There were recently mentions of questions asked now when crossing the border. I always mentionned that, just as it, doesn't make sense, for a very simple reason: language. A diversity of nationalities and so languages can show at the border, so how could questioning be done? it would require border agents with lot of languages capabilities.
Here is the illustration of how i went at Shumilkino border before yesterday.
Shumilkino is the control point by Luhaama in Estonia.
I have taken few days off:
flight Oslo-Riga 13:15-15:45 (1,5 hr, Latvia is +1h time zone). Couple hours to kill in Riga.
bus 19:30 at Riga buss station, platform 7. Company name Vissa. Route crosses Latvia to Estonia.
22:35 at Luhaama control
23:20 at Shumilkino control
00:50 back riding to Pskov (nearby 60 km)
This border is quiet, open 24/24. There were fours cars and our bus. Estonian side had a superficial visual bag inspection. I travel with a 30L rücksack and a small shoulder bag. People with big luggage had also a basic rays tunnel. The agent asked "euro?" i shaked head no. That's all.
The russian control has become significantly longer. It's lucky that this border sees little traffic compared to Ivangorod.
It goes like this:
1) you show at the agents window, as usual passport checked, look at computer. Question "where do you go?" but no tickets asked. Actually i don't know where I go, depends mood and weather. Maybe i fly to Magadan, who knows 🙂
2) instead of stamping, giving back passport and immigration card, they keep it and give you a paper questionnaire. You fill it at the pulprits before the kioks and wait in the room.
3) after some time an agent comes and calls people's names one by one, you give the questionnaire and you get your passport and immigration card stamped
4) customs. Put your jacket and luggages into a simple rays tunnel. No questions.
The bus, some 40/45 passengers was processed in two batches.
so it means that you need a pen. That's the important change. If no pen, co-passengers or agents will provide but better have one.
I though of taking a picture of the questionnaire only after i had filled it. So have edited with Image Toolbox phone app before uploading.
Simple questions: identity, address, work address and position, accommodation in Russia, transportation, IMEI of phone, what you think of EU policies against Russia, do you have relatives in Ukraine, etc.
Nobody checks on site anything, but i guess there's a FSB processing afterwards. I wrote my answers in latin rather than cyrillic because i tend to botch hand-written cyrillic.
Here is the questionnaire. Given to everyone. As you can see, and is obvious, it is of course in Russian. Very simple.
https://i.imgur.com/rAvwXVn.jpeg
Shumilkino stamp, the one at bottom, other is Ivangorod in june:
https://i.imgur.com/2bWOBuw.jpeg
This is the bus departing from Riga:
https://i.imgur.com/ZMwwuxK.jpeg
