Issues entering Russia with UK nationality?

[Chris_in_the_UK]

The guy has form for threads which are too stupid to be true along with 100 items on SC which are listed and miraculously sold within 0.002 seconds.

I’ve been in a chat with him a long time ago where he bragged he was going to list something on SC for a stupid high price just to set off people too stupid to see it for what it was. He then listed some kind of special edition dial artist G Shock and a bunch of people fell for it.

Oh dear.

Wastes Eddies bandwidth, an abuse of the freedom we are afforded on here (and it's not even funny).

[ryanb741]

The guy has form for threads which are too stupid to be true along with 100 items on SC which are listed and miraculously sold within 0.002 seconds.

I’ve been in a chat with him a long time ago where he bragged he was going to list something on SC for a stupid high price just to set off people too stupid to see it for what it was. He then listed some kind of special edition dial artist G Shock and a bunch of people fell for it.

This is the Gshock listing this cretin is talking about and was A obvious it was a spoof and B linked to April Fool's day. Wiley even joined in on at least 3 occasions offering spoof trades in the thread, so much for 'time wasting' eh?

He's just upset that we don't see eye to eye in the Israel thread (among others) and lashing out as a result, and facilitating some particularly personal abuse in the bear pit including intimating I'm a poor father and mocking me when I was made redundant. I'll leave it at that as this isn't the Bear Pit but just so we know what we are dealing with here.

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[Raffe]

I’ve got a friend in a similar position. He met a Russian girl online in 2018 and moved out there in 2019 and married her. His visa ran out again about 8 months ago so he had to return to the UK and has only just got the visa renewed. He flew back to Moscow on Saturday just gone.

He told me today that Moscow is just as wonderful as ever, he can’t see much that’s changed since the war started, and thinks it’s all a fuss over nothing.

I’m quite amazed tbh. Love has blinded him, maybe.

Wow.

[Raffe]

This is the Gshock listing this cretin is talking about and was A obvious it was a spoof and B linked to April Fool's day.

He's just upset that we don't see eye to eye in the Israel thread (among others) and lashing out as a result, and facilitating some particularly personal abuse in the bear pit including intimating I'm a poor father and mocking me when I was made redundant. I'll leave it at that as this isn't the Bear Pit but just so we know what we are dealing with here.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/top...ink_source=app

Yeah, that was funny. Not.

[wileeeeeey]

This is the Gshock listing this cretin is talking about and was A obvious it was a spoof and B linked to April Fool's day. Wiley even joined in on at least 3 occasions offering spoof trades in the thread, so much for 'time wasting' eh?

He's just upset that we don't see eye to eye in the Israel thread (among others) and lashing out as a result, and facilitating some particularly personal abuse in the bear pit including intimating I'm a poor father and mocking me when I was made redundant. I'll leave it at that as this isn't the Bear Pit but just so we know what we are dealing with here.

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I wouldn’t fall out with someone in one thread over a clearly polarising subject and let it spill out over the forum elsewhere. I can see the ease/temptation to jump to that but so far you are the only person to do so.

I’ll leave it there but eagerly await your next G&D gem where you need help using a satnav, want to eat some fish and chips, get punched in a post office, argue with someone about charging a car from a lamppost, ponder if you’re allowed to do some work on the side for a direct competitor or want some visa advice for someone with UK citizenship who just so happens to fancy going off to Russia on a jolly.

[Onelasttime]

I like the action-shot posts where he takes a photo of cyclists blocking the road from behind the wheel of his car, then when called out claims the car was stationary.

The cyclists are clearly on the move

[Mr.D]

This is the Gshock listing this cretin is talking about and was A obvious it was a spoof and B linked to April Fool's day. Wiley even joined in on at least 3 occasions offering spoof trades in the thread, so much for 'time wasting' eh?

He's just upset that we don't see eye to eye in the Israel thread (among others) and lashing out as a result, and facilitating some particularly personal abuse in the bear pit including intimating I'm a poor father and mocking me when I was made redundant. I'll leave it at that as this isn't the Bear Pit but just so we know what we are dealing with here.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/top...ink_source=app

I don’t see eye to eye with Ryan but wileeey needs kicking off this forum if you ask me . He’s just a hectoring half wit who adds nothing useful to threads .


On Russia . I love the Russian people . I worked in murmansk for 3 months and they are some of the nicest people and helpful people I’ve met . They are funny and smart and their history and achievements in art , science and literature are amazing .

