For anyone returning - passport copies req'd for st. petersburg

[Embracedbylife]

Anyone just returning this year - do we still require copies of our passports? I heard that the new immigration form may now not require us to give photocopies...just curious!

[Leejnd4]

I have been doing quite a bit of research on this topic of late (my Baltics cruise departs in 3 weeks). In the past couple of days I have spoken to several experts in travel documentation to Russia. All tell me that you need three documents to exit the ship:

 

1. Passport

2. Photocopy of informational page of passport

3. Either an individual visa, OR proof of participation in tour with a licensed tour operator.

 

If they no longer require copies of passports, that would be news...but it's certainly not a big deal. It's always a good idea to have a couple photocopies of your passport when you travel abroad, in the off chance your passport gets lost or stolen. If you don't have to present it in Russia, that's one less piece of paper to worry about. :)

[Tobermory]

We recently returned from a Baltic cruise on the Emerald Princess.

 

We were surprised that Russian immigration did not require a photocopy of our passport. They did not even look at our tour ticket. But we had shown our tour ticket to the purser's desk on the ship and they recorded the information which may have then been provided to Russian customs.

Nevertheless, I would strongly recommend that you take a copy of your passport and your tour ticket since I have heard that some people may still have been required to show these to the immigration officials. It was important to complete the new migration form correctly, so read the instructions carefully before completing it -- we heard that several people made mistakes and then couldn't get replacement forms since each form had a unique number. When you go through Russian immigration, they will give you a card which you are to retain and return to immigration before you get back on the ship. We were told that, if this card were lost during the day, a fine would have to be paid.

[ericosmith]

They did not collect any passport copies late last month. In fact, they barely glanced at anything other than the migration form and passport.

[BFM]

Just back from St. Petersburg on Celebrity. The ship advised we needed a copy, but immigration just handed it back without looking at it. I wouldn't go without one, however. I also got an extra blank immigration form from the ship just in case there was a problem with the first one. Also make sure you keep the card they give you ... you need it to get back on the ship!

 

Russia is the only country we've ever visted that requires passport control and immigration forms for cruise ship passengers. The line was long for us and it took about 45 minutes to get through. If Russia wants to encourage tourism, they need to lighten up. Who's trying to break into Russia anyway?

[Embracedbylife]

Thank you everyone!!

[Dagny]

Russia is the only country we've ever visted that requires passport control and immigration forms for cruise ship passengers. The line was long for us and it took about 45 minutes to get through. If Russia wants to encourage tourism, they need to lighten up. Who's trying to break into Russia anyway?

 

I go through customs and immigration every time I re-enter the US - and so do you.

[davejohn]

Russia is the only country we've ever visted that requires passport control and immigration forms for cruise ship passengers. The line was long for us and it took about 45 minutes to get through. If Russia wants to encourage tourism, they need to lighten up. Who's trying to break into Russia anyway?

 

I go through customs and immigration every time I re-enter the US - and so do you.

 

You're comparing disembarking with a port visit. When we re-entered in Bar Harbor for a day visit we just quickly showed our passport for ID like any other port. When we disembarked in NYC we did the whole customs line thing.

[sailing2009]

We were in St. Petersburg on May 23rd and May 24th and they did require a copy of the passport main page and they did keep the copy. They did not require it on the second day, but they did on the first. We also needed to show our tour ticket each time we went through customs, but they did not keep the tour ticket. For people that did not have the required documentation, it seemed to take a long time to process those individuals.

[GuideDiva]

We were in St. Petersburg on May 23rd and May 24th and they did require a copy of the passport main page and they did keep the copy. They did not require it on the second day, but they did on the first. We also needed to show our tour ticket each time we went through customs, but they did not keep the tour ticket. For people that did not have the required documentation, it seemed to take a long time to process those individuals.

 

There is a lot of confusion I can see on the forum.

Photocopies are required and taken at the cargo port but not at the new passenger terminal. Ships often are reassigned docks and ports on short notice so have the photocopy in case you end up at the cargo port.

 

Have your filled out migration card your passport and your tour ticket. Tickets from the larger well established tour companies are barely glanced at, as long as the logo appears, smaller and new company's tickets might get a more thorough inspection and double checking.

 

The good news is that the tremendous volume of complaints about the slow processing at the new passenger terminal has gotten results, recently there have been up to 15 passport inspection booths operating that has cut the delays down to reasonable times. As recently as a few weeks ago 1-3 hour lines had been common.

[GuideDiva]

Russia is the only country we've ever visted that requires passport control and immigration forms for cruise ship passengers. The line was long for us and it took about 45 minutes to get through. If Russia wants to encourage tourism, they need to lighten up. Who's trying to break into Russia anyway?

 

I go through customs and immigration every time I re-enter the US - and so do you.

 

There are an estimated 12,500,000 illegal immigrants in Russia now, mostly coming for the plentiful jobs and opportunities. Construction, market sellers and agricultural work is largely done by illegal aliens. The far east of Russia is being overrun by Chinese building their own towns and businesses, outnumbering citizens in many areas.

There are even EU and North American illegal aliens, most westerners working in Russia are doing so illegally. There are 64,000 Americans living and working in Moscow alone. Where there are decent jobs and work to be done, people from all over go. With rapidly increasing salaries and steady high growth over the last 10 years Russia, with the 3rd highest monetary reserves is an attractive destination for job seekers.

 

Only a handful of counties world wide allow visitors without visas, the US certainly doesn't. Russia has a more liberal policy than 3/4 of the world's countries in allowing cruise passengers visits without visas with the sole restrictions of limiting the visit to 72 hours or less and having an authorized tour company host the visitor. What sort of outcry would come if the US allowed foreigners to come to the US solely sponsored by a local travel agent without a visa or visa waiver treaty in place?

 

It does not require visas of any kind for tourist with passports from countries that treat Russian tourists with respect, such as Israel. If further relaxed visa requirements are desired, the best way to do that is to urge your own government to be more reasonable. It took only 24 hours for the Russian president to lift visa requirements after Israel announced a more reasonable policy towards Russian tourists.

[Almagetty]

There is a lot of confusion I can see on the forum.

Photocopies are required and taken at the cargo port but not at the new passenger terminal. Ships often are reassigned docks and ports on short notice so have the photocopy in case you end up at the cargo port.

 

Have your filled out migration card your passport and your tour ticket. Tickets from the larger well established tour companies are barely glanced at, as long as the logo appears, smaller and new company's tickets might get a more thorough inspection and double checking.

 

The good news is that the tremendous volume of complaints about the slow processing at the new passenger terminal has gotten results, recently there have been up to 15 passport inspection booths operating that has cut the delays down to reasonable times. As recently as a few weeks ago 1-3 hour lines had been common.

 

Thanks, Guide Diva, for the above post. My family and I leave tomorrow to begin our journey and I was hoping you would post an update of the situation before we left. It looks like things are moving in a good direction as far as the immigration procedure goes.

[MarkBearSF]

There is a lot of confusion I can see on the forum.

Photocopies are required and taken at the cargo port but not at the new passenger terminal. Ships often are reassigned docks and ports on short notice so have the photocopy in case you end up at the cargo port.

 

Have your filled out migration card your passport and your tour ticket. Tickets from the larger well established tour companies are barely glanced at, as long as the logo appears, smaller and new company's tickets might get a more thorough inspection and double checking.

 

The good news is that the tremendous volume of complaints about the slow processing at the new passenger terminal has gotten results, recently there have been up to 15 passport inspection booths operating that has cut the delays down to reasonable times. As recently as a few weeks ago 1-3 hour lines had been common.

Yay - Glad to hear things are progressing more smoothly.