Way to Russia Community and Forum

tomka21 · Just Starting Joined: 05 Aug 2009 Posts: 4

Hello!

I'm trying to fill out the visa support application. However, I have several questions. I am planning to travel to Moscow, Russia to visit my father and other relatives. My plane ticket is booked to arrive in Moscow on 8/25/09 (leaving US on 8/24/09) and to leave Moscow on 9/15/09. However, I am not sure where my father will take me while I am in Russia, and as I have some relatives in Ukraine, I decided to get a double entry tourist visa just in case. I understand that I need to put 'tourism' as my reason and keep this consistent on the visa application. When filling out the visa support form, I put my 1st entry date as 8/24/09, and my exit date as 9/24/09, just in case anything were to happen. Then for the second entry, I put in the entry date as 9/1/09 and the exit date as 9/24/09, because if I go to Ukraine, it would probably be sometime between 9/1 and 9/10. However, when I tried to go to the payment screen, it gave me a message saying 'invalid dates', so I am now confused as to what I'm supposed to put down for the dates, since I likely won't even use the second entry.

Also, where it asks from where you are applying for the visa, I'm not sure if to put where I live (Portland, OR, US) or San Francisco, CA, which is the nearest counselate that has jurisdiction over Oregon. I will do this process by mail, because I most likely can not go in person to San Francisco.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

stanj · Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 12:25 pm Post subject:

A tourist visa will require or tour operator booking, if you are staying with your father you should be getting a Private Visa.

The second leg of your visit, returning from Ukraine does not need specific dates, apply for the full 30 days. In the cover letter mention the visit outside the country during the 30 day period. The instructions on most site say a specific itinerary needs to be spelled out but that is not needed in reality.

San Francisco is the location of application. You can't send it in by mail, it needs to be applied for in person or using a visa application service there in SF. Be wary of some of the services, they will force you to buy more expensive processing in the middle of your wait. That is an extra $125-200 in their pocket for nothing. I find that most of these are real scams and no doubt they give kickbacks to the consulates for making people use the worthless visa services.

tomka21 · Just Starting Joined: 05 Aug 2009 Posts: 4

Thanks for the help about the dates. I am going through a visa support service, waytorussia, as I don't have time for a private visa, so I will take my chances. I haven't seen my father in almost 24 years since my family immigrated here in 1985, and he is not in the best of health, and I need to go before I start grad school on september 28.

I didn't even know I had to get a visa until a month ago, and even that was too late for trying to get a private visa, from my understanding. I found the WTR website and it made it sound like a tourist visa was the way to go.

Are you sure I can't do it by mail? The website said something about mailing your passport with the visa support and visa application to the counselate. I have some friends going to San Francisco next week - can I get them to obtain the visa for me? I don't know what to do at this point because I just bought my ticket for August 24th through September 15th. It is really important that I go.

stanj · Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 10:53 pm Post subject:

The application can be dropped off in the morning at their Green Street entrance but you will have to arrange to pick it up in person or have them pick it up, the consulate will not send a visa even with prepaid FedEx envelope anymore. It used to be easy by mail and return FedEx but that has not been possible for the last 2 years.

tomka21 · Just Starting Joined: 05 Aug 2009 Posts: 4

how long does it take before it has to be picked up? My errand runners are two teenage kids who are hopefully going to california next week...boy am i disorganized!

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