passing along the fees and adding their own charges. If you have a different experience, you are welcome to provide it but I believe that it would be wrong to suggest that it is the same in a hotel as in a hostel. Ruth
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I didn't say that they weren't required to register youThat's the point Ruth, it's their responsibility to register their guests. There's nothing grey about this, some hostels may choose to interpret the issue of when registration is required and ignore the fact they are providing the same service as a hotel. The law on registration was updated last year making the issue of liability much clearer, if a hostel chooses to ignore this they do so at their own risk not the guest, the guest isn't required to do anything.
It's actually quite common for hotels in St Petersburg to charge for registration and I've heard some in Moscow have started this practice too, I'm sure someone recently reported here that a hotel tried charging them $80 for this.
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I remember hearing a rule that regardless of having stays in one place no longer than 7 days, you still have to register AT LEAST ONCE within your first 5 (or 7?) days in Russia if staying in the country more than 7 days. Is this still true? Because I've been in Russia now for 6 or 7 days and I haven't yet registered once. However, I've also not stopped in any place longer than 4 days. I have train tickets to prove this.I could possibly stay on Baikal for more than 7 days but registering out there (even in a hostel) will be near impossible, I have to try and persuade a hostel in Irkutsk (who I would only stay with for maybe 1 or 2 nights) to still register me. Obviously, that's the most challenging part.
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Who provided your invitation? Perhaps they have someplace in Irkutsk that will register you.Theoretically, the law reads that one is supposed to register within 7 business days of arrival but there are many reports of folks like you who never register because they are on trains.
I could possibly stay on Baikal for more than 7 days
Stay on the lake or in the Baikal area. Show receipts from more than one place and you should be fine. Also it is 7 business days which is usually 9 days total. Ruth
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From what hear this company can help with registration in IrkutskBaikal-Discovery Ltd.
Alexey Nikiforov
Tel/fax: +7 (3952) 243715, 619835
http://www.baikal-discovery.ru/en/index.php
Send them an email and see what they say. All the travel sites that are out there on the internet always emphasize this need for registration claiming you can fined, arrested and even deported, but I can't say I've seen a recent report where this has actually happened and last year the law was amended to make it clear that its your host that's responsible for registering you.
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My invitation was provided by Chillax Hostel in Moscow. They're inviting company is Pro-Hotels.ruThey don't have any other hostels in the country. I leave tomorrow on the night train to Yekaterinburg so the best I can do right now is to persuade the hostel here in Kazan to register me, but he's not at liberty to do that. I don't have any other alternative.
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okay guys so if i register every 7 days no problem,but can i register in a hotel or hostel even if i dont sleep there,i mean,instead of going to a police station is it possible to go to a hostel?I ask this because i plan to go to Krasnodar with no hotel,couchsurfing in different houses every few nights.
Thanks you :)
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You can't go to the police station to register. You can't register yourself. A hotel or hostel is unlikely to register you for more than the nights that you stay there.Ask your couchsurfing hosts to assist you in registering. And you don't need to register every 7 days, you need to be registered for each location in which you remain for more than 7 business days.
Ruth
27
Hey....I'm looking for some advice with regard to this question of registration.
We arrived on the Wednesday 24th April from China and from Zabaykalsk moved to Chita on Thursday 25th. We stayed 4 nights in Chita - Thur to Monday. Monday 29th left along the Amur Highway arriving in Khabarovsk Thursday 2nd May and stayed until Sunday 5th May when we left for Vladivostok, arriving on Monday 6th, early morning.
We have yet to register and leave on the ferry tomorrow for Japan. As we don't want any problems on exiting we wanted to seek advice. Our hostel here in Vladivostok will not register us. Our visa issuing company will, through it's Moscow office, if we get the necessary documents to them by lunchtime today, but for £30. I am trying to avoid this fee if I can.
We have not stayed in one place for more than 7 days, Chita was 4 nights, but weekend for two of them. We have receipts for everyday showing our passage through Russia - shops, petrol stations and small roadside hotels and for our hostel here in Vladivostok.
Any advice would be appreciated as always. Thanks,
Jon
