Candid Russia

Visa laws are as changable as the weather here - but not as changable as registrations laws.

Absolute nightmare. This is largely due to the fact the left hand does not know what the right is doing. Point in case, a friend went off to the local (regional) registration office last week. On seeing a 'British' passport the clerk freaked and refused to sign anything as he did not know what he was to do with a foreigner.

So there is one genuine expat trying to play by the rules stopped by who? Well, you work it out. Now said expat is frustrated and extremely angry at not being able to do what is requested. Add to this that you have to leave the country every six months just to return again and things get really cloudy. It is in fact a vicious, ill thought out, xenophobic beurocratic mess.. not just for expats either.

A girl friend was waiting in a line (number 254) for most of the day to get an international passport. She had completed all her documents correctly. On reaching the door the usher looked at her papers and stated her pictures made her look ugly and wrong. She must change them and was refused to enter. Now, how would you feel about that.. so off she went back to the university to replace pictures and to prepare for another 4 hrs of waiting in a line of misery.

Nevermind, hey.... it's fun, right?!