Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
45
UNITED STATES
Embassy: 2650 Wis-
consin Ave. NW, Washington, DC (
&
202/
298-5700,
202/298-5701, or 202/298-
5704; www.russianembassy.org).
again upon departure. You can take up to
$10,000 if you declare it. Otherwise, you
can pass through the
Green Channel
with-
out filling out any forms. You can also reg-
ister items that can be readily identified by
a permanently affixed serial number with
your home Customs office before you leave.
Take the items to the nearest Customs
office or register them with Customs at the
airport from which you're departing. You'll
receive, at no cost, a Certificate of Registra-
tion, which allows duty-free entry for the
life of the item. If you go through the Red
Channel, be aware that if the amount of
cash you take out of Russia is larger than
the sum you declared upon entry, you may
be questioned on suspicion of abetting
capital flight.
CONSULATES
UNITED STATES
9 E. 91st St., New
York, NY (
&
212/348-0926
); 2790
Green St., San Francisco, CA (
&
415/
928-6878
);
2322 Westin Building, 2001 6th Ave.,
Seattle, WA (
&
206/728-1910
).
BRITAIN
5 Kensington Palace Gardens,
London W8 4QS (
&
0870/005-6972;
www.rusemblon.org).
CANADA
52 Range Rd., Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 8G5 (
&
613/594-8488;
www.
rusembcanada.mid.ru).
AUSTRALIA
78 Canberra Ave., Griffith,
Canberra, ACT 2603 (
&
02/6295-9474;
http://canberra.rusembassy.org).
IRELAND
186 Orwell Rd., Rathgar, Dub-
lin (
&
01/492-3492
).
For an up-to-date, country-by-country
listing of passport requirements around
the world, go to the “Foreign Entry
Requirement” Web page of the U.S. State
Department at
http://travel.state.gov/
foreignentryreqs.html
.
For information on obtaining a visa,
please visit “Fast Facts,” on p. 304.
CUSTOMS
What You Can Bring Into
Russia
Visitors can bring in most things other than
weapons, drugs, and livestock. If you have
cash in any currency worth more than
$1,500; anything antique; or valuable jew-
elry, laptop computers, cameras, or other
electronics, then fill out a Customs declara-
tion form upon entry and go through the
Red Channel
at airport Customs. That
way you won't have any problem taking the
items home with you when you leave. The
declaration form will be stamped and
returned to you, and you must present it
What You Can Take Home
from Russia
Most souvenirs are safe to take home,
except antiques, artwork, and caviar.
Overfishing has shriveled the population
of Caspian Sea sturgeon, the main source
of the world's black caviar. Travelers are
currently allowed to take 250 grams (10
oz.) out of the country, though Americans
should be aware that U.S. customs forbids
importing fish products. The rules on art-
work and antiques change with puzzling
frequency. They primarily affect religious
icons, old samovars, and artwork worth
over $1,000. In some cases, the item can-
not be exported at all; in others, export is
permitted but only with special Culture
Ministry certification. Fortunately, most
vendors can complete the export certifica-
tion for these items for you. Tourists wish-
ing to export anything valuable or
anything made before 1960 (including
topics or Soviet memorabilia) should have
the store certify it or clear it themselves
with the Russian Ministry of Culture's
Assessment Committee (in Moscow,
&
495/921-3258; in St. Petersburg,
&
812/310-1454). Applications are cheap
(about $10), but export duties can run
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