Visa-free travels between Chukotka and Alaska

The Government of the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics and the Government of the United States of America wishing to develop cooperation in the Bering Straits Region and wishing to provide a mechanism of solving minor incidents at the local levels agreed to establish the Bering Straits Regional Commission.

The Intergovernmental Agreement was signed on September 23, 1989 at Jackson Hole, the State of Wyoming, USA.

The Commission consists of three Russian and three American members, named the Commissioners; one of the Commissioners from the both sides is named the Chief Commissioner.

The Russian Chief Commissioner continuously resides in Anadyr or Provideniya. The area of his activity is also the Iultinsky, Providensky, Chukotsky Rayons, and the eastern part of the Anadyrsky Rayon, including Anadyr.

The American Chief Commissioner continuously resides in Nome or Gambell. The area of his activity is the Nome and Kobuk Census Areas of the State of Alaska.

The Commission is authorized to consider and solve, where it is appropriate, minor local incidents, including:
• individuals’ involuntary entering the territory of the other side without this side’s permission or any other legal reasons;
• in cases, covered by the Soviet-American Agreement concerning mutual relations in the sphere of fishing, return of fishing equipment, including crab traps which appeared at the territory of the other side in the result of natural reasons;
• return of property which appeared at the territory of the other side because of the incident.

The Commission also assists in:
• providing help in emergency cases (detainment, arrest, missing, illness or death of a person visiting the territory of the other side);
• providing medical services, etc.

The Commissioners plan regular meetings which are held in Russia and the USA by turns.

Some facts from the history.

September 23, 1989. At Jackson Hole, the State of Wyoming, USA there were signed Intergovernmental Agreements concerning Mutual Visits by Inhabitants of the Bering Straits Region and concerning the Bering Straits Regional Commission.

September 27-28, 1991. In Nome, the State of Alaska, USA the first formal meeting of the Commission’s Sides was held. The American Party was headed by the Chief Commissioner Caleb Pungowiyi; the Russian Party was headed by the Chief Commissioner Nina I. Vaal. The participants of the meeting had an opportunity to discuss some important issues concerning the Commission: an invitation and notification form, mechanism of its transmission to the other side, communication facilities, import/export of personal objects and presents, environment protection and other.

1992. The right to travel to Alaska visa-free was given to the Chukchi.
1994. The record number of Chukotka native inhabitants (355 people) visited Alaska.
1996. The fee for documents for a visa-free trip was abolished.
2001. The Alaska-Chukotka Summit confirmed the Parties’ intentions to develop and support cooperation in the Bering Straits Region; the important part of this cooperation is visa-free travels of native inhabitants in the frame of mutual economic, cultural, educational and tourist programs.

What is necessary to know for a trip across the Bering Straits?

Today native inhabitants from the Iultinsky, Providensky, Chukotsky Rayons, and the eastern part of the Anadyrsky Rayon, including Anadyr have the right tot travel to the State of Alaska visa-free.

Thus, you’ve decided to visit your relatives who live in the Nome or Kobuk Census Area. You must notify the U.S. (Chief) Commissioner through the Russian Chief Commissioner or through U.S. relatives who have extended you a written invitation to visit, a minimum of ten days in advance of the visit. In the invitation-notification there must be provided your surname and name, the Russian passport number, the date and place of birth, names and addresses of the relatives who have extended you an invitation to visit, the date of your intended visit, method of travel, and the intended checkpoint to be used.

The checkpoints for crossing the Russian border are Anadyr, Provideniya, Lavrentiya and Uelen in the Chukotka Autonomous Region.

The checkpoints for crossing the US border are Nome and Gambell, the State of Alaska.

Inhabitants traveling on the visa-free basis are subject to border and customs control in the checkpoint.

Children under the age of sixteen may travel only when accompanying their parents or other adults. An insert stating that such children are inhabitants of the designated U.S. area or designated Russian area is placed in the passport of a parent or accompanying adult.

The mentioned insert is issued by the territorial bodies of the Federal Migration Service Department in the Chukotka Autonomous Region. In order to get this insert an inhabitant must provide the invitation from his/her American relatives signed by one the American and Russian Commissioners, the Russian passport, an application-questionary on traveling abroad and two photos.

It must be mention that it takes not less than two weeks to form all the necessary documents.

If you’ve decided to invite your relative, who lives in Alaska, in the Nome or Kobuk Census Area, you must apply to an officer of the territorial body of the Federal Migration Service Department in the Chukotka Autonomous Region with your passport, and then you must fill an application-questionary in. After the check procedure you will be given an invitation-notification which you must fill in and send to your relative in Alaska. There must be provided your relative’s surname, name, address and passport data, a point of entry, method of travel and scheduled date of departure from Alaska.

This invitation must be obligatory signed and sealed by the Russian Chief Commissioner (Commissioner).

If you have any questions, please, contact the Russian Office of the Bering Straits Regional Commission. Address: Suite 49, 20 Bering Street, Anadyr. Phone/Fax: (42722) 2-90-49

Your rights, duties and responsibilities at the other territory.

Chukotka inhabitants may stay in the Alaska areas designated by the Agreement no longer than 90 days. They may not go to any other part of the USA which is out of the designated areas.

Inhabitants invited to Alaska and staying there must follow its Law. Those people who violate it and articles of the Agreement concerning Mutual Visits by Inhabitants of the Bering Straits Region may be denied permission to enter this country in future.

In the event that your passport or the insert to the passport is lost or becomes unusable during your visit in the territory of Alaska, you must notify the designated authorities of the State. After consultation with the Russian authorities you will be issued a document to facilitate your return travel.

Chukotka inhabitants going abroad may bring in with them items for personal use or for gift. These items can not be sold in the country of visiting.

Before your trip it is useful to learn laws and customs of the visiting country, peculiarities of behavior at public and other sites.