VZCZCXRO1081
RR RUEHVK
DE RUEHMO #1209/01 0801052
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211052Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8435
INFO RUEHVK/AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 1995
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 0768

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 001209 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE, SIPDIS 
 
E.O.  12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF PREL PHUM OTRA ASEC RS
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR EAP ADVISOR BALBINA HWANG AND 
PRM PROGRAM OFFICER MELISSA PIOTTI TRAVEL TO VLADIVOSTOK APRIL 6-9 
 
REF: STATE 33981 
 STATE 31187 
 
¶1.  Embassy welcomes and grants country clearance to EAP Senior 
Advisor Balbina Hwang and PRM/ANE Program Officer Melissa Pitotti to 
visit Vladivostok April 6 through April 9, 2007. The primary purpose 
of this trip is to further USG efforts to implement North Korean 
refugee-related aspects of the North Korean Human Rights Act of 
¶2004.  Airport meet and assist has been arranged.  Lodging, within 
per diem, at the rate of $180 per evening and has arranged. The 
travel itinerary has been received: arriving Vladivostok Friday, 
April 6, via Korean Air Flight 981 at 3:50 pm, departing Vladivostok 
April 9, via Korean Air Flight 982 at 4:20 pm.  Post requests 
updates to changes in traveler's itinerary if applicable. 
 
¶2.  Control officer is Daniel Kronenfeld;  Work:7(4232)30-00-70 ext: 
4601 Cell:7(4232)70-37-14 Email: KroenfeldDA1@state.gov. 
 
¶3.  Security clearance:  Confirmation of TDYer's security clearance 
has been received. 
 
¶4.  Visa requirements:  All visitors must have a valid entry/exit 
visa for Russia and may not enter Russia before (or depart Russia 
after) the dates shown in the visa.  Please note that the dates on 
Russian visas are listed in day/month/year format.  Please allow 
thirty (30) working days for Russian visa processing.  Visa 
extensions and other amendments requested after arrival normally 
take ten (10) to fifteen (15) working days to process.  To minimize 
the number of emergency requests for extensions and other amendments 
after your arrival, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggests 
that initial visa applications include a five-day cushion on each 
side of your planned travel dates.  For instance, if you plan to 
arrive June 5 and depart June 25, you should request a visa that is 
valid for the entire month of June.  Please carefully check the 
dates of the visa before entering the country; travelers arriving 
before or after the validity dates on their visas will be detained 
at the airport and may be deported to their original embarkation 
points. 
 
¶5.  Passport/visa registration/migration cards: All visitors who 
remain in Russia for more than three business days must register 
their passports and visas with the Russian government. The 
registration authority is given to hotels.  Visitors not staying at 
hotels should register their passports/visas through the Embassy 
Human Resources office; this process takes approximately two 
business days. 
 
¶6.  Migration Card for all travelers: Russian authorities have 
implemented a migration (entry/exit) card system at all border 
crossings.  This is in addition to the visa regime.  All visitors to 
Russia must complete a migration card, which is handed out upon 
arrival in Russia - either on airplanes or at border crossings. 
Upon receipt of visa from Russian Embassy, confirm that arrival date 
and departure date fit with itinerary.  NO airport visas are issued 
at the port of entry. 
 
¶7.  TDY travelers must complete the migration card. There are five 
steps to this process - Obtain a migration card upon entry to 
Russia, complete the card, ensure the card is stamped by border 
officials upon entry, register the card at their hotel, and most 
importantly, keep the card with their passport. If TDY travelers are 
stopped by police or militia, they must produce a passport, valid 
visa and stamped migration card.  Upon departure from Russia, TDY 
travelers will be asked to relinquish this migration card to border 
police. If the card is lost, travelers must arrange to replace the 
card, before departure, or risk being barred entry to Russia on 
future trips. 
 
¶8.  Customs:  Russian customs procedures include entry and exit 
declaration forms.  The new law on currency regulation and control 
allow foreigners to export up to USD 3,000 without providing a 
customs declaration or proof of how the money was obtained. 
However, foreigners may also export up to USD 10,000 by simply 
filling out a customs declaration upon exit.  More than USD 10,000 
can be exported upon proof that it was imported into Russia legally 
(a stamped customs declaration or proof of a legal bank or wire 
transfer). TDY employees and official visitors should abide by these 
rules, as they may have only limited diplomatic immunity. 
 
