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#1
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Visa to Russia questions
Hi,
I am going to Russia very soon to visit some friends, and I am not going to stay in a hotel. However, the official procedure for this can be quite long, so I just wanted to apply for a normal tourist visa - which requires a hotel reservation unfortunately! I have three question now: - I found out that www.visatorussia.com can fax me an invitation for getting the visa, and I need to go to the Russian embassy with this paper. Do I need to show an hotel reservation in the Embassy before they give the visa? Or does www.visatorussia.com send this as well?! - Who can register my visa, once I'm in Russia? (the normal way is that the hotel is doing this; going to the OVIR personally can be a really long time I've read) - How long does it take the embassy to get the visa, once you have the invitation from www.visatorussia.com ? PS. it's not very clear to my why I would need www.visatorussia.com; because I can also go the embassy without their help to get a visa. Can someone please explain this? Sorry for rookie questions, but I just need some help :-) Thank you VERY much in advance for your answers! Ed (Belgian nationality) |
#2
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Visa to Russia questions
I have three question now:
On their FAQ http://www.visatorussia.com/russianvisa.nsf/faq.html, the question "Can I travel on a private trip and individually with a tourist visa?" is asked, but not answered unfortunately. In that same FAQ they write "When traveling on a tourist visa, you can stay at your friends' place as well as at a hotel. In case of your staying with your friends you should register your visa at our Moscow office or St. Petersburg office within 3 business days upon your arrival to Russia. So this answers one of your questions concerning registration. However, on the page http://www.visatorussia.com/russianv...uirements.html they write "If Individual Travel: Confirmation of hotel arrangements from authorized Russian travel company, or directly from the Russian hotel, showing reference number and confirmation number for the visa." So first they write "you don't need hotel arrangement", and later on they write "you do need need hotel arrangement" ......... Anyone? |
#3
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Visa to Russia questions
I think visatorussia offers to send you an official invitation.
that means you will not be obliged to buy a voucher from a hotel for as many days as yr visit lasts.- on the other hand, you will be obliged to go to the local OVIR and register. If you stay in a hotel, the hotel will do that for you. an invitation can be for a long period of time.. without obligations. a tourist visa without invitation implies that you have to buy as many hotel nights as you are going to spend in russia. as hotels are rather expensive in russia, most people find it more convenient to buy an invitation. visatorussia will help you in both cases. that means. If you an invitation, they will make it. if you need hotel vouchers. they will reserve them for you. you can go yrself to the local russian consulate when you have either the official invitation or the hotel vouchers. "Ed" ha scritto nel messaggio ... Hi, I am going to Russia very soon to visit some friends, and I am not going to stay in a hotel. However, the official procedure for this can be quite long, so I just wanted to apply for a normal tourist visa - which requires a hotel reservation unfortunately! I have three question now: - I found out that www.visatorussia.com can fax me an invitation for getting the visa, and I need to go to the Russian embassy with this paper. Do I need to show an hotel reservation in the Embassy before they give the visa? Or does www.visatorussia.com send this as well?! - Who can register my visa, once I'm in Russia? (the normal way is that the hotel is doing this; going to the OVIR personally can be a really long time I've read) - How long does it take the embassy to get the visa, once you have the invitation from www.visatorussia.com ? PS. it's not very clear to my why I would need www.visatorussia.com; because I can also go the embassy without their help to get a visa. Can someone please explain this? Sorry for rookie questions, but I just need some help :-) Thank you VERY much in advance for your answers! Ed (Belgian nationality) |
#4
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Visa to Russia questions
A lot of the regulations are a function of your nationality. The way
it works in USA, or OZ is not necessarily the way it works for a Belgian. You have to look at the Russian Embassy in Brussels web site. On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 23:24:50 +0100, "Ed" wrote: Hi, I am going to Russia very soon to visit some friends, and I am not going to stay in a hotel. However, the official procedure for this can be quite long, so I just wanted to apply for a normal tourist visa - which requires a hotel reservation unfortunately! I have three question now: - I found out that www.visatorussia.com can fax me an invitation for getting the visa, and I need to go to the Russian embassy with this paper. Do I need to show an hotel reservation in the Embassy before they give the visa? Or does www.visatorussia.com send this as well?! - Who can register my visa, once I'm in Russia? (the normal way is that the hotel is doing this; going to the OVIR personally can be a really long time I've read) - How long does it take the embassy to get the visa, once you have the invitation from www.visatorussia.com ? PS. it's not very clear to my why I would need www.visatorussia.com; because I can also go the embassy without their help to get a visa. Can someone please explain this? Sorry for rookie questions, but I just need some help :-) Thank you VERY much in advance for your answers! Ed (Belgian nationality) |
#5
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Visa to Russia questions
"Ed" wrote in message ...
Hi, I am going to Russia very soon to visit some friends, and I am not going to stay in a hotel. However, the official procedure for this can be quite long, so I just wanted to apply for a normal tourist visa - which requires a hotel reservation unfortunately! There are 2 different types of visa relevant for you purpose. 'Preivate' visa and business visa. Because you will not stay on a hotel you can not use a tourist visa. Your host family wil have to go to thier local office of OVIR and fill out an invitation form. An approval can take several weeks, and your host have to send it to you. It can take a couple of weeks to send the appoval by mail as well. When you have the invitation, the procedure is as for a tourist visa. Be prapared to pay extra if you want to pick up your visa at the consulte/embassy on a shorter notice than say 2 weeks. Be aware of that where you are going to stay is printed in your visa, meaning you can not stay anywhere else. To get a business visa you need an initation from a Russian company or organization that will give you a proper inivitation for a fee. You don't have to be in Russia on business in order to get a business visa. With a business visa you don't have to book accomondation in advace as you have to eith a private visa or tourist visa. Lonely Planet for Russia and Belarus covers theese issues in detail. Do not even think of registering the visa on your own if you don't speak Russian. Even if you do, it is definately worth it to pay a small amout in order to get someone to do it for you. best regards, Jan I have three question now: - I found out that www.visatorussia.com can fax me an invitation for getting the visa, and I need to go to the Russian embassy with this paper. Do I need to show an hotel reservation in the Embassy before they give the visa? Or does www.visatorussia.com send this as well?! - Who can register my visa, once I'm in Russia? (the normal way is that the hotel is doing this; going to the OVIR personally can be a really long time I've read) - How long does it take the embassy to get the visa, once you have the invitation from www.visatorussia.com ? |
#6
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Visa to Russia questions
"Ed" wrote Ed (Belgian nationality) I know it`s of no direct use to you Ed, but in the UK I used to get mine through East West Travel in Kensington. I have never tried to get one directly but I have read no end of horror stories from those who have. Unless you have unlimited amounts of time and patience I would suggest you use an agent. -- Regards, Vince Truck Driving In Russia- www.coventon.co.uk |
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