Way to Russia Talk Lounge Q&A Forum - Recent questions tagged visa

Air B and B St Petersburg

Mon, 16 Oct 2017 03:24:37 +0000

My cousin and I are 2 Australian ladies in our 60s
We have some walking difficulties and would like to
visit St Petersburg as tourists next May 2018
We would like to rent a 2 bedroom apartment rather than a hotel
Can we do this? If so, how do we organise the letter of invitation for our visa applications?
Thank you

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

Fri, 01 Sep 2017 13:29:01 +0000

I am going to apply for tourist visa from Russian Consulate in Saudi Arabia in order to meet my fiancee in Russia. On Russian Consulate in Saudi Arabia website, it mentioned that "The hotel must be paid in full for the entire duration of the visa." I want to use your service for obtaining the Visa Support Invitation, kindly seek your advice on this matter.

By the way, I am holding Malaysian citizenship.

Thank you in advance.

What do you know about ivisaonline.com?

Fri, 14 Jul 2017 06:57:28 +0000

Hi! I'm just want to visit Russia in the next couple of months. I know that I need visa invitation. Did somebody used ivisa service?

Russian Visa Support Application

Fri, 30 Jun 2017 02:48:49 +0000

Hello. Thank you for the great website! Below are my questions:

1. Number of entries; Single entry or double entry? My entry will be from (St Petersburg) LED and through Trans-Siberian
2. Purpose of visit; Tourist or Trans-Siberian? I will do both.
3. Registration services; My arrival will be at St. Petersburg, do i need to pay for EUR 31 for registration in Moscow?
4. Should i fill up all the cities that i will be visited, including the hotel? do i need to fill up all from St Petersburg - Moscow - Irkutsk?

Thank you!
Izz, Malaysia

I PUT THE WRONG COUNTRY OF CITIZEN , MY COUNTRY GHANA IS NOT LISTED AND I NEED TO PAY

Mon, 15 May 2017 04:46:39 +0000

THIS IS MY reference SSSD-1551710154568-D8E537D71-AN PLEASE RESPOND WITH URGENCY THANK YOU.

Visa Support questions; arriving via cruise

Tue, 02 May 2017 19:26:23 +0000

We will be arriving in St. Petersburg on a cruise on July 18 and leaving on July 19. We don't want to do the organized tours through the cruise company. We want to get a tourist visa and see the city independently. We will sleep on the ship.

I assume we need a multiple entry visa and we will have to go through immigration each time we leave and return to the ship. Is this correct?

On the request form for visa support (for multiple entry), it is asking for travel dates (1st entry, 1st exit, 2nd entry, and 2nd exit). I'm a little unclear on how exactly I should do this. Should I complete it like this:

Entry 1: July 18
Exit 1: July 18
Entry 2: July 19
Exit 2: July 19

I am confused if this is the way to do it or a single entry would suffice simply with an Entry date of July 18 and exit date of July 19.

Visa questions for cruise ship arrival in St. Petersburg

Tue, 02 May 2017 19:24:53 +0000

Will my visa application get rejected if I am self-employed?

Tue, 21 Mar 2017 09:21:39 +0000

I am studing the Russian language and would like to visit, possibly multiple times. I work on my laptop, the application asks for your employer information. Will my 30 days or 36 month visa application get rejected because I am self-employed?
Can you also advise me on medical insurance? I am healthy and don't expect to receive medical care.
Thank you

Visa registration in Russia

Wed, 08 Mar 2017 08:00:55 +0000

Hello,

I'd like to ask if it is necessary to register my visa if I stay in St. Petersburg for 6 nights and then I'm going to Moscow for 4 nights by plane from St. Petersburg.

Thank you for your reply.

How to obtain student visa to Russia from Pakistan

Fri, 10 Feb 2017 01:21:55 +0000

UK citizen obtaining Russian Visa from Sweden

Thu, 02 Feb 2017 12:34:24 +0000

My husband (an Irish citizen though employed in Sweden by his UK company) and I (UK citizen) are temporary residents (for a year) in Stockholm and we're looking to visit Moscow and St Petersburg at Easter for 5 days on a Tourist Visa. When applying via the Visa agency in Stockholm we were asked for our Swedish personnumber to prove that we have been resident in Sweden for 3 months. When I advised that we have recently moved and I don't have a personnumber (we're not entitled to a personnumber as we're staying for less than a year) I was advised that I should apply via the Embassy in the UK. This however is not possible because of the need to physically visit the Visa centres in the UK. Please can you advise if this is a real restriction to us visiting Russia at Easter, or if there is away of us obtaining a Visa?

