Thursday, June 2, 2005
SSDD (Same Shit, Different Day)
As I said in a previous post, I'm supposed to get a visa in order to leave and enter the country, notwithstanding my residence permit.
So, on Monday I had my pictures printed (which were exactly the same as those on my previous visa) and on Tuesday we set off for OVIR (they're the ones who deal with the registration of foreigners). Miraculously, there was no queue at all when we entered the office and upon entering we noticed that instead of one or two officials there were now 5 of them.
We stated our case and showed one of them my new residence permit. He took a quick look at it and said 'Good', not putting anything down on paper.
As to our inquiries about what was to be done further, all of them said 'I'm not saying anything. I don't know anything about foreigners. You tell them!'.
When we had finally convinced one of them to at least tell us something, it turned out that he couldn't give us a clear answer as to which visa was required and what was needed in order to get it. Let me try and give you his answer verbatim:
"Uhm.... I don't know... Pictures." Upon showing him my pictures, he claimed that they were digital (which they were) and consequently of no use, because "the stamp won't hold on them".
He went on "Uhm... An application and uhm.... 400 Rubles customs... I think. You know I haven't been here since April and everything changes constantly. No, a visa for 3 years is impossible. Just apply for a visa for the period that you will be gone".
We knew perfectly well that he hadn't a clue what he was talking about, because during a previous visit we'd been told that I would have to apply for a multiple-entry visa valid for 3 years. As we were leaving, he said "You'd better call to make sure".
So, today we called them and the person on the phone told us that we needed an application, photographs, my passport and a receipt for 300 rubles customs. We would have to take all this to the Home Affairs office (where I got my residence permit) together with another letter informing them (the Home Affairs office) of my absence (we already knew about this last letter, by the way). The HAo would then send all this on to OVIR.
We therefore headed to the bank first in order to pay the customs and then made for the Home Affairs office. After standing in line for about an hour and some people jumping the queue as usual to make everyone feel better, we explained all this to the good man who had given me my residence permit. He took the letter from me in which I explained that I would be absent etc. but he sent us to OVIR in order to get the visa.
So, we haven't come much further yet. We will probably go to OVIR on Monday and try and get them to accept my documents. What will come of it, only the future will tell.
It's hard to keep up a good spirit sometimes......
Reading: "The captain of the Polestar and Other Tales" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
So, on Monday I had my pictures printed (which were exactly the same as those on my previous visa) and on Tuesday we set off for OVIR (they're the ones who deal with the registration of foreigners). Miraculously, there was no queue at all when we entered the office and upon entering we noticed that instead of one or two officials there were now 5 of them.
We stated our case and showed one of them my new residence permit. He took a quick look at it and said 'Good', not putting anything down on paper.
As to our inquiries about what was to be done further, all of them said 'I'm not saying anything. I don't know anything about foreigners. You tell them!'.
When we had finally convinced one of them to at least tell us something, it turned out that he couldn't give us a clear answer as to which visa was required and what was needed in order to get it. Let me try and give you his answer verbatim:
"Uhm.... I don't know... Pictures." Upon showing him my pictures, he claimed that they were digital (which they were) and consequently of no use, because "the stamp won't hold on them".
He went on "Uhm... An application and uhm.... 400 Rubles customs... I think. You know I haven't been here since April and everything changes constantly. No, a visa for 3 years is impossible. Just apply for a visa for the period that you will be gone".
We knew perfectly well that he hadn't a clue what he was talking about, because during a previous visit we'd been told that I would have to apply for a multiple-entry visa valid for 3 years. As we were leaving, he said "You'd better call to make sure".
So, today we called them and the person on the phone told us that we needed an application, photographs, my passport and a receipt for 300 rubles customs. We would have to take all this to the Home Affairs office (where I got my residence permit) together with another letter informing them (the Home Affairs office) of my absence (we already knew about this last letter, by the way). The HAo would then send all this on to OVIR.
We therefore headed to the bank first in order to pay the customs and then made for the Home Affairs office. After standing in line for about an hour and some people jumping the queue as usual to make everyone feel better, we explained all this to the good man who had given me my residence permit. He took the letter from me in which I explained that I would be absent etc. but he sent us to OVIR in order to get the visa.
So, we haven't come much further yet. We will probably go to OVIR on Monday and try and get them to accept my documents. What will come of it, only the future will tell.
It's hard to keep up a good spirit sometimes......
Reading: "The captain of the Polestar and Other Tales" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
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