Lee Harvey Oswald and the Soviet Union

Lee probably applied for his Soviet entry visa at the Russian consulate in Helsinki on October 12, the first business day after arrival.

The Soviet consulate issued Oswald a visa on October 14, 1959, permitting a single visit of no more than six days.

Lee traveled by train from Helsinki and crossed the Finnish-Soviet border at Vainikkala on October 15.

Oswald arrived in Moscow on October 16, 1959, and registered at the Hotel Berlin as a student.

Intourist assigned Rima Shirokova as Lee's Moscow guide shortly after his arrival, and she assisted him with Soviet authorities.

With assistance from his Intourist guide, Lee mailed a letter to the Supreme Soviet requesting Soviet citizenship.

Following his wrist injury, Lee spent three days in Botkinskaya Hospital's psychiatric ward before doctors transferred him to another department.

After being told to leave Moscow, Oswald cut his left wrist and was taken unconscious to Botkinskaya Hospital.

On October 21, 1959, Soviet officials informed Oswald that his visa had expired and ordered him to leave Moscow within two hours.

After leaving the hospital, Lee checked out of the Hotel Berlin and registered at Moscow's Metropole Hotel.

Lee appeared at the American Embassy and declared that he wanted to renounce his United States citizenship.

Soon after reaching Moscow, Oswald told his Intourist guide that he wanted to leave the United States and become a Soviet citizen.

Lee wrote the American Embassy requesting revocation of his citizenship after consular officials had delayed his attempted renunciation.

United Press International reporter Aline Mosby interviewed Lee for about two hours regarding his decision to remain in the Soviet Union.

Journalist Priscilla Johnson interviewed Lee at the Metropole Hotel for roughly five hours about his politics, defection, and Soviet citizenship hopes.

Soviet authorities issued Oswald an identity document for stateless persons on January 4, 1960, and assigned him to live in Minsk.

A Soviet agency described as the Red Cross gave Lee 5,000 rubles before his relocation from Moscow to Minsk.

Oswald arrived in Minsk on January 7, 1960, where Soviet officials arranged accommodation and employment.

Oswald began work at the Belorussian Radio and Television Factory on January 13, 1960, as a metal worker.

Lee obtained a Soviet hunting license on June 18, 1960, while living and working in Minsk.

Soon after receiving his hunting license, Lee purchased a single-barrel sixteen-gauge shotgun in Minsk.

The Marine Corps Reserve changed Lee's discharge status to undesirable on September 13, 1960, while he was living in the Soviet Union.

After spending New Year's Day with Ella German's family, Lee proposed marriage to her the following evening and was rejected.

On January 4, 1961, Oswald told Soviet officials that he no longer wanted Soviet citizenship and requested only an extension of his residence permit.

In February 1961, Oswald asked the American Embassy to return his passport and said that he wanted to return to the United States.

Oswald met Marina Prusakova at a trade-union dance in Minsk around March 17, 1961, and began seeing her soon afterward.

Oswald married Marina Prusakova in Minsk on April 30, 1961, after completing the required civil registration procedures.

Patrice Lumumba Friendship University rejected Lee's application because the institution was reserved for students from developing regions.

The American Embassy received Lee's letter announcing his marriage and asking about possible prosecution if he returned to the United States.

Lee appeared unexpectedly at the closed American Embassy on July 8 and contacted consul Richard Snyder by telephone.

After an embassy interview in July 1961, officials concluded that Oswald had not expatriated himself and returned his American passport.

Lee and Marina submitted the numerous certificates, photographs, and forms required for Soviet permission to leave the country.

On December 25, 1961, Marina was informed that Soviet exit visas would be granted to her and Oswald.

Lee wrote Senator John Tower seeking help because Soviet authorities had not yet allowed him and Marina to leave.

Lee asked the International Rescue Committee for $800 to finance travel from Moscow to Texas for himself and Marina.

Lee wrote John Connally asking for help overturning his Marine discharge, mistakenly believing Connally remained Secretary of the Navy.

Lee became a father when Marina gave birth to their daughter June Lee in Minsk on February 15, 1962.

Lee received notice that immigration authorities had approved Marina's application for a United States visa.

At his request, Lee left his job at the Belorussian Radio and Television Factory as the family's departure plans neared completion.

Lee collected his Soviet exit visa on May 22 and prepared to travel with Marina and June to Moscow.

Lee and Marina completed documents at the American Embassy in Moscow, where Marina received her United States visa.

Lee signed a promissory note for a $435.71 United States repatriation loan to finance the family's return journey.

Oswald, Marina, and their daughter crossed the Soviet frontier at Brest on June 2, 1962, while traveling toward Western Europe.

FBI agents questioned Lee about his Soviet residence; he declined to explain why he had gone there and denied providing intelligence information.

Oswald hired public stenographer Pauline Bates to type notes about his Soviet experiences shortly after his return to Fort Worth.

The FBI interviewed Oswald on August 16, 1962, about his Soviet residence, and he denied making any agreement with Soviet representatives.

Lee subscribed to the Worker and continued corresponding with American socialist and Communist organizations after returning from the Soviet Union.

During the WDSU debate, Oswald was confronted publicly with his years in the Soviet Union, weakening his effort to present the FPCC as a local political movement.

Oswald applied for a Mexican tourist card as he prepared a trip that he hoped would enable travel through Cuba to the Soviet Union.

Oswald left New Orleans by bus for Mexico, carrying documents intended to support his efforts to obtain Cuban and Soviet travel permission.

Oswald arrived in Mexico City and quickly began visiting Cuban and Soviet diplomatic offices in pursuit of transit permission.

Oswald visited the Cuban Embassy on September 27, 1963, seeking permission to travel through Cuba on his way to the Soviet Union.

Oswald later refers to a Soviet official as Kostin, which the Commission interprets as a reference to Valeriy Kostikov.

Oswald uses proof of marriage to Soviet citizen Marina Oswald as evidence supporting his request for onward travel.

Oswald states that he expects to remain in Cuba for about two weeks or longer before continuing toward the Soviet Union.

Oswald visits the Soviet diplomatic compound and seeks a visa for entry into the Soviet Union.

A caller later identified as Oswald telephones the Soviet Embassy at about 10:37 a.m. seeking consular assistance for visas.

During his Mexico City visit, Oswald went to the Soviet Embassy and unsuccessfully sought a Soviet visa.

Oswald presents his previous Soviet residence as supporting evidence while seeking permission to travel through Cuba.

Oswald fails to obtain a Soviet visa during his initial visit to the Soviet diplomatic compound.

Oswald shows a Russian-language work permit from his Soviet residence while pressing his Cuban visa request.

Oswald becomes angry when informed that the Cuban visa cannot be issued before Soviet entry permission is obtained.

Oswald again contacts the Soviet and Cuban diplomatic establishments after failing to secure the required visas on his first day.

By the end of September 28, Oswald has still failed to obtain either Soviet entry permission or a Cuban in-transit visa.

Cuban officials told Oswald that a Cuban transit visa depended on his obtaining Soviet permission for onward travel to the Soviet Union.

Because the Soviet and Cuban diplomatic compounds were distant from his hotel, Oswald repeatedly crossed a substantial part of Mexico City.

Oswald returned to the Dallas area after failing to obtain the Cuban and Soviet visas he had sought in Mexico City.