Way to Russia Talk Lounge Q&A Forum - Recent questions and answers

Answered: Can Australians travel to Russia and if so what is the isolation requirements ?

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 21:15:43 +0000

I think you are not allowed to travel out of Australia at the moment, but if you do manage, you would need to go on a quarantine in UK for 14 days and then when you come to Russia you can make a test within 48 hours and if the result is negative (and you upload it online) then you don't have to quarantine. Otherwise you have to quarantine also in Russia for 14 days.

Answered: covid quarantine in russia after travel

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 21:14:24 +0000

Yes, if your girlfriend travels to Russia from Greece, she has to be on a quarantine for 14 days when she comes back to Russia. However, she can make a Covid test within 48 hours and if she uploads the negative results on a government portal, she doesn't have to quarantine then.

Answered: Business visa Validity and Renewal questions

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 11:14:39 +0000

Hi Theodor,

You should get first the 3-month business visa. E.g. from July 15 (when they plan to open Russia) to October 15.

Then you will need to travel out of Russia (can also go to a neighboring country, like Estonia, Finland or Latvia) and reapply for a new visa — this time you can get one for 6 months or 1 year.

Each business visa gives you a possibility to stay every 90 in 180 days in Russia. So a 1-year visa enables you to stay only half of the time in Russia. If you want to settle permanently you'll need a work visa, which is a different thing.

In general, it's a good choice to set up a company in Russia. If your turnover is less than $1 Mln a year, you can get special tax regime where you pay only 6% on your turnover as a company. Read more on https://waytorussia.net/Practicalities/Entrepreneur-Simplified-Tax-Russia.html

Answered: Plane tickets and different passport names?

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 11:10:51 +0000

I'd recommend to buy your tickets using the passport you will use when you fly OUT — that's what's gonna be checked by the airline. If you just use your Russian passport to get into Russia, you don't need it for the tickets. However, when you fly out of Russia you can show your foreign passport you bought the tickets for and that should work.

Answered: Name of organization you are visiting and full name of representative for Business Visa invitation.

Sun, 09 Feb 2020 15:51:48 +0000

You should leave these fields empty if you are not visiting any particular organization or exhibition and let the visa company fill out these fields for you. Also, you should put "business" as the purpose of your trip if you are applying for a business visa support.

Answered: Which name to use when purchasing plane ticket to Russia?

Tue, 24 Dec 2019 20:09:19 +0000

Well, basically your question is about showing the passport to the airline, because they are the only ones who care. In that case you will just show the both passports and probably better you buy your ticket on your American passport. So then you show the Russian one only at the border control and when you arrive or leave they just ask you where you came from but don't ask you to show the tickets.

Answered: How do I fill the "Names (as in passport)" field?

Tue, 24 Dec 2019 20:07:22 +0000

It is better to use the same name as in your as in your passport.

Russian Visas From Manila?

Tue, 24 Dec 2019 20:06:06 +0000

Hi guys - This is my first post.

So!
As many people know the Philippines is one of the most corrupt places in the world.
I am applying for a 3-year tourist visa for Russia via the Russian Consulate in Manila, Philippines.

I took a loooooooong trip last week and was turned away because they said that this specified day is only for Russian citizens.
Which was completely the Opposite of what it said on the Embassy/Consulate website.
And there is no good contact number available anywhere for them, so a person is just forced to come to Manila from whatever province they are living in (through hellacious traffic - worst in the world), and cross their fingers.

So I was turned away, but before I left, the front desk guy told me that they "don't issue 3 year visas."
I assured him I'm a US citizen & yes US citizens can get that kind of visa.
He was Filipino & I think he only cares about the rules applying to fellow Filipinos, he was basically just trying to discourage me in any way he could, and obviously didn't even know what he was talking about.

So I have to take that looooooong trip from the province again this coming week to Manila (to the Russian Consulate) and hoping I can get the 3-year tourist visa that I require.
And yes I have followed all the instructions from this website (and from other sites) very carefully.
I got all my ducks in a row, dotted my I's, crossed my T's.

My question, if you can please fill me in...

Has anyone had any experience getting Russian visas from Manila? Did you have many problems? And for any kind of shorter visa I don't think you would have a problem. But for the 3-year visa that American citizens ARE QUALIFIED for.... I don't think believe they come across many of these applications in Manila.
Going into this I have a bad feeling, with the level of corruption & Constant shakedowns of white foreigners here, I think they are going to really hassle me.
Or just turn me away - to make me go back to the province yet again, redo my application and get a short month-long visa, which is just not long enough for me.

Any feedback is much appreciated, thank you.

Answered: Do I need a visa if I take the train from Helsinki just for the day

Wed, 25 Sep 2019 14:31:11 +0000

Hi, yes, you need a visa even in this case. If you just want to visit for one day a better option might be to take a cruise boat from Helsinki to St. Petersburg. Then they will arrange a special no-visa travel, which is available to the cruise passengers.

