Help with visa application
 

I am trying to fill out the Russia online visa form and there is strange question under the Visit Details section. There is a question "Which institution you are going to visit?" to which the hints on the side say I should select Travel Agent. When I did that I am asked to provide TA name and address. It also asks for the Reference # and Confirmation # - what are these numbers? Is the conf# the same as application ID?

That should be your travel agent reference and confirmation from your letter of invitation.

What is a TA reference?

ok found this on google - there are two numbers, one at the top, and one at the bottom. Sorry I forget which one is which.

https://mlayuk.files.wordpress.com/2...sor-letter.jpg

Here is the definition of the two numbers:

Reference number: printed on the bottom line of approval of a foreign tourist "Референс №». It is necessary to introduce whole number with leading zeros.

Confirmation number: printed on the top line of confirmation of a foreign tourist. The number can contain only numbers or numbers with letters. You should only enter the numbers.

Anyone know if my invitation should cover the entire duration of my travel? I was able to get the voucher from one hotel for the dates I will be in the hotel. Can I use it?

Based on my recent (also first time experience) I just put one set of numbers in this section of the online application but submitted certificates from both of the hotels I am staying at. The visa was issued for precisely those days. I think you need certificates from all the hotels you will visit if you are not using an agent.

I am a Canadian living in Hong Kong and applied at the local embassy.

In Russia, you also need to be careful about how the hotels register your visa. There could be a big fine upon departure if this is done wrong. IIRC the problem is that the first hotel is supposed to do something for the entire duration of your stay in Russia, and if they only do it for your stay in their hotel, it can cause trouble.

I understood that each tim eyou change your place you need to inform the proper authorities. So Hotel #1 (or Friends house #1) cant do it for the whole time only for the time you will be by them

eg Last yr I spilt my stay between 2 hotels in the same city, hotel #2 was just for 1 night, they wanted to charge me for having taken care of registering me , I told them I wont pay it since the burden is on me to register and not them to register me. One has I believe 1 week to register before running into possible trouble. I never registered for that 1 night since I was flying out the next day and had no problems at the airport, nor even asked about it(was there for 6 nights total)

But from what I read up on, every time you change citys or places where you will be staying you are suppose to register all the details at the proper office. So presenting a hotel confirmation for say 7/1-7/5 yet your tkt is arriving 6/30 and departing 7/15 can land you in trouble.

now if you will be there 7/1-7/7 6 nights and your invite is good for 7/1-7/3 I wouldnt sweat it since you have 7 days to register and are leaving on day 6

ughh, this sounds so complicated.

Actually the host needs to register the foreign guest (and can be fined if he doesn't). And the host must do it for free, though many hotels try to charge a fee for registration.

Planning to apply for the 3 year multiple entry visa, but my passport expires in 2 years. Would that be a problem?

Not a problem, but your visa will be valid for less than 3 years - it will expire either at the same date as your passport or 6 months before that.

In my experience, the end date is not important, because you will get a visa for much longer than what you expect. The beginning, however, is very important. Your visa will start exactly on the day indicated on the voucher.

In response to your other question about your expiring passport… the visa will be valid to the day your passport expires minus 6 month.

And about registration… when you arrive in a hotel, you will be registered for either free or for a nominal fee of a few dollars. I usually collect the registration papers, but no one ever, ever demands them when I leave Russia.

last year, we stayed in a bunch of different accommodations. This was an independent trip (not work, not organized in any way)
From the Courtyard, Park Inn, some other local run hotels, and a private hostel, and another few nights on trains.

On exit, noone cared about registration.

The visa was date-specific for entry and exit, and they demanded flight bookings.

The consulate also demanded pre-paid hotel bookings since we used one of the invitation mills.
So stupid, since we just ended up booking cancellable reservations on Expedia, sent it into the consulate as "proof" and then cancelled the hotels.

Once in Russia, you can stay and go wherever you like, and dont have to use anything (cities visited/hotels) on your invitation letter, as long as you leave by the date on visa.