Dawn7666

Our daughter does hold dual citizenship and has both an American passport and a Russian passport. She was staying with a great-aunt and has some old friends in the area that she has kept up with via the internet. We have spoken to the aunt by phone and believe she will help us when we get there. My Russian is very rusty but have been studying up, but yes, a translator and some local help might be in order. Wonderful ideas about contacting the state department and I do plan to contact our old adoption agency Monday and see who they might have on the ground there who could help. And of course, we are praying fervently that she will contact us.

LoveItaly

What a scary story Dawn. I wish I knew you as I have some family members that speak perfect Russian. What did the greataunt have to offer about this situation? Did she know anything or do you think she was not sharing what she knew with you?

Dawn7666

We do have some friends who speak Russian and they have been talking to the aunt for us but she does not know where Nina went when Nina left her home, she does have some ideas, and she is trying to get more information. She seems to be as shocked and dismayed as we are. She knows what a wonderful life Nina has here and how difficult it will be for Nina to be sucessful in Russia.

FrankS

Dawn
You might also try the Russian Dept at a University near you, they often have relationships with English Speakers at Russian Universities that would jump at the chance to be a guide for you. You might find someone who has a car too. This way tou would have a car,driver and guide for probably the price of a car rental(after insurance) in Russia.
Question: If you adopted her, why does she still get her Russian Passport renewed? The US doesnt allow dual citizenship with Russia

Dawn7666

Good idea and good question. Somehow she was able to renew her Russian passport.

thursdaysd

"The US doesnt allow dual citizenship with Russia". Nonsense. Whether or not dual citizenship is possible for naturalized Americans is determined by the second country, not the US. From the US State Dept. web site:

"American Citizens Also Holding Russian Passports: Dual U.S./Russian nationals who enter Russia on Russian passports face several possible difficulties. Russian authorities will not permit departure from Russia if the person’s Russian passport has expired or has been lost, whether or not the traveler also has a valid U.S. passport. In these cases the traveler will be required to obtain a new Russian passport, a process that can take several months. In order to apply for a Russian visa in a U.S. passport, however, Russian consular officials normally require a person to renounce his or her Russian citizenship. "

And on dual nationality in general (my emphasis): A U.S. citizen may acquire foreign citizenship by marriage, or a person naturalized as a U.S. citizen may not lose the citizenship of the country of birth. <b>U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one citizenship or another.</b> Also, a person who is automatically granted another citizenship does not risk losing U.S. citizenship. However, a person who acquires a foreign citizenship by applying for it may lose U.S. citizenship. In order to lose U.S. citizenship, the law requires that the person must apply for the foreign citizenship voluntarily, by free choice, and with the intention to give up U.S. citizenship.

FrankS

I understood that this child was ADOPTED then was able to renew the Russian passport. I am aware a Russian American can try to maintain an illegal dual citizenship by holding two passports. Russians who take an oath of citizenship in the US are still considered citizens of Russia until its renounced irregardless of the US oath. However the adoption makes this issue different.

I bring this up Russia will not recognize the US Citizenship if she entered w/a Russian Passport.

thursdaysd

&quot;I am aware a Russian American can try to maintain an illegal dual citizenship by holding two passports.&quot; The State Dept. says that this is NOT illegal. Are you saying it is illegal in Russia (originally you said it was illegal in the US)? Citation, please. If you have dual citizenship and enter the other country your US citizenship is superseded by the other citizenship while you are in that country regardless of which country is involved.

Dawn7666

Well, whatever the status of her citizenship and the fact that she holds two passports, the United
States State Department and Embassy in Moscow were wonderfully helpful and responsive after I contacted them this morning and we have now been at least in phone contact with our daughter and know that she is safe. There are still some issues to sort out and conversations to be had and she is not ready to jump on a plane home yet, but we are making progress. We might still be going over there, but she is open to meeting us in Moscow so we don't have to worry about a car or anything and can just use the Metro, which I agree is wonderful.
You all have been so generous with your advice and I so appreciate you helping a stranger in need. You definitely gave me some good ideas and had knowledge that kept me from making some costly mistakes. Thank you all and God Bless and may your children never give this kind of worry! Thank you.

thursdaysd

Dawn - so glad to hear your good news! Thanks for updating us, and best wishes.

LoveItaly

I am so glad to hear that you were able to talk to your daughter Dawn. Whatever the issue is I hope it gets worked out. I can only imagine the stress that you two plus your son-in-law have gone through. May the end of the story be a happy ending.

FrankS

Dawn, Thats great! How were they able to find her?

Thursday, true if she were in the USA, however as you see she isnt. She is a Russian National, on Russian land &amp; under Russian laws as far as Russia is concerned. Unless the citizenship was 'renounced'(which it was not evidenced by the Russian passport), Russia would not concsider her US Citizenship valid. Thats why Dawn needs a Visa to see her.

thursdaysd

FrankS - glad to see that you now agree with me. And Dawn needs a Russian visa whatever her daughter's citizenship status.

FrankS

Thursday, My position never changed, It appears you now realize the facts of the matter.

bratsandbeer

Thank you for keeping us informed about your progress. Happy to hear you contacted the state dept and the embassy. That is what they are there for - to help us in foreign countries. If a problem turns up they are in it from the beginning.

We will be waiting to hear from you on how this all turns out - and we hope for the best - that your daughter comes home.

Padraig

I have been following this thread, feeling empathy for Dawn, but saying nothing because I had nothing constructive to contribute.

But now I want to say that I am delighted that things are better, and hope that Dawn will soon be in a position to report that everybody is happy.

amp322

Sounds like you have a plan, so I'm wishing you the best! Hope everything works out.... &gt;-

Dawn7666

HOTEL RECCOMENDATIONS?
You all hve ben so wonderfully helpful. Any hotel reccomendations? I am not sure what part of the city is going to be conveneint to our daughter, but trying to keep the price below $200 a night, what do you know about any of these hotels?
Izmailovo Gamma-Delta, Maxima Irbis or Slavinia, Borodino, Soveitysky, Kebur Palace, Budapest, Cosmos, Okhotnik, Peking, or Planernoe.

thursdaysd

Sorry - the hotel I stayed in (the Rossiya) has been torn down, and I certainly wouldn't recommend my home-stay! Have you checked out those hotels on tripadvisor.com?

FrankS

Dawn,
Russians get much better rates for hotels than do tourists. Have Nina book a place, she can book a palace for 200/night.