Visa Slightly Fixed

We knew that there would be obstacles once we got into Russia and while we all mentally prepared for them, we were not expecting trouble with our visas. So while waiting for the car, the car parts, and the car documents we were working very hard to get our visas in order so that our trip could continue as planned.  During our visit to the US consulate we were directed to a Russian company that could help us obtain new Visas while in Russia. They also placed a call to the company asking whether they would have an English translator there the next day for us to talk to, because no one in our group speaks Russian, and the consulate was assured there would be.

All together the next morning, we all journeyed to what we believed was the right street and the right building for our Russian visas, but we ran into a slight inconvenience when all the business signs on the outside were a) in Russian and b) none of the phone numbers on the said business signs matched the one we were given. For help in finding the correct office we called the number we were given, but there was no answer. Then we called the number again... and again... and again but there was never an answer. Perturbed, we called the US consulate in hopes that they would be able to give us better directions than the street name and building number, which they did. This only aided us slightly though as they directed us though a tunnel arch into the back of the building where once again we ran into the same problem of all the descriptive signs being in Russian and no phone number matching the one given to us. 

Aggravated, we resorted to the method of entering each building one by one, trying to gain entry into each door in each building one by one, and showing our passports to the every Russian we saw in hopes that they would be able to direct us to the right office. For our efforts we received a lot of scowling looks (Russians are very good at scowling) and a lot of nyet's (no in Russian). Dejected, we left the building hoping for a miracle. 

The next day that miracle appeared, his name is Oleg and he is a Russian student who goes to school in the United States. We returned to that cursed street with Oleg leading the way. He quickly found the correct building, quickly found the office that created the necessary documents to obtain new visas, and then turned in these documents to the government authorities who would have everything ready for us by next Tuesday (it was Friday). All the while, we were assured that we would be receiving the same double entry business visas that we entered the country with filling us with a great deal of excitement and relief. With that obstacle seemingly surmounted we waited the weekend until we could pick up our new visas. 

On Tuesday we returned to the visa office with Oleg to pick up our new visas and passports. While there Oleg told us the bad news; our new visas were only exit visas. The other officials who said they could get us the same double entry business visas we entered the country with misinformed us. So, we can now leave Russia, but we cannot reenter. Thankfully, Jack was in contact with a company in Ulaan Baatar that will be able to get us Russian visas so we can enter the country again. So, we are once more we will go through an entire Russian visa process when we enter Mongolia and as expected none of us can speak Mongolian. 

--Richard