Also its worth noting that the cost we were quoted for a single tourist Visa for UK citizens is c.£82 (not £30 as mentioned in one of your articles).

Many thanks in advance.

Gill

Obtaining visa in Portugal

Tue, 31 Jan 2017 08:00:32 +0000

Greetings,

I am a portuguese citizen looking for a tourism russian visa. In Portugal there's a pt/ru travel agency called 'Lusitana Sol' that helps people to obtain visa. However, they tell me that I can't rent an apartments (airbnb, etc) in Russia because these entities won't regist my visa support. What should I do in order to have more flexibility? Is there someone from Portugal that has been in a similar situation that could help me? Thanks in advance.

André Gomes

Can I travel to Crimea using a Russian tourist visa?

Tue, 03 Jan 2017 17:06:17 +0000

Will any of the third-parties used by WaytoRussia provide a visa support form to travel to Crimea? Are there any extra complications for getting visas to Crimea? I am a citizen of the United Kingdom.

Do I need A visa?

Tue, 03 Jan 2017 13:31:34 +0000

Hi my name is Albina. I was born in Russia. I am a usa citizen and recently i got my Russian passport its vallid for 5 years. But on my russian passport my name is ALBINA CALDWELL AND ON MY USA PASSPORT IS Albina Delara Davidson. Do i need a visa in order to travel to Russia, Nizhnekamsk??? and how can i travel on two different names. both passport are valid. But Russian consulate could not give me a passport under davidson name because i didnt have the name change document so i am going to get a lawyer get me a document saying my name was albina caldwell but now its changed to Albina Delara Davidson. When i travel do i have to show both passports when i leave charlotte to Russia or do i only show my russian passport and when i come travel back show usa passport??

Visa Support Request - can I use "Group" option if people are applying in different countries/consulates?

Sun, 11 Dec 2016 23:33:22 +0000

I am about to request the Visa Support. I am Australian citizen and my partner is USA citizen. I will be applying for visa in Australia, he will be applying in USA. We will be travelling together in Russia. Can we request the Visa Support using the Group option for 2 people? thanks!

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

Sat, 26 Nov 2016 21:19:30 +0000

Hello!

My finance and I are getting married in 5 weeks, but when applying for my visa I've seen that my passport actually expires in late June. All of our application forms and other documents have been notarized, copied and approved by zags. We've also made our holiday and travel arrangements (Zags approved the forms yesterday, Friday 25th of November) They are expecting me to arrive on the 23rd of December to prepare for the wedding which is on of the 30th of December.
Is there anything that can be done to apply for my visa?

Please, if there is anything that can be done to help- I'm not sure what to do now!

Thank you very much!

In how many maximum days can i get a visa support?

Tue, 11 Oct 2016 04:39:38 +0000

Do I need a single or double entry visa?

Tue, 04 Oct 2016 07:56:19 +0000

We are travelling from Dubai to New York via Russia. We will be staying in Russia for 4 days, on the way to US. Going back, we will have a one hour layover in Moscow, enroute to Dubai. Do we need a double entry visa or single entry would do, since we will not be going out of the airport on or way back?

Visa for a UK citizen before the previous one is expired

Mon, 03 Oct 2016 06:12:43 +0000

Dear friends,

A UK citizen has a valid tourist Russian visa for the period from 22 to 31 of October. However, due to objective circumstances he has to reschedule his visit for November. Is it possible to apply now for another tourist visa for the period of 14-21 of November when he still has a valid visa in his passport or should he wait until the expiration of his current visa and apply after 31 of October?

Many thanks.

When is "check-out-time" from Russia at an airport

Tue, 13 Sep 2016 08:34:11 +0000

We have a Russian 3-months Business visa, which ends at November 11th, at midnight. Our flight leaves scheduled at 00.50 on November 12th, what means checking in and passing herewith immigration is before midnight. Is this OK, or does the official airline departure time count?

Can I get a 30 day tourist visa & organize own travel flexibly not declaring details of train/ hotels on visa?

Wed, 31 Aug 2016 11:27:21 +0000

od and Moscow without needing to specify on the visa where I am staying & when, the trains Im using, etc?

Wed, 31 Aug 2016 11:24:10 +0000

want to know if I have to book and specify hotels, trains etc on visa or can I just get the visas and then have flexibility with where I stay and when etc

Do you know know who is the winner of this us election?

