Xeno

I sent an email to the SVO airport and they confirmed that I will not need a transit visa on my run STR-SVO-MSQ. Anyway, I am printing all these documents in case complications arise.

abhilife2001

This should be done always unless its a country visited very frequently..@:-)

Hope you face no problems.. do update after the trip..

Xeno

I just wanted to report that Aeroflot did not let me on the flight yesterday from STR to SVO which would have taken me on to MSQ. We had a big argument and I ended up staying in STR last night and this morning am taking the train to FRA then flying Lufthansa direct to MSQ.

I am very unhappy with Travisa and will ask for them to cover some of these expenses but I doubt they will. I will be lucky to get Aeroflot to refund my original ticket.

woody125

I am so sorry about that. I hate when "stuff" conflicts. The SVO website says transiting to Belarus requires a visa but I doubt the State Dept knows that. Ultimately, it's the folks on the ground there that determine your fate. Press on Xeno! I'm pulling for you.

Xeno

Thanks. I hope to be in MSQ in about 4 hours. I do have a proper Russian transit visa for my return home through MSQ so that should go smoothly although I will be hesitant to trust Aeroflot and Travisa in the future.

homelyboy

Well, knowing about your story as much as I do, I don't think it's Aeroflot's or Travisa's fault. It's the consulate to blame - they were 'deliberating', they say, instead of knowing the basic fact that Belarus is domestic.

Is your flight back on the same ticket? Won't they deny you from boarding because of the first leg that was unused?

Xeno

I will sort out details of blame once back in my office next week ...

Aeroflot cancelled my original ticket so I bought a new ticket out of here early Thurs where I pick up DL's 764 to JFK.

So yes I finally made it to Minsk although there was a security scare at FRA that seemed to threaten all our flights around gate E3-4 but that is now a distant memory.

Xeno

Well, here I go again.

I am returning to MSQ next April. I wanted to use FRA to avoid all the mess with Russian transit visas at SVO but the advantages of using SVO are too great to ignore as it relates to my travel needs.

So I am included to use one of the Russian consulates in DC or NY since Houston got it wrong for my recent trip to MSQ. Is there going to be an issue with "jurisdiction" if I don't use Houston? I also want to try another agency than Travisa and would appreciate recommendations.

I think I will start by getting a second passport as the trip to MSQ is very close to my run to JNB. Anyone have opinions about VisaHQ? See, for example, http://www.visahq.com/secondpassport...KVrYxbL-IGg4Gg

Finally, I don't suppose the changes with Russian visa apply to transit visas, right?

KyBrewer

I can't speak for your particular situation, but my wife and I recently received 3 year Russian visas through VisaHQ and had a very good experience. We also had a friend use them for a 3 year visa with no issues.

I would mention that oddly, the first emails to our Gmail accounts regarding VisaHQ recieving our passports and applications came through fine, but emails after that went to junk email for some reason. I didn't realize until after our passports and Visas arrived at our door via FedEx, and I thought enough to check my junk email to see why we weren't notifed they were on the way.

drbobguy

I just got a 3-year Russian tourist visa today as well from VisaHQ. They were extremely helpful in changing the delivery address at the last minute and keeping me updated during the process. Note it's unlimited entry. I would highly recommend you go this route, and pay the $20 extra dollars for VisaHQ to do the invitation themselves. For $350 total (including shipping) you will have a 3-year multientry visa that will solve all of these problems for this trip and in the future as well. No matter how many transits or when they are, you will be covered for the next 3 years.

It does take them about 20 days to process though, so if you need a second passport get on that immediately.

Xeno

Very good advice. Thanks for taking time to help.

bankops

The Russian Embassies tend to be extremely territorial (money money money), so good luck with that. In fact, I remember seeing that Houston will only work with one particular facilitator agency.

I must admit, I don't understand how the Houston Embassy got it wrong. They told you it was too late to issue a new visa, doesn't that mean they knew you needed one for the SVO transit to MSQ? Now, why the airport told you that you didn't need one is a mystery (but unless you post your question and their answer...) since it is widely known.

