{
  "meta": {
    "verified_date": "2026-07-17",
    "verified_label": "RULES VERIFIED · JUL 2026",
    "next_review": "2026-08-01",
    "currency": "USD",
    "confidence_legend": "high = official source or multiple recent independent sources; medium = single credible source or estimate to calibrate; check = conflicting sources, verify by phone/manual before launch",
    "license": "Facts may be cited with attribution to taigayaga.com",
    "canonical_url": "https://taigayaga.com/data/verified-data.json"
  },
  "visa": {
    "us": {
      "label": "US passport",
      "route": "consulate",
      "consular_fee_usd": 185,
      "visa_centre_service_usd": 365,
      "total_paperwork_display": "Consulate direct: ~$185 + invitation ~$30. Visa Centre NY mail-in: $550 ($185 consular + $365 centre) + USPS label + invitation ~$30",
      "loi_usd": 30,
      "processing_official": "Consulate: 4–10 calendar days standard, 1–3 business days urgent (documentary evidence of urgency required). Visa Centre NY: 10 business days min standard, 3–5 min urgent, plus mailing both ways. Plan 6–8 weeks; 2–3 months for peak summer.",
      "same_fee_for_3yr_multi": true,
      "recommendation": "Get the 3-year multiple-entry — same $185 consular fee as single",
      "where_to_apply": "Consulate direct (Washington DC, New York, or Houston — by appointment via *.kdmid.ru, in person or notarised representative, money order/certified check, ~$185, no service fee) OR Russia Visa Centre NY (in person OR by mail — flat $550 total + shipping; the reliable route if you can't get a consulate appointment). Mail-in is ONLY via the NY Visa Centre; consulates do not accept mailed applications (the NY consulate will return your passport by mail if you enclose a prepaid USPS label + signed consent).",
      "consulate_status": "Direct consular service by appointment: Washington DC (2641 Tunlaw Rd NW), New York (9 East 91st St), Houston (1333 West Loop South) all operating; San Francisco (closed 2017) & Seattle closed. Appointments via washington/new-york/houston.kdmid.ru — often booked out weeks ahead; no walk-ins, no mail, no phone/email booking.",
      "visa_centre_status": "Russia Visa Centre NY open (in person + mail-in); DC & Houston offices temporarily closed (redirect to NY); SF & Seattle closed.",
      "fee_change_note": "Visa-centre service fee jumped from ~$38 to $365 across 2025–2026 (relations deterioration); consular fee is now $185. The old $198 total is obsolete. Surcharges on mail-in: +$10 AK/HI/PR, +$20 Saturday delivery.",
      "expedited": "Consulate: 1–3 business days, only against documentary evidence of urgency. Visa Centre NY: 3–5 business days minimum for urgent.",
      "insurance_required_for_visa": true,
      "insurance_requirement": "€30,000 medical coverage, policy must explicitly name Russia",
      "timeline_offsets_days": {
        "loi": -45,
        "file": -42,
        "passport_back": -14,
        "buy_flights_after": -13,
        "pocket_kit": -3
      },
      "verified_date": "2026-07-17",
      "confidence": "high — russiable (updated Apr 27 2026, detailed fee breakdown) + multiple 2026 sources agree: $185 consular direct, $365 visa-centre fee, $550 mail-in total. The prior $38 service fee / $198 total is obsolete. Re-spot-checked 2026-07-17 (newyork.mid.ru, visacenter.us, ils-usa.com) — all figures unchanged; NY visa centre confirmed to take walk-in AND mail; DC/Houston visa-centre offices still closed (redirect to NY), consulates unaffected. Still TODO: confirm exact money-order amounts on official mid.ru pages before launch.",
      "sources": [
        "russiable.com/russian-visa-usa-where-to-apply (updated Apr 27 2026)",
        "newyork.mid.ru/en/visas/visa_processing_fees",
        "washington.mid.ru/en/consular-services/citizens-usa/visa-to-russia/visa_fees",
        "ils-usa.com"
      ],
      "multi_entry_facts": {
        "legal_basis": "2012 US–Russia reciprocal visa facilitation agreement set 3-year multi-entry as the standard tourist visa for both countries' citizens",
        "legal_basis_confidence": "check",
        "max_stay_per_visit_days": 180,
        "max_stay_per_visit_display": "up to six months per visit",
        "max_stay_confidence": "check",