Mon, 08 Aug 2016 06:21:38 +0000

The US elections 2016 are judicially endorsed to happen on November 8, 2016, will be the 58th recurring US election for presidential race. Voters will choose presidential balloters who thus will choose a new president and vice president through the Electoral College.

view more here: http://presidentialpolls-2016.com/us-elections-2016/

General US election campaigning starts after a solitary candidate is selected from each political party by means of primaries, assemblies and national conventions. These nominees venture to every part of the US, clarifying their perspectives and plans to the citizens of the US attempting to win the backing of potential voters. Debates, rallies and promoting are a major portion of general US Elections 2016 campaigning.

I need to change a detail on my visa support document. Can anyone advise how I do that?

Wed, 03 Aug 2016 14:25:10 +0000

I used Russia Visa Support Document (Russian Visa Invitation) service through Way to Russia and would like to change a detail on this document. Can anyone know how I can do this?

Thanks,

A Canadian Swimmer want to swim from Little Diomede (USA) to Big Diomede (Russia)

Tue, 02 Aug 2016 12:25:31 +0000

During the summer of 2016, a swimmer adventurer and his team will connect 5 continents by swimming through five crossings around the world spread over 80 days.

One of them is to connect America to Asia via the Bering Strait by swimming from Little Diomede (United States) to the Big Diomede(Russia). (or the opposite)
We will cross the border between the US and Russia at sea.

How could I obtain my Visa for this expedition ? (i.e. : visa support letter)

Please accept my best regards

need visa invitation for Indian to visit Moscow and St Pitersberg from 6/9/16 to 13/9 16

Sun, 24 Jul 2016 13:08:43 +0000

If I am renting - can I still accomodate my Russian friend in the UK?

Wed, 08 Jun 2016 15:00:52 +0000

Hello and thank you first of all - this was one of the most helpful answers I have come across so far with regards to writing an invitation. I wondered if you could help me with another question that relates to a similar situation...
I am a British citizen and would like to invite my Russian friend over for a holiday. I would be more than happy to accomodate her during her stay. Now, the question is - if I am renting, am I still allowed to do that? There is nothing in the contract to say that I can't - as long as the person is not paying, they should be fine to stay over. The landlord does not live at the property, so there is generally no problem with guests being in the house, crashing overnight if needed etc. The is a big comfortable sofa in the living room just for that purpose.
So, if that is generally acceptable, would I need some sort of official confirmation from the landlord to send along with my invitation letter? Or would a copy of the tenancy agreement be sufficient to prove, that my friend can indeed stay with me during her visit?
Also, if I am hosting her - does that necessarily mean I need to sponsor her? If she proves she has enough funds to provide for herself - do I need to send any additional proof of my funds as well? Or would it be best to send that anyway, just in case?
Your advise would be very much appreciated.

I have 15hour layover in Moscow and would like to explore city. I am US citizen. Can someone guide me if I need a visa?

Tue, 07 Jun 2016 05:35:00 +0000

I have a 36 month visa. What steps do I need toi take in order to go to Moscow again?

Sat, 21 May 2016 13:30:04 +0000

When I send my visa application to a consulate, do I have to send the actual passport or can I send a copy of it?

Thu, 19 May 2016 23:12:15 +0000

I plan to leave the United States to travel on June 4th, but I don't plan to go to Russia till July 25th. Therefore I need the actual passport on me starting June 4th, which is a tight window from now.

Can I send my application to a consulate or an embassy outside of the United States and then pick it up there?

Thu, 19 May 2016 23:09:42 +0000

I want to go to Russia on July 25th, but I leave the United States to travel to other European countries starting on June 4th. If I could send my application to a destination in Europe I'm already planning to go to and I could pick up the visa there, I wouldn't have to rush to get my visa before June 4th.

My citizenship is not in the list of citizenship in the Visa Support request? what should i do ? im from albania

Fri, 08 Apr 2016 07:52:28 +0000

I have to change my dates of travel, Can I have my invitation amended? or do I need to apply for another one?

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 19:32:35 +0000

I have already applied for my invitation and will receive it today. However in the space of 2 hrs after doing this my dates to go to Russia changed. Is it possible to amend this invitation after I receive it? Or do I need to do the process all over again?

Visa for Crimea

Wed, 30 Mar 2016 07:02:28 +0000

Hi. I am from Australia. I am planning a trip to Crimea. In the online form (http://waytorussia.net/Services/VisaSupport/Tourist.html?Submit=Get+It+Online+Now), where I select up to 5 cities from the list, there are no Crimean cities available to choose from.

I'm not sure what to do! Hope you can please help! :)
Thank you

Can I apply a visa in other country?

