In Russia - Possible to get emergency travel authorization for my wife?

[razor787]

I am a Canadian citizen. On Thursday, we got a passport request for her Canadian PR. I want us both to leave Russia ASAP, but it seems like it can be a few weeks before she is able to get her passport sent for the visa.


Does anyone know of any way that we could get an emergency travel authorization, to allow her to fly with me to Canada? I don't want to leave here without her.

 

[scylla]

I am a Canadian citizen. On Thursday, we got a passport request for her Canadian PR. I want us both to leave Russia ASAP, but it seems like it can be a few weeks before she is able to get her passport sent for the visa.


Does anyone know of any way that we could get an emergency travel authorization, to allow her to fly with me to Canada? I don't want to leave here without her.

IRCC has implemented special measures but only for those from Ukraine. No special measures have been announced for those from Russia yet.

There is no emergency travel authorization available unfortunately. It sounds like she has submitted her passport for PR visa stamping. So I would try to get that expedited by sending a webform with an urgent request. Don't think there's anything you can do beyond that (unless IRCC announces similar special measures for Russians). The alternative would be to apply for a TRV. But at this point that would probably take longer than getting the PR visa - plus it sounds like you've already submitted her passport.

 

[scylla]

I am a Canadian citizen. On Thursday, we got a passport request for her Canadian PR. I want us both to leave Russia ASAP, but it seems like it can be a few weeks before she is able to get her passport sent for the visa.


Does anyone know of any way that we could get an emergency travel authorization, to allow her to fly with me to Canada? I don't want to leave here without her.

A further thought that is probably coming too late...

If you haven't submitted her passport for visa stamping yet, then another possible option would be to get yourselves to another European country now (not Belarus obviously) and then submit her passport for visa stamping through that VO - basically ask them to move the stamping process since you've changed locations. This should be very doable.

Of course the complications with this is that you most likely have to travel and cross into a different country by land given all of the flight restrictions. This options also depends on her still having her passport. If her passport is already submitted for visa stamping, then I think all you can do is send the webforms to request fast processing.

 

[razor787]

A further thought that is probably coming too late...

If you haven't submitted her passport for visa stamping yet, then another possible option would be to get yourselves to another European country now (not Belarus obviously) and then submit her passport for visa stamping through that VO - basically ask them to move the stamping process since you've changed locations. This should be very doable.

Of course the complications with this is that you most likely have to travel and cross into a different country by land given all of the flight restrictions. This options also depends on her still having her passport. If her passport is already submitted for visa stamping, then I think all you can do is send the webforms to request fast processing.

Yeah, we have already had the passport sent off to Warsaw. She doesn't have a Shengen visa, so going to another VO isn't possible.

All we can do now is wait. We have confirmation that the passport is on the way to the VO, so at least we know that it will go.

 

[scylla]

Yeah, we have already had the passport sent off to Warsaw. She doesn't have a Shengen visa, so going to another VO isn't possible.

All we can do now is wait. We have confirmation that the passport is on the way to the VO, so at least we know that it will go.

I'm assuming you've heard that Aeroflot is stopping flights to all countries with the exception of Belarus effective March 8th. I understand they've also been removed from the global airline ticketing system. Not sure where you are located but a land border crossing may be your most effective means of travel once you have the visa.

Also, this might be helpful for your current situation (not immigration related but people are posting this across the web so thought I'd share with you in case you haven't seen):

The Russian authorities have restricted access to BBC websites in Russian and English, as well as other international and independent media, accusing them of circulating "false information" about what is happening in Ukraine.

In response, the BBC said "access to accurate, independent information is a fundamental human right which should not be denied to the people of Russia, millions of whom rely on BBC News every week".

Record numbers of people have read the BBC's Russian language news website since the invasion.

To get around the BBC ban in Russia:

download the Psiphon app from the AppStore or Google Play Store

look for the dedicated BBC site on the Tor Browser which can be found using this URL. Note that this URL only works using the Tor Browser or the Onion Browser (on iPhones)

if access to the apps is restricted then send a blank email to get@psiphon3.com or gettor@torproject.org. An email will be sent in response with a direct and safe download link

The BBC has also launched two new shortwave frequencies broadcasting World Service English news for four hours a day to Ukraine and parts of Russia:

15735 kHz from 14:00 GMT to 16:00 GMT

5875 kHz from 20:00 GMT to 22:00 GMT

 

[vladmirgc]

I'm assuming you've heard that Aeroflot is stopping flights to all countries with the exception of Belarus effective March 8th. I understand they've also been removed from the global airline ticketing system. Not sure where you are located but a land border crossing may be your most effective means of travel once you have the visa.

Also, this might be helpful for your current situation (not immigration related but people are posting this across the web so thought I'd share with you in case you haven't seen):

The Russian authorities have restricted access to BBC websites in Russian and English, as well as other international and independent media, accusing them of circulating "false information" about what is happening in Ukraine.

In response, the BBC said "access to accurate, independent information is a fundamental human right which should not be denied to the people of Russia, millions of whom rely on BBC News every week".

Record numbers of people have read the BBC's Russian language news website since the invasion.

To get around the BBC ban in Russia:

download the Psiphon app from the AppStore or Google Play Store

look for the dedicated BBC site on the Tor Browser which can be found using this URL. Note that this URL only works using the Tor Browser or the Onion Browser (on iPhones)

if access to the apps is restricted then send a blank email to get@psiphon3.com or gettor@torproject.org. An email will be sent in response with a direct and safe download link

The BBC has also launched two new shortwave frequencies broadcasting World Service English news for four hours a day to Ukraine and parts of Russia:

15735 kHz from 14:00 GMT to 16:00 GMT

5875 kHz from 20:00 GMT to 22:00 GMT

Not sure what BBC or Aeroflot have to do with what he asked. There are many airlines flying to Russia, like Air Serbia, Turkish Airlines, etc.