# Passport Control Changes ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Travel to Russia\ **Created:** [June 27, 2024, 2:39pm UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/passport-control-changes/142 "2024-06-27T14:39:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KipperRSA](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@KipperRSA](https://forum.russiable.com/u/KipperRSA)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 2:39pm UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/passport-control-changes/142/1 "2024-06-27T14:39:43Z")
I entered Moscow on a dual entry tourist visa at the end of May but had to depart again for the UK due to a family illness and so arrived back to finish my travels last night/this morning. At the end of May at the passport control, I stated tourism as the reason and was allowed to pass. But when arriving at 00.30 this morning it was very different. I arrived at the counter, said tourism and then was asked to step back from the screen and wait a few metres away. They held onto my passport. Ten minutes later a security lady collected me and walked me to one end of passport control and asked me ti take a seat. There we maybe 50 people there. Every so often a border police person came out with a bunch of passports and called names, when called you follow them to the ,other end of passport control and wait again. Here there were around 100 people. After an hour I was called and interviewed about politics, my visit, money etc they asked me to unlock my phone and he was very busy doing various things on it. He then showed me a very long whatsapp message about Putin and asked if I sent it, I hadnt and had never seen it before and it wasnt there when I had my phone back… Then i waited outside again, another hour, then he walked me to an area for strip search, asked for my phone again, made more notes and then said come this way and we left the strip search area and waited again. Another hour they called names and you walk all the way back to the other end of passport control and wait again. Another hour and eventually my name is called and I can join passport control queue and more than 5 hours later I was allowed to pass. There were easily 200 people in these areas and when I asked if there was a problem he said “new orders from mthe commander” so this may become the norm so expect delays ! ---
**Author:** ![antoniob](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/77aa72/32.png) [@antoniob](https://forum.russiable.com/u/antoniob)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2024, 2:28am UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/passport-control-changes/142/2 "2024-06-30T02:28:29Z")
this story doesn’t make sense. ---
**Author:** ![Lou](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/ea666f/32.png) [@Lou](https://forum.russiable.com/u/Lou)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2024, 6:36am UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/passport-control-changes/142/3 "2024-07-01T06:36:10Z")
Kipper RSA, Thank you for your post. I am about to travel to Moscow this week. I am questioning if I wish to make the visit. Certainly everything is escalating. What to do? ---
**Author:** ![phoebe](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/41988e/32.png) [@phoebe](https://forum.russiable.com/u/phoebe)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2024, 6:45am UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/passport-control-changes/142/4 "2024-07-03T06:45:39Z")
Unless you have family here I would not consider travelling for tourist reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Adam](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@Adam](https://forum.russiable.com/u/Adam)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2024, 7:04am UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/passport-control-changes/142/5 "2024-07-03T07:04:38Z")
@phoebe , Agreed, Especially if you are from an unfriendly country. ---
**Author:** ![KipperRSA](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@KipperRSA](https://forum.russiable.com/u/KipperRSA)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 10:59am UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/passport-control-changes/142/6 "2024-07-09T10:59:54Z")
@antoniob why ? ---
**Author:** ![KipperRSA](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@KipperRSA](https://forum.russiable.com/u/KipperRSA)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 11:01am UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/passport-control-changes/142/7 "2024-07-09T11:01:05Z")
@Lou it felt like a process to delay, be awkward etc I never felt unsafe or as if there was an issue ---
**Author:** ![antoniob](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/77aa72/32.png) [@antoniob](https://forum.russiable.com/u/antoniob)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 2:47am UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/passport-control-changes/142/8 "2024-07-10T02:47:54Z")
> @KipperRSA [antoniob](https://en.nuevo.russiable.com/t/passport-control-changes/142) why ? I live in Norway, and for some time long ago Northern Norway not far Russian border. It’s the reason I traveled first to Murmansk. These days in Oslo area. Russia is my main week-end and holidays place since many years, some 20 y. Included when on the way to Central Asia. There were cheap flights Oslo-SPb, and fast trains Helsinki-SPb. I could finish work Friday early afternoon and be in SPb late evening, back for work Monday morning. I used to cross by air, by train, by minibus and with my car for longer holidays (ferries Sweden-Finland, Sweden-Estonia or road through Laponia). So