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I am visiting Moscow, Russia and leaving on a specific date in July, per my tourist visa. I'll be leaving via bus, going into Lithuania.

I just realized that the bus leaves at 10:30pm the day my visa expires and won't cross the Russian border into Lithuania until 6am on the 27th. So my visa will be expired before I even cross the border.

Should I change my bus tickets? Or will the 6-hour overage probably not be a big deal? I really don't want to get stuck in Russia.

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    If I were you I would take another bus and leave Russia on 26th.
    – Dirty-flow
    May 30, 2014 at 14:59
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    In many countries with corrupt officials this kind of thing is exactly what they will try to use against you to go for a bribe. I wouldn't be surprised to hear if this kind of thing would happen in Russia but don't have the experience to confirm or deny. Even if nobody is corrupt there is very often a time-based fine. I'd change my ticket or carry enough money to cover the fine.
    – hippietrail
    May 31, 2014 at 4:30
  • Good to know. I carried money in Indonesia, too, in case the need to bribe officials ever arose. I need to avoid a mark on my passport because I may want to re-visit Russia, so I've changed the tickets, and I'm squared away!
    – Chad Johnson
    May 31, 2014 at 6:25

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I was on a train with a Canadian who experienced this.

We left Irkutsk, Russia heading towards Ulan Bator, Mongolia on the ... let's say Tuesday, the last day of his visa. Seemed ok, but we didn't actually cross the border until early on the Wednesday. The result - he was a few hours over his visa.

The security and passport people came on the train, took our passports, and announced - "there is problem". He was whisked off the train, and we debated dividing up his stuff - there'd been no indication what was going to happen.

A couple of hours later (we were at the border for ages) he returned. He'd been fined for overstaying, and apparently there's a base fine, and an additional fine per day over. Plus a mark in his passport for overstaying, if I recall correctly.

You won't get stuck in Russia. But you will get in trouble. Get an earlier bus, or if you can, adjust your visa. Either way, don't overstay.

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    we debated dividing up his stuff -- I can't tell if this is humor, or if you were planning to divide his stuff to return it to him later, or if you really are that devious, and I should never travel with you! :)
    – Flimzy
    May 30, 2014 at 15:28
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    @Bernhard: Countries which are both laid-back and not very corrupt. Especially if the visitor is from a favoured country. Even then it would depend on the mood of the official.
    – hippietrail
    May 31, 2014 at 4:33
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    Ah, I love Europe. No visa as long as you stay in the countries of the EU.
    – 11684
    May 31, 2014 at 10:28
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    Dividing up his stuff ?!?! Damn, you guys are hard-core.
    – Aditya Somani
    Jun 2, 2014 at 2:01
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    Additional info about such situation: you need the exit visa which is quite time and money consuming
    – VMAtm
    Jun 2, 2014 at 7:17

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