Way to Russia Talk Lounge

Ulfen · Posted: Fri May 29, 2009 10:15 pm Post subject: A bit confused...

I am going to Russia in August. I am a bit confused since I am going to different places. Flying to Moscow, staying there some days, then going to Suzdal, then Novgorod and Saint Petersburg. Or even Samara.

My confusion is this. Do I need a visa support letters from hotels in all those places?? The plan is to stay in Moscow for just 5-6 days and then go on. Can I still apply for a, let's say a 21 day visa even if I am only staying for example 5-6 days at the first hotel in Moscow? Is that the first and only registration spot for my visa?
Do I need "proof" somewhere where I am going after I leave Moscow?

Ulf

Alla1 · Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 4:42 pm Post subject:

Hi
You should apply for 21 days stay visa and on application list all places that you are going to visit. If you are planning to stay longer then 3 days in one place - you'll have to register in each place inside of Russia. As for visa support letters - I believe you'll need it from the first place you are staying only (in order to get a visa). So it'd be from Moscow I guess? Hope it helps.

Rustralian · Just Starting Joined: 10 Oct 2006 Posts: 2

Hi,

If you are planning on having hotel bookings for your entire stay made in advance, then when you fill in the application form for your Tourist Visa, you should fill in each city that you plan to visit, BUT if you did that for a Tourist Visa you are supposed to have hotel bookings confirmed for the entire duration of your stay and for each city that you plan going to. If you request a Visa support letter from the first hotel in Moscow that you are staying in, they will likely provide you with Visa support only for the duration of time you are staying with them. To have all the documents the Russian Embassy would need, you would need a Visa support letter from each hotel with confirmed bookings from the date of entry to date of departure. That is most probably not able to be done, so what you do is use the system that has been established in Russia to make certain important Russians very wealthy by having Government permits to issue Visa Invitation letters.

Solution: Go online to any of the people that provide Visa Invitation letters for Tourism Visa's (this webiste, Visa2Moscow.com, Gotorussia.com etc) and apply online for a Tourist Visa Invitation for travel to Moscow for the entire period that you plan to stay in Russia. When you do that, they will provide you with the Visa Invitation document and a hotel voucher for a nominated Moscow hotel for the entrie duration of your stay in Russia. The hotel voucher has no purpose other than to be lodged with your Visa Invitation document (usually both are on the same document) when you lodge your Visa Application form with your local Russian Embassy. On the Visa Application form you just write down that you are visting Moscow only and that way you have a Visa Invitation for Moscow, a Moscow hotel voucher and a Visa Application form for the same time periods and for the same location. The application complies with what the Embassy wants to see and you get your Visa placed in your passport.

The reality is that the Russian Visa system is not actually about providing exact details, it is about making sure the paperwork you lodge all matches up and is correct and that you have paid the relevant fees for a Visa Invitation and for the Visa Application. The Russian Visa system is a major business enterprise in Russia that generates 100's of millions in fee income for the Russian Embassies and the associated industries in Russia and overseas that support the Russian Visa Industry.

Once you arrive in Moscow you stay at the hotel that you have booked and when you go to other cities, you stay in the hotels that you book there or in private apartments (as you decide to do). By doing things this way, you can decide where to go and where to stay as you require and not have a fixed itinerary in advance.

As for registration you are required to Register where you are staying in Russia within 3 working days of your arrival and within 3 working days of your arrival in every other City you go to. You do not register your Visa, you are registering your presence and location in Russia and at different cities you visit (Russian citizens have to do the same thing when they move from city to city, but they have more than 3 days ... and you thought the Soviet Regime had ended). If you are staying in hotels it is easy and they will do it whenever you check-in, even if you are there for only 1 night. The within 3 working days means just that - if you arrive on Friday night, then you must have completed your registration by the end of the following Wednesday (assuming Saturday and Sunday were not working days and Monday to Wednesday are working days). The within 3 working days is constantly misrepresented on many forums and websites, but it is written very simply in the Russian laws. The importance of the 3 working days is mostly for staying in private apartments, when you need to have the apartment owner register you within the 3 working days and if you are not there for 3 working days, then you don't need registration. Hotels are obliged to register you even if you only stay for 1 night.

Welcome to Russia (in August) !

Ulfen · Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 12:13 am Post subject:

Спасибо

Well.. if that's the case waytorussisa.net provide the same service.

Ulf

leatherwood · Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 7:45 am Post subject:

Hi,

I have a question relevant to what Rustralian nicely laid out in your last post.

I'm a bit confused by the wording I often come across regarding the registration policy. I understand that you must register your visa within three business days upon arrival in a new city or town. What if you stay in a city or town is less than three business days? What if you are staying in a city or town for two business day, or over a weekend plus a Monday? Perhaps it is not legally necessary to register, but will an office know this when he looks through you passport and documents? Is it still a good idea to register, even if you're staying only one or two business days?

I plan on traveling this summer from Vladivostok all the way to Kaliningrad and I don't plan on being anywhere longer than three days except perhaps Moscow. You're response would be greatly appreciated.

romdur · Lounge Lizard Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 151 Location: USA

No need to worry about this - by law, if you are in a town less than 3 working days (even 1 hour less than 3 working days), you are not required to register. And it would probably spoil your trip a bit if you tried to register every place, costing time and money better spent enjoying your travel.

Two recommendations are often repeated on this site, to be safe in case an official questions your registration status:

[1] Register in your first city. If you can get a registration for the whole term of your visa, so much the better, but it is not really necessary.

[2] Keep with you receipts, tickets, or whatever written evidence of your previous travel, to show that you have been in your "present spot" for less than 3 working days.

It is also important to keep your immigration card together with your passport: you must present both, when your papers are demanded. And don't lose the immigration card - though it looks a humble bit of paper, you will have serious problems leaving Russia without it.

Unfortunately, some police officers make a business trying to extort money from foreigners, by claiming that they should be registered when it is not required. I have read advice to insist on your legality (citing Law #115-FZ), they will eventually give up.

Finally, it is possible that Saturday can be a "working day" for registration purposes, so be careful about not counting weekends as working days. But even if you are not sure about Saturday, if (for example) you arrive on a Friday afternoon, and leave Tuesday morning, then registration is not necessary.