Maid moving to Russia...

[nutnut]

Our maid of 3 years is leaving our employment in a few weeks to move to a job in Russia with her "cousin", we believe she has only got her tourist visa for this.

Her cousin states that she needs an open return ticket to be able to pass through immigration, however, this is not something that we can get nowadays I don't think, her cousin also said that this does not cost anything extra.

Questions:

Can a Filipina maid on a commercial tourist visa pass through immigration with a one way flight?

Or

Are open return "vouchers" available for free on flights does anyone know?

I am a bit annoyed as the flight to Russia is 3x the flight to Manilla anyway, but, to pay for a return will be the same as another single, when she simply cannot return to Singapore anyway, it's useless and expensive!

Thanks for your help

[nakatago]

Cousin is very plausible but sounds like she intends to work without a proper visa in Russia in absence of more information.

It's a common trope with Filipinas: join a friend/relative in another country using a tourist visa. Get work where that friend/relative is working. Evade immigration officials until caught or married to a citizen.

Her cousin states that she needs an open return ticket to be able to pass through immigration, however, this is not something that we can get nowadays I don't think, her cousin also said that this does not cost anything extra.

Questions:

Can a Filipina maid on a commercial tourist visa pass through immigration with a one way flight?

The return ticket is usually a requirement in the Philippines. Not sure if Singapore cares if yet another dirty foreigner is leaving for good.

[zzm9980]

The return ticket is usually a requirement in the Philippines. Not sure if Singapore cares if yet another dirty foreigner is leaving for good.

I assumed he meant immigration in Russia. Singapore will definitely not care about her the second she gets her passport chopped on the way out.

Everywhere I've travelled, it has been the airline at check-in that has policed this. I would call the airline you intend to buy her the ticket on to ask them since that's where you'll likely have the trouble.

[x9200]

I guess she will get a fixed period visa anyway so why this needs to be an open ticket? Probably sufficient would be to have it possible to change the dates. And following this, I would check what are the Russia neighboring countries where she does not need any visa (or VOA) and book the cheapest possible ticket on any route from a city in Russia to a city in this country. In other words, one ticket to Russia, another Russia - short flight to a visa free country.

[nutnut]

I think I'll try Nak's suggestion first, call the airline! (Cheers bud!)

Following that, I hope to help her, but frankly, I don't want to get her a return ticket to Singapore when she cannot return as she has no visa and it won't get used! It's a waste of $600 additional to do that!

Let's see what the airline say.

[nutnut]

Airline are fobbing me off to the embassy.

I can call them on Monday.

[nakatago]

Airline are fobbing me off to the embassy.

I can call them on Monday.

FYI, list of countries where Filipinos can travel visa-free or do not require to get a visa beforehand:

http://www.tripmart.com.ph/visa-section ... filipinos/

Notable: Azerbaijan and Georgia. Uzbekibekibekistanstan is not included.

[movingtospore]

Not to be overly cheap but are you really obligated to buy her a ticket to Russia? Don't think so.

[nutnut]

You are right, we are not obliged, but, she has served our family well for 3 years and my kids have grown very fond of her, or course, to send her back to Manilla would be $150 and the cheapest option, BUT, we want to help her on her way as much as we can, so rather than buying her things to take home to Philippines, we want to offer her this opportunity. As she has arranged all of this herself, we are not aware of how dodgy the people involved in Moscow are, but, she's a grown woman and all we can do is offer her our support!

However, I don't want to spend $500 on a return trip that will never be used!

[Mi Amigo]

You are right, we are not obliged, but, she has served our family well for 3 years and my kids have grown very fond of her, or course, to send her back to Manilla would be $150 and the cheapest option, BUT, we want to help her on her way as much as we can, so rather than buying her things to take home to Philippines, we want to offer her this opportunity. As she has arranged all of this herself, we are not aware of how dodgy the people involved in Moscow are, but, she's a grown woman and all we can do is offer her our support!

These are very laudible sentiments of course, but my concern would be whether or not you might subsequently be deemed to be complicit in any dodginess that later came to light.

[nutnut]

She has a visa, all I will be doing is paying for a flight to a country where she is legally allowed to visit, I can't see how I would be responsible for that!

She's also not the type to dodgy stuff, we know her fairly well, 3 years is a decent length of time!

I'm buying her a single, done! if she needs a return, she can buy it herself, back to Philippines.

[Mi Amigo]

Fair enough, nutnut, I was just thinking about the consequences if anything untoward were to happen. Hopefully all will go well for her.

[nutnut]

I am sure she goes into these things with her eyes open, she has been a house maid/nanny for the last 12 years and is visibly a very quiet and loving lady. I can't see her being naive, I also cannot see her suffering fools, so fingers crossed.

Confirmed by her friend/cousin that indeed she is fine to travel with a single ticket (for those who are interested in the result) As long as you have the appropriate visa.

[ecureilx]

I assumed he meant immigration in Russia. Singapore will definitely not care about her the second she gets her passport chopped on the way out.

Everywhere I've travelled, it has been the airline at check-in that has policed this. I would call the airline you intend to buy her the ticket on to ask them since that's where you'll likely have the trouble.

Many airline check in crew can, and have the right to refuse to check in a passenger minus a valid return .. and the rule is strictly enforced for 'some' passports, more than others ..

[nutnut]

She understands that this is not an issue in Russia, to be honest, I hope that is the case, I will take her to check-in...