However I won’t set foot in Russia for gold bars until they are pushed out of Ukraine and I firmly believe 90% of the Russian people want Putin gone and their country free of secret police and intimidation and be feee to live their lives on their own terms .

But wileeey can do one seriously .

[Speedyexplorer]

I don’t see eye to eye with Ryan but wileeey needs kicking off this forum if you ask me . He’s just a hectoring half wit who adds nothing useful to threads .


On Russia . I love the Russian people . I worked in murmansk for 3 months and they are some of the nicest people and helpful people I’ve met . They are funny and smart and their history and achievements in art , science and literature are amazing .

However I won’t set foot in Russia for gold bars until they are pushed out of Ukraine and I firmly believe 90% of the Russian people want Putin gone and their country free of secret police and intimidation and be feee to live their lives on their own terms .

But wileeey can do one seriously .

Was in Murmansk when the war started. Used to go into Harats Irish bar for a few drinks after work. One night I was in, the place was full of sailors, the entertainment was who could strip and put back together a Kalashnikov in the quickest time.
Stayed for about a week after Putin invaded to see how things would pan out.

As flights to Europe were suspended I ended up driving to the Norwegian border and crossing there. Was like something out of a Cold War movie, where the border guards marched us down through no man’s land where the Norwegians were waiting to accept us. Stayed in Kirkenes for a couple of nights until I could get a flight down to Oslo and then onto London then Glasgow.

Even though it was February and freezing when I went, was really surprised how nice it was, not at all how you imagine Russia to be.

[Mr.D]

Was in Murmansk when the war started. Used to go into Harats Irish bar for a few drinks after work. One night I was in, the place was full of sailors, the entertainment was who could strip and put back together a Kalashnikov in the quickest time.
Stayed for about a week after Putin invaded to see how things would pan out.

As flights to Europe were suspended I ended up driving to the Norwegian border and crossing there. Was like something out of a Cold War movie, where the border guards marched us down through no man’s land where the Norwegians were waiting to accept us. Stayed in Kirkenes for a couple of nights until I could get a flight down to Oslo and then onto London then Glasgow.

Even though it was February and freezing when I went, was really surprised how nice it was, not at all how you imagine Russia to be.

Cool interesting travels . Live for that type of adventure to be honest.


I was there from January around 2012 . I was in Mumbai and got told I was heading to St Petersburg. I checked the weather and it was about 10C which is fine for me ; can survive that in jeans and at-shirt with jacket . Arrived at the airport and was handed two tickets the second one going from St Petersberg to Murmansk. Where it was -6 and 2ft of snow . I had fortunately packed a compression suit and enough layers to survive once I picked up a hat and gloves . And I had my trusty gsg9 boots which are good in any conditions.

Due to the midnight sun I was working outside from 10 am till midnight with a 2hr car journey back and forth. We had a helicopter which had a jury rigged fuel tank consisting of a water cooler bottle with a caulked hose and a butterfly clipped hose pushed into the main fuel tank. I refused to fly in it and directed it from
the ground via radio . The rest of it was spent riding up and down on two diesel locomotives usually on an open metal flat bed carriage akthough at one point I was strapped to a tiny bootstrapped platform on the front and then on the roof of a full size carriage dangling over the gap between the two trains travelling parallel with each other as one poor bugger had to jump from one train to the other ( he was on multiple safety wires but still easy enough to fall and get dragged under )

Russian biscuits are excellent and they had their own creme de leche ( or maybe it was just boiled condensed milk) to spread on said biscuits to give us enough calories to fight the cold . Excellent coffee too.

Due to the hours I didn’t get much chance to explore Murmansk itself but the nuclear icebreakers at the docks were museums I believe and the WW2 monument in brutalist soviet style that looks over the town was tempting to visit .

Someone knicked my leatherman but aart from that it was great and the Russians were great fun ( after 1pm
there was a distinct vodka smell from many but considering how cold it was probably not a bad idea)

At one point a troop train came through with extremely young sailors on it who very quickly hung out the windows to wave and shout at us . Quite a few mooned us which caused great hilarity.

Great fun all round really .

[bwest76]

Was in Murmansk when the war started. Used to go into Harats Irish bar for a few drinks after work. One night I was in, the place was full of sailors, the entertainment was who could strip and put back together a Kalashnikov in the quickest time.
Stayed for about a week after Putin invaded to see how things would pan out.

