Russia - Yet Another TRANSIT VISA Question

I have made phone calls, and have obviously searched in the wrong places on the internet. I have a couple of questions if anyone here can help. I am making a mileage run to Moscow and will be arriving there at 1030 on December 12. My return flight is on Sunday, December 13 at 1230. I want to get a Transit Visa, not a Tourist Visa, and my understanding is that a Transit Visa is generally good for 72 hours.

(a) If I get a transit visa, my understanding is that I can leave the airport and go to Moscow for the day. Is that true?

(b) In order to obtain a transit visa, my understanding is that I have to purchase my airplane ticket first. Is that true?

Thanks for your help.

Before proceeding with this, I would really contact the nearest Russian Consulate or Russian Embassy.

Transit visas are for pax who are continuing on to a third country. I think the consular officers are going to look at your airline tickets, realize you are not transiting Russia but simply using the transit visa as a way to get around the requirements for an invitation in order to get a tourist visa.

Even though it is a pain in the rear, make a hotel reservation at a hotel that will provide visa support. Or use a visa service that gives you invitations. Even if the Russian consular officer doesn't find your application unusual (and not likely to be approved) you're going to get a lot of questions on entry and possibly have significant problems.

I have made phone calls, and have obviously searched in the wrong places on the internet. I have a couple of questions if anyone here can help. I am making a mileage run to Moscow and will be arriving there at 1030 on December 12. My return flight is on Sunday, December 13 at 1230. I want to get a Transit Visa, not a Tourist Visa, and my understanding is that a Transit Visa is generally good for 72 hours.

(a) If I get a transit visa, my understanding is that I can leave the airport and go to Moscow for the day. Is that true?

(b) In order to obtain a transit visa, my understanding is that I have to purchase my airplane ticket first. Is that true?

Thanks for your help.

Ok here we go.

1) Yes with a transit visa you can go anywhere you want as per your liking & choice. There are no problems. Just remember to carry your passport along with you when you roam around in MOW or for that case in Russia anywhere. I really mean it when I say this.

2) Hmm. The transit visa like pointed out already will not work until & unless they have a different set of rules for the US citizens:eek:. So best would be to spend some extra money and get a tourist visa instead. You can book the 2for1 deal in HI Sokolniki which works our very well and spend 2 days in MOW for the price of 1 day. Ofcourse this is if your MR allows to stay for 2 days in MOW.

Safe Flying

EGT

I can honestly say I have never been more frustrated or confused trying to process paperwork for a country.

Essentially, I had the same logic as the OP, but from what I had to go through, it was not as easy as just a transit visa.

I had specifically booked an award ticket with a stopover in SVO; then continuing to NRT. Technically under 72 hrs so the transit visa should work. Nope, after getting a call from Travisa, the rep said the consulate decided that I needed a tourist visa. Why? I'm in and out in 72 hrs... Because, at least according the the Travisa rep, it would be OK if I had to leave SVO airport and connect at another airport, say in St. Petersburg or DMO and you have to leave the airport. Apparently, since my departure 48 hours later was from the SAME airport, I needed a tourist visa... and I wound up coughing up an additional $50 for a letter of invitation.

What a joke!

I recently attained a transit visa in Seoul (72,000W, for anyone who cares). I had a 68 hour stop in SVO flying ICN-SVO-EVN. There are multiple flights a day to EVN and I picked the longest possible stop that was less than 72 hours just so I did not have to get an invitation. I am staying with a friend not a hotel, so it would have been even more of a pain to get an invitation and get it registered once I arrived.

The immigration officer at the embassy in Seoul looked at my itinerary, and asked if I had friends in Yerevan, and to enjoy myself. My visa was issued with a 4 day limit (I arrived in the afternoon of the 17th, and was leaving on the afternoon of the 20th). Never did they say anything about needing a proper Tourist visa at all.