From: ian@spider.co.uk (Ian Heavens)
Newsgroups: rec.travel
Subject: Re: Travel in Former Soviet Union
Keywords: confusion.
Date: 15 Dec 92 13:19:06 GMT
Organization: Spider Systems Limited, Edinburgh, UK

In article <1ge00lINNlad@gap.caltech.edu> kwp@wag.caltech.edu (Kevin W. Plaxco) writes:
>What's happening in the former soviet union?  Anyone have any 
>idea what the visa and travel regulations are?  Do the pertinent
>embassies have any idea?  Which embassies are the appropriate ones?

This is the situation last September - it may have changed by now (I
heard a rumour of visas for Russia being abolished, but I'm sceptical).
Someone yell if I get something wrong - the situation is very confusing.

You need a visa for every ex-Soviet Republic, most of which
(apart from Ukraine and the Baltic republics) are available through
the Russian embassy.  Once you have it, you can travel to most places,
as far as I know, except trouble spots.

Does the visa have to stipulate everywhere you go?  I have heard that
it isn't necessary to worry too much - if you go to Uzbekistan (where
I was), as long as you have somewhere in the republic on your visa,
you'll be OK.  You will probably be OK as long as you stay away from
Intourist hotels and other official places - assuming you are travelling
independently (I was not asked for my visa and passport during the train 
journey from Moscow and for most of my stay).

However, I fell foul of an overofficious receptionist in the Intourist
hotel in Shakr-i-Sabz, a small town south of Samarkand (and the birthplace
of Tamberlaine).  Although I was only there for the day, and had a visa
for Samarkand (and, as far as I know, even in the Soviet Union, visas
permitted day trips), he insisted on calling the police, claiming visa
irregularity (in addition, I had no entrance stamp for Uzbekistan, having
arrived by train).  Eventually he desisted, but it was difficult to
argue against such cretinous application of visa regulations; perhaps
this is the rule in Uzbekistan, but I doubt it.  Intourist hotels will
refuse to take you if your visa is invalid (I met someone who this happened to).

>I'm trying to research a trip from Turkey, through the Ukraine to 
>Moscow, and then south-east to Kazahkstan and into China. I've 
>heard from several folks who've done some part or another of this
>trip, but almost all of them traveled with Russian companions as
>invited guests.  Anyone have any idea if truely independent travel
>is possible?  Do I need to finagle an invitation?  Do intourist prices
>still hold, or all all prices locally set?  There isn't a Kazahkstani 
>embassy in the US, and the Russian consulate won't answer the phone.

I travelled independently (albeit with a Russian friend, but it was
an informal arrangement at the last minute); yes, it is quite possible;
you need a business visa invitation, which allows you go anywhere you
specify (include everywhere!!! see above) - if you have no contacts in
Russia to do this, I'm sure some of the Russian firms posting on the net
could help.  I believe that the alternative, Intourist, means all payment
is in hard currency, so it will be ten or twenty times more expensive, and
you must book all hotels in advance (the third possiblity is an invitation
from a friend, but this is very slow to get - the business invitation can
be faxed to you - and only allows you to visit places where you have
friends).  If you travel independently, and fob off people who try and
charge you in hard currency (not too much of a problem in central Asia
in my experience), it is incredibly cheap.  Naturally, it helps a lot
if you can speak some Russian.  The Uzbeks were very friendly, as were the
Kazakhs I met on the train.

Sounds like a great idea, I hope you'll post a trip report (I might
do one if I get round to it)!


ian

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	 Ian Heavens			ian@spider.co.uk                 
 	 Spider Software
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Newsgroups: rec.travel