As flights to Europe were suspended I ended up driving to the Norwegian border and crossing there. Was like something out of a Cold War movie, where the border guards marched us down through no man’s land where the Norwegians were waiting to accept us. Stayed in Kirkenes for a couple of nights until I could get a flight down to Oslo and then onto London then Glasgow.

Even though it was February and freezing when I went, was really surprised how nice it was, not at all how you imagine Russia to be.

"The place was full of sailors, the entertainment was "who could strip" and put back together a Kalashnikov in the quickest time".

I definetly read that wrong,You do not want to get any delicate bits of skin stuck when you let the working parts slide forward.
Be very,very careful where you put the gas plug as well,as for the cocking handle!

[Speedyexplorer]

Cool interesting travels . Live for that type of adventure to be honest.


I was there from January around 2012 . I was in Mumbai and got told I was heading to St Petersburg. I checked the weather and it was about 10C which is fine for me ; can survive that in jeans and at-shirt with jacket . Arrived at the airport and was handed two tickets the second one going from St Petersberg to Murmansk. Where it was -6 and 2ft of snow . I had fortunately packed a compression suit and enough layers to survive once I picked up a hat and gloves . And I had my trusty gsg9 boots which are good in any conditions.

Due to the midnight sun I was working outside from 10 am till midnight with a 2hr car journey back and forth. We had a helicopter which had a jury rigged fuel tank consisting of a water cooler bottle with a caulked hose and a butterfly clipped hose pushed into the main fuel tank. I refused to fly in it and directed it from
the ground via radio . The rest of it was spent riding up and down on two diesel locomotives usually on an open metal flat bed carriage akthough at one point I was strapped to a tiny bootstrapped platform on the front and then on the roof of a full size carriage dangling over the gap between the two trains travelling parallel with each other as one poor bugger had to jump from one train to the other ( he was on multiple safety wires but still easy enough to fall and get dragged under )

Russian biscuits are excellent and they had their own creme de leche ( or maybe it was just boiled condensed milk) to spread on said biscuits to give us enough calories to fight the cold . Excellent coffee too.

Due to the hours I didn’t get much chance to explore Murmansk itself but the nuclear icebreakers at the docks were museums I believe and the WW2 monument in brutalist soviet style that looks over the town was tempting to visit .

Someone knicked my leatherman but aart from that it was great and the Russians were great fun ( after 1pm
there was a distinct vodka smell from many but considering how cold it was probably not a bad idea)

At one point a troop train came through with extremely young sailors on it who very quickly hung out the windows to wave and shout at us . Quite a few mooned us which caused great hilarity.

Great fun all round really .

Spent 3 years in Mumbai but never had to go from there to anywhere else, always went home first.
When I think of Murmansk I always think of the buses powered by the electric overhead cables, and the giant thermometer on the edge of town.
When I took the picture that must have been the warmest it was whilst I was there.




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[petethegeek]

Dom Joly (of Trigger Happy TV fame) went on holiday to North Korea - among other unusual destinations - and wrote about it in The Dark Tourist: Sightseeing in the World's Most Unlikely Holiday Destinations. Very readable book.

He has also written an equally engaging account of a walking trip across Lebanon (where he was born) with a couple of his old friends. When I read it some years ago it was entitled The Hezbollah Hiking Club, however that now seems to have been changed to The Downhill Hiking Club.

[bwest76]

Spent 3 years in Mumbai but never had to go from there to anywhere else, always went home first.
When I think of Murmansk I always think of the buses powered by the electric overhead cables, and the giant thermometer on the edge of town.
When I took the picture that must have been the warmest it was whilst I was there.




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Its only really cold when your vodka freezes.

[Saint-Just]

Its only really cold when your vodka freezes.

Well known Polish and Russian prisoner’s trick. Make moonshine with potatoes and saw dust in winter and give it to their guards, drinking it @ -40° had a rather unhealthy effect on their digestive tract.

[wildheart]

I visited Russia, 15 years ago. it was very interesting but very oppressive. My wife at the time was German, she had to be very careful and lied that she was Irish, when asked her nationality. I never felt entirely safe and listened to the tour guides advice at all times. One American tourist I witnessed received a beating, for venturing onto the grass, when we were told to keep on the paths at Tsar Nicholas's cottage. I would think visiting Russia at the present time would be a foolhardy dalliance.