        "note": "[VERIFY] both facts from content batch 001 (docs/specs/001-content-batch.md), not yet phone/document verified — see todo_before_launch"
      }
    },
    "uk": {
      "label": "UK passport",
      "route": "consulate",
      "total_paperwork_display": "Standard (up to 20 business days): £70 consular + £60.60 visa-centre service ≈ $176 + ~$30 invitation ≈ $206 total. Expedited (4 business days): £145 consular + £66 service ≈ $284 + invitation ≈ $314 total.",
      "loi_usd": 30,
      "processing_official": "Standard: up to 20 business days via the Russian Visa Application Centre (London, Edinburgh or Manchester, by appointment). Expedited: 4 business days for the higher fee.",
      "insurance_required_for_visa": true,
      "timeline_offsets_days": {
        "loi": -45,
        "file": -42,
        "passport_back": -14,
        "buy_flights_after": -13,
        "pocket_kit": -3
      },
      "verified_date": "2026-07-17",
      "confidence": "high — official london.mid.ru consular fee table (£70 standard / £145 expedited) + visa-centre service charge (£60.60 / £66.00 incl. VAT), corroborated by russiable.com and stressfreevisas.co.uk. Converted at GBP/USD ≈1.347 (Jul 17 2026). Replaces the old $190–230 rough guess — owner-approved 2026-07-17.",
      "sources": [
        "london.mid.ru/en/visas_consular_services/",
        "russiable.com/getting-russian-visa-united-kingdom",
        "stressfreevisas.co.uk/russian-visa-tourist.html"
      ]
    },
    "ca_au": {
      "label": "Canadian / Australian passport",
      "route": "consulate",
      "total_paperwork_display": "~$180–250 + invitation ~$30",
      "loi_usd": 30,
      "processing_official": "~3–4 weeks",
      "insurance_required_for_visa": true,
      "timeline_offsets_days": {
        "loi": -45,
        "file": -42,
        "passport_back": -14,
        "buy_flights_after": -13,
        "pocket_kit": -3
      },
      "confidence": "medium — verify per-country fee before launch"
    },
    "eu": {
      "label": "EU passport",
      "route": "evisa",
      "fee_usd": 52,
      "total_paperwork_display": "$52 e-visa",
      "processing": "4 calendar days, weekends included",
      "stay_days": 30,
      "validity_days": 120,
      "single_entry": true,
      "apply_window": "no earlier than 86 days, no later than 4 days before entry",
      "apply_url": "https://evisa.kdmid.ru/",
      "payment": "foreign Visa/Mastercard accepted on official MFA site",
      "insurance_required": true,
      "insurance_note": "OFFICIAL requirement: medical insurance valid in Russia for entire stay (kdmid). Fix prototype which said 'recommended'",
      "no_loi_needed": true,
      "kids_under_6_fee_exempt": true,
      "timeline_offsets_days": {
        "apply": -12,
        "approved": -7,
        "buy_flights_after": -7,
        "pocket_kit": -3
      },
      "warning": "Do not pay third-party e-visa 'agencies' 2–3x — official site is $52 and simple",
      "confidence": "high (official evisa.kdmid.ru)",
      "sources": [
        "evisa.kdmid.ru",
        "kremlin.ru/acts/news/77531",
        "russiable.com/e-visa-russian-electronic-visa"
      ]
    },
    "other": {
      "label": "Other passport",
      "route": "evisa_or_visafree",
      "fee_display": "$0 (60+ visa-free countries) or $52 e-visa (64 countries)",
      "visafree_examples": "Brazil, Argentina, Mexico(evisa), UAE, Serbia, South Africa, most of Latin America & CIS",
      "ruid_required": true,
      "ruid_note": "VISA-FREE entrants must pre-register in the Gosuslugi RuID app ≥72h before entry (QR code at border; biometrics at border). Does NOT apply to visa or e-visa holders. Status as of Jul 2026: mandatory per Jul-1-2026 rule per multiple sources; one official clarification says voluntary during experiment till end-2027 — tool says 'register, takes 15 min, do not risk boarding denial'",
      "timeline_offsets_days": {
        "ruid": -5,
        "buy_flights_after": -60,
        "pocket_kit": -3
      },
      "confidence": "check — RuID mandatory-vs-voluntary is the single most volatile rule; re-verify monthly",
      "sources": [
        "russiable.com/electronic-travel-authorization-russia-visa-free (May 2026)",
        "ivisa.hse.ru (May 2026)",
        "gosuslugi.ru/landing/new_entry_rules"
      ]
    }
