What happens if I overstay my visa in Russia during 2022? Here are the 21 things you can do:
DISCLAIMER: I am not a lawyer. Nothing written or implied on my website should be construed as legal advice. These are my PERSONAL OPINIONS. Also, there is no guarantee that I have not lied about the events, people, places, or things which I claim to have taken place on this website. This entire website could theoretically be a fabrication, and none of these events may have ever occurred, since I am not under oath to tell the truth. Nothing written or implied on my website should be construed as a confession or an incriminating statement to any crime.
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After Putin and the State Duma ordered their invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, I was told by an immigration officer it is IMPOSSIBLE for any foreigner without a "direct flight to their homeland" to leave the country. Uzbeks, Chinese, Kazakhs, etc can all go home since they have direct tickets home. It is possible he was lying, but regardless, I got around this issue by finding a woman at the Federal Migration Service building who could print me a transit visa to legally leave the Russian Federation as long as I could show her an international ferry ticket and an obscenely expensive flight ticket I did not use to my home country the day immediately after my ferry. If you want to be a lawyer about it, it probably wasn't legal, but it got me a transit visa and I was able to leave the country without getting banned from reentry.
If you are reading this under normal circumstances when either the invasion is over or direct flights have resumed back to your home country, then nothing too bad happens from overstaying. If you scan your passport at a hotel or hostel, police will take you to the station within 24 hours, and you will go to a court trial (no jury, only a judge) on that same business day. I went to trial twice and both times was ordered to pay a fine and leave the country within 10 days (and I didn't). It is significantly rarer, but there is also a chance the judge will have you deported by the authorities (usually on a plane after a few days to 2 weeks in a holding cell). If you choose to read my blogpost, it has some further information you may find useful if you are overstaying in Russia. Legal precedent in Russia is that an overstay of over 1 year results in a 3 to 5 year entry ban to Russia, and an overstay of over 3 years results in a 10 year ban from entering Russia. You can email me questions at j7AuXECFKpX3jWFi13Pl@disroot.org.
My 21 main tips:
1. Do NOT check into a hostel, hotel, or show your passport before you are ready to go to court and leave Russia. Use an apartment with self check-in through a key in a lockbox.
2. Have a lawyer ready to petition a deportation order before going to court. They will have 10 days to do so after the trial.
3. Do not ask for a lawyer at your initial trial. You may be placed into a holding cell until they find a lawyer.
4. Dress well for court.
5. Express regret at breaking the laws of Russia or give a mitigating reason as to why you did not leave on time.
6. Have a ticket and plan to leave Russia which you can show the court.
7. Distrust all police, do not tell them too much, do not withhold the truth, and do not let them search your things unwatched.
8. During sanctions, have a Russian friend who can help you pay for things in Rubles with a mir card, they can also help you with lots of other things. Do not get a Russian bank account yourself (it may even be illegal depending on your home country's laws), you can hypothetically use an E wallet like YooMoney with a Russian phone number.
9. If direct tickets to your homeland are suspended during the current time, remind the court that a direct ticket is impossible, and ask the court to respect the precedent set by a moscow court for UK nationals in 2022 and allow you to leave the country.
10. If all else fails, find the people who issue transit visas at the Federal Migration Service.
11. Do not work a job in Russia, as this carries a steep fine and is considered a more serious offense.
12. They will search your things and take your fingerprints, if you do not want this you can burn them or cut them or otherwise disfigure them and make up an excuse as to why your fingerprints are messed up.
13. If you want to avoid getting deported on a plane and you have your lawyer petition and they ask for reasons, the lawyer will give many reasons such as that you're a foreigner, it was an honest mistake, etc; but you can also say you need the court to allow a humanitarian exemption for you to buy a ferry or bus ticet to leave, since you get cerebral oedemas from flying and may die.
14. NEVER bribe anyone. The result of bribery is prison for a year or two.
15. Emphasize the law and proper procedure. When the law is against you, emphasize the facts.
16. Print out the relevant articles of the Russian Code of Administrative Offenses, and skim the code for your trial.
17. Speak as few words as possible, be boring.
18. Keep in mind your visa overstay will affect future visa applications. You may be legally required to disclose it.
19. If you lose your migration card, try to print a new one at a Federal Migration Service building, they refused to do this for me, but I was able to get a duplicate card at the border.
20. Technically, you are required to register documents at every address you stay in with the police, but this never gets enforced. Failing to register simply means a larger fine. Obviously, registering your address will mean the police will find you, perhaps before you are ready to go to court. I never registered anywhere and no one cared.
