Visa for daytime stopover?
 

I read that in order to get a visa for Russia you need to show proof of the accommodation booked. How does this work when I have a 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. stopover in Moscow? I wouldn't need to book a hotel for a daytime stay, but would I still get a visa? (I'm an EU citizen.) I'd hate to sit around the airport transit area when I could be enjoying the sights of Moscow instead.

There should be some "travel agencies" around the Russian embassy that would have a solution for a couple of euros

You need a transit visa - same price as a tourist visa but won't require hotels or tour agencies - just proof of onward travel.

Thanks! Would a transit visa work? Strictly speaking I do not need a visa for transit as I will be arriving to and departing from the same airport.

Yes, it'll work. You need a visa to leave the airport and this is the easiest kind to get. It's for 72 hours IIRC. I did in 2006 just to have a meeting at Novotel in front of SVO and it worked great.

EU Citizens do not need a visa when in transit for less than 24hrs, without leaving the airport.

That said, I would not want to spend 7am to 10pm in SVO. Get a transit visa. Berlin, Bonn, Hamburg, Leipzig and Munich or use a visa service. Remember that you can no longer get a visa from a country your are not a citizen or a resident. I think London and Madrid are still exceptions to this general rule and using an agency will get you around this annoying rule, but don't plan on getting one at an embassy while you are in Country X on a trip.

Thank you!

Need help; transiting in and out of Russia
 

Im two weeks out from flying to DME to stay one night and then connect on the return and I just booked it.

We're staying one night at the start of our trip in Moscow and then connecting for 8 hours on the return two weeks later. So a total of two entries that, typically, a tourist visa could cover.

But our hotel (the Ritz Carlton Moscow) says they can only sponsor us for the night we stay there, but not the connection on the way home?

So now what the heck do we do? Please help! Appointment with Russian embassy's service is tomorrow!

I think your only option is to purchase an invitation from a visa support agency. I have used http://www.waytorussia.net/ in the past, and things worked out well.

They do have a same day processing option (not sure if this will help because it's already 10 p.m. in Russia, but I guess worth a try).

DrivingRain,

What is your nationality and where do you fly?

I had cross-posted this into the Russia forum so thanks for your help over there. Looks like I dont need a visa for my interline transfer at DME.

anyone know if U.S. citizens need a transit visa in SVO for a 7 hour layover:
JFK-SVO-AGP (Malaga, Spain)

there are some cheap aeroflot fares that may make it worth this somewhat silly routing

If you won't leave the airport, then you don't need a visa. Spending 7 hours in SVO might be boring, but there is free Wi-Fi, some cafes.. anyway, not the worst option if you're on a budget

I wonder if i'm able to find any pay-for lounges (maybe even to take a shower) during this SVO transit? Might be tough as you can't exit some areas or terminals?

I believe I would arrive in Terminal D and leave at Terminal E

According to SVO website, you can buy access to Galaxy lounge in Terminal E for 1500 roubles (approx. 49 USD). There are also lounges in Terminal D, however, the website does not mention a pay-to-enter option (which does not mean that such option is not available). All of these lounges are airside and (except one local lounge in D) in the international area.
I haven't been to all SVO lounges, but the ones I visited were pretty mediocre at best.