FW: Russian Embassy Problem

Thu Aug 24 01:44:22 UTC 2006

Dear Colleagues,

I am sending this on behalf of one of our alums, who is married to a
Russian who no longer has his Russian passport.  The basic situation is
that in order to return to Russia for a short visit to be with his
family after his sister's sudden death this Sunday, he needs to have two
Russians citizens with Russian passports accompany him to the Russian
embassy in DC this Friday (8/25) and vouch that he is who he claims to
be.  I thought that the chances of finding two such individuals, given
the extremely short notice, might be better from the DC area than here
in central Virginia.  Remuneration is offered for this, and if you or
anyone you know might be able to help, please read what I have cut and
pasted below and reply directly to Cheryl.  

Thank you very much for any help that you may be able to offer

Klawa Thresher

Randolph Macon Woman's College

I need to find two individuals who are Russian citizens holding Russian
passports, who either live in or are willing to travel to the Russian
Embassy in Washington, D.C., this Friday morning (August 25).  We are
ready to provide transportation, expenses, and compensation for anyone
willing to help with this situation.

Why am I asking for this assistance?

As a few of you already know, my husband, Sergei, lost his closest
family member, his sister Nina, last Sunday.  It was a sudden and
unexpected loss.  Sergei is in the process of applying to reinstate his
Russian citizenship, and the Russian government will no longer allow
expats to travel to Russia on a passport other than from the Russian
Federation.

We traveled (again) to the embassy in Washington today, hoping to
expedite his case.  We were told this is not possible. However, the
Counsul agrees to grant Sergei a 15-day travel (return) document IF and
ONLY if two Russian citizens with Russian passports accompany him to the
Embassy, to verify that Sergei is indeed a Russian with a need to travel
there.

As you can imagine, this is a very emotionally difficult time for
Sergei. His sister was the proverbial Russian matriarch of the family,
and the remaining members are beyond distraught. Sergei's presence is
desperately needed at this time. 

\He has already missed his sister's funeral, but I am trying very hard
to get him to his family in time for the ninth day following the death.
This day is very nearly as significant to Russians as the actual
funeral.  

If we can locate two willing individuals to help us, he will be able to
fly out Friday evening from Dulles and be in Ekaterinburg in time for
this solemn occasion.

. If you can offer any suggestions, or can suggest anyone who would be
willing to help us, be they colleagues, friends, or someone who may know
of someone, please contact me at your earliest convenience.

I can be reached at this email address:   fantushinka at yahoo.com, or
home: 703.310.7345, or cell: 434.221.6082.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

**************

Sergei's status is:  New Zealand citizenship (which the Russian embassy
totally disregards), U.S. Green Card (permanent legal resident, which
seems to carry some weight with the embassy),  and currently in
application for a Russian passport.  He has been specifically advised by
the embassy that the Russian government regards him as a Russian
national.  He has never relinquished his Russian citizenship in written
or verbal form.  He obtained New Zealand citizenship only because he had
no other way to obtain a travel passport, since at that time the Russian
government denied repatriation to Russians who had left the country
post-Soviet Union.  Sergei left Russia in 1994 as a merchant seaman.
Members of this profession travels the world on a seaman's passport.
This is the one document he no longer has, and the embassy is fine with
the police report detailing the loss.

We are attempting to contact his friend and former co-worker in
Vladivostok, hoping he can go to the shipping company office there to
locate his seaman's passport number and the date it was originally
issued.  Once we have that, the Russian passport application process may
proceed. He was told today that this process involves sending all
documents to Moscow for verification and approval. It is said to take a
year or more to complete.

He has his Russian birth certificate, his CCCP internal passport (which
he has had since age 16, complete with numerous photos and signatures),
his CCCP army book, and...ahem...his Communist Party membership card.

With regard to what will be expected of the passport-bearing Russian
citizens speaking for Sergei, yes, very much an example out of "The
Overcoat," and it was made quite clear to him that if he shows up with
two Russians with passports, the embassy will provide the document he
needs.  The individuals in question will need to say that they know
Sergei to be Russian (his numerous documents attesting to this should
suffice, and his very person and language skills do not hurt either).

It truly seems to be a case of: show us what we want to see and we will
give you what you want to have.  In other words, introductions, a little
conversation, viewing of certain documents, and "we know him"

Cheryl

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