21. Remember to stress all mitigating factors in your case. Maybe you're not an experienced traveler, maybe you were sick, maybe overstaying was an accident, maybe you're poor or a student, etc, etc.
I am writing this blogpost because when I overstayed my visa in Russia there were very few informative resources on the internet, and all of them were outdated. Normally I think blogs are internet bloat, but I think I actually have important information to give you here.
I entered Russia under the biannual FIFA Euro games visa-free agreement.
Since I did not leave by the date on my entry "visa"; the Fifa Euro Fan ID, I was guilty of an ADMINISTRATIVE offense in Russia. This is an important distinction, I did not break the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation but the Administrative Code, so it is lesser severity. All overstays in Russia are administrative offenses. You cannot go to a penal colony or jail for an administrative offense but you can go to the "Krasne Zone," (Red Zone, basically the same exact thing as jail) if you refuse to pay the fine, refuse self deportation, and refuse formal deportation.
I checked into one hostel and left early in the morning. Police did not find me for a one of many possible reasons; too late in the work week, too many people overstaying since the Euro just ended, too busy, thought I was in the process of leaving, didn't care, or maybe I just left before they came.
I then stayed for a little over a week in another hostel in the capitol, and again I was not caught, I think because the hostel accidentally put the incorrect visa expiration date.
I eventually embarked on a 7 day train ride along the Trans-Siberian. On the fourth day, a bridge collapsed on the Trans-Siberian due to historic rains, and everybody on the train was checked into a five star hotel, free of charge. I saw a police officer speak to the receptionist, but for whatever reason I was not found. If this happens to you, you can simply ask someone if you can share a room with them and explain your situation. Maybe they'll say yes. I also checked into a hostel but left a few hours later and resumed my train journey.
In a large coastal Russian city, I checked into another hostel and later a capsule hotel. Apparently neither sent my info to the authorities because police did not come.
I made a friend on the Trans-Siberian. One night in my capsule hotel, I got a text from my friend saying a man from Primorsky Krai Criminal Investigations had called her asking about me.
I already texted her a photo of the capsule hotel at this point so I knew I should have rented an apartment with self check in through a lockbox and left the hotel immediately, but I was tired so I just went to sleep instead, knowing police would come in the morning.
Sure enough, at 9 AM I was awoken by an immigration officer, he told the hotel I was missing and asked for my passport, migration card, and entry visa. I gave him everything and said as little as possible, I was tired. Obviously, he asked why I overstayed, I told him I got sick and missed my bus, he asked why I did not go to the Federal Migration Service building, I told him I procrastinated on getting my exit visa. He said something along the lines of I did not need an exit visa I simply needed to pay a fine so I can leave Russia, I said Ok.
So, we walked and talked on our way to the Federal Migration Services office. What is funny is that even though I had broken the law, Russians can be very friendly and we had a nice conversation. Here comes my first piece of advice which I intuitively knew before even meeting the officer; the police are NOT your friend. Never ever. When he asks me details relevant to my overstay, I answer in as few words and as ambiguously truthfully as possible, I have no one to really talk to other than the judge.
So, we went to the station and I was processed. They were legally supposed to do a search as described in the aforementioned Russian Federation Code of Administrative Offenses, but they did not. Instead, they looked at my passport, entry visa, a procurator puts together documentation of my previous hostel/hotel check-ins in Russia, and they take my fingerprints. Luckily, I actually seriously burned all ten of my fingertips by accident while cooking the day before. So, they didn't actually get my fingerprints.
I was also given a translator/interpreter. He is a professor. He tells me this is the second case he acted as an interpreter for, the first case was a civil case of a man divorcing his wife or something. He also assures me the police are treating me well (which I genuinely agree with at this point) and that no one is judging me too hard for overstaying since I don't appear to be an experienced traveler (even though I've been to 20ish countries at this point) and he says it is like a speeding ticket but for foreign travel.
I had to fill out a form describing why I overstayed in English, and my interpreter writes what I say in Russian underneath what I write. The forms require signatures which was fine. The Judge will read this so I recommend expressing regret at breaking the laws of Russia and/or giving a reason as to why you overstayed, as my interpreter told me.
Then, the procurator, interpreter, and I went to the courthouse and waited for an hour or so for the Honorable Judge to hear my case and ask me questions. The interpreter told me the judge admonished him for wearing shorts to court, which is actually good news for me since I decided to wear formal clothing, so the judge will appreciate that I dressed well for court.
