Travel to Russia with 2 passports

[gogal2020 0]

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me what the procedure is for travelling to Russia with Russian zagran and US passports? I know that I can't show both passports at once at some point in my travel, like when in Russia, any tips? Also, when booking a flight, it only asks me once for travel documents, like a passport, but I have two, which one to enter to get the electronic tickets from Aeroflot? I'd appreciate any tips from anyone who traveled with two passports before!

Thanks a lot,

Mike.

[Martyshk 137]

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me what the procedure is for travelling to Russia with Russian zagran and US passports? I know that I can't show both passports at once at some point in my travel, like when in Russia, any tips? Also, when booking a flight, it only asks me once for travel documents, like a passport, but I have two, which one to enter to get the electronic tickets from Aeroflot? I'd appreciate any tips from anyone who traveled with two passports before!

Thanks a lot,

Mike.

Don't hold me to that, but my friend, who used to travel to Moscow with two passports used to do this:

- Show U.S. passport when flying out

- Show Russian passport when arriving in SVO

- On the way back it's just U.S. passport all the way

[mox 298]

I do not believe you can exit Russia on a different passport than you entered on. (somebody correct me if I'm wrong please.)

Also, if you hold dual citizenship (which it seems you do), you should be aware that traveling into Russia on your US passport puts your Russian citizenship in jeapardy:

In order to apply for a Russian visa in a U.S. passport, however, Russian consular officials normally require a person to renounce his or her Russian citizenship.

http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_...s/cis_1006.html

[clueless_in_usa 8]

I do not believe you can exit Russia on a different passport than you entered on. (somebody correct me if I'm wrong please.)

Also, if you hold dual citizenship (which it seems you do), you should be aware that traveling into Russia on your US passport puts your Russian citizenship in jeapardy:

http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_...s/cis_1006.html

Last time I read, a Russian citizen cannot get a visa to Russia. Therefore, it is mandatory to use the Russian passport.

There are five moments you need to show your passport, so this is what you do:

1) Airline check-in in USA: you show both passports, because you need to prove that you can live USA without I-94 and enter Russia without visa

2) Passport control Russia (entering): you only show your Russian passport.

3) Airline check-in in Russia: you show your American passport only. They may ask to see your Russian passport too, to make sure that you can leave Russia

4) Passport control Russia (leaving): you show only your Russian passport.

5) Passport control (CBP) at POE in USA: you show only your US passport.

In summary:

It is OK and some times required to show both passports to airline

It is mandatory to show only the passport of the corresponding country at any passport control.

EDIT: (From the Russian Consulate):

Applicants who used to be citizens of the USSR or of the Russian Federation and then emigrated from the USSR or from Russia must submit one of the documents which confirms that they are no longer citizens of the Russian Federation (so called "Visa to Israel" or stamp in their passport saying that they left for "permanent residence abroad" before the 6th of February, 1992 or official document certifying that their Russian citizenship was renounced), otherwise the applications will not be accepted.

Edited February 2, 2010 by clueless_in_usa

[gogal2020 0]

Thanks for the replies. I am going to travel on two passports, and will not renounce the citizenship. I just wanted to see what the process was on showing which one of my passports where.

Thanks!

Mike.

[KillerMachineUSMC 0]

it really doesnt matter you can travel with either one of your passport as long as you are not staying for more than 30 days but for me i will use my US passport it is the fastest way to check in and check out to any countries

[visaveteran 1]

I'm not a passport expert but let me mention that passports are stamped when entering a country, so I wonder how juggling passports coming and going to Russia will work out? I mean, will the USA POE agent question the absence of a stamp in the USA passport?

[Martyshk 137]

I'm not a passport expert but let me mention that passports are stamped when entering a country, so I wonder how juggling passports coming and going to Russia will work out? I mean, will the USA POE agent question the absence of a stamp in the USA passport?

Just from personal experience, I've never had an officer at the POE (coming into U.S.) check for stamps.

[clueless_in_usa 8]

it really doesnt matter you can travel with either one of your passport as long as you are not staying for more than 30 days but for me i will use my US passport it is the fastest way to check in and check out to any countries

It MATTERS!

If you try to enter Russia with a US passport, you need a valid visa, and as I copied above, you cannot obtain a visa to Russia if you have a Russian passport too.

It does not matter in other countries, but it does in Russia. Besides, there are countries that are more welcoming to Russians than Americans. So it is wise to travel with two passports.

[payxibka 10,044]

I'm not a passport expert but let me mention that passports are stamped when entering a country, so I wonder how juggling passports coming and going to Russia will work out? I mean, will the USA POE agent question the absence of a stamp in the USA passport?

Why would they? I doubt they even look at the stamps.... some passports have so many how could you tell where the most recent one was

[clueless_in_usa 8]

I'm not a passport expert but let me mention that passports are stamped when entering a country, so I wonder how juggling passports coming and going to Russia will work out? I mean, will the USA POE agent question the absence of a stamp in the USA passport?

As long as you declare every country you visited on your Customs form, nobody is going to question why you do not have a stamp from such or such country on your passport.

It is NOT illegal to have two, three, or more passports in the USA. CBP officers are not stupid and they know that people who have them use different passports according to the country they visit.

In fact, this warning can be found on the State Dpt. website:

However, dual nationals owe allegiance to both the United States and the foreign country. They are required to obey the laws of both countries. Either country has the right to enforce its laws, particularly if the person later travels there.Most U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States. Dual nationals may also be required by the foreign country to use its passport to enter and leave that country. Use of the foreign passport does not endanger U.S. citizenship.Most countries permit a person to renounce or otherwise lose citizenship.

[eekee 182]

You would just the show the stamp that you left Russia in the Russian passport.

[freetv 7]

One time I was going back home from Amsterdam (just a short 12 stay or so), and at passport control in the U.S. he looked at "every" stamp I had... and we are talking about a lot of stamps. Once he found my latest stamp (and 10 questions later) he put his U.S. stamp in there (but wrong).

[freetv 7]

Sorry, my post got cut off... (but he put the wrong date). I don't think using two passports would ever create a problem as far as the U.S. goes. I would just say, "yeah I have Russian and American nationality" and away you go.

[payxibka 10,044]

One time I was going back home from Amsterdam (just a short 12 stay or so), and at passport control in the U.S. he looked at "every" stamp I had... and we are talking about a lot of stamps. Once he found my latest stamp (and 10 questions later) he put his U.S. stamp in there (but wrong).

But the original comment was regarding a USC arriving and presenting a US passport at the US border... The CBP has NEVER stamped my passport for an arrival back here...