  },
  "flights": {
    "strategy_verdict": "Two separate bookings: home→hub (western airline), hub→Russia (Turkish/Pegasus/Southwind/AJet/Aeroflot etc). 4h+ buffer, bags do NOT auto-transfer.",
    "through_fare_option": "Single Turkish Airlines through-ticket exists (JFK→IST→VKO): +$300–700 vs two tickets, but bags check through and missed-connection protection. Offer as 'comfort' toggle.",
    "hub_leg_ist_moscow": {
      "oneway_low_usd": 143,
      "rt_typical_usd": "294–420",
      "airlines": "Turkish, Pegasus, Southwind, AJet, Ural, Pobeda, Aeroflot",
      "monthly_note": "Dec avg cheapest (~$84 ow), June peak"
    },
    "origins_revision_note": "Revised 2026-07-15 (content batch 2): honest web research + owner live spot-check (East Coast ~$1500 now, ~$1200 in September). Origins merged — 'east' covers US East + Canada East, 'west' covers US West + Canada West, 'hawaii' covers Hawaii + Australia — same hub-routing profile per pair.",
    "origins": {
      "hawaii": {
        "label": "Hawaii / Australia",
        "hub": "Istanbul",
        "rt_total_low": 1600,
        "rt_total_high": 2400
      },
      "west": {
        "label": "US West / Canada West",
        "hub": "Istanbul",
        "rt_total_low": 1400,
        "rt_total_high": 2000
      },
      "east": {
        "label": "US East / Canada East",
        "hub": "Istanbul",
        "rt_total_low": 1300,
        "rt_total_high": 1900
      },
      "europe": {
        "hub": "Belgrade or Istanbul",
        "rt_total_low": 400,
        "rt_total_high": 800
      },
      "other": {
        "hub": "Dubai or Istanbul",
        "rt_total_low": 1200,
        "rt_total_high": 2000
      }
    },
    "season_coeff_by_month": {
      "1": 0.85,
      "2": 0.8,
      "3": 0.8,
      "4": 0.95,
      "5": 1.0,
      "6": 1.25,
      "7": 1.25,
      "8": 1.1,
      "9": 0.85,
      "10": 0.85,
      "11": 0.85,
      "12": 0.9
    },
    "season_exceptions": [
      "Late Dec (20th)–Jan 8: +20% diaspora peak, override coeff to 1.2"
    ],
    "smart_tip_rule": "If chosen month coeff ≥1.1, show savings tip: shift to Sep/Oct → save $ (delta = mid*(coeff-0.85))",
    "calibration": "Anchors re-verified 2026-07-15 (web): Turkish through-fares NYC–MOW $1,817 Jul / $1,523 Aug; LAX–MOW $2,572 Jun / $2,523 Jul / $1,812 Aug; IST–MOW rt from ~$294 (Pegasus rt ~$341 Sep; one-way from $143–175). Two-ticket totals run below the single through-fare. Ranges below re-confirmed accurate — no change. Re-spot-check quarterly. Spot-checked again 2026-07-17: NYC–MOW $1,817 Jul / $1,523 Aug exact match; LAX–MOW through-fare quotes varied $1,881–2,523 Jul depending on source (normal quote-to-quote variance) — displayed two-ticket ranges unaffected either way, no change.",
    "verified_date": "2026-07-17",
    "confidence": "high for ranges (re-verified 2026-07-15, spot-checked again 2026-07-17), medium for monthly coefficients",
    "sources": [
      "turkishairlines.com fare calendar (NYC-MOW, LAX-MOW, checked Jul 2026)",
      "trip.com / kayak IST-MOW & NYC-IST stats (2026)",
      "google flights"
    ],
    "asia_hub_verified": {
      "status": "verified 2026-07-11",
      "beijing_irkutsk": "S7 direct (S7 6312/6314), ~3h05m, several flights/week, one-way from ~10,000-12,000 RUB (~$110-140); Aeroflot and Ural Airlines also serve the route",
      "other_beijing_routes": "S7 direct Beijing->Ulan-Ude ('Baikal' airport), Vladivostok, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk",
      "china_transit": "240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit, 55 countries incl US/UK/EU (official NIA), 65 ports incl Beijing/Shanghai, requires onward ticket to a third country (US->China->Russia and Russia->China->US both qualify), passport 3+ months validity, valid through Dec 31 2026 — re-verify at year end",
      "ui_state": "advisory tip shown for origin west/hawaii + cities baikal; full route swap with own fare range = v2 after through-fare calibration (LAX/SFO->PEK RT ~$700-1,100 to confirm)",
      "sources": [
        "en.nia.gov.cn/n147418/n147463/c183412",
        "uniticket.ru S7 Beijing schedules",
        "tutu.ru IKT-BJS",
        "chinatransitvisa.com/240-hour-guide"
      ]
    }
  },
  "hotels": {
