Alexander Zhulin: “I was just so comfortable with my American passport: I didn’t need a visa anywhere. But my passport is expiring, and I can’t prove anything to them. They’re just dumb!”
Alexander Zhulin discusses the difficulties he’s facing in renewing his American passport as its expiration approaches.
original source: RTVI
Alexander Zhulin discusses the difficulties he’s facing in renewing his American passport as its expiration approaches, reflecting on the convenience it once provided for international travel and calling himself “a Russian citizen” moving forward. Here’s a translation of his comments.
Alexander Zhulin revealed that his American passport is nearing its expiration date.
“I couldn’t find the documents. I couldn’t locate the addresses where I lived. I couldn’t provide credit card statements because I don’t have any left. I couldn’t show what salary I earned there. I never had a regular salary because I was paid in cash. Naturally, I still ended up paying taxes later. I showed them five years’ worth of tax declarations, from 2000 to 2006, and they said, ‘That’s not enough.’
“My passport is expiring, and I can’t prove anything to them. As Zadornov (Russian comedian – ed.) said, ‘They’re just dumb!’ I honestly don’t know what else to do. Should I try to get Tom Collins to confirm that I skated in his tour? They said, ‘Yes, that would work.’ But he’s dead, and his son won’t answer the phone. Soon, my passport will expire – and that’s it, I’ll only have my Russian one.
“I was just so comfortable with my American passport: I didn’t need a visa anywhere. That was the biggest advantage – it’s my one ‘super achievement’ that I could fly anywhere, except China, where a visa is required. Otherwise, with an American passport, you can travel around the world without needing visas; it’s extremely convenient. But now, that’s it – I’m a Russian citizen,” the figure skating coach said in an interview with RTVI.
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