Visa Russia - some questions

?ystein wrote:

Björn Olsson wrote in message ...

?ystein wrote:


Björn Olsson wrote in message ...


tom wrote:



If somehow possible i don't want to book accomodation in advance
because I don't really know how long I will stay in different places.
So, a business visa should be the right thing.

But it requires an invitation letter from a company or organisation, so
you'd need to know someone working there who could make up some excuse
for inviting you.


As far as I know this is only a matter of paying the proper price for
this invitation.

Sure, but there must be someone to pay this price to.


In 2000 Lonely Planet reccommends 3 reliable organizations (st
Petersburg, Moscow and Helsinki), that issue business visas for 2-4
weeks for 35-90$.

Or try, for example:

http://www.waytorussia.net/Services/.../Business.html

Proceeding time is 1 to 3 weeks. I think the price
exsamples are for US citizens. If true all other nationalities pay
less.


There is no need what so ever, to be on business in
order to get a business visa.

AFAIK the invitation must "explain the nature of the business to be
performed". One can of course make something up, but you'd still need a
company or organisation to write it for you. I've done this through a
university once, with help of personal contacts, but I don't really see
how the average tourist could arrange the same.


According to Loenely Planet the formal point of the invitation is that
the inviting organization guarantee to support you during your stay.
They don't mention any need for documantation on that you visit Russia
on Business

No, but presumably the inviting organisation has to make some kind of
statement about it. Of course they can, as I said, make something up,
and there is no way anyone can check it, so no-one will care.

Some firms ask you to explain to them what business you plan to do in
their application forms for visa support:

http://www.russianvisas.f9.co.uk/business_form.htm

See under "Business Interests in Russia". Possibly you could leave that
blank, and get your invitation letter and visa anyhow. It would actually
surprise me if that is not the case.

Bjorn