[ryanb741]

Probably best to close this thread off but for context the Thai national in question was planning to enter Russia on her Thai passport. It is just that in the visa application process it asks if the applicant has any other nationalities and so she has to say she also has British nationality.

The trip is going ahead, they are now visiting around easter time, including the dual Thai/British national.

Regarding the whole Russia/Ukraine conflict Thailand has a different perspective on the conflict than much of the West. They hope that the conflict ends as soon as possible, but I wouldn't say they are more sympathetic to either Ukraine or Russia or apportion blame to one side or the other (locally the older generation is more sympathetic to Russia and views Ukraine as provocateurs and the younger generation is more sympathetic to Ukraine and views Russia as an invading force of a sovereign nation. In general it balances out)so to be frank there isn't any moral element to the decision to travel from a Thai perspective, it is more a security question.

[Onelasttime]

…so to be frank there isn't any moral element to the decision to travel from a Thai perspective, it is more a security question.

Phew! So, that's all ok then. I was worried they might get a last-minute sense of perspective, but if it's a jolly they want then a jolly they shall have. Marvellous.

How many people have been murdered or displaced and left homeless by Russia's invasion so far? Might be useful for them to gen up on some facts, just for convo in the bars. Might also be worth them learning a few names of opposition leaders who've been murdered, disappeared or otherwise neutralised, you know, just for the chit chat with the waiters.

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Probably best to close this thread off but for context the Thai national in question was planning to enter Russia on her Thai passport. It is just that in the visa application process it asks if the applicant has any other nationalities and so she has to say she also has British nationality.

The trip is going ahead, they are now visiting around easter time, including the dual Thai/British national.

Regarding the whole Russia/Ukraine conflict Thailand has a different perspective on the conflict than much of the West. They hope that the conflict ends as soon as possible, but I wouldn't say they are more sympathetic to either Ukraine or Russia or apportion blame to one side or the other (locally the older generation is more sympathetic to Russia and views Ukraine as provocateurs and the younger generation is more sympathetic to Ukraine and views Russia as an invading force of a sovereign nation. In general it balances out)so to be frank there isn't any moral element to the decision to travel from a Thai perspective, it is more a security question.

What may/or may not happen nor the risks they potentially run have got sweet FA to Thailand' position on the situation.

[ryanb741]

Phew! So, that's all ok then. I was worried they might get a last-minute sense of perspective, but if it's a jolly they want then a jolly they shall have. Marvellous.

How many people have been murdered or displaced and left homeless by Russia's invasion so far? Might be useful for them to gen up on some facts, just for convo in the bars. Might also be worth them learning a few names of opposition leaders who've been murdered, disappeared or otherwise neutralised, you know, just for the chit chat with the waiters.

FWIW I don't disagree with you.

Ironically Russia has now just waived visa requirements for Thai nationals visiting for tourism purposes (as Thailand has waived visa requirements for Russians coming to Thailand) so I guess it's all moot now anyway re the visa form!

[Chris_in_the_UK]

FWIW I don't disagree with you.

Ironically Russia has now just waived visa requirements for Thai nationals visiting for tourism purposes (as Thailand has waived visa requirements for Russians coming to Thailand) so I guess it's all moot now anyway re the visa form!

That is probably just a reciprocal arrangement.

Wherever you look on the internet for travel advice/restrictions for entering Russia there is a sea of red flags and the advice is consistently 'do not travel'.

[ryanb741]

What may/or may not happen nor the risks they potentially run have got sweet FA to Thailand' position on the situation.

That's up to them, they are adults, they made their choice, if it goes belly up for sure nobody is bailing them out.

[ryanb741]

I should have been clearer in my OP - they are ex schoolmates of my wife, not me. I've only met 2 of them and frankly couldn't give a monkeys either way what happens to them if they decide to travel to somewhere like this (2 of them have been to North Korea before so I guess there's a bit of the 'thrill' for them in travelling to these kinds of places).

FWIW Thai travel advice re Russia is 'reconsider travel'.

That is probably just a reciprocal arrangement.

Wherever you look on the internet for travel advice/restrictions for entering Russia there is a sea of red flags and the advice is consistently 'do not travel'. How come you and your mates know better?

[Kingstepper]

With Thailand not being an 'unfriendly' country can't see the Thai (only) nationals having any problem at all.

[aa388]

Phew! So, that's all ok then. I was worried they might get a last-minute sense of perspective, but if it's a jolly they want then a jolly they shall have. Marvellous.