    "booking_verdict": "Booking.com & Airbnb left Russia. Use Ostrovok.ru or ZenHotels.com — both accept foreign cards. (Affiliate potential: both have partner programs.)",
    "nightly_mid_usd": {
      "moscow": 80,
      "spb": 70,
      "golden_ring": 55,
      "irkutsk_baikal": 65
    },
    "style_multiplier": {
      "backpack": 0.5,
      "mid": 1.0,
      "comfort": 2.1
    },
    "season_coeff_by_month": {
      "1": 0.9,
      "2": 0.85,
      "3": 0.9,
      "4": 0.95,
      "5": 1.05,
      "6": 1.15,
      "7": 1.1,
      "8": 1.05,
      "9": 1.0,
      "10": 0.9,
      "11": 0.85,
      "12": 1.0
    },
    "white_nights_rule": "St. Petersburg, ~May 25–Jul 15: SPb nightly ×1.35 (overrides monthly coeff for SPb nights)",
    "confidence": "medium — spot-check 3 dates on Ostrovok before launch (1 evening)",
    "sources": [
      "knowledge + russiable payments guide; calibrate on ostrovok"
    ]
  },
  "money_on_ground": {
    "cards_fact": "Visa/Mastercard/Amex issued outside Russia have not worked in Russia since March 2022 — not at POS, not at ATMs.",
    "cash_verdict": "Bring USD or EUR in crisp, unmarked, post-2009 bills; exchange at bank branches (not airport kiosks for large sums).",
    "cash_per_day_usd": {
      "backpack": 45,
      "mid": 85,
      "comfort": 160
    },
    "alt_option": "Foreigners can open a Russian bank card in ~40–60 min with passport + migration card (e.g., major banks in Moscow/SPb); worth it for stays 10+ days. Mention as advanced option only.",
    "union_pay_note": "Some foreign UnionPay cards work partially — unreliable, do not promise.",
    "confidence": "high"
  },
  "ground_transport": {
    "sapsan_moscow_spb_usd": "40–70 one way, ~4h, book on official RZD site or via hotel/host",
    "rzd_payment_trap": "RZD site does not accept foreign cards — book via intermediary with markup, via Russian contact, or pay cash at station",
    "internal_flight_moscow_irkutsk_rt_usd": 290,
    "confidence": "high"
  },
  "insurance": {
    "trap_fact": "Most Western 'worldwide' policies exclude Russia via sanctions clauses (Allianz, AXA, Zurich, AIG, IATI, Heymondo...). A worldwide policy without 'Russia' named = rejected at consulate + uncovered on the ground.",
    "verdicts": {
      "visa_compliant_cheap": {
        "names": [
          "Solidarity (Солидарность)",
          "Ingosstrakh"
        ],
        "note": "Russian insurers, buyable online in English with foreign cards, ~$1.1–2/day, €30–35k coverage, consulate-accepted. Ingosstrakh bills hospitals directly.",
        "est_10day_usd": "15–30"
      },
      "western_style": {
        "names": [
          "SafetyWing Nomad",
          "World Nomads"
        ],
        "note": "Cover Russia (verify underwriter at purchase); better evacuation coverage; pricier.",
        "est_10day_usd": "50–110"
      }
    },
    "requirement_by_route": {
      "consulate": "mandatory €30k, Russia named",
      "evisa": "mandatory (official kdmid)",
      "visafree": "recommended (mandatory for some nationalities)"
    },
    "confidence": "high (multiple recent sources)",
    "sources": [
      "russiable.com/best-travel-insurance-russia",
      "novika.info insurance guide",
      "goingrus.com/en/insurance"
    ]
  },
  "connectivity": {
    "esim_verdict_budget": {
      "names": [
        "OVOSIM",
        "Yesim"
      ],
      "note": "from ~$3; OVOSIM dual-network Tele2+Beeline",
      "est_trip_usd": "5–20"
    },
    "esim_verdict_coverage": {
      "name": "Holafly",
      "note": "MTS network (best rural/Trans-Sib coverage), unlimited, ~$7.9/day — for Baikal/Golden Ring branches",
      "est_trip_usd": "55–110"
    },
    "esim_dead": [
      "Airalo",
      "Saily",
      "Jetpac"
    ],
    "local_sim_fact": "Local SIM effectively unavailable to tourists since Jan 1, 2025 (Gosuslugi + SNILS + biometrics registration required).",
    "data_block_24h_trap": "Since Oct 6, 2025: ALL foreign SIMs/eSIMs get mobile data blocked ~24h on first connect to a Russian network (anti-drone 'cooling-off' rule). Applies to everyone, no end date announced. Update (since Nov 21, 2025): some carriers (e.g., Beeline) let you clear the block in minutes by verifying identity via a link sent by SMS / a captcha page. Plan anyway: install eSIM at home, expect a day-1 block, lean on hotel Wi-Fi, download offline maps BEFORE flying.",
