CDG1

I had booked a trip to attend MAKS air show at Zhukovsky 20 to 25 July. I phoned the Russian Consulate. They stopped all non imperious visas due to the pandemic. I had it confirmed talking to an Aeroflot agent.

18 Jun, 11:19
Moscow's coronavirus spread rate soars to 1.04 as COVID-19 tally hits all-time high.
The Russian capital recorded an all-time high of 9,056 COVID-19 infections in the past day

https://tass.com/society/1304457

TSE

There are currently no restrictions on UK passport holders applying for visas and travelling to Russia as long as they do so from the UK or via one of the other countries with current scheduled flights (i.e. including Switzerland). Indeed, I applied for my latest visa in London yesterday. The worsening situation in Russia might of course change all this at short notice but it is more likely to affect other countries' handling of arrivals from Russia rather than the other way around.

Concerto

I had this all read through by an experienced Russian lawyer and non essential visits by foreigners to Russia are currently banned, period. I have no reason to doubt her reading of the text in Russian or her experience.

TSE

This was certainly the case at some stages of the pandemic and remains the case for some nationalities but currently UK citizens are permitted. Which particular document are you referring to as nothing on the FCOD or the Russian Embassy in the UK websites indicates current restrictions (beyond Covid testing and quarantine for UK arrivals)? Here is the information on Timatic (my bolding) for your situation;

Whilst I would normally defer to a Russian lawyer, in this case, having personally witnessed,several people collecting their Russian visas on Friday, I think your fears are unfounded. I would add as a word of caution though, that if things were to change between obtaining a visa and arriving in Russia then the visa might become unusable.

In other news,the bill for softening visa regulations described here has now passed its final reading in the state Duma but still needs to be signed by the President.This will facilitate longer stays.

Concerto

Thanks very much, TSE, it's great to have this information. Maybe if I let the summer pass a bit it will be more clear how things will play out by later in July or early August.

TSE

Sounds a wise move, particularly if planning to visit Moscow, and St Petersburg where cases are highest and there are currently restrictions on many cultural activities. I am only travelling to Russia myself as I have a young family from a region which thankfully has been less affected by Covid so far. I was going to say that it is unlikely that many foreign visitors would choose to visit such a region but in your case who knows, as it is the birth place of a certain Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky...

Concerto

Ah that must be Votkinsk, which is very off the beaten track. Which airport do you use for there, I wonder. I would be heading for Samara myself.

TSE

Izhevsk, is an hour's drive away and has daily flights to SVO, DME and VKO. The museum in Votkinsk is well worth a visit and IIRC they do occasionally allow professional musicians to play the piano once played by the young Pyotr Would be a bit of a drive from Samara but by Russian standards they are fairly close!

fifty_two

Yes , i would even suggest to wait for september , because this situation wont improve in just few days or weeks , unfortunately it will probably mean no russian summer for us this year

Concerto

Yes, it's a real shame. I thought Corona got chased away by the summer heat, but apparently not. According to a musician friend in St Petersburg, nobody seems to care a jot about Corona in that city so maybe that's why it's spread so much there.

OpenSky

Visa cancelled with BB's order last year and its immaterial anyway - since it expired now. Would be nice if the e-visa comes back.

miklcct

It still seems that the Russian border is tightly shut. The SkyTeam website shows that it's not possible for me to board using the documentation I have provided (HKG passport flying from the UK).

Concerto

I haven't even attempted applying, with a UK passport flying from Switzerland. Although I did read somewhere that UK passport holders could somehow actually apply for a visa. But I am just assuming it was an error or misprint. You'd think Russia would want to get their tourists back, though.

azepine00

it looks open based on what's posted on embassy site in US - not sure if third country complicates things somehow...

https://washington.mid.ru/en/consula...isa-to-russia/

luitje

UK residents may apply for a visa and travel to Russia. The issue is anyone coming from the UK is required to go into a 14 days quarantine, which makes traveling for leisure a bit of a challenge.
Anyway, that's how I interpret this news from the Russia's Embassy site: https://www.rusemb.org.uk/consnews/167