I crossed many times at many border points for years and years. After COVID travel restrictions were lifted, by end summer 2022, i traveled only four times, as the relations were severed by EU when military operation started in Donbass, and it took some time to adjust. But I still have not noticed people being taken aside for deeper control, excepted couple times, not in noticeable amounts or like a rule. Myself I had to wait a bit more once, just by the side of the control booth, for an officer to come, because the agent in post was unsure about my passport, that was at the time older non-biometric type, hence the hesitation of the agent. I just showed my national ID card, that confirms passport data, and he waived me a happy stay. But still no questions. Last crossing 17 June and same: no questions. Stamp on the passport, signing of migration card. So, that’s the reason of my surprise at you initial comment. But then what I am thinking is you may be non-Schengen, “anglo-saxon” ie whatever kind of British spin-offs like Canada, USA, Australia, besides UK itself. Because these countries, and I know from personal experience with Canada, have intrusive rules for pre-travel (to Canada, an electronic travel authorization), intrusive rules at borders, and use the question/answer matching method (the agent asks a question that is part of the pre-travel authorization and expects the answer to match). In case of USA, they even have infamous reputation for considering all foreigners wrong doers or terrorists unless proven contrary. My friends in Montréal, who use to holiday in Mexico or Caribbean, avoid like a plague transits through USA even if direct tickets from Montréal or Toronto are more expensive. So, recalling this, I guess that Russian borders may have decided to play a similar game with “gringos”. ---
**Author:** ![KipperRSA](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@KipperRSA](https://forum.russiable.com/u/KipperRSA)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 3:21pm UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/passport-control-changes/142/9 "2024-07-10T15:21:31Z")
Yes, maybe, im from UK so presume as Im from an unfriendly country I was put through these delays. The english speaking officer who interviewed me was nice enough, straight to the point with many questions, some obscure. “do you drive a Tesla” “what do you think of the US” “what do you think of politics in the UK” etc etc When I asked the reasons he said they were new rules from the commander and at one point also said, if I came to your country you would do this to me…so yes maybe a similar experience has been met at the UK borders ! ---
**Author:** ![Adam](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@Adam](https://forum.russiable.com/u/Adam)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 6:38pm UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/passport-control-changes/142/10 "2024-07-10T18:38:06Z")
I was also asked a few questions and my phone looked at, unpleasant and unexpected at the time, but I understand they are doing their jobs. Also travelling with a new passport without any previous Visas, next time I will take my old passports which have many visas. ---
**Author:** ![DimiDons](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@DimiDons](https://forum.russiable.com/u/DimiDons)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2024, 2:06pm UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/passport-control-changes/142/11 "2024-07-16T14:06:41Z")
I’m an American in Moscow since June 14, leaving July 23. Going thru Customs they checked my bags after I said I came from India. He asked if I brought in any marijuana or narcotics. Otherwise, my stay has been smooth 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![antoniob](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/77aa72/32.png) [@antoniob](https://forum.russiable.com/u/antoniob)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 12:37pm UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/passport-control-changes/142/12 "2024-07-20T12:37:48Z")
> @KipperRSA im from UK so presume as Im from an unfriendly country I was put through these delays. > The english speaking officer who interviewed this is a key point: in order to do interrogations, a common language is needed. When a UK or USA passport is shown at the border, IF there is an English speaking agent, then interrogation is possible. I have two citizenships, one is French and my russian visa is on the passport “République Française”. I have never been interrogated at russian border but everytime at the EU border in Estonia. We are in line to the passport’s kiosk My turn, I hand the passport to the Estonian. Estonian agent, in english: “where are you going?” Me: “pardon je ne comprend pas” End of the interrogation, she gaves me the passport and opens the gate. If she suspects I am fishy, an agent will take me aside, no need to speak, and they can check the fingerprints with the ones in the embedded chip of the passport. More than this they will have the trouble to find and get in a french speaking agent or a translator. Much hassle. ---
**Author:** ![vanyaya](https://forum.russiable.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@vanyaya](https://forum.russiable.com/u/vanyaya)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2024, 9:19am UTC](https://forum.russiable.com/t/passport-control-changes/142/13 "2024-09-06T09:19:19Z")
@KipperRSA I just flew in last night and yes, this appears to be the new protocol. I would suggest if you plan to visit, be prepared for delays. But just answer the questions, show respect, stay calm and do as you are told. Everything will be fine.