Way to Russia Talk Lounge

teddyursa · Just Starting Joined: 29 May 2008 Posts: 3

Hi! I am new to this Board and have found it while trying to book my train ticket to Moscow from Ulaanbaatar.

I've applied and obtained my visa for Russia with a validity of June 21 to July 21, 2008. I am currently in China and would be in Mongolia next week. I plan to take the train from Ulaanbaatar to Moscow.

Before I left home, I checked and found train 005 to Moscow that would depart on June 20 on a website, crossing the Mongolia-Russia border around June 20/21. Just now when I tried to reservea train ticket via Waytorussia.net, I did not find that train. I have a tour booked on June 26 and need to be in Moscow on that date.

So my questions are:
1) the date on my visa is the date of which that I need to cross the Mongolia-Russia border?
2) is there an issue arriving at the border later than June 21? If there is, could someone recommend either an alternate train route across the border or is there a way to amend the visa date at the Russian embassy in UB?

Any suggestion is deeply appreciated!

UsualSuspect · Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 11:15 am Post subject:

Teddyursa,
1. It is the earliest date when you can legally enter russia.
2. No problem arriving later than the 21st. You could roll up at 00:01 on the 21st and you're still OK. That said, you have until 23:59 July 21 to get out.

HTH
Usualsuspect

teddyursa · Just Starting Joined: 29 May 2008 Posts: 3

UsualSuspect,

thanks! It would mean so much to me to be able to visit Russia. I really hope I could go home with wonderful stories about Russia (rather than all the horror stories that I have heard)

Thanks again!

atruelove · Just Starting Joined: 11 Aug 2008 Posts: 4

Hi,

Can anyone confirm if this is still the case? This post is two years old and I've heard things have become tougher.

I have an invitation letter for entering on September 9, but I probably won't be able to enter until about a week later. I'll be applying for the visa sometime in the next few days.

Thanks!

teddyursa · Just Starting Joined: 29 May 2008 Posts: 3

Atruelove,

I was told that the date on the inivitation letter has to match the visa application date (I did not verify this). My tour was booked on Jun 26 - Jul 2 or thereabout... but my travel agency made the letter so that it covered Jun 21 to Jul 21.

I posted the question originally thinking that I would have a problem with the dates because of the train availability. I didn't in the end. There is indeed a train 005, I reached the border on 20th 11+pm but the immigration process did not complete until 21st, 2am or so... so my visa was okay for 21st. My travel agency must have checked the train schedule!

Good luck and sorry I could not help more.

atruelove · Just Starting Joined: 11 Aug 2008 Posts: 4

Thanks for the reply. And I don't know what was going on when I thought that this post was two years old.

Anyway it's all a moot point now as we've cancelled our trip entirely.