Baltic Cruise with children adopted from Russia. Anyone? I have some questions.

[World Gallery]

I posted this question a while ago on a different board. I just found this board and thought I would have a better chance of getting some answers from other adoptive families.

We are taking a Baltic cruise this June and we have a 2 day stay in St. Petersburg (where two of our 3 Russian children are from). They were adopted as infants, we have readopted them in the USA, and they have US passports. We are using TJ travel for our tours in Russia and they will issue our tickets and visas to get off of the ship. They insist we do not need the children's Russian passport, although our kids are officially dual citizens. We do not have renewed Russian passports and would rather not go through this process. We are hoping their US passports will be fine.

 

I know it is a long shot, but has anyone taken a Baltic cruise with their Russian adopted children? If so, what was the process for you? Were there any issues?

[sailinglisa]

The best advice I can give is you to check with the US State Department and the Russian Embassy in DC. They will be able to give you the most definitive answers. I don't think anyone would venture to make a guess in this type of situation.

[6rugrats]

I know it is a long shot, but has anyone taken a Baltic cruise with their Russian adopted children? If so, what was the process for you? Were there any issues?

 

This what the US Dept of State says about this:

 

U.S. Citizens Also Holding Russian Passports: If you are a dual U.S./Russian national, you are expected to enter and depart both Russia and the United States carrying the passport of that country. If you are a Russian citizen carrying a Russian passport, you should confirm that your Russian passport is valid beyond your planned departure; you will not be permitted to depart Russia with an expired Russian passport, and obtaining one in Russia, as a non-resident, is extremely difficult.

 

 

Info here:

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1006.html

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1753.html

 

Of interest to you later, if one of these children are boys and plans to visit Russia in the future:

Males of conscript age (18 - 27 years old) who are deemed to be Russian citizens may experience problems if they have not satisfied their military service requirement

[World Gallery]

Thank you for these replies. I have read these things in the past but I am assured by all tour companies (I got a quote from 4 of them) that a cruise ship passenger is different. That is why I am hoping to find a family here on CC that is in our same situation that had already returned from a trip to Russia. If it were easy to renew their Russian passports, I would of course do it, but it is not and requires trips to Houston with our kids and a ton of paperwork and fees.

 

Anyone out there with Russian adopted children that has been on a Baltic cruise?

[6rugrats]

Thank you for these replies. I have read these things in the past but I am assured by all tour companies (I got a quote from 4 of them) that a cruise ship passenger is different. That is why I am hoping to find a family here on CC that is in our same situation that had already returned from a trip to Russia. If it were easy to renew their Russian passports, I would of course do it, but it is not and requires trips to Houston with our kids and a ton of paperwork and fees.

 

Anyone out there with Russian adopted children that has been on a Baltic cruise?

Cruise ship passengers are different in regards to visa requirements, etc. I would ask how would anyone know your children even had Russian passports?

[World Gallery]

Cruise ship passengers are different in regards to visa requirements, etc. I would ask how would anyone know your children even had Russian passports?

 

This is what I have been wondering about and just can't seem to find out the answer. I really don't know. I would love to know what information shows up when they scan the US passport in Russia. There passport does state "Russia" as the place of birth but I really wish I knew what they were seeing on that screen when the US passport was scanned.

[flutprop]

I can't even begin to answer your actual question, but here is my experience being a dual citizen with Great Britain and travelling through Europe and into the UK.

I am required to use my US passport when leaving or entering the US. I have used the British passport throughout Europe without a problem (once I get there with my US passport). Then entering England I used my US passport and no one there said anything.

 

I agree with trying to get an answer from the state department about what shows when they scan the passport. Does dual citizenship show? I actually doubt it.

[alj1208]

Hi....... We adopted from Russia also, but we've only cruised in the US and Caribbean. We re-adopted and have a US passport for our DS, whom we adopted at the age of 20 months. HOWEVER, if I were taking him to Russia, I would bring copies of all the adoption papers in Russian-- just in case.

 

We also plan to keep our DS's Russian passport current for potential travel to Russia someday. We have also heard that Russia will not issue a visa to someone with an American passport whose birthplace is Russia.

 

The place to go to get your question answered is the "FRUA" message board. That's "Families for Russian and Ukranian Adoption." You need to register to post. Then, go the the Russia board. There are folks on that board who know the rules and will give you excellent advice. There's one woman who is actually Russian-American with an adopted Russian child. She knows how to get info in Russian if necessary. Some of those people may even have cruised with a stop in Russia. You might also contact the Russian consulate in Washington DC to ask. But, as you know, as with all things Russian, getting a simple and accurate answer may be tough!

[World Gallery]

Thanks! Actually, I know about FRUA. That is how I got through all of my adoption research 12 and 14 years ago! I haven't been on in about 10 years so I need to go register again. Thanks.

[russianmom]

As another mom of a 5yo adopted from Russia I'll add my 2 cents. We were told (by our adoption agency) since he has a US passport to use that exclusively when traveling.

