Russian Visa Difficulties
 

From my research so far it seems that there are 3 Russian visa types that can be issued. 1) Tourist visa, for one or two entries: 2) Business visa, for multiple entries; 3) Private Homestay, if you are visiting a friend and staying at their home. It's quite difficult to find info you can trust on the web and there's a surprising lack of threads about visas here.

I am aiming for the 3rd option because I want to visit a friend. From what I could glean, she would have to issue an invitation letter and apply for the appropriate documentation herself at the FSM office (whatever that is), a process that would take 4-6 weeks. Then I would go to the consulate, armed with the necessary documents and my passport.

Any experience out there with visas? Seems like the tourist one would be the easiest option. I think, by just booking a hotel for a night or two where I want to go. If I go to the Russian consulate in Geneva, would they be able to process a visa for me as a British passport holder? I remember, in the old days, getting visas at embassies in Vienna, so I don't expect that to be a problem.

Get a tourist visa. It's easier. You may need to have a hotel rez for the entire time you're staying. The hotel will also provide you with an invite letter. You need to ask the consulate in GVA if they'll do the visa for you as a UK citizen.

Thanks Palal, you summed up in a couple of lines what I thought might be the case. Maybe I could book a refundable rate at the Holiday Inn where I am going and get them to issue me an invitation. Perhaps I might anyway spend a night of two there if the next Accelerate promotion is worth participating in.

I thought it might be interesting and useful for other posters to have a general Russian visa thread here, as there is not a huge amount of traffic about this on Flyertalk.

There is a sticky at the top of the forum about Russian visas.

Sorry, really don't know how I managed to miss that. Maybe a mod could fold these posts into that thread?

I think it will be easier to get a tourist visa. You can order the invitation at visatorus.com
My friend did it and it was okay, I just have registered her when she arrived because she stayed at my home for 2 weeks.

As noted, the hotels will provide your letter of invitation for the Visa application. One thing to note with hotels in Russia is that many will charge you (and not an insignificant amount) for that letter if you cancel the booking after. In other words, don't just go make a refundable booking for the purpose of the visa application like you would for many other country's visas.

What's the situation with visas and Covid and going to Russia at the moment? Is it actually possible, or is it better to let more time pass and the Covid situation calm down a bit more?

And what about a Russian citizen with a 2 year Schengen visa. Possible to visit Switzerland or enter any other European country?