Law Enforcement in Russia

[DCLCrazy64622]

Hi all,
I’ve been told by someone that if you’re American law enforcement, Russia will not allow you into their country. Does anyone know if there is any truth to this? Maybe it has to do with the questions on the Visa? I think you need one to get into the country. Has anyone out there been to Russia while working as a LEO? Thanks.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Hi all,
I’ve been told by someone that if you’re American law enforcement, Russia will not allow you into their country. Does anyone know if there is any truth to this? Maybe it has to do with the questions on the Visa? I think you need one to get into the country. Has anyone out there been to Russia while working as a LEO? Thanks.

If you're planning to do a shore excursion sponsored by the ship, you don't need a visa. We were never asked our occupations.

 

[dcassetta]

The visa info from the state department is here https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/russia.html

They do not specifically state issues with law-enforcement officers, but you will note there's a passage about US military experiencing issues when coming in on a cruise ship to Russia. I think the most important thing to remember is either take a Disney organized tour, or work with a highly reputable tour company like Anastasia if you're traveling in Russia. That way you can make sure that all of the visa requirements and other legal requirements have been met.

 

[ShakeyShakey]

We were on the Baltic this past May and had no issues - but I wouldn't volunteer that info to the FSB border officer and would just answer their questions honestly if you get selected for additional screening.

 

[xiphoid76]

LEO here and had no issues. I was honest on all forms and don’t remember being asked any more specific questions when entering St. Petersburg. We booked a private car and had an awesome time there. I would say you should have no concerns.

 

[Jason Martin]

Thank you all for your dedication and service

 

[YawningDodo]

Huh, learn something new every day -- I hadn't realized you could enter Russia without a visa if you came by cruise ship (guess I should have realized since there were constantly cruise ships in and out of Vasilyevsky Island). I'm just parroting what's on the government travel site already linked in this thread, but to my knowledge the main thing of which to be aware is that if you're not being escorted about by an authorized tour company, it looks like you would need a visa to enter the country and explore the city on your own. That'd probably be a much bigger pain than it's worth -- to get a visa you have to apply months in advance and you need a Russian sponsor (most tourists are sponsored by their hotel; when I visited Russia on study abroad I was sponsored by the university I attended there). Probably best to just book an excursion since it should be less paperwork and less potential hassle; it looks like Disney offers a mix of guided tours, but then also shopping trips where you'd be a little more on your own, depending on your taste.

If you do a tour that includes the Church on Spilled Blood, see if your guide will stop at the outdoor souvenir market right next to it. Best place in St. Petersburg to buy all kinds of random stuff.

 

[GPaLarry]

We took the Baltic Capitals DCL cruise a couple of years ago and went on three DCL excursions during our two-night stay in St. Petersburg without a visa required. They did not ask our occupations or for my military service (3 years many moons ago). These adventures were as easy as the ones we took in Alaska this past June. If you have any concerns, just call DCL.

 

[GingerPilot]

No ovcupation questions were asked on our Baltic cruise this year. Customs/immigration did not mess around though. And while they weren't bad to deal with at all, they weren't exactly warm and welcoming people either. Our private guide though (through Disney) was absolutely wonderful! Russia was overall a great experience and I recommend it but with a Disney tour or private vehicle.

 

[jdb in AZ]

The customs/immigration official who checked our passports in St. Petersburg was so dour -- she really furthered the stereotypical Russian. Maybe she had eaten a lemon for lunch -- she was like a sourpuss with acid indigestion.

One of the reasons Russia doesn't want foreign tourists wandering around on their own: all the signs are in cyrillic and few Russians speak English, so the language barrier is much more difficult to deal with than in other countries.

 

[bumbershoot]

One of the reasons Russia doesn't want foreign tourists wandering around on their own: all the signs are in cyrillic and few Russians speak English, so the language barrier is much more difficult to deal with than in other countries.

While Dh found it to be true that few spoke English while in Novosibirsk, in St Petersburg he found that most of the younger people absolutely spoke English. He would start with a bit of Russian and they would jump in with much better English (than his Russian). Fwiw. And this was at least 6 years ago.

 

[pjacobi]

While Dh found it to be true that few spoke English while in Novosibirsk, in St Petersburg he found that most of the younger people absolutely spoke English. He would start with a bit of Russian and they would jump in with much better English (than his Russian). Fwiw. And this was at least 6 years ago.

In my experience, this is true of about anywhere in Europe!

English is more likely to be spoken in larger cities. Younger persons are more likely to know English.

Naturally bi-lingual areas, such as Alsace-Lorraine (German/French), are especially difficult because English falls to 3rd. language.

European are shy about using their English skills. If you start with a few words in their language, they will notice your struggle and become more comfortable about speaking English.

-Paul

 

[YawningDodo]

And while they weren't bad to deal with at all, they weren't exactly warm and welcoming people either.

The customs/immigration official who checked our passports in St. Petersburg was so dour -- she really furthered the stereotypical Russian. Maybe she had eaten a lemon for lunch -- she was like a sourpuss with acid indigestion..

Ah, this right here is a matter of cultural expectations. Adults in Russia do not smile much, particularly in public; the perception is that people who smile constantly for no reason are a bit foolish or up to no good. A stranger smiled at me all of one time during my six weeks in Russia, and when that young man turned around and grinned at me on the escalator coming out of the metro, it was incredibly threatening. Don't worry, I'm sure you fulfilled her stereotype of Americans in turn.

While Dh found it to be true that few spoke English while in Novosibirsk, in St Petersburg he found that most of the younger people absolutely spoke English. He would start with a bit of Russian and they would jump in with much better English (than his Russian). Fwiw. And this was at least 6 years ago.

Ditto my experience. I kept trying to practice my Russian in shops and internet cafes in St. Petersburg and they'd immediately start speaking in English and/or hand me an English-language menu. Apparently English speakers have fairly distinctive accents in Russian. It's a major city and speaking English is advantageous in the modern world, so a lot of young people learn it. Just learn a couple key words (both spoken and written), like "entrance," "exit," "please," "thank you," and so on, just the same as you would for any foreign country you're touring.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Six years ago we saw the St. Petersburg ballet school perform -- one of the highlights of our cruise -- and afterward the prima ballerina and her partner were invited to answer questions. They both spoke in Russian and the headmistress translated. Perhaps she didn't trust them to speak for themselves.

 

[YawningDodo]

Honestly the worst was trying to order ice cream. For some reason I could not consistently wrap my mouth around the word for it (morozhenoye) and apparently it was the one and only word the fast food workers couldn't interpret through my accent.

 

[DCLCrazy64622]

Thank you all for your reassurance. We are looking forward to booking a cruise that includes Russia!