 

His Russian passport is still good for 2 more years but our agency told us it is very difficult to return into the US if you have "left" on a Russian passport.

 

Meaning if his Russian passport is stamped at point of entry into another country he would have to use that to return through US Customs and since the Russian passport does not have a visa for entry into the US it would be VERY difficult ( impossible??). Also if he tried to use the US passport and it did not have the entry stamp from the country you are returning from it could cause problems as well.

 

We just play it safe and always use his US one. The Russian one is more of a souvenir at this point.

[6rugrats]

Meaning if his Russian passport is stamped at point of entry into another country he would have to use that to return through US Customs and since the Russian passport does not have a visa for entry into the US it would be VERY difficult ( impossible??). Also if he tried to use the US passport and it did not have the entry stamp from the country you are returning from it could cause problems as well.

 

 

I am very confused by the advice you were given. If your son is a US citizen and has a US passport he MUST enter the US using his US passport. Upon return to the US, I don't think I've ever had an immigration officer ask me where I've traveled, or pay any attention to the stamps in my passport (as if looking for an entry stamp to another country).

 

Simply using his US passport, as you are doing, seems best.

 

OP - I am not sure you have gone here, but you may find some helpful information. I know the rules are different for cruise ship passengers:

 

http://moscow.usembassy.gov/russian-visas.html

 

Especially interesting is this:

 

American Citizens Also Holding Russian Passports: Dual U.S./Russian nationals who enter Russia on Russian passports face several possible difficulties. Russian authorities will not permit departure from Russia if the person’s Russian passport has expired or has been lost, whether or not the traveler also has a valid U.S. passport. In these cases the traveler will be required to obtain a new Russian passport, a process that can take several months. In order to apply for a Russian visa in a U.S. passport, however, Russian consular officials normally require a person to renounce his or her Russian citizenship.

 

Looks like a pain.

[alj1208]

Russianmom-- Using the US passport is the way to go for sure-- unless your child is going to Russia. We were told that Russia will not issue a visa to enter Russia to a US passport-holder whose birthplace says "Russia." I have heard that some folks try the US passport first, hoping the Russians just go ahead an issue the visa without looking at the listed birthplace. The problem is, it's very hard to get accurate info on this matter.

[alj1208]

6rugrats-- the problem is getting INTO Russia. This is very specific to Russian citizens who also have American citizenship, as in the case of adopted children. They are dual citizens. Russian policy is that if you are born in Russia, you are a Russian citizen for life, and if you want to enter Russia, you do so on a Russian passport. If the Russian consulate sees an American passport with the birthplace listed as "Russia," they won't issue an entry visa to Russia. Now, it might be different if you're on a cruise and not really "entering" the country for an extended period. Bottom line...... OP is doing the right thing by investigating fully and not going by heresay. You don't want to get to St. Petersburg and not be able to take your kids off the ship.

[6rugrats]

^^^^^^^^

I am not disagreeing with you. I am really thinking I would not have booked a cruise that went to Russia at all.

[World Gallery]

Thanks everyone. Yes, what I am going to do is investigate as fully as I possible can because after going through the court system in Russia to adopted 3 children, I know first hand that what ALJ1208 says is true regarding lots of things in Russia, "The problem is, it's very hard to get accurate info on this matter."

TJ travel, the tour company we are using, has made many calls and asked and all answers point to not needed a Russian passport but since it is my children' absolute dream to see their country of birth, I need to make sure I can leave the ship. They are SO excited. We plan to visit their orphanage and maybe even meet some ladies that took care of them as infants. This is an trip of a lifetime for them!

 

alj1208 - I signed up and already posted to FRUA! Thanks again!

[russianmom]

6rugrats- it is VERY confusing. Russia likes to make things complicated on a lot of levels! Try following court and country rules for international adoption plus living there for 30 days in the middle of winter!!!:eek:

 

I have traveled with him to many countries using his US passport but not Russia. The headache just doesn't seem worth it at this point- he is only 5 though. I re-looked over the paper work given to us by our adoption agency regarding traveling with US vs Russian passport before posting.

 

Maybe the rules for cruising are different but I know traveling thru Germany and Austria to/from Russia our passports were checked for the proper stamps/visas etc.

[alj1208]

OP-- will you update us once you figure out what to do? I would like to know what to do in the event that we take our son back to Russia via cruise ship or even a land tour. For now, we will plan to make sure his Russian passport is renewed, BUT it makes me really uncomfortable to think about taking him into Russia on a Russian passport while we, his parents, travel as "Americans."

[russianmom]

Not sure if this was you or someone else asking on the FRUA site but this is what one mom is saying....

 

My daughter and I are going back to Russia in July. The guy I talked with at Unisel (visa company in NYC) said my daughter (age 18) should travel only on a US passport. He said that anybody who enters Russia on a Russian passport is subject... to Russian laws, and if anything goes wrong and a problem arises with the Russian government, the US embassy won't help resolve the issue. He said he knows of nobody born in Russia who will take the chance and travel on a Russian passport. So we are going to get a visa for both of us.