Eventually we were called up and the very first thing the judge asks me is if I need a lawyer. I read the judge's face quickly and decided I liked my chances so I said no. The judge just wanted to get through her work day quickly so it is good to say no if you trust your judge and want them to like you and get through your case quickly. Also, if you ask for a lawyer, I am pretty sure they have to put you in a holding cell for a night while they find a lawyer. It is a whole process which will just make everyone tired. The whole phrase of "Someone who defends themself in court is representing an idiot," is in this specific instance just lawyer propaganda, in my opinion.
The judge then reads me some rights which I think the police were supposed to do before but did not. She tells me I am allowed to disagree with the court and to petition any judgement which is made for ten days after my case. Of course, she asks me all the questions you expect to hear "Why did you overstay," "Are you aware you have broken the law," etc.
Eventually she asks when I will leave the country, and I tell her I have a ticket which is good for my case. She also asks if I am a spy and if I caused the bridge to collapse on the Trans-Siberian, I said no. If they ask you this, they are not bullying you, I am pretty sure they are required to ask because the immigration officer also asked me if I was a spy. Federal Migration Service is considered to be under the wing of F , S - B (F , S - B is what the K , G - B in Russia became). Just remember the answer is always no. Espionage is obviously a serious crime and humor never plays well in any court in any country.
After asking me for final comments she went to her office and printed out a judgement, I am required by law to leave Russia within 10 business days.
Then I didn't.
Due to heavy rain and against better judgement I checked into a hostel after this time and I had to go through the whole process again. This time the police who worked for immigration in a city deeper in Siberia obviously did not like me, and are more thorough with actually searching my things. My interpreter also does not like me. My procurator gets me coffee since I looked tired and maybe I used the coffee to burn my fingertips until they scarred again.
I told the judge in the new city the same thing and that I misunderstood the 10 business day requirement since Russian is not my native language and that I just came to this city to visit friends. I also told her I don't know where I stayed since I'm not a snitch. Again, I bought a ticket leaving the country to show the court. She asks me if my friends know I am illegally staying in Russia, I tell her I do not tell any Russians since I do not want to get them in trouble with their own government for a law I broke. She says that is fair and gives me ten days to leave Russia again, which I didn't do again.
The thing I did not like about the process in this new city was the chief of the migration police questioned me again after my trial, which he technically was not supposed to do. He looked through my phone and wrote down all the Russian numbers and asked me who they were. (My phone was broken from water damage so I couldn't clear it out, but he somehow magically fixed it just long enough to look at my contacts before the phone died permanently) I gave the vaguest possible answers to his questions and told him I do not know which cities in Russia my friends are from because I'm not a snitch. I realized he was basically just trying and failing to intimidate me and wasn't gonna do anything to anyone else because he doesn't have any evidence, he was just fishing. He also accused me and says maybe I will not leave the country, but stay. Eventually, I just told him if he has any other issues, he can ask the judge. The work day was ending so he finally let me go back to my hostel.
I then stayed about 11 additional months in Russia. I had a lot of fun going to clubs, parties, and staying for their ten days of fireworks they do during New Years. I never checked into a place with a passport, I only used apartments with self check in.
I also lived in Russia during the invasion of Ukraine, and I had to change my dollars to crypto and put my crypto into a Russian friend's bank account to pay for things in Rubles.
When the time came for me to leave, I went on a train for 7 days, again, and paid an international invoice to a foreign company's bank account for a ferry ticket to a different country. After getting my ticket I spoke to the original immigration officer who found me a year before. He told me it is IMPOSSIBLE for foreigners who overstayed to leave Russia after the "Special Military Operation" in Ukraine without a direct flight home. He kept using this term "Special Military Operation," my Russian friend told me I should just say "you mean WAR" just to show him what it means to have balls, and I was tempted to but obviously I'd have to go to court again for that and get another fine.
Anyways, the immigration officer continued and said Uzbeks and Chinese can go home since they have direct tickets home, but foreigners cannot go home without a direct ticket. He also says "I recommend you get a job and an apartment and stay in Russia." I honestly almost think he was messing with me at this point because it is the most bizarre thing to hear an immigration officer tell you to stay in their country. Their job is supposedly to get you to leave. I also do not doubt that this may actually be the law on the books, requiring a direct flight to one's "homeland," because the world is filled with dumb laws. Regardless, it is a horrible idea to get a job in Russia from a Russian company as this carries a heavy fine, so the officer's advice was terrible.
I then ask him to speak to the women who have the power to print transit visas, and he says okay. He takes me to one of the fattest meanest looking women I've ever seen, and closes the door to the office before I enter. Clearly, he is coaching the woman on what to say. He then lets me in and I witness the most strange theatre of all time where the woman asks for my passport, entry visa, ticket, and then tells me the same exact thing as the immigration officer, except ruder. Then why did she not stop asking me questions after looking at my passport, if she knew foreigners who overstayed cannot go home?
