Travelling to Russia from Ireland with dual citizenship

irishrussian

Hi all,

I've been given some conflicting advice on this so I just thought I'd ask if anyone here has had a similar situation.

I was born in Russia, and moved to Ireland many years ago. I got my Irish citizenship and Irish passport a few years ago, and this is my first time returning to Russia since getting dual citizenship.

My question is about when/where I should show which passport during my travels.

This is my current understanding:

Dublin Airport (outbound):
Check-in desk - Russian Passport (to prove I can legally enter Russia)
Immigration/Passport Control - N/A in Dublin Airport outbound?
Boarding Gate - Russian Passport

Moscow Airport (inbound):
Immigration/Passport Control - Russian Passport

Moscow Airport (outbound/return):
Check-in Desk - Irish Passport (to prove I can legally enter Ireland)
Immigration/Passport Control - Russian Passport (to prove I was in Russia legally)
Boarding Gate - Irish Passport

Dublin Airport (inbound/return):
Immigration/Passport Control - Irish Passport

Can anybody confirm/advise?

Thanks in advance!

Qrt

irishrussian wrote: »

Hi all,

I've been given some conflicting advice on this so I just thought I'd ask if anyone here has had a similar situation.

I was born in Russia, and moved to Ireland many years ago. I got my Irish citizenship and Irish passport a few years ago, and this is my first time returning to Russia since getting dual citizenship.

My question is about when/where I should show which passport during my travels.

This is my current understanding:

Dublin Airport (outbound):
Check-in desk - Russian Passport (to prove I can legally enter Russia)
Immigration/Passport Control - N/A in Dublin Airport outbound?
Boarding Gate - Russian Passport

Moscow Airport (inbound):
Immigration/Passport Control - Russian Passport

Moscow Airport (outbound/return):
Check-in Desk - Irish Passport (to prove I can legally enter Ireland)
Immigration/Passport Control - Russian Passport (to prove I was in the country legally)
Boarding Gate - Irish Passport

Dublin Airport (inbound/return):
Immigration/Passport Control - Irish Passport

Can anybody confirm/advise?

Thanks in advance!

I highly doubt you can use two different passports for the same flight as per your flight home. I take it you need to put your passport number on the boarding pass while checking in. I’d check with the embassy for peace of mind tbh.

irishrussian

Qrt wrote: »

I highly doubt you can use two different passports for the same flight as per your flight home. I take it you need to put your passport number on the boarding pass while checking in. I’d check with the embassy for peace of mind tbh.

Thanks for the response. I appreciate you taking the time. Ideally I'd like to hear from someone with similar personal experience to be sure.

They don't look at boarding passes at Passport control in an airport when you are leaving. They are really just checking that you were in their country legally, and that you have not outstayed any visas etc. That's why I think it's ok (or in fact advised!) to use a different passport from the one you use at the check-in desk and boarding gate. If I were to show my Irish Passport at Moscow Passport control, they would see I have no visa to be in Moscow and would have a lot of questions. If I use my Russian Passport at check-in/boarding (which has a now-expired Irish visa), they wouldn't let me onto the plane because they would have to fly me back to Russia if I was refused entry to Ireland.

We are not used to this in Ireland, because Irish Immigration police don't seem bothered about checking whether people were in Ireland legally or not when they are leaving!

VG31

Qrt wrote: »

I highly doubt you can use two different passports for the same flight as per your flight home. I take it you need to put your passport number on the boarding pass while checking in. I’d check with the embassy for peace of mind tbh.

Your passport number doesn't go on your boarding pass. People using two passports to avoid visa requirements is common practice though I don't have any personal experience of it.


I can't see any problem with what you are suggesting leaving Ireland. There is no exit immigration from Ireland so that complication isn't there.

For the return journey, what you are suggesting sounds possible but they are so particular about having your documents exactly right in Russia I would get some advice from an official source. I flew LED-MUC-DUB recently. Before you go through exit passport control there is a boarding pass check where they stamp your boarding pass. Then at passport control you give them your boarding pass, passport and migration card (would not apply in your case). I can't see why you couldn't just show your Russian passport here instead. There is nothing on the boarding pass to indicate your passport number. I still have my LH boarding pass with all the stamps on it.

VG31

irishrussian wrote: »

They don't look at boarding passes at Passport control in an airport when you are leaving.

They actually do in St Petersburg (and presumably the rest of Russia) as I mentioned above. However there is no indication of your passport number or nationality so it shouldn't be an issue, as far as I can tell.

goingnowhere

Most countries have a simple rule of if you hold citizenship you must enter on that passport.

For Russia, it will be a lot simpler to enter and exit on a Russian passport as they do checks in both ways. If you enter on the Irish passport then you have to exit on it and produce the registration of residence if there more than a week (which they typically just throw in the bin)

At check in returning from Russia you (may) need to show the Irish passport as the airline will need proof you will be admitted in Dublin on return

The only point you show the Irish passport,
Check in Russia
Passport control on arrival Dublin

You have valid documentation for the journey, the only complication is Russia performs exit passport (and customs) checks

victor8600

goingnowhere wrote: »

Most countries have a simple rule of if you hold citizenship you must enter on that passport.

Exactly. OP, don't worry and carry both passports. In Russia, show your Russian passport; in the EU, show your Irish passport.

They may ask you in the airport in Russia if you have a valid visa to travel to Ireland. In which case you tell that you have the Irish passport, and you may need to show it.

irishrussian

Thanks to everyone for the replies so far!

irishrussian

Mr.S wrote: »

Entering and Leaving Russia, use your Russian passport.
Entering Ireland (or the EU) use your Irish passport.

I'm not convinced. I think the catch with this advice is that when leaving Russia they wouldn't let me onto the plane to Dublin using my Russian passport (because the airline would be responsible for my return if I was refused entry to Ireland, and my Russian passport does not have a valid visa to enter Ireland).

That's why I believe I should show my IRISH passport at the boarding gate (and possibly the check-in desk) in Moscow on my return journey, but show my RUSSIAN passport at passport control (which is the same passport I'll be using to enter Russia a few days beforehand).

Caranica

Why not produce both?