Moving to Russia in a week or two. What problems should we expect? (Details inside.)

[Freud]

I told you guys a while back that we are moving to Russia. Well, it's about that time. So here's the plan and I'd like to know what you guys think...

We plan to fly out of Dallas/Fort Worth airport. We could do Austin but DFW seems like the better choice. It appears we will go through Turkey and have 2 layovers although we haven't bought tickets quite yet. Planning on bringing cash with us to supplement what we already have in Sberbank. Not sure yet if we will bring enough cash that we have to declare it. I know there are limits on electronic cash transfers - is there any possibility of us having problems because we are hand carrying dollars from the US to Russia?

The most irritating detail is that I have to have a COVID PCR test to get into Russia. And that test has to have been initiated within 48 hours of arriving in Russia (Шереметьево). Not a huge deal but it would still stink if our flights were delayed and the test expired before we got there. Not sure how they would handle that. If we found out our flight is being delayed then maybe we could get another PCR test in Turkey.

[Benedikt]

I told you guys a while back that we are moving to Russia. Well, it's about that time. So here's the plan and I'd like to know what you guys think...

We plan to fly out of Dallas/Fort Worth airport. We could do Austin but DFW seems like the better choice. It appears we will go through Turkey and have 2 layovers although we haven't bought tickets quite yet. Planning on bringing cash with us to supplement what we already have in Sberbank. Not sure yet if we will bring enough cash that we have to declare it. I know there are limits on electronic cash transfers - is there any possibility of us having problems because we are hand carrying dollars from the US to Russia?

The most irritating detail is that I have to have a COVID PCR test to get into Russia. And that test has to have been initiated within 48 hours of arriving in Russia (Шереметьево). Not a huge deal but it would still stink if our flights were delayed and the test expired before we got there. Not sure how they would handle that. If we found out our flight is being delayed then maybe we could get another PCR test in Turkey.

welcome to Russia!
you can bring as much money as you want.as long as it is legal. 10k $ or more you have to declare. AND also need -proof- where the money came from. selling a house, winning it in Vegas, or a bankstatement. better though, if you have LOTS of money, have papers prepared in russian language, signed and stamped by whoever does that in the USA.
a PCR if needed, can be done on any airport. if your stopover though is short, an EXPRESS serive will cost..
facemasks are NOT needed anywhere in Moscow, or Russia that is. BUT if you feel you want one, special in the crowds, you can have it. ( i do it...) but there are places where -they themselves - are demanding that one wears a mask. hospital, clinics and the likes. again, it is up to you what you wear, those -special -masks,FFP, or whatever they are called, i think in the USA yo have another name for them, no one is demanding them. you are also aware that in Russia, as far as i know, only Sputnik V vaccines are used. no Moderna, no Pfizer-Biontech or the likes. i got 2 and a booster, no negative reactions of any kind. and i did NOT get Vodka or applejuice or water instead of the vaccine.
whatever you hear on Tv or see on the news or read in the papers, believe only half of it, and about the rest, well, i believe nothing... read up here. www.moscowtimes.com, not the best, fairly anti government, or anti anything, but at least you are somewhat informed.
what you definitely should bring when coming here, for the simple reason that your body is used to it. and that it is the last thing you need, is hunting around for the right stuff. it is medicine. special if you need something regularity every day. have a prescription with you. have it translated into russian language by an -authority-. special if or when yo bring a fairly big amount... amount should than be at least for a month or two.

bring a dog or cat? your vet back in the States should know what you need. passport,vaccinations, chip and the likes. about food for pets yo don't have to worry. from -local- made, to the most exotic import ( for a price though) everything is there. and there is more or ,less on -every corner- at least in Moscow, a vet, a petshop and a vet -chemist.
..
by the way it is still cold. today,Thursday 14the April it had -2C,when at 5 in the morning i took the dogs out for their morning walls.
BUT that does change from one week to the next. and soon, hopefully we will be running around i nshorts and t shirt...

you know that in Moscow -we- are working with 220 Volt, 50 Hertz, so either you leave all the -cheap- appliances back home. or you need an adapter for everything...

but most important, feel free to ask here, there are always people around who know what to reply..
and one more time,welcome to Russia! ( i am an Austrian by the way and over 30 years in Moscow. and have no desire to go back to that little Banananrepublic called Austria)

[Uncle Wally]

I told you guys a while back that we are moving to Russia. Well, it's about that time. So here's the plan and I'd like to know what you guys think...