    "blocked_apps": "Instagram & Facebook (Meta) blocked since Mar 2022; Signal blocked Aug 2024; WhatsApp FULLY blocked since Feb 12, 2026; YouTube throttled through 2025, then had its domains pulled from Russia's DNS in Feb 2026 alongside WhatsApp — now blocked outright, not just throttled; Telegram throttled from Feb 2026 and officially 'blocked' from Apr 1, 2026 — still used by ~65M/day via its built-in traffic-disguising (Apr 11 2026 update) + VPN/proxy, but voice/video calls are blocked and it is no longer a reliable default. Bottom line: assume NO Western app works without a VPN; install VPN(s) BEFORE arrival.",
    "apps_status": {
      "instagram": "blocked since Mar 2022 (Meta ruled 'extremist')",
      "facebook": "blocked since Mar 2022",
      "signal": "blocked since Aug 2024",
      "whatsapp": "FULLY blocked since Feb 12, 2026 (domains pulled from Russian DNS)",
      "youtube": "throttled through 2025; domains pulled from Russia's DNS in Feb 2026 alongside WhatsApp — now blocked outright, unusable without a VPN",
      "telegram": "throttled Feb 2026, officially blocked Apr 1 2026; still widely used (~65M/day) via the app's traffic-disguising + VPN/proxy; voice/video calls blocked since Aug 2025",
      "state_messenger_max": "Government pushes MAX (Max) as the domestic replacement — shares user data with authorities on request, no end-to-end encryption. Tourists should avoid; it is not needed."
    },
    "vpn": {
      "verdict": "Install a VPN — ideally two — BEFORE you arrive. You cannot reliably download or activate one once inside Russia. Bring one easy + one backup, and be ready to switch protocol (Stealth / AmneziaWG / VLESS) and server if one stops connecting.",
      "working_jul_2026": [
        "Proton VPN (free tier, no data cap)",
        "NordVPN (obfuscated/stealth, stable in tests)",
        "ExpressVPN",
        "Surfshark",
        "Windscribe (free 10GB, Stealth + AmneziaWG)",
        "Amnezia VPN (self-hosted, AmneziaWG protocol)"
      ],
      "context": "Roskomnadzor has blocked 400+ VPN services and keeps adding to the list; VPNs using obfuscation/stealth protocols (AmneziaWG, VLESS) survive best. Advertising VPNs is banned in Russia and enforcement is tightening, but using one as a tourist is not itself a criminal act — the practical risk is that any given VPN simply stops working, not legal trouble.",
      "context_confidence": "check — VPN legal nuance is tightening; re-verify wording before launch",
      "confidence": "high that the listed VPNs work as of Jul 2026, but volatile — re-verify list monthly"
    },
    "yandex_apps": "Yandex Maps and Yandex Go (taxi + food/grocery delivery) are the essential on-the-ground apps and work normally — both have a full English interface (in-app Settings → language). Yandex Maps offers offline maps, live metro/bus schedules and in-app taxi; download it before flying or on hotel Wi-Fi during the day-1 data block.",
    "airport_wifi_trap": "Airport Wi-Fi requires a Russian phone number to authenticate — another reason eSIM + offline maps must be pre-installed",
    "verified_date": "2026-07-17",
    "confidence": "high for app-block & VPN status (re-verified 2026-07-17 across multiple sources, incl. confirming YouTube's Feb-2026 DNS delisting alongside WhatsApp); volatile — re-verify apps, VPN list and eSIM availability monthly",
    "sources": [
      "en.zona.media/article/2026/04/07 Russian internet censorship 2026",
      "nbcnews.com Russia WhatsApp blocked (Feb 2026)",
      "themoscowtimes.com Telegram outages (Mar 2026)",
      "russiable.com/telegram-russia + russiable.com/vpn-russia (2026)",
      "vpnmentor.com/bestvpns/russia (2026)",
      "ovosim.com/blog/best-esim-russia-2026 (Jun 2026)",
      "russiable.com/apps-travel-russia; taxi.yandex.com language support",
      "babel.ua/en/news/124897 WhatsApp+YouTube blocked (2026)",
      "united24media.com YouTube/WhatsApp removed from Russian DNS (2026)"
    ]
  },
  "traps_for_ui": [
    {
      "id": "cards",
      "title": "Your card is plastic",
      "text": "Visa & Mastercard issued outside Russia don't work there — not in shops, not in ATMs. Carry cash (crisp USD/EUR); your amount is in the budget above."