There is a famous saying I remembered during this whole situation which helped me eventually succeed; "The only thing which saves us from the bureaucracy, is its inefficiency."
Anyways, I overcame this obstacle and went to the same FMS building on a different day, avoiding this immigration officer, and speaking to a different transit visa woman who already said she would print me a visa if I could show her a ticket from the country I have a ferry ticket to, to my home country, which I had to buy for an obscene amount of money. We live in such a strange world, people will sooner ask you to spend a large amount of money on a ticket so they can kinda comply with the law instead of just giving you a visa for a medium-sized bribe. By the way, NEVER offer to bribe anyone in Russia as it is a serious crime which can put you in prison for a year, and the person who reports you for bribing them will get a promotion and raise.
I went to the border checkpoint for the ferry with my transit visa, my paid fine, my court documents, my entry visa, and no migration card because I lost mine. The woman at the border checkpoint asked me why I overstayed and printed me a duplicate after I honestly told her that Federal Migration Service refused to print me a new migration card. I stressed the facts to her that I paid my fine and have been to court and I apologized for making her job difficult. A foreign man was there and helped translate for me so that was nice.
Reflecting on my trip in Russia, it is a nice place to visit but a TERRIBLE place to break the law. I had a lot of fun there, lots of parties, and Russians can be the nicest people (though during my last visit to migration, they felt like the meanest people).
Finally, here is a list of things that I thought would result in the police knocking on my door, but I ended up being fine:
1. Using my foreign credit card and debit card. I do not think they can court order that information, and I am not that important.2. Downloading a VPN, I used the VeePN extension on Brave Browser, which uses 256 bit encryption as well as abides by its own no-logs policy.
3. Connecting to the tor browser with bridges and browsing darknet marketplaces.
4. Telling people about my overstay on messaging/dating apps as well as some clearnet sites, do NOT do this on VKontact or over the phone, that information is closely tracked and the process of investigating you will begin automatically. Also, if the police have your phone number, I strongly reccomend losing that cellphone if you plan to overstay for a while.
5. Using an ATM and having my face show up on its CCTV.
6. Taking a train (many times), a Russian lawyer warned me that it is hypothetically possible to get caught by migration police on the train, and they mostly look for Middle Eastern looking people.
7. Showing my passport to enter nightclubs.
8. Using the same computer that police found me with. I hid my IP address with VPN on many uses. If police contact you with a link do not click their link as it could be an IP location grabber. Police are also allowed to pretend to be someone else or tell someone else to text you, for example before my first trial the detective had the corporate office at Russian Railways contact me.
9. Having a Russian friend buy a used phone with a Russian SIM card for me. This is a good thing to do, as you can get internet access from your phone for very cheap using a Russian company like Beeline. I also had a VOIP number, but this required internet. Using public wifi in Russia is difficult without a local phone plan, since you need to first receive a SMS verification code in accordance with the Russian Server Localization Law. Sometimes, you can ask a random Russian person if they can receive the verification code for you.
10. Police looked at my documents once and noticed I did not have a valid visa. They did not arrest me, but this was PURE luck. If police look at your passport, assume you will have to go to trial the next business day. Keep in mind police sometimes ask for passports on the metro (looking for Russians avoiding the draft) and also ask for drivers' passports in some tough areas like the North of Saint Petersburg. Avoid protests.
Anyways, the Russian police actually treated me really well all things considered. You don't have too much to worry about unless a migration officer tries to tell you its impossible to leave like they said to me (the land border with Finland is very easy to cross in rural areas, if ALL else fails).
The exact article in the Russian Code of Administrative Offenses at https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_34661/ https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/rus_e/wtaccrus58_leg_63.pdf that a visa overstayer such as myself has broken is Article 18 (You can search for it in that pdf with command+f. If you choose to go to trial, the court will give you a form after your trial, do not lose this form.
Keep in mind that by overstaying, you have broken the law, and the best way to break the law with minor repercussions has not changed throughout all of human history: say as few words as possible. Be boring to the bureaucrats. Saying very little (but not avoiding questions) will not give the judge any reason to hate you, which is the most important thing.
I HIGHLY reccomend you read my other blogposts linked below if you really are overstaying in Russia during this tough time. If you have other questions about your specific situation, I can talk to you at my email at j7AuXECFKpX3jWFi13Pl@disroot.org.
How to Pay for Things in Russia During Sanctions
Coming soon: affiliate links, how to use crypto for financial independence retire early (FIRE), how to doctor forms, How to get a place to live while overstaying in Russia
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