¶9.  Export prohibitions: TDY employees and official visitors should 
be aware that art (antiquities, paintings, samovars, icons, etc.) 
may not be taken out of Russia without advance written permission 
from the Ministry of Culture.  Visitors planning to purchase art 
objects or antiques while in Russia should first check with the GSO 
office on export requirements. 
 
¶10.  Security situation: Recent incidents occurring within Russia 
have highlighted the continued risk of terrorist activity.  The U.S. 
Embassy/ Consulate is not aware of any credible or specific 
information that American citizens or U.S. interests in Russia are 
targets of this terrorist activity.  Nonetheless, the risk of an 
 
MOSCOW 00001209  002 OF 002 
 
 
American citizen being an unintended victim of these attacks does 
exist.  The Embassy advises American citizens traveling or living in 
Russia that the potential for terrorist actions, including actions 
against civilians, is currently high and is likely to remain so for 
some time. 
 
¶11.  Crime in Russia remains at a high level and often is directed 
against westerners.  The types of crime reported range from petty 
theft, primarily from hotel rooms and train compartments; street 
crime involving pickpockets or bands of street children also is 
common.  Theft involving the capture of electronic ATM and credit 
card data also has risen in recent months. 
 
¶12.  When traveling in and around Vladivostok, please remain 
vigilant at all times.  Exercise good judgment and the utmost 
discretion when using any form of public transportation.  If you are 
transiting via train, plane or bus, please make sure you provide a 
friend or coworker with your travel schedule, so that you can be 
accounted for at all times.  Avoid large crowds and public 
gatherings that lack enhanced security measures.  If you are out in 
public, we recommend that you carry a cell phone with international 
roaming capability, with important telephone numbers to include Duty 
Officer cell phone number (7)(4232)(71-00-67). 
 
¶13.  The human and technical intelligence threat in Russia remains a 
major concern.  All non-USG facilities, including hotels, are 
considered compromised and classified material cannot be stored, 
discussed or processed in them. 
 
¶14.  Mandatory Security Training for Extended TDY (more than 30 
days):  Per STATE 066580 dated 25 March 2004, effective January 1, 
2005, American personnel requesting country clearance to perform 
extended temporary duty at an overseas location must complete 
appropriate overseas personal security training prior to their 
travel.  FSI (the Department of State's Foreign Service Institute) 
will conduct the approved minimum four-day training class. A shorter 
security refresher course must be taken every five years. The FSI 
catalogue of courses can be found online at 
http://fsi.state.gov/admin/reg/default.asp. Agencies may choose to 
provide their own equivalent security training, if they can certify 
in writing to the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security 
that they offer training that meets the minimum criteria of the 
overseas personal security training provided by FSI and that 
training is delivered and evaluated by qualified instructors.  For 
Agency certification, contact Assistant Director for Training, DS/T, 
Mr. William Armor, armorwd@state.gov or by phone 703-205-2617. 
 
¶15.  If the initial request for country clearance does not certify 
that mandatory security training has been completed or will be 
completed prior to travel, you must send an amended request to 
include that information.  If time or urgency of mission does not 
allow for the completion of this mandatory security training, the 
country clearance request should note the circumstances and request 
a waiver from the Chief of Mission. Requests for waivers based on 
convenience or agency financial considerations will not be approved. 
 
 
¶16.  Currency exchange:  Russia has a predominantly cash economy, 
with the Russian ruble as the only legal tender for local 
transactions.  RSO recommends against using credit/debit cards for 
small purchases or in stand-alone ATM (those not physically located 
at a bank), as credit/debit card data theft is an ongoing problem. 
Dollar cash is best exchanged at the Consulate for USG official 
visitors and USG contractors, upon presentation of travel orders and 
a photo ID.  In addition, there are exchange houses throughout the 
city.  Official visitors may also obtain U.S. dollars or local 
currency upon presentation of travelers' checks. 
 
¶17.  Further information on traveling and safety within the Russian 
federation is available at the State Department's Consular Affairs 
web site: http://travel.state.gov/russia.html. Official travelers 
are also encouraged to request up-to- date security related 
information through their Embassy Control Officer.  This information 
is available on the DOS OPENNET's Embassy Moscow website (RSO link). 
 
 
BURNS