My husband and I are going to St. Petersburg in July on vacation. Among the documents required to be submitted with the visa are:

- tourist confirmation from the authorized hosting Russian travel agency or a hotel registered with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- voucher from travel agency in Russia, with reference and registration number
- cover letter from travel agency in USA, giving schedule in Russia and index and reference number of receiving organization

We have none of these things. What we do have:
- airline tickets, paid, in and out of LED
- hotel reservation thru Leading Hotels of the World made on internet

Can I go directly to the Russian embassy to file our visa applications without these required documents? We have made our own arrangements, so it is impossible for me to have such documents. Would I have a greater chance of success in getting our visas if I used an agency experienced in dealing with the Russian Embassy?

We used a visa agency in VA. Probably PVS. It was worth the $50 or so. Make certain you start early, as the cost for hurry up is big. Their idea of two weeks is not the same as mine.

Fax the hotel. They will fax back the document needed for most questions. The plane tickets are the other thing you need.
Forgot about proof of health insurance.

The Russian Embassy is in DC, and I don't think you can go there to get a Visa.

Form and instructions are here

http://www.russianembassy.org/

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by SanDiego1K:
Can I go directly to the Russian embassy to file our visa applications without these required documents? We have made our own arrangements, so it is impossible for me to have such documents. Would I have a greater chance of success in getting our visas if I used an agency experienced in dealing with the Russian Embassy? </font>

Actually, since you reside in California, if you decide applying on your own, your visa application needs to be submitted to the Russian Consulate in San Francisco (http://www.consulrussia.org/main.htm). You'll need to have all the supporting documentation (see http://www.consulrussia.org/visa_frame.htm ) before you can submit your visa application.

Whether it's better to do it yourself or use one of the visa service companies, depends on whether you have time and desire to deal with the cumbersome paperwork or you would rather pay someone to do it. If you decide to go with a visa service company, make sure you hire a reputable one that has experience dealing with Russian Consulate.

&lt;Edited to correct a link&gt;


[This message has been edited by Eugene (edited 05-10-2002).]

Thanks to slawecki and Eugene for your links. Interestingly, the consulate link has been updated to show that the passport must be mailed in with the visa application; the embassy link indicates it is sufficient to send in a copy of the passport front page. This changed due to 9/11, and I had not realized that.

I sent in the documentation that I detailed above, since I couldn't find a way to get the Russian vouchers. I had confirmation of my reservation in St Petersburg, and a paid ticket, so was hopeful that this would be sufficient. I had also contacted the Leaders Club, which handles inquiries for my hotel in St Petersburg. They responded that they had no ability to supply the hotel voucher, and that my reservation confirmation should be sufficient.

It wasn't. Within 3 days, our passports, applications, and $160 check were back in our mailbox. This time, I did two things. I checked out the bulletin board on Lonely Planet, and found a recommendation of an on-line Russian agent that would prepare the visa documentation for $30 without requiring handling the hotel booking. See http://www.visatorussia.com/ I also emailed the hotel directly in St. Pete. They knew what paperwork was required, and faxed me a form that authorized them to charge a $50 deposit to be credited against our hotel stay on arrival. With a couple exchanges of faxes, we had the necessary documentation in hand.

This time, it took the consulate 10 days to return our passports - a good sign. Our passports and visas arrived today. The visas are separate from the passport (which is probably why initially, passports didn't have to be submitted to get them.)

Once I understood what to do, the visa application was quite straightforward.

Actually, I don't think it is because of 9/11 that you have to send in the passport, but because the Russians changed from a 'loose insert visa' to a sticky visa which is actually glued to the passport page.

Good luck with your trip - St. P. is a fantastic city.

The visa we were sent for our trip was quite a large, separate piece of paper, not attached to our passport. Russian immigration took part of it when we entered the country and the remainder when we left the country.

The bureaucracy to get the visa was a pain, but everything went very smoothly entering and leaving the country.

I realised as soon as I submitted my last post, that the Russian consulate you were dealing with hasn't gone over to the new system yet! Count yourself lucky to have been one of the last people to go through on an old Soviet-style visa!

I was just in Russia in May.
Getting a visa at the embassy in Ottawa was not a problem, and it took about 4 weeks to process.

But gotta love those conveniently sized pieces of paper that they call visas.

You will most likely get your visa stamped by every hotel you stay at.

Interestingly enough, the Russians never tore off or stamped the departing part of the visa, maybe it was because I left driving through Belarus...

I just submitted a request for a Russian visa through my travel agent for the latter part of August. She said that the San Francisco Consulate no longer requires the full passport, just a xerox of pages 1 & 2. But this is very recent, only the last month or so. She's a St. Petersburg native, and specializes in travel to Russia, so I'm sure she know what she's talking about.

However, this might not necessarily apply to other Russian Consulates. Each one operates by their own rules. My wife, who's in Australia now, applied for her visa through the Sydney Consulate, and they required the full passport.

Also, if you're a male 16-45 years old, you also have to submit a supplementary form detailing any military service, etc. The Russians really don't care about the information, and are almost apologetic about asking for it. But, it's a tit for tat thing between governments, since the U.S. govt. now requires a similar form for Russian nationals applying for a U.S. visa.