In fact, the Belarus border guards have been known to "let" you out without a visa, for a moderate 3 figure fee. Of course, the Russians will have an issue with this when you go through exit procedures and you don't have a visa for being in Russia and they are unlikely to take your money.

If you plan on going even once a year, I would get the multi-year visa. Good business case for your employer too. There are some interesting MR's on SU that a lot of people miss out on because they have no visa.

Xeno

First, in terms of jurisdiction, it looks to me like if I use VisaHQ that they use DC but perhaps I have this wrong.

The woman in the Houston office for the Russian Consulate told me that Travisa let me down. When I told her that Aeroflot told me on the phone that I would be deported, she then replied that it was too late to make a change since they issued a visa and it was only for my return. She went on to say, however, that they were still right and I would not have a problem getting from STR to SVO and on to MSQ.

In terms of the email from SVO, here is part of that exchange:

From: Call_Center_SVO2 [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2012 3:45 PM
To: xxx
Subject: RE: [?? Probable Spam] Russian transit visa

Hello,

Thank you for visiting on our web-site and we inform you that flight from Stuttgart will be to land in Terminal-D of Sheremetyevo International airport and depature to Minsk will be from Terminal-D too. Since your flights is arriving and departing from the same Terminals then waiting the next flight (to Minsk) you will be in a transit area. In this case you do not need a transit visa.

Best regards,
Julia Lebedeva
Call center, Sheremetyevo International airport

________________________________________
From: xxx
Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2012 11:33 PM
To: Call_Center_SVO2
Subject: [?? Probable Spam] Russian transit visa
Call Center, Sheremetyevo International Airport:

Greetings from the U.S.A.

I had the pleasure of visiting Moscow in May 2011. Next week, I will be in Germany and I fly on Aeroflot from Stuttgart (STR) to Moscow (SVO, #2337) and on to Minsk (MSQ, #1834) on September 29. On October 4, I will fly on Aeroflot from Minsk (MSQ) to Moscow (SVO, #1835) then pick up Delta Airlines to fly to New York City (JFK) and finally back to my home in Oklahoma City (OKC).

I have a Belarusian visa and I have a single entry Russian transit visa granted me by the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Houston. I used Travisa in Houston to submit my application because I just returned home two weeks ago from Greece.

My original application was for a double entry transit visa, however, the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Houston determined that I only need a single transit visa for October 4. I spoke directly to the Consulate General today and was told that I did not need a transit visa for September 26 because I arrive at Terminal D and depart from Terminal D without going through customs.

However, I will go through passport control so I would like to know what kind of documentation if any that I should provide in case there is a problem when I arrive at SVO on my way to MSQ. Would it be appropriate for me to print a page from the U.S. Department of State that confirms I do not need a visa when not going through customs? Here is the link: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p.../cis_1006.html

It was the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Houston that suggested I turn to you for help as you could let me know what happens to passengers like me. I was told there would be no problem, but I want to be prepared for any complications.

Thank you for this consideration.

xxx

Scifience

I finally have occasion to visit Russia, and as a US citizen, it seems that I'm now able to get a 3-year multiple entry visa, which is great news.

I'm wondering, though, if anyone has any experience applying for this outside the US itself? Specifically, I could apply in either Japan or China (I am a legal long-term resident in both), or some other nearby country. Calling the consulates has been predictably useless, so I'm hoping someone on FT might have some related experience.

BuildingMyBento

Although you have KIX and PVG as your usual airports, I'd like to chime in and say that it's possible to get a Russian visa in Hong Kong- as a non-HK resident, that is (I didn't apply, but emailed to double-check b/c I was in Shenzhen at the time?:

Hi,

US citizens if not HK residents still eligible to apply for a Russian visa
in Hong Kong, but it will take at least seven working days, no express service is available.


Best regards,
Denis Borodich
Third Secretary
Russian Consulate General in HKSAR

Tel. (852) 2877 7188
Fax (852) 2877 7166
www. russia.com.hk


-I was quite satisfied with the response (that I got a response, not just what the response was).