    },
    {
      "id": "two_tickets",
      "title": "Two separate tickets",
      "text": "No direct flights. Book home→hub and hub→Russia separately (cheaper), leave 4h+, re-check bags. Or pay ~$300+ more for one through-ticket with bags checked through."
    },
    {
      "id": "booking",
      "title": "Booking.com is gone",
      "text": "It left Russia. Hotels live on Ostrovok and ZenHotels — both take your foreign card just fine."
    },
    {
      "id": "insurance",
      "title": "Insurance fine print",
      "text": "Most 'worldwide' policies quietly exclude Russia. The consulate will reject them and so will the hospital. The emailed plan names two that work."
    },
    {
      "id": "data_block",
      "title": "Your first 24 hours offline",
      "text": "Since Oct 2025 every foreign SIM gets mobile data blocked ~24h after first connecting in Russia. Install your eSIM at home, download offline maps, and plan on hotel Wi-Fi for day one. And install a VPN (bring two) before you land — Instagram, WhatsApp and YouTube are all blocked now, and Telegram is throttled. Yandex Maps and Yandex Go still work fine in English."
    }
  ],
  "safety_law": {
    "border_refusal": "Since 2022 security checks on foreign visitors have intensified; most tourists clear passport control in 20–90 minutes, a minority face longer questioning or occasionally refusal on the spot even with a valid visa. Risk factors: documented Ukraine support, certain social-media history, inconsistent trip answers.",
    "wrongful_detention": "Rare and unevenly distributed. Publicized cases (Griner, Fogel, Karelina) each involved an alleged violation of Russian law — prohibited items across the border, or Russian citizenship + Ukraine-related financial transfers. Not random.",
    "cannabis_import": "Possession inside Russia of a small amount is an administrative fine; carrying it ACROSS the border is reclassified as narcotics smuggling — years in prison. No exception for foreign medical-cannabis prescriptions (Griner had one; no effect).",
    "cbd_status": "Treated as controlled at the Russian border regardless of THC content or home-country legality.",
    "cbd_status_confidence": "check",
    "weapons_import": "Undeclared weapons/ammunition, including items legal to own at home, are a serious criminal matter (arms smuggling), not a paperwork slip.",
    "weapons_case_confidence": "check",
    "weapons_case_note": "[VERIFY] American boat case (undeclared firearm found by customs) — name/year/vessel not yet confirmed, cited generically in G4 pending verification",
    "medications_controlled": "Some drugs containing codeine, amphetamine-based ADHD stimulants, or strong opioids are controlled at the border. Advice given: check specific medication with a Russian consulate before flying, carry in original packaging with prescription, declare through red channel if advised.",
    "medications_confidence": "check",
    "medications_note": "[VERIFY] exact controlled-substance list and declaration rules not yet confirmed against an official source",
    "conscription_dual_nationals": "Largely a myth in practice for dual nationals living abroad — no round-ups of arriving visitors reported. Conscription exists in Russian law but is not enforced by detaining tourists at entry.",
    "ukraine_money_red_line": "For a Russian citizen (incl. dual nationals), transferring money to Ukraine — even a small personal donation — is treated as aiding the enemy and prosecuted as a crime. Does not apply to a foreigner without Russian citizenship. Basis of the Ksenia Karelina case.",
    "conviction_rate_note": "~99% conviction rate cited for criminal cases generally — used as context for border/import severity, not tourist-specific.",