Tue, 29 Mar 2016 01:03:58 +0000

Hi. I am a Filipino citizen from the Philippines. I am planning to have a tour in Russia specifically in Moscow. But I am working in Thailand. Is it possible to apply for a Russian Visa in the Russian Consulate here in Thailand given that I already have the Russian Visa Support? Thanks.

which countries are more lenient about the 90 day rule?

Sun, 27 Mar 2016 01:58:06 +0000

I am in Kyrgyzstan and have been out of the UK (My permanent residence) for 2 years. I need a russian visa in order to get home but they won't issue here due to 90 day rule. Is there another central Asian country I can try which might be more lenient?

Can I apply for a multy-entry business visa if I visited Russia before with a guided tour from a cruise ship? Thanks

Thu, 17 Mar 2016 13:56:42 +0000

Agency in China to Apply for Russian Visa

Fri, 26 Feb 2016 03:44:51 +0000

Hello!
I am an American living in China (Chengdu) with a residency permit. There is not a consulate or visa center in Chengdu though, so I was trying to get more information on the Agency in Beijing listed to assist with getting a Russian visa. There is a phone number, but no name for the agency itself nor a website. Do you have any other information about this agency? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Do I HAVE to apply for a visa through ILS - Russian Visa Center?

Tue, 23 Feb 2016 07:03:53 +0000

I've been getting conflicting information on applying for the Visa. I do have your guide book, but it's not helping. I found a site that directed me to the Consulate General of Russia in San Francisco to apply for my Visa (I live in Colorado), and their web site says:

"Effective May 2, 2012 all visa applicants have to contact the Russian Visa Center (ILS)."

It says they charge an extra $33 service fee, but the ILS web site shows a service fee of $103.

Can I NOT send my application directly to the SF Consulate General?

Business Visa for 12 months

Fri, 19 Feb 2016 10:06:36 +0000

I am an American student who is planning to study in Russia, and my situation is a little complicated: I have been accepted to study the Russian language in Petersburg from June 20 to August 15 this summer, and I am waiting on the results for my application for an archival research grant in Russia from September to May afterwards--but I wont know if this application would be successful until April. If I receive the grant, I would like to travel to Russia for June 2016 to May 2017 (June to August-- language, September to May--research). But, if I don't receive the grant, then I would like to only go from June to August. And so I am trying to decide what I should apply for, in order for these options to work.

I was thinking that I should apply for a 12-month single or double entry visa (this will be my first trip to Russia, so I can't apply for a multi-entry visa, right?). But, I couldn't find that option on this site: http://waytorussia.net/Services/VisaSupport/Business.html?Submit=Get+It+Online+Now
If I can't apply for the 12 month, would it be possible to renew the visa or apply for two visas (the 3 month single-entry visa followed by a 12 month multi-entry?).

Essentially, this trip is actually two trips: language study (June to August), and research (September to May). The former is assured, and the latter is still up in the air.

Regarding invitations, are they to be provided by the institutions that I will affiliated with, or by the places where I will be living (landlord or hotel)?

If the institutions, should the language institute (for the first part of the trip (May to August) provide the invitation? The latter (research) will be at GIII (State Institute of Art History at St. Petersburg); should they provide the invitation?

Should I receive the research grant, I would like to do research in both Petersburg and in Moscow. Do I need separate invitations and do I need to register for both cities?

Sorry for the long and complicated message!
Thank you so much for your help!

EDIT: Since the chances of receiving the research grant are pretty slim would the following work:

Feb/Mar: Apply for VISA to study language and to do a little research from May to August (3 month business visa).

April: I will receive news of the research grant. If I receive it: apply for a 12 month business visa to do research in Petersburg and Moscow from September to May. If I don't receive the grant: I won't apply for the second visa.

I think that this is a better plan than what I mentioned above, do you think that this could work?

Americans/Australians applying for a Russian Visa in Riga/Tallinn?

Thu, 18 Feb 2016 04:39:54 +0000

Hi we're looking for the quickest possible processing time for Russian visas in Europe. We're EU residents (not citizens) and our local consulate uses VHS to do all of the application work. They have a minimum 10 day turnaround and only count 3 working days a week. Has anyone (esp. American/Australian) had faster visa processing elsewhere?

Any help is appreciated?

can I get a multi entry business Visa if my previous Russian Visa expired 2 years ago ?

