As I mentioned in my previous post, during this trip to Russia I am staying in the apartment of a friend.\u00a0 Unlike all previous occasions where I have either spent the first night in a hotel or have been here working, this time around I have to register myself.\u00a0 For those of you who are unfamiliar with the idiocy with which Russia is run, there is a requirement that all visitors register themselves with the local authorities within 4 working days of arrival.\u00a0 As a public service to all those who might find themselves in a similar situation in Russia in the future, here’s how the registration is done.<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0 Host (the person in whose apartment you are registering) makes a call to his mate in the local passport office to find out what the latest rules are and what the best way of registering is.\u00a0 Rules in Russia change often, with nobody really having a clue what they are at any given time.
\n2.\u00a0 Receive advice from mate in passport office to register at the post office and avoid the local OVIR office like the plague.
\n3.\u00a0 Go to post office, join lengthy queue at special counter for registrations, Western Union, and other foreigner-related services.
\n4.\u00a0 Wait 15 minutes.
\n5.\u00a0 Approach counter, request forms for registration and enquire about other requirements.
\n6.\u00a0 Receive information that this post office is too small to deal with non-CIS registrations and you must go to the central post office on Lenin Square.
\n7.\u00a0 Receive helpful advice that you will need to go to a bank and pay 200 Roubles ($6) in taxes before you can register at the central post office.
\n8.\u00a0 Go to bank, notice they are on a break until 12pm.
\n9.\u00a0 Hang about on the street with host looking gormless until 12pm.\u00a0 Don’t worry, you’ll fit right in.
\n10.\u00a0 Go into bank, join queue.
\n11.\u00a0 Wait 20 minutes.
\n12.\u00a0 Pay 200 Roubles, obtain receipt.
\n13.\u00a0 Go to central post office, notice they are on a break until 1pm.
\n14.\u00a0 Go to local cafe, order overpriced food and beverage, kill time until central post office opens.
\n15.\u00a0 Enter central post office, join lengthy queue at special counter for registrations, Western Union, and other foreigner-related services.
\n16.\u00a0 Wait 10 minutes.
\n17.\u00a0 Approach counter, request forms for registration and enquire about other requirements.
\n18.\u00a0 Receive double-sided A4 form which requires no end of pointless duplicate information and instructions to fill out two such forms.
\n19.\u00a0 Hang about waiting for host to fill out form, sitting beside herd of Azeris wearing tracksuits and drinking beer.
\n20.\u00a0 Notice that the central post office sells canned food, noodles, hair dye, and bathroom cleaning products.
\n21.\u00a0 Wait 20 minutes for forms to be completed by host.
\n22.\u00a0 Join queue at special counter for registrations, Western Union, and other foreigner-related services.
\n23.\u00a0 Wait 10 minutes.
\n24.\u00a0 Hand in forms, be informed that copies of passports (host and visitor), forms, and immigration card are required.\u00a0 Copying services are not available in the post office. Cans of pilchards and hair-curlers are.
\n25.\u00a0 Leave central post office, walk short distance to shop providing photocopying services.
\n26.\u00a0 Join lengthy queue at kiosk providing photocopying services.\u00a0 Note the three or four kiosks not providing photocopying services manned by staff sitting idle.
\n27.\u00a0 Wait 15 minutes.
\n28.\u00a0 Hand over documents to be photocopied.
\n29.\u00a0 Wait 5 minutes.
\n30.\u00a0 Receive photocopies, pay 30 roubles.
\n31.\u00a0 Return to central post office, join queue at special counter for registrations, Western Union, and other foreigner-related services.
\n32.\u00a0 Wait for herd of Azeri men in tracksuits to finish registration and their beers.
\n33.\u00a0 Hand over documents and photocopies for clerk to process.
\n34.\u00a0 Wait 10 minutes, and slowly understand why long-life foods are available for purchase in a Russian post office.
\n35.\u00a0 Receive blank envelope and two somewhat strange and identical blank itemised bills from clerk.
\n36.\u00a0 Wait while host writes address on envelope and completes itemised bills, applying signatures where required.
\n37.\u00a0 Hand envelope and itemised bills back to clerk.
\n38.\u00a0 Wait while clerk applies stamp to twenty three separate pieces of paper, stapling bundles of them together and adding them to a huge pile sitting beside her left elbow.
\n39.\u00a0 Receive stack of papers all stamped and stapled indicating registration is complete, and bask in the knowledge that the Russian Federation is that little bit more secure.<\/p>\n
Total time = 4 hours.\u00a0 Still, at least it required fewer steps than buying lightbulbs.<\/p>\n
I mentioned this to a local friend of mine, who laughed and guessed that in the UK this probably takes no more than 15 minutes.\u00a0 He seemed surprised when I told him that there is no such requirement in the UK and that of the 36 countries I have visited in the last 10 years, the only one which requires visitors to register with the local authorities is Russia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As I mentioned in my previous post, during this trip to Russia I am staying in the apartment of a friend.\u00a0 Unlike all previous occasions where I have either spent the first night in a hotel or have been here … Continue reading