------------------
"Read my lips! No more benefit cuts!"...Gordon Bethune

Seattle Consulate does not require your original passport with visa application. Copies of two front pages are sufficient. I got my visa through them a month ago.
FWIW, the application process, the cost of visa, and all the forms, were identical to the last year ones.

I have spent quite a bit of time in Russia, and the last time (1998), I went through a visa processing company in DC. It made life far easier. By the way, this was for a private visit stay, which is possibly the hardest visa to get authorized.

I have friends who live in Moscow and elsewhere, and the private visit visa allows the traveler to avoid paying for a hotel room when staying at someone's home.

Unless I misunderstood a passing conversation, Russia now requires HIV tests to get a VISA. Supposedly some of my companies execs had to have this done. Can anyone confirm so that I can get this out of the way prior to my trip.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by CountinPlaces:
Unless I misunderstood a passing conversation, Russia now requires HIV tests to get a VISA. </font>

Only if you plan to stay longer than 90 days.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Eugene:
Only if you plan to stay longer than 90 days.</font>

Based presumably on the bizarre assumption that it takes at least 90 days to seduce a Russian woman? http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif

As anyone travelling there and appearing to be a single western male with any money knows, the real time is about 90 milliseconds. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

It is not really necessary to get a visa service unless you are in a hurry but it is well worth $35-$50 to pay one of the services for an invitation that avoids the hotel proof requirement. I have been on business, personal invitation and tourist organization invitation visas and by far the easiest is to pay a little for an invitation. If your friend in Russia gets you an invitation it takes 6 weeks and cost mega bucks to send over because you can't use a fax and the mail isn't reliable.


The easiest and cheapest way to get a russian visa is.

1) Pay $35-50 to a tourist organization for an invitation (googgle search will locate several in USA)

2) Read the embassy or consulate website for requirements. Package your application and call the consulate before mailing to confirm the website is up to date on everything and the correct location based on where you live.

3) Send it plenty early to avoid high fees and weigh the cost of overnight both ways compared to the higher fees for rush service.

4) When shopping for a visa invitation don't forget to discuss registration and its cost and availability. Many travelers have been fined $500 upon departure if they didn't register within their first 2 or three days. Some services will charge you a fee to register once in Russia and the service you use might not be in your location to register you and other hotels and services may refuse to register you in which case you may have to go to the OVIR (government office) to register and nobody wants to get caught up in that bureaucracy.

It can be very simple if you follow the rules of buy an invitation, double check requirements, call before mailing, allow sufficient time, and register upon arrival.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by christep:
Based presumably on the bizarre assumption that it takes at least 90 days to seduce a Russian woman? http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif

As anyone travelling there and appearing to be a single western male with any money knows, the real time is about 90 milliseconds. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif</font>

I laughed so hard that nearly fell of my chair http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by christep:
Based presumably on the bizarre assumption that it takes at least 90 days to seduce a Russian woman? http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif

As anyone travelling there and appearing to be a single western male with any money knows, the real time is about 90 milliseconds. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif</font>

With this attitude, you need to be checked for HIV on the return to your home country, as the only women you're going to attract are the pros.

For one, I find your post offensive to women, and not just the Russian ones... http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/frown.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Eugene:
With this attitude, you need to be checked for HIV on the return to your home country, as the only women you're going to attract are the pros.

For one, I find your post offensive to women, and not just the Russian ones... http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/frown.gif</font>

It is not an "attitude" it is an observation of fact based on living near Moscow for 18 months in the mid-90s. Russian society is (or at least was then) very promiscuous - I knew many married couples and only about 20% of them even tried to pretend they were faithful. But then again, nobody seemed to have a real problem with this. Russia is by no means the only society where the norms in this respect are different from the good ol' god-fearing USofA.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by christep:
It is not an "attitude" it is an observation of fact based on living near Moscow for 18 months in the mid-90s. Russian society is (or at least was then) very promiscuous - I knew many married couples and only about 20% of them even tried to pretend they were faithful. But then again, nobody seemed to have a real problem with this. Russia is by no means the only society where the norms in this respect are different from the good ol' god-fearing USofA.</font>

You still don't get it, do you? Statistically (based on some recent anonimous poll I've read a couple days ago), in "the good ol' god-fearing USofA", 75% of men and 60% of women were not completely faithful in their relationships. Would you suggest that for 60% of american women, it would only take to "be a single western male with any money knows, the real time is about 90 milliseconds" to persuade them to have sex with you???

I have no desire to speculate about the circle of your friends and acquaintances while you were in Russia, but it is very distasteful and offensive to paint all women of a particular country as cheap whores.

I am disgusted that someone would even try to justify that view, and that is my last post in this thread. Over and out.

I don't quite agree that all it takes is 90 seconds but a new Mercedes/BMW and some gold credit cards can work miracles.

Most Russian girls are desperate to get out of the country and will do pretty much anything to get their hands on a Westerner. All one needs to do is to go to a decent supermarket and gorgeous girls are in plentyful supply. And I am not talking about one night stands. After all, Russian girls never wear joggers and socks with skirts... http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

BTW, what has this all got to do with getting a Russian visa through an agency??