On the way out of Kiev we were stopped at passport control and taken into the back offices. They informed us that the type of visa that we have (1-year tourist visa) limited us to stays of 180 days or less. Since we were well over that amount we were found to be in violation of immigration law and fined $300 USD. They were pleased that we were willing to pay the fine and let us go just in time to catch our flight to Stockholm.
On a hunch I asked Tanya to check with her contacts as to whether the violation had effected our continuing efforts to get an extension to our current visa. She came back with the answer that not only could she not extend our current visa, but we also can't return from our current vacation.
We did some checking on this and learned that we are in fact on a no-entry blacklist, thereby making our return to Ukraine a less likely possibility. We have been told that we can re-apply for another visa in the new year, but there are no guarantees.
In the meantime, we are here in Stockholm trying to enjoy ourselves during this time. Our tickets back to Simferopol will be forfeited. We are trying to change our tickets that were to return us in December so that we can get home next week. We will be back in Colorado for at least 3.5 months - 3 of them cold - and I have 1 pair of pants, 1 pair of shoes and a sweatshirt. I really need my clothes but there isn't really a cost effective way to get them back.
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Will be praying for you guys... I'm sorry to hear that this has happened, but at the same time am sure there is a reason for you to be back in CO. sooner. Sarah, maybe it's for upcoming events?! jk
ReplyDeleteKeep us posted... and enjoy these moments and days there. Love, Jenn
God knows what he is doing. but i will keep praying...he does work miracles!! BUT......if all else fails!! i will be happy to see you!!!!!!! k i am praying!!!
ReplyDeleteAre you serious? Maybe when you're in Colorado it will be easier to sort it out, etc. I think I speak for everyone when I say that we're shocked yet at the same time, selfishly glad we'll get to see you.
ReplyDeleteYou've got your computer and your kid - what else do you need? Maybe things have changed more back here than I thought in the past 9 months, but they also sell pants here in Colorado these days.
ReplyDeleteHey - for real, though - this is quite the challenge! I know this is an earlier and longer break than you intended, but we promise to take good care of you three Gaws in Colorado before we send you back to your stuff and your new extended family there in Ukraine in 2009. Keep us posted on your return date so we can get busy planning the surprise "welcome home for now" party!
We will be praying for you guys as well! Although selfishly we are so glad that you will be back in Colorado because we were going to miss you over Christmas and now maybe we'll get to see you!! We will be back on the 4th of October for about 10 days to attend Bryan's cousins wedding! Bryan is going to be so excited that you'll be back in town! But, we do pray that everything works out, God is using you guys in amazing ways there! It will be exciting to see what he has in store for you!
ReplyDeleteDude. Arggh. I'm sorry. I can't even imagine how frustrating that must be.
ReplyDeleteHow bout this: I'll try not to be glad to see you when you come back. Will that help? Or maybe I'll just pretend you're not back and not visit you and just Skype you at really weird hours of the day?
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI stumbled accross your blog somehow a few months ago and have been reading it regularly. I am up in Chernigov involved in church planting and book publishing. We have a handful of Americans working with us and have been getting some hassle regarding our visa situation.
I wanted to ask you a few questions:
1. Did your one year tourist visa already expire?
2. Did the 180 days start after the visa expired or while you had a current visa?
I was under the impression that if you had a current visa, you could stay as long as the visa allowed. If you had no visa, you could stay for 180 days but then need to register or else you would be ejected from the country for 6 months.
Any clairifying info would be helpful.
Sorry to hear you were barred from coming back. If there is anything a fellow missionary can do from up in Chernigov, let me know.
Jake
Jake,
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading! If you blog you know there is nothing as exciting for a small-time blogger than for someone to say that they discovered your blog the old-fashioned (as opposed to being a close friend or family member) way AND that they are still visiting. I tried to look at your profile but it was blocked... do you have a blog that I could be reading in return?
Anyway about the visas...
I didn't want to bore everyone with the minutia but here is the basic situation. We have 1 year tourist visas that are valid from Oct 29 2007 to Oct 29 2008. What we were told at passport control and what our Ukrainian friends were able to discover was that on a visa like this, you are limited to 6 months in country during that year.
I am still not completely clear on whether that is 6 months at one time or 6 month total over the span of the visa; either way we violated this rule and have been placed on the no-entry list. We were told that even with a valid visa of this type, you can't stay over this 6 month threshold unless you go to an OVIR registration office (different than the ЖЕК (?) housing authority) and ask them to extend this limit. It would require explaining the extenuating circumstances and is not guaranteed to be approved.
Basically this means that our 1 year visa gives us no benefit above a standard visa-less entry. We plan to re-apply for a business visa in the new year which doesn't have these same limitations.
Hi guys, so sorry to hear about all this. I can't imagine the feelings you are going through right now, being cut off from where you want to be. I will be praying the Lord gives you peace about His plan for your lives and time back here at home. CAn't wait to hug your necks (as my mom would say).
ReplyDeleteDude, I am praying for yall. I trust that the Lord will comfort and provide you with direction in this time.
ReplyDeleteAaron
Seriously, this sucks on gargantuine proportions. I'm confident this situation will work in God's favor, if not yours in the short and long term.
ReplyDeleteOn the plus side, when you do get back to the Ukraine it will make that care package we sent a few weeks ago extra sweet - althought the Euro Soccor League magazine will be a little out of date!
In your intervening travels, if you make it to Northern Colorado, lets put some rounds down range together. Lead on steel helps calm the soul and clear the mind...
Wow, I am so sorry to hear the report. And I am sure Tanya and the Ukrainian crew are especially sad, as the ministry you have done there has been so effective. When things are going well for the Kingdom, there is a force that wants to stop what you are doing.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy Colorado. If you are ever in the Missouri area, we would love to host you and the family.
You are in our prayers!
Steve
Matty,
ReplyDeleteWe have had to go to the OVIR every six months and register. Basically, your visa does allow you to stay longer than the folks who enter without a visa, but they want to check up on you and find out what you are doing and if you have a valid enough reason to stay every six months.
It usually takes a few days and costs a few hundred gr. after insurance. I have been late and had to appear in a local court, where I was given a warning and told to register on time. They are usually pretty cool but it all depends on what they are like in that specific OVIR.
You would think that a one year visa means you are free to come and go for a year, no?? I guess that this is the way the system is set up and we have to jump through the loops to stay.
You should be able to get back in after paying a fine. You had a valid visa, it wasn't like you were intentionally staying in the country illegally, which is why they created this 6 month registration law.
We blog at: www.chernigovblog.com.
Hope it works for you to return...
Jake
Matt,
ReplyDeleteWhen I left Ukraine, I faced a similar situation. Fortunately I was packed up and departing with my peace Corps spouse (I was back in Ukraine with a Visa because I was medically seperated from Peace Corps and elected to return under my own steam and do the work I started), Anyway, I had to pay a $400 fine and could still have been deported... The buracracy is really hard to fathom. I really thought I had the right visa - I am so grateful that this wasn't discovered until I was already leaving Ukraine and that I had the money to pay the fine (We had been living on $10 a day so $400 is a fortune!). You are in my prayers...some good will come of this, somehow...if nothing else, it is character building and teaches us what it is like to feel powerless...We have things so good here in the USA.
Life is good...
"Ginn"
In Sunny Santa Fe
Read my Journals: www.pulverpages.com