Moscow Times

Wednesday, November 7, 2007. Issue 3780. Page 3.

The Federal Migration Service confirmed on Tuesday that foreigners with old residency permits were being barred from leaving the country under newly enforced regulations.

A 2002 law requires foreigners to change their residency permits for new ones but does not set a deadline for the swap. The Federal Migration Service ordered border guards six months ago to stop foreigners with the old permits from entering or leaving the country, said Konstantin Poltoranin, a spokesman for the migration service.

Apparently, the border guards are now starting to enforce the order.

"We are trying to do our best to inform people, but local bureaucrats work very poorly," Poltoranin said.

Among those caught off guard is Carine Clement -- the French director of the Institute for Collective Action, an NGO, and wife of State Duma Deputy Oleg Shein -- who was prevented from flying out of Sheremetyevo Airport over the weekend. Clement, whose residency permit expires in May, said she was not informed about the change when she applied for a new permit in October. Moreover, she recently visited Rome without any problems.

Poltoranin said Clement should not have been allowed to travel to Rome and should have been informed about the problem with her old permit when she applied for the new one. He said a foreigner should fill out an application for a new permit at the passport and visa department in his local police station and would get a new permit within days.