    "airport_comparison_confidence": "check",
    "airport_comparison_note": "[VERIFY] Sheremetyevo/Vnukovo/Pulkovo wait-time and ease-of-entry comparison — needs owner's personal data points + research, currently generic in G5",
    "confidence": "medium — safety/law cluster reviewed by owner for tone (conscription de-emphasized as myth, Ukraine-money is the one real red line for dual nationals); several sub-facts marked check pending verification",
    "sources": [
      "state.gov Russia travel advisory",
      "docs/specs/content-batch-2.md (owner-reviewed calibration pass)"
    ]
  },
  "email_series_hooks": {
    "consulate": [
      "D-50 LOI window",
      "D-42 file at centre/consulate (NY accepts mail-in)",
      "D-16 passport back → buy flights (prefilled route)",
      "D-7 hotels + pocket kit (insurance/eSIM/cash/VPN/offline maps)",
      "D-2 final checklist incl. 24h-data-block warning",
      "D+14 how was it"
    ],
    "evisa": [
      "D-14 apply ($52 official, don't pay agencies)",
      "D-7 approved → flights + hotels",
      "D-2 pocket kit + 24h-block warning",
      "D+14 how was it"
    ],
    "visafree": [
      "D-7 RuID registration walk-through",
      "D-4 flights/hotels",
      "D-2 pocket kit",
      "D+14 how was it"
    ]
  },
  "todo_before_launch": [
    "Confirm exact money-order amounts on official mid.ru pages ($185 consular + $365 visa-centre = $550 mail-in confirmed via russiable Apr-2026 + multiple sources; old VFS $38/$160 figures now obsolete)",
    "Cousin: which federal-registry tour operator number is on her LOIs + confirmed US-consulate acceptance cases",
    "Spot-check Ostrovok: Moscow & SPb 3-4★ for 3 sample dates (incl. white nights)",
    "CA/AU exact fee tables — UK was resolved and applied 2026-07-17 (owner-approved, now visa.uk high confidence). CA/AU held back for now per owner (\"канаду и австралию оставляем пока\"). Candidates on file for later: Canada ~CAD150–210 total (CAD100 consular per canada.mid.ru official page + CAD50 centre fee + CAD24–60 invitation); Australia ~AUD270–415 total (AUD120–240 consular per australia.mid.ru + AUD150 centre fee + AUD25 invitation). Canada and Australia diverge enough that the combined ca_au bucket may be worth splitting into separate constants — owner call, see docs/research/2026-07-17-verify.md.",
    "Pick ONE eSIM affiliate (OVOSIM vs Yesim) and ONE insurance link (Solidarity flow) and test checkout",
    "Monthly re-verify: RuID status, eSIM list, visa fees → update verified_date",
    "Calibrate West Coast->Beijing through-fares (LAX/SFO->PEK on Air China/CA, China Southern) to enable full 'via Beijing' fare range in v2; re-verify China 240h transit validity after Dec 31 2026",
    "[VERIFY] Confirm 2012 US-Russia visa facilitation agreement as legal basis for 3-year multi-entry standard (visa.us.multi_entry_facts.legal_basis) — used in /guides/3-year-multi-entry-russian-visa/",
    "[VERIFY] Confirm up-to-6-months max stay per visit on US multi-entry tourist visa (visa.us.multi_entry_facts.max_stay_per_visit_days) — used in /guides/3-year-multi-entry-russian-visa/",
    "[VERIFY] Controlled-medications list + declaration rules at Russian border (safety_law.medications_controlled) — used in /guides/what-you-cannot-bring-to-russia/",
    "[VERIFY] American boat/undeclared-firearm case — confirm name/year/vessel (safety_law.weapons_case_note) — used in /guides/what-you-cannot-bring-to-russia/",
    "[VERIFY] CBD legal status at Russian border, exact wording (safety_law.cbd_status) — used in /guides/what-you-cannot-bring-to-russia/",
    "[VERIFY] Sheremetyevo/Vnukovo/Pulkovo entry-experience comparison — owner's personal data points + research (safety_law.airport_comparison_note) — used in /guides/russia-border-control/"
  ]
}