London to Moscow. 2012
 

Dear All.

I am sure many people have already answered these Questions and I have found some very useful information already, which I give thanks for.


I am driving to Moscow during the summer (2012) on my BMW 1200, registered in my name at my home address.

We both have IDP and personal insurance, along with the correct Motorbike insurance for Europe.

However can someone help with the following :-

My uncle will be travel on my other BMW 1200, which is registered in my name, however he is covered on the insurance (fully comprehensive), for travel in the UK.

1. Can anyone foresee a problem at the Russian boarder about this? Do we required a letter of consent /approval for him to be using the bike from myself?

2. Is my understanding correct that a Carnet is not required in Russia?

3. Insurance can be purchased before the boarder crossing?

4. When obtaining your Russian Visa did you have to also produce the motorcycle documents along with your application at the Embassy?

On the return, I am traveling to the Ukraine.

Is the latest information correct that they do not require a Carnet?

What is the situation in regards to insurance can it be purchased before the boarder?

Thanks in advance for your help.

1. Can anyone foresee a problem at the Russian boarder about this? Do we required a letter of consent /approval for him to be using the bike from myself?
PROBABLY NO ISSUE IS YOU'LL BE WITH HIM, BUT WHY NOT GET A POWER OF ATTORNEY JUST IN CASE?

2. Is my understanding correct that a Carnet is not required in Russia?
CORRECT

3. Insurance can be purchased before the boarder crossing?
YES, JUST LOOK SHORTLY FOR KIOSKS, ETC. SHORTLY BEFORE BORDER

4. When obtaining your Russian Visa did you have to also produce the motorcycle documents along with your application at the Embassy?
NO

On the return, I am traveling to the Ukraine.

Is the latest information correct that they do not require a Carnet?
CORRECT

What is the situation in regards to insurance can it be purchased before the boarder?
SAME

Dear Motoreiter.

Thank you so much for your comments, very much appreciated.

One further question if anyone would not mind.

I spoke with Carol Nash and they told me that I did not require to buy insurance at the boarder if I have the Green Card Insurance document from them when traveling in Russia and the Ukraine.

Has anyone got different information to this? or a different experience.

Thank you in advance.

Russia has accepted the Green Card, suitably endorsed for RUS, as proof of insurance for more than a year. I have heard of a number of people with them and not had a problem when stopped for the usual documents checks.

If you chose to buy Russian insurance at the border it is quite cheap (from memory about £10/month for a bike). You can buy it at kiosks around the border or you are permitted to ride to the next town to buy it (probably cheaper).

Although not mentioned in your list, you will also need the original Registration Document.

Gentlemen, Thank you.

Very much appreciated.

Also, as far as I know, not all green card providers include Russia, so you need to check that.

As far as buying insurance at the border, I always do so before crossing into Russia on the basis that it eliminates one potential problem. In my experience the Russian border people are generally quite professional, but at the same time I am not keen to give them more potential issues to raise.

Yes I agree with you Motoreiter about the Green Card Providers.

However Carol Nash were very help and provided the best company to use, which was Groupama.

https://www.groupama.co.uk/policyhol...ike-insurance/

They do provide the Green Card Insurance Document for a fee of around 30 GBP and it last for a month at a time.

Also will certainly look into the Power of Attorney for the second bike issues. Great Idea.

Thanks.

If you get a power of attorney, be sure to get as many stamps, etc. as possible, Russian officials love stamps.

Ah yes the wonder of the triplicate upon the triplicate for Russian Authorities, having lived in Russia for many years I certainly know about that.

Some thoughts from my experience:
- you must buy travel insurance before getting visa, it's best to do that in agency, without insurance you can't get visa
- it's best to get visa for longer period in contingency
- buy full insurance, from any accidents
- your passport must be valid at least for six months with not very old photo
- in kiosks at border you can only exchange your currency, not very good rate
- there is no exclusion for bikes, so you gonna wait at border at least 6 hours, depending on queue length
- Russia has strict rules for bikes - if you enter with bike, you must leave also with same bike, regardless of nothing

In Russia only one thing is good - cheap petrol :) Good luck for You. You can contact me for any help in Lt & Lv.

I disagree on a couple of points, thought I'd chip in to avoid confusion:

1) I've never heard of anyone having to get travel insurance to get a visa.
2) tourist visas only valid for 30 days, otherwise you need a business visa, which is more difficult/more expensive to get.
3) I have never waited in a border queu on a bike, I ride right to the front. Sometimes the border agents have practically insisted that I go the front. Don't wait in line...
4) You do not have to leave with the same bike, although you cannot leave the bike past the expiration of your temp import certificate. That is, if you ride into Russia and get a three month temp import cert, and then fly home for a month, that is no problem. But you need to come back and exit with your bike (or extend the temp import cert) before it expires. I'm not sure what happens if you just leave your bike in Russia after temp importing it, but complications would probably arise if you try to come back to Russia. And customs duties on bikes can be thousands of dollars here, so it could be a nasty surprise.

1) here russian embassy requires travel insurance for visa, not shorter than visa period
4) if you leave bike then you will get straff at custom and restriction to enter Russia for several years

On this point, you must mean leaving the bike past the expiration of the temp import cert, right?

I can tell you that I have had a bike here on temporary import for the last three years, and frequently leave Russia without the bike with no problem whatsoever, although I have never let the temp import cert expire. Even if it would expire, I don't think I would have any problem leaving Russia, although next time I try to get a visa, etc. there MIGHT be a problem (I'm not sure if all of their systems are that integrated).