30.07.08

In Moscow it became easier for citizens to obtain an international passport and for those processing visa invitations and visa registration. Vladimir Ivanov, deputy head of the Moscow department of the FMS, shared the innovations made to simplify these procedures at a recent press-conference.

According to Ivanov, since the beginning of June, Moscow migration authorities started issuing new "electronic visas." He explained, “These visas, first of all, will be useful for businessmen arriving to Moscow for work on a long-term contract, and also for foreign students”. Term of visa may vary depending on necessary time of stay in the country. New visas are electronic, thus they can be processed 3-4 times faster. Visa automatically includes all the data from holder’s passport and does not require a photograph, and is inserted into a foreigner’s passport. New electronic visas have been issued already to 1200 people.

Altogether in 2008 in Moscow 67,585 multi-entry visas were issued, exceeding numbers for the same period of the last year by 34 per cent.

FMS is also improving technical aspects of issuing international (traveling) passports to Muscovites. According to Ivanov, at this time 82 district offices of the FMS in Moscow issue biometric passports, as well as the standard passports. In approximately one year new passports with an electronic microchip containing owner’s biometric data will be processed in all FMS offices in Moscow. Ivanov stated that the FMS is continuously working on expediting processing time for traveling documents and shortening wait times: “We take various steps, including longer working days and more reception hours. We also ask our employees to receive as many clients as possible.”

Recently FMS started another experiment – upon request from company’s head, FMS employees visit companies to help their personnel to collect, fill out and submit documents necessary for processing of international (traveling) passports.

Vladimir Ivanov, deputy head of the Moscow Department of the FMS has called for an end to using intermediate companies which offer to process international passports for Russians for a fee. Due to many shortcomings in their services, after losing time and money many people have to turn to back to the services of the federal agency.

The FMS has also proposed improved procedures for migration registration of foreigners immediately in Moscow hotels. At this time approximately 60 per cent of hotels in Moscow have the necessary equipment to automatically submit information about residing foreigners straight to FMS. Hotel employees can enter information into a database through specially designed software, and later submit necessary documents to FMS office to personally confirm the information and to receive documents acknowledging completed registration. Meanwhile, State Duma is considering in third reading a law that would allow hotels to register foreigners independently. 

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Source: «Российская Газета»