Way to Russia Talk Lounge

Dee · Just Starting Joined: 06 Jul 2004 Posts: 6

Could anyone help me with this question - I went through the private visa hassle before visiting my fiance in russia this past June, and plan to go there again the middle of October, and am thinking about going the tourist visa route this time. Question: I need to stay until mid-january - anyway that can be worked with tourist visa, such as renewing or the like? thanks for any helpful reply
Dee

ashton · Lounge Lizard Joined: 08 Apr 2004 Posts: 80 Location: US

I am 90% sure that a tourist visa is only issued for a max of 30 days. It can't be renewed unless you leave the country and re-apply.

A business visa can be issued for a longer period of time. This is probably your best bet so that you don't have to go through the hassle of the private visa. All you need is to purchase an invitation from an agency that is authorized to issue it and apply for the visa as usual.

wavetossed · WayToRussified Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Posts: 339

I read everything I could find about the various visa and decided to go for a one year multi-entry business visa. That way I have the freedom to come and go as I please for a year and I can go to almost any part of Russia without asking prior permission.

At first I was worried because I didn't think I was really a business traveller but then I realized that I am going to be marrying into a Russian family. They will become my family. I will be visiting Russia a lot because my wife will want to see her family at least once a year. One of the basic principles of international business is to have a local subsidiary or a local agent. Well, I will have that so why not make the most of it and find some way to do some business on the side or help one of my new relatives to do some business.

That makes me a bonafide business traveller visiting Russia to meet people and explore business and investment opportunities. In fact, I've taken this idea a bit further because I have some specific business opportunities that I will be discussing with people in Russia. But I won't reveal any details here because I don't want competition.

But here's an idea I though of along the way. Russians are now buying more and more family cars and using them for holidays now that they can freely travel throughout the land. There are some similarities to the USA in the 1950's because there is a shortage of services for these people along the highways. For instance, mini-golf. In the 1950's thousands of mini-golf courses were built along U.S. highways to whet the appetite of the motoring public out for a drive to have some fun. Interested in building a chain of mini-golf courses? Info about the design and operation of a mini-golf course is pretty easy to find in the USA so you won't have a problem becoming an expert.

And if that doesn't suit you, then do some brainstorming with friends, set up a business with a name, get some letterhead and apply for your business visa. Russia is not just looking for big business investment. They also want to support the establishment of lots of small and medium sized businesses as well.