Fri, 29 Jan 2016 05:16:08 +0000

I have previously lived in Russia on a 3 month business visa followed by a 1 year work visa, which expired about 2 years ago.
I am now living in Finland (I am a New Zealand passport holder) and want to visit my partner in Russia on a regular basis, and am thinking that a multiple entry 1 year business visa might be the most flexible way of getting a visa. Will this be possible based on the fact that I have previously had a Russian Visa ?
I do actually have my own New Zealand based business and would actually be interested in the possibility of finding some business opportunities in Russia anyway, but initially I would be travelling there to spend time with my partner.

Can I enter Russia from Estonia on Visa issued in UK?

Thu, 28 Jan 2016 17:08:19 +0000

I'm a UK resident and will have the Russian visa processed in UK. However, I will first travel to Estonia and enter Russia from there. Are there any restrictions on entry from Estonia if visa is issued by embassy in UK?

Can you "pause" a 90-day business visa?

Thu, 07 Jan 2016 14:13:46 +0000

Hi,

I hold an EU passport and I'm planning to apply for a double-entry business visa, valid for up to 90 days. Taking the Trans-Siberian, I would like to stop in Mongolia for a while (two months in Russia, one month in Mongolia and one more month in Russia). Does that work with sucha a visa? Does 90 days mean we can stay in Russia for a maximum 90 days over 120 days (what we would like), or does it mean that we can enter the country twice during a period of maximum 90 days? If the latter is correct, do we have any other options to do what we want? Or do we need to shorten our trip to both Russia and Mongolia to max 90 days?

Many thanks in advance!

How are the 90 days of a business visa determined?

Mon, 21 Dec 2015 10:28:27 +0000

Hi,

My partner and I plan a long trip through Asia, including four months in Russia and Mongolia. Ideally, we would like to spend two months going from St Petersburg to Ulan-Ude, then one month in Mongolia, to finally return to Russia for a month, traveling from Ulan-Ude to Yakutsk and, in the end, Vladivostok. I have a Finnish passport and my partner a Swiss passport. We both live in Belgium. My partner has never been to Russia and I haven't been there for almost 10 years , so we probably don't qualify for a multiple-entry business visa of up to one year.

We have been looking at a double-entry business visa. These are valid for up to 90 days, I understand. But since we would like to go 2+1 months with a 1-month break in between, will that work? Does 90 days mean we can stay maximum 90 days during a longer period of time (what we would like), or does it mean that we can enter the country twice during a period of maximum 90 days? If the latter is correct, do we have any other options to do what we want? Or do we need to shorten our trip to max 90 days?

Many thanks in advance!

Best visa option for long stay?

Fri, 18 Dec 2015 10:35:00 +0000

I am going on a business trip for 6 months early next year and I am trying to figure out the most preferable visa to allow my girlfriend to be able to move out there with me (neither of us have been to Russia before and never applied for a visa). It is tricky as work is completely doing my work permit so I am not too sure on the procedure either.
We have been told a private (or guest) visa will be the best option when speaking to the consulate for advise but I just wanted to see if this is the best option.
I have read on this site that you can chose visa types based on cost, length of application, etc. and a business visa has been mentioned a lot, the type of stay you actually plan on doing doesn't matter as long as the paperwork ties up. However I have been led to believe that this type of visa requires the person to have a certain amount of backup cash in the bank per day they plan to visit (example: say £100 a day for 10 days, therefore requiring £1000 to be granted the visa).

Thanks

Mark

Which visa for a road trip in russia

Tue, 24 Nov 2015 03:41:06 +0000

Hello,

I'm planning to go for a road trip all the way trough Russia next summer. I will be traveling with a russian friend so i won't have any problem with the driver licence, but i would like to be able to travel around russia for about two-three months. Which kind of visa should i get ?

Thanks

How can I get a visa to freelance-teach in Moscow, without an official employer?

Wed, 11 Nov 2015 16:38:13 +0000

Specifically, I want to work with the freelance agency Vash Repetitor, but they don't officially employ teachers, so they're not able to issue the Letter of Invitation.

Would be very thankful for your feedback.

Indian Citizenship

Wed, 09 Sep 2015 07:53:19 +0000

Hi,

I am trying to buy an invitation but when I proceed to select my citizenship (Indian) from the list in the form it doesnt give me an option for an Indian citizen. Can someone let me know why this is?
Thanks.

What do I do if I'm unsure of my travel dates?

Sun, 06 Sep 2015 13:59:53 +0000

I would like to apply for a Russian visa support document and visa. My mother is hospitalized in St. Peteresburg, Russia and I may need to travel there as she is in critical condition. I'm waiting on medical reports, but would like to go ahead and get the visa process started. The visa support application asks for specific travel dates. What should I put on those dates? Should I wait until we decide that we are going?