Like Lars, I also traveled in Russia this past summer, in my case from Vladivostok to Latvia via motorcycle. Comments on your questions:

1. I used a business visa and was obviously not in Russia on business, and at no time was this ever questioned in any way. My impression is that the "business" designation is meaningless.

2. In all the preparations for my trip, I never heard ot an "auto-tourism visa." I did have to register my bike after entry into Russia in Vladivostok and was given a registration paper.

3. I used my gps throughout Russia without it ever being questioned, even though it was usually in full view at police checkpoints. As precautions, I did not declare it upon entry into Russia (it was in my luggage, which was not hand searched upon entry) and the one time I was asked what it was at a checkpoint I replied it was an electronic compass. An officer did comment on it at a couple of checkpoints, calling it a gps, but there was no indication of concern about it by the officers. It is my impression that the law about a gps being illegal is a holdover from the Soviet days and it is no longer enforced, as is the case with a number of laws (but I could be wrong about this).

4. The International Drivers Permit has a page in Russian, and that seems to be all that is required. However, I was only asked for the IDP a couple of times - my Idaho drivers license seemed to usually be sufficient, which obviously wasn't in Russian.

Hope this is of help. Good luck.



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Mike

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Mike