Answered: Entry to Russia with a car from a friend.

Sun, 12 May 2019 15:29:08 +0000

Hi Falk, Berlin is great! And the weather is super nice these days :)

Regarding your question: you should get the car documents, the driver's license, and car insurance valid in Russia. The insurance might be available at the border, but this is not 100% sure, so I'd double check once you're in Ulan-Bataar — maybe some agency there can provide it for you. Also, yes, you will need a document from your friend confirming that he lets you use his car to go to Russia. In Russian it's called "Generalnaya Doverennost'" or Генеральная Доверенность. This will prove to be a bit more complicated, but if I were you, I'd go to a notary office in Mongolia and ask them to provide this paper to you and to explain where you need it. You need to find a good notary who has experience with these cases, so they do everything right. Then you just get a Russian translation, as well as the translation of the car's technical documents and certificate into Russian (you could do all this at once). And then, yes, you can travel to Russia. Get a membership from some car association like ADAC just in case and ask if they have any partners in Siberia.

Answered: If I stay on cruise ship at St Petes for 3 days do I need single or multiple entry visa to visit each day?

Sun, 12 May 2019 15:25:24 +0000

You might not be able to enter Russia on a separate visa if you're on a cruise ship as they have some special regulation that you can only enter Russia on a visa obtained through the cruise company. Why don't you tell them you join the tours and then just go do your own stuff when in Russia?

Answered: How do I travel the Trans-Siberian railway from Beijing to Moscow with longer stopovers and visas?

Sun, 12 May 2019 15:24:26 +0000

Hi Erik,

It's a great journey that you want to undertake!

All the information about the Russian visa is available on http://waytorussia.net/Travel/VisaSupport.html

Generally, you can do the trip on a 30-day tourist visa, but you can also get a business visa, which is basically the same thing but extended (you can get it for 3 months and double-entry also). Both business and tourist visa take about 2 weeks to get once at the consulate but the business visa may be slightly more expensive. Also, the invitation for a tourist visa is issued in only 1 day while the invitation for a business visa might take about 2 weeks. I'd go with the business visa if I were you as it's more flexible, although a bit more expensive and longer to wait for. You don't need to book any hotels for any of those visas, the visa support themselves is like a preliminary booking, but you don't need to stay at the hotels listed there.

And yes, you can apply from Australia, especially if it's a business visa that you try to get.

Finally, regarding the stopover in Mongolia, definitely go for it! You might be able to get a cheaper train from Ulan-Bataar to Irkutsk or Ulan-Ude (a nice city to stop by in as well!) and if not you can always take a bus!

Answered: Can I get my visa for Russia from a travel bureau in another country?

Thu, 28 Mar 2019 07:28:31 +0000

Sure, you can get your visa in Tallin too. They will probably make the invitation for you and then take your documents to submit them directly to the Russian embassy, so it works exactly the same way as if you did it on your own, you just pay a premium.

By the way, I would really appreciate if you post the name of the agency you used if you are satisfied with your experience, so that other travelers could use your advice too. Thanks!

Answered: Will a tourist letter be needed?

Thu, 28 Mar 2019 07:25:10 +0000

You have an option to ask your wife's parents to make a private invitation, but that takes a long time to process and you'll probably need the original posted to you. So if you want to save time, they can simply get the tourist invitation. Then they can also stay at your wife's parents apartment. Your wife's parents will need to register their visas (at any post office with the passports of the guests) if they are in Russia for more than 7 working days. That's it.

Answered: Which type of visas will my children need?

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 04:34:49 +0000

You need to get tourist visas for your children. As US citizens they may be able to get a 3-year visa, so just get the invitation on http://waytorussia.net/Travel/VisaSupport.html for 30 days and then apply for a 3-year visa. This should work.

Answered: Visa support/invitation document when visiting more cities than on the form

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 04:33:15 +0000

This is not a problem at all. Just list the first 5 cities and you're done!

Answered: Can I use the Bar and Restaurant car from 3rd class

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 04:32:53 +0000

Yes, sure you can! The food is about €5 per meal, €1 per beer. You can also buy food outside at the stations from the people who sell their home-made stuff — especially good if you travel the Trans-Siberian!

Best way to travel to Altai from Novosibirski

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 04:31:57 +0000

Hey guys, I am coming to Novosibirski on April and I need a tour guide or a local tour company to settle a 3-day trip to Altai. Can you help me?

Bus timetable from Sergiev Posad to Pereslavl-Zalessky

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 04:31:56 +0000

Hi!
I'm looking for a bus timetable from Sergiev Posad to Pereslavl-Zalessky.
Do I need to buy those tickets in advance?
Cheers

Best Russian SIM Card with internet traffic - buying at the airport upon arrival?

