[Chris]

I have been invited to make a business trip to Moscow in a couple of weeks and just wanted to take a sanity check from forum members on how they would feel visiting Moscow at this time as a British National?

[GivingupBA]

I would feel totally fine though possibly the smiles at immigration could be a fraction narrower than usual. (PS I’ve been there on business though only once). I hope you have a good trip.

More than once I’ve been somewhere in the news, one e.g. Fiji landing at the airport 6 hours after the coup, and had no trouble at all.

[JPNU]

No more issues than usual. Organise a trusted driver in advance.

[capetonianm]

the smiles at immigration could be a fraction narrower than usual.

I’ve rarely seen any from the other side of the counter!
I suppose as long as you don’t go round saying anything about that nice Mr. Putin being a danger to world peace, it will be safe as usual. Oddly enough, despite all the warnings, I’ve never felt unsafe there.

[LuganoPirate]

I’ve never been, but hope to go to St. Petersberg in June. I’ve no assets the Russians could seize so I should be ok?
I think you’ll be ok unless you’re an executive of BP, then i might be a bit wary.

[Marc_ACB]

I personally wouldn’t travel to Russia, but that’s my own opinion and circumstances as a gay man.

When travelling to areas of concern, I would recommend signing up for alerts from the FCO https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/russia/email-signup. Given the UK/Russia political tensions, I would consider adding the UK Embassy in Moscow to your contact book should you need any urgent assistance while there.

Safe travels.

[LuganoPirate]

[quote quote=857671]Given the UK/Russia political tensions, I would consider adding the UK Embassy in Moscow to your contact book should you need any urgent assistance while there.[/quote]

Marc makes a very good point here. In addition I’d try and get the name of someone there and ask them for the out of hours emergency number.

[capetonianm]

I personally wouldn’t travel to Russia, but that’s my own opinion and circumstances as a gay man

I have a gay friend who has been to Russia several times both for private and professional reasons and he has never felt uncomfortable. He’s been on his own, with a female friend, and with a male friend, with whom he shared a room on one trip. He’s not ‘camp’ gay, but you would realise after a few minutes talking to him that he’s gay.

I’m just curious why Marc thinks it’s a problem.

[Marc_ACB]

Hi Capetonianm,

A very quick Google of “Gay Russia” brings up some horrific articles.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/29/gay-married-couple-flee-russia-after-receiving-death-threats
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/2017-in-review/the-year-russian-lgbt-persecution-defied-belief
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-lgbt-crime/lgbt-hate-crimes-double-in-russia-after-ban-on-gay-propaganda-idUSKBN1DL2FM

So while I’m glad your friend has never felt uncomfortable, that can’t be said for all. I personally would not risk it.

[capetonianm]

Thanks Marc, that was interesting reading. However, it seems that for a non-Russian gay visitor to Russia, there would be no problem, but I quite understand that nobody would wish to travel to a country where they might be victimised for their sexual orientation, religion, politics, etc. I certainly wouldn’t.

I supported a colleague who refused to travel to Singapore because he’s a Jehovah’s Witness and the practice of his religion there is illegal. Our ‘manager’ said nobody would know, but his argument was that he would not wish to spend time in a country where his religion was illegal. Although I am totally opposed to formal religions, I supported him and they took disciplinary action against both of us, which was rather fun when we threatened to take them to a labour relations court.

[FaroFlyer]

[quote quote=857621]I have been invited to make a business trip to Moscow in a couple of weeks and just wanted to take a sanity check from forum members on how they would feel visiting Moscow at this time as a British National?[/quote]

We tried to take a holiday in Moscow and in St. Petersburg a couple of years ago. Booked flights and hotels, as you needed proof of travel to accompany your Visa application. Duly completed the Visa application and was then told that, as I am self employed, I must send the Russian Embassy 5 years bank statements and 5 years audited accounts. You can imagine my reaction to that requirement. The lady at the Embassy suggested that I send a new application saying that I was retired. Lying on a Visa application did not seem like a good idea to me, so I declined. Fortunately the flights & hotels had largely been booked using Avios ot points, so not a great financial loss.

Point of this comment is that you should check your Visa requirements as soon as possible.

[JonathanCohen09]

Morning Chris,

For a period of 2 years about 5 years ago I visited Moscow twice a month in the good old days when getting an annual multi entry visa was possible, not sure if they issue those any more.
I believe that you should be fine going there on business but make sure that all of your paperwork is in order so that there are no questions about your visa. Make sure you have a copy of the invitation that you have received from the company that invited you to make the trip so that you have it on you should the border officer want to see it.
Make sure, as suggested by a previous poster, that you have a trusted driver collect you. Your hosts or your hotel can easily organise that for you. Do not under any circumstances accept the offer of an unlicensed taxi, they will pounce on you when you come through to see if they can persuade you to go with them.
If you ask the hotel to collect you then their driver will have a hotel sign with your name on it or if your hosts send a car the driver will have a company sign with your name on it. Have a phone number for your hotel and your host in your phone and if in doubt then call them to check who they sent to get you.
Some posters may feel that i am being over dramatic but experience has taught me that you should be careful although I believe you will be fine.
I would be happy to give you any other advice about your trip should you want it and BT have my permission to give you my personal email address so that you can contact me.
Moscow is a very interesting city and i am sure that you will enjoy your trip.
Again as another poster said do not discuss politics or Putin or the current situation with the UK as that can inadvertently cause you unnecessary problems.
Please let us know how you get on.
Also, where are you staying?
Finally, keep monitoring the situation before you go in case there is any further deterioration in relations or the FO advise only essential travel in which case you may need to reconsider but barring that you should go and enjoy the experience.

[Chris]

Thanks everyone Ill let you know how I get on.

[Montysaurus]

In response to FaroFlyer, I tried to arrange a short break in Moscow using Avios and Hilton points. I jumped through all the hoops but gave up when asked in the visa application to list all the countries visited in the last 10 years with entry and exit dates for each individual visit to each country! What does someone who works daily in Belgium but lives in France do?
It was as well we gave up as we went to Berlin instead and my wife ended up in hospital in Berlin – fortunately she was dealt with as an out-patient. Imagine if that had happened in Moscow!

[FaroFlyer]

[quote quote=857853]In response to FaroFlyer, I tried to arrange a short break in Moscow using Avios and Hilton points. I jumped through all the hoops but gave up when asked in the visa application to list all the countries visited in the last 10 years with entry and exit dates for each individual visit to each country! What does someone who works daily in Belgium but lives in France do?
It was as well we gave up as we went to Berlin instead and my wife ended up in hospital in Berlin – fortunately she was dealt with as an out-patient. Imagine if that had happened in Moscow![/quote]

Hi Montysauras. Yes, I had the same question about all the countries visited in the last 10 years. I just listed those with an entry and exit stamp in my passports. I recall now that I actually sent the application in to the embassy for checking before sending my passport as I did not want to be without a passport.

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