We plan to fly out of Dallas/Fort Worth airport. We could do Austin but DFW seems like the better choice. It appears we will go through Turkey and have 2 layovers although we haven't bought tickets quite yet. Planning on bringing cash with us to supplement what we already have in Sberbank. Not sure yet if we will bring enough cash that we have to declare it. I know there are limits on electronic cash transfers - is there any possibility of us having problems because we are hand carrying dollars from the US to Russia?

The most irritating detail is that I have to have a COVID PCR test to get into Russia. And that test has to have been initiated within 48 hours of arriving in Russia (Шереметьево). Not a huge deal but it would still stink if our flights were delayed and the test expired before we got there. Not sure how they would handle that. If we found out our flight is being delayed then maybe we could get another PCR test in Turkey.

It shouldn't be hard to get a test and in Moscow you don't have to wear a mask, anywhere, not even in a hospital or clinic. My wife was just in our clinic and was in a hospital two weeks ago and no mask. Whatever you do, don't read the Moscow Times, there is nothing there that will improve your life or knowledge, you could be more the worst for it.

Everything is normal here, I know that might freak you out coming from a country that is more like an psycho ward. Plan to drink a lot of vodka if you are going to meet friends or relatives.

The first year everything is new, second year you start to get used to things, third year you start to have some difficulty, four year you miss home. After fives years you are fully adjusted, you have made friends, found a job that you like, start feeling comfortable and don't miss home, find no need to go back. The key is don't go back and forth, just stay here. After 5 or 6 years if you do go back you may find that the people back home sound stupid, I did anyway.

[Benedikt]

It shouldn't be hard to get a test and in Moscow you don't have to wear a mask, anywhere, not even in a hospital or clinic. My wife was just in our clinic and was in a hospital two weeks ago and no mask. Whatever you do, don't read the Moscow Times, there is nothing there that will improve your life or knowledge, you could be more the worst for it.

Everything is normal here, I know that might freak you out coming from a country that is more like an psycho ward. Plan to drink a lot of vodka if you are going to meet friends or relatives.

The first year everything is new, second year you start to get used to things, third year you start to have some difficulty, four year you miss home. After fives years you are fully adjusted, you have made friends, found a job that you like, start feeling comfortable and don't miss home, find no need to go back. The key is don't go back and forth, just stay here. After 5 or 6 years if you do go back you may find that the people back home sound stupid, I did anyway.

well i am not starting an argument here, but in Strogino,where we live, at the clinic where i did a yearly routine control test for TB, we all had face masks. every single one.

[Freud]

Thanks guys! No big surprises in what you said. I definitely saw my wife go through the adjustment process so I'm already expecting the same to happen to me. Hopefully WWIII holds off for a few more weeks!

[Benedikt]

Thanks guys! No big surprises in what you said. I definitely saw my wife go through the adjustment process so I'm already expecting the same to happen to me. Hopefully WWIII holds off for a few more weeks!

i am not worried about another world war. there will be none. but i had enough of snow and cold. and THAT will be, at least the next 2 weeks.. https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/russia/moscow/ext

[Freud]

We got our plane tickets and will be there in less than 2 weeks.

Currently, we are gathering cash to take there. Usually, we try to get absolutely perfect condition bills. You know, no marks, folds, etc. Right now, we have a bunch of perfect bills but about half have some very minor imperfection. Thing is, we used to change dollars to rubles with some guys that stood outside a shopping area. From what I understand these kinds of informal currency exchange are now illegal. Is that correct? If so, we will be depositing the money into a Sberbank account. Anybody know how picky Sberbank is about the condition of the US bills they will accept?