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 04:31:25 +0000

I saw there's lots of SIM cards on sale when you arrive to Moscow airport. What's the best Russian SIM card to get if I need lots of internet traffic included?

Answered: Do I need a single or double entry visa to travel between two locations in Russia?

Sun, 26 Aug 2018 16:46:57 +0000

No, of course you need a single entry tourist visa then. A double entry visa is needed if you're traveling outside of Russia to one of the former USSR (CIS) states.

Answered: Can I apply as a US or UK citizen for a Russian tourist visa from the Czech Republic?

Sun, 26 Aug 2018 16:42:25 +0000

I think you should apply as a UK citizen because that regulation they're talking about is not valid. The consulate only needs your residence permit if you're not an EU citizen.

Answered: I filled in the visa invitation form, but the site would not accept the date I entered for first entry into Russia.

Sun, 26 Aug 2018 16:41:15 +0000

Probably the error was that you were applying for double entry and something was not working.

Answered: can i trvl to russia wd damaged pasprt wd valid visa on that and a new reissued passport ?

Sun, 26 Aug 2018 16:40:35 +0000

no, this is not usually possible

Answered: Does a FAN ID holder need a registration after July 25 until the end of the year?

Sun, 26 Aug 2018 16:39:54 +0000

Hey

So in fact it's not clear whether they also prolonged that regulation. If I were you I'd register, as it's not too complicated and you'll avoid troubles. Remember you only need it if you stay more than 7 working days in Russia.

Answered: Visa support

Sun, 26 Aug 2018 16:33:33 +0000

The visa support document is valid for the time span that's specified on it. The other thing is that you can issue a tourist visa support not earlier than 90 days before the travel date and the business visa support can sometimes be issued earlier. A tourist visa support is valid for trips for up to 1 month, while business visa support can be valid for 12 months (staying maximum 90 out of every 180 days). For the US citizens a tourist visa support can get them a 3-year visa.

Answered: what do i need and where do i go for a travel visa to russia?

Sun, 26 Aug 2018 16:31:33 +0000

Well, the easiest way is to get your visa support documents on http://waytorussia.net/Travel/VisaSupport.html — this page also has a step-by-step guide for what you need to do next. Basically, the next day you get your visa support documents, fill out the application form online, then take this and your passport to your local visa center and they'll do the rest for you. You can get your visa even in a few days if needed.

Answered: Will I get the Autumn colours in the last week of Aug ?

Wed, 10 Jan 2018 05:53:26 +0000

Sudhir,

The best time to see Autumn colors in Altai is September and first days of October.
Here you can see some Altai photos in 1-9 of October 2016:
https://yadi.sk/d/qL9sqkba3RKzxU

Answered: Where can I contact a Guide with Transportation for a week or 2 weeks in Altai region.

Tue, 09 Jan 2018 23:55:02 +0000

Hello Sudhir!
There are many highlights in Altai. You can find some pictures on this map: http://welcometoaltai.ru/maps.php
Unfortunately descriptions of a place is in Russian language only.

September is an autumn already, so you will need some warm clothes. There might be a snow in highlands.

Border crossing from Heihe (China) to Blagoveshensk

Tue, 09 Jan 2018 08:42:03 +0000

Is it possible for a foreigner holding a Russian visa to cross the border between Heihe (China) and Blagoveshensk ?
Also, is this border opened in winter ?
As there is no bridge between the two cities, it seems that it's possible to cross on ice. Can you confirm this ?
Thank you

Circumbaikal Express in winter

Tue, 09 Jan 2018 08:39:55 +0000

I would like to know whether the Circumbaikal Express train operates in winter (more precisely in February). An can we buy tickets in Sliudyanka ?
Thank you

Answered: Watching the lanscape from top places in the kupe? (and security)

Fri, 27 Oct 2017 05:01:52 +0000

When comparing upper and lower bed notice that upper bed have big space in height and have much more light.
But to look outside the window you have to lay on bed and hang your head down a little.
It is more comfortable to observe nature when sitting on lower bed but someone from upper bed will sit there too.
On lower bed you put your stuff in the chest below the bed; on upper bed you poke your baggage at an opened shelf over a door.

Answered: How to find a person with limited details

Fri, 27 Oct 2017 05:01:10 +0000

Try to find her at vk.com with such data (lot of people use it).

Answered: Air B and B St Petersburg

Mon, 16 Oct 2017 03:27:55 +0000

Hi, you can get this apartment through AirBnB and then get your visa support through http://waytorussia.net/Travel/VisaSupport.html

Just make sure your apartment is on the ground floor or that the building has an elevator. Frankly, in your case, maybe a hotel is a better option, so you wouldn't have problems with accessibility.