How many people have been murdered or displaced and left homeless by Russia's invasion so far? Might be useful for them to gen up on some facts, just for convo in the bars. Might also be worth them learning a few names of opposition leaders who've been murdered, disappeared or otherwise neutralised, you know, just for the chit chat with the waiters.

And just how many have the Brits and Americans murdered and made disappear during their crusade across North Africa and the Middle East over the last 30 years for the good of the people. The west’s sponsored coup in 2014 seems to have had the desired effect.


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[Raffe]

And just how many have the Brits and Americans murdered and made disappear during their crusade across North Africa and the Middle East over the last 30 years for the good of the people. The west’s sponsored coup in 2014 seems to have had the desired effect.


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Must try harder, comrade.

[blackal]

I should have been clearer in my OP - they are ex schoolmates of my wife, not me. I've only met 2 of them and frankly couldn't give a monkeys either way what happens to them if they decide to travel to somewhere like this (2 of them have been to North Korea before so I guess there's a bit of the 'thrill' for them in travelling to these kinds of places).

FWIW Thai travel advice re Russia is 'reconsider travel'.

Did you mention brittish passports initially?

[ryanb741]

Did you mention brittish passports initially?

The initial visa forms ask if you have any other nationalities and that's where she would have had to add it. Now they don't need visas for trips of under 30 days for tourism purposes so it doesn't need to come up - that being said I'd imagine there will be an immigration landing card to fill in where it may crop up - up to her, she pays her money she takes her chances.

Whilst relations between Russia and Thailand (and also Ukraine and Thailand) are cordial, there has been some consternation on the part of Russia about Russian 'draft dodgers' being granted long term residency in Thailand (money talks eh?), so things may tighten in future. Same applies to Ukraine to be fair, lots of Ukrainians moved to Thailand as well since the conflict started (Russians and Ukrainians settle mostly in Phuket). Russia even opened a consulate last year in Phuket, no doubt to 'keep an eye' on their compatriots.

[wileeeeeey]

That's up to them, they are adults, they made their choice, if it goes belly up for sure nobody is bailing them out.

Thank goodness they have an appropriate adult to make threads on a watch forum to sense check the diplomacy of their intercontinental jollies.

[burnside]

It’s potentially likely that they could be asked by Border Control / Security Personnel do you hold any other nationality. And should they try to
conceal their UK nationality then this may make them more of interest than they actually are.

And in some countries lying to an Official does not go down particularly well. And I don’t think the FCDO or Thai equivalent will carry much weight in helping them. It sounds like a lot of potential hassle that could be easily avoided.

[watchcollector1]

The west’s sponsored coup in 2014 seems to have had the desired effect.

Also known as a fair Democratic election.

And of course all the elections in Russia have been completely free and fair even though the same party has won by a landslide for the last 23 years.

[aa388]

Also known as a fair Democratic election.

And of course all the elections in Russia have been completely free and fair even though the same party has won by a landslide by the same party for the last 23 years.

Same as every other country, the one with the biggest budget wins. Where the money comes from is the big question.


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[watchcollector1]

Same as every other country, the one with the biggest budget wins. Where the money comes from is the big question.


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It's not the same at all. In some countries the "Democratic" process is heavily manipulated by fraud and intimidation.

It's easy to spot these countries, they will have had the same ruling leader / party for decades, nearly all media will be supportive of the government, opposition politicians and journalists will often be imprisoned or end up dead in suspicious circumstances and the ruling leader will change the law to enable themselves to stay in power indefinitely.

Sound familiar?

[James.uk]

I’ve got a Ukrainian stamp in my current passport so I’d swerve it. ?


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[bwest76]

I’ve got a Ukrainian stamp in my current passport so I’d swerve it. ?


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What do you think?

They will think you are a spy or a sympathiser.



Same when I was in the former Yugoslavia, you didnt want any of the (percived) wrong stamps in your passport depending which area you went.

We all used UN id cards instead of course.


Someone got a good kicking from the Croations just for taking out a map (bought from a petrol station) that said Yugoslavia on it and asking directions.

Stupid thing was it was from a INA petrol station.

[Speedyexplorer]

I’ve got a Ukrainian stamp in my current passport so I’d swerve it. ?


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Get a second passport

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Get a second passport

This, pretty standard practice for those visiting Cuba who also travel to the US.

[draftsmann]

This, pretty standard practice for those visiting Cuba who also travel to the US.

It always was for former sales colleagues who had to travel around the Middle East.