As hard as it is for Russians to get US currency right now, I wouldn't think they would be terribly worried about a tiny little mark but I might be very wrong.

Oh yeah, another question: Is depositing the US bills into Sberbank the best move or is there some other way we should exchange our dollars (legally). Or maybe we should just keep our money in dollars until we need to spend them. Who knows, the rate might go more in our favor in the next year or so.

Any thoughts appreciated.

[Remington]

We got our plane tickets and will be there in less than 2 weeks.

Currently, we are gathering cash to take there. Usually, we try to get absolutely perfect condition bills. You know, no marks, folds, etc. Right now, we have a bunch of perfect bills but about half have some very minor imperfection. Thing is, we used to change dollars to rubles with some guys that stood outside a shopping area. From what I understand these kinds of informal currency exchange are now illegal. Is that correct? If so, we will be depositing the money into a Sberbank account. Anybody know how picky Sberbank is about the condition of the US bills they will accept?

As hard as it is for Russians to get US currency right now, I wouldn't think they would be terribly worried about a tiny little mark but I might be very wrong.

Oh yeah, another question: Is depositing the US bills into Sberbank the best move or is there some other way we should exchange our dollars (legally). Or maybe we should just keep our money in dollars until we need to spend them. Who knows, the rate might go more in our favor in the next year or so.

Any thoughts appreciated.

I wouldn't put all USD in Russian bank as government can force banks to convert foreign accounts to rubles at a terrible rate if things get worse. FYI... Sberbank have unfavorable exchange rate so you're better off looking for other banks to do the exchanges.

[Benedikt]

I wouldn't put all USD in Russian bank as government can force banks to convert foreign accounts to rubles at a terrible rate if things get worse. FYI... Sberbank have unfavorable exchange rate so you're better off looking for other banks to do the exchanges.

agree with that. even if i had no problem of that kind with my bank ( i use Raiffeisen. though i used it already i nAustria for many years and in Russia since the begun to operate...)take as much cash as yo can. make sure though yo have documents that you can prove you got the greenbacks LEGAL ( letter from the bank, translate it into russian language fro ma -NOTARIUS-. Translatiob bureau is NOT enough apparently any more for government business. sold the house, get a letter fro the estate agent, and same procedure. won in Vegas at the poker tables? get a letter from the manager, that you DID play and win...)

[Freud]

agree with that. even if i had no problem of that kind with my bank ( i use Raiffeisen. though i used it already i nAustria for many years and in Russia since the begun to operate...)take as much cash as yo can. make sure though yo have documents that you can prove you got the greenbacks LEGAL ( letter from the bank, translate it into russian language fro ma -NOTARIUS-. Translatiob bureau is NOT enough apparently any more for government business. sold the house, get a letter fro the estate agent, and same procedure. won in Vegas at the poker tables? get a letter from the manager, that you DID play and win...)

Well, getting a source would be difficult as it is money we have just saved over time and sales of small stuff. I think needing a source for the money only kicks in if you go over $100k so it wouldn't affect us.

[bydand]

Well, getting a source would be difficult as it is money we have just saved over time and sales of small stuff. I think needing a source for the money only kicks in if you go over $100k so it wouldn't affect us.

Anything over $10,000 "must" be declared when leaving US (consider a money belt).

[Benedikt]

Anything over $10,000 "must" be declared when leaving US (consider a money belt).

all paper currencies have a metal strip in it. if the detector is working as it should, it will bleep. So it better be legal money only.

[bydand]

Didn't know that Ben. Best to fill out a declaration form. Show it to the TSA guys, they don't care (not their job), so probably won't call Customs, which are the ones who care.
https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/fi..._reporting.pdf

[Freud]

Time is getting close! Our flight leaves the US this Friday.

[FatAndy]

Sure takeoff and soft landing, comrade...