Answered: Can I apply for the permanent residence if I can keep my current job and work permit/visa for 3 years?

Mon, 16 Oct 2017 03:26:39 +0000

Yes technically you can

Answered: My passport expires 5 months and 2 weeks before my proposed exit date, can I still get a visa?

Mon, 16 Oct 2017 03:26:07 +0000

Hey you can usually get a Russian visa if your passport expires not earlier than 6 months before your visa ends.

Answered: Should I pay the hotel in full before applying the Russian visa through WayToRussia Visa Support Invitation service?

Fri, 06 Oct 2017 04:11:05 +0000

Well, the visa support letter is a confirmation of your hotel reservation, however, as you can imagine, because the visa support letter costs only $30, your hotel is not paid in full. So in case the consulate really needs that it's better if you get that confirmation. Sometimes you can contact the visa support company and they will issue this letter for you free of charge (if they have a special arrangement with a hotel) otherwise you'd need to get a booking on Booking.Com for example (you could always cancel it after as there's no law that says you absolutely have to stay at that hotel – you might change your mind and stay somewhere else, the hotel is not written in your actual visa).

Answered: 3-year Tourist Visa: Separate invitations needed for each visit?

Fri, 06 Oct 2017 04:09:24 +0000

No, you just need one letter of invitation for a short duration, but then you apply for a long visa and in that case you'll have a visa for 3 years.

Answered: If im staying only six days in Russia do I need to register my visa?

Fri, 06 Oct 2017 04:07:49 +0000

No, you need to register only if you're staying 7 days or longer.

Answered: Duration of visit to Russia

Fri, 06 Oct 2017 04:07:32 +0000

Yes you need a visa and you can get it using your wife's private invitation. Then you can extend it in Moscow once you marry.

What exactly is a guest Visa and do I need one?

Fri, 15 Sep 2017 07:53:57 +0000

I am planning on visiting my girlfriend who lives in Russia this December. Now, I am assuming that I will need to obtain a guest visa because my purpose is to stay with her and visit. How exactly would I go about obtaining this type of visa? Does she need to send the invitation letter and where would she send it if she does?
Any and all help will be GREATLY appreciated.

Online train tickets

Sat, 26 Aug 2017 04:54:17 +0000

We have booked online train tickets on this site but it's not giving option to pay through credit card. Please help. Tell me how to pay online through credit card? Thanks

Mini van rental

Sat, 26 Aug 2017 04:48:16 +0000

Hi
We are a group of 13 adults. We are looking for a mini van/ coaster with driver and English speaking guide. For 3 days in Moscow 01Oct 02Oct 03Oct. From 11am to 7 pm( 8hrs). And 3 days in Saint Petersburg 04Oct 05Oct 06Oct. Same time same requirements. Is it possible to rent through your company? If yes please advise rates on daily basis and we would like to pay through credit card. We are all Pakistani Nationals.
Please respond urgently
Thanks
Mrs. Karim

The luggage must be weighed before departure?

Thu, 24 Aug 2017 00:36:19 +0000

Rules for luggage

With what do you associate St - Petersburg? ( with sights, flowers, animals, types of people)

Sat, 19 Aug 2017 10:50:18 +0000

I was carrying a circuit board through Moscow airport for my customer in the Middle East and the goods were impounded.

Wed, 16 Aug 2017 06:09:15 +0000

I was carrying a circuit board through Moscow airport for my customer in the Middle East and the goods were impounded I have now received a letter telling me to go to Moscow arrivals with my passport. I am not interested in having the goods back so they can be destroyed so can I ignore teh request without compromising me for any future visits to Russia?

Do i register my visa for each city i go? Is it a problem if i declared just moscow hotel when i get my vvisa.

Mon, 07 Aug 2017 10:41:29 +0000

When i get my touristic visa I declared 4 nights in moscow but change my mind and i also want to go st petersburg. 2 days in moscow and two days in st petersburg hotels. Do i need register for two cities. İs it a problem for custom, when i return to my country.

I want to Seek Political Asylum

Wed, 02 Aug 2017 12:14:43 +0000

I am an american national who believe my country is suppress and
monitor me beyond acceptable levels for working for the African
American people. I am seeking political asylum and need emergency
assistance.

I have about 8 hours for touring Moscow, NO HOTEL planned, what do I put on request for invitation?

Tue, 01 Aug 2017 11:13:08 +0000

On a layover in Moscow, I have about 8 hours for touring, NO HOTEL planned, not meeting friends--so what do I use to get the invitation letter, and Visa for that matter?

Answered: What do you know about ivisaonline.com?

Thu, 27 Jul 2017 02:42:10 +0000

iVisaOnline provides Russian visa support necessary to apply for Russian visa. Get Russian visa support letter in 5 minutes.
https://driving-directionsmaps.com/