Visa for visiting Russia?

Question

Ok so I'm hopping to visit a friend over in St. Petersburg, Russia and of course I need to apply for a visa. Could someone clear it up for me because I think I'm over complicating it to be honest, but I want to get it right as this will also be my first solo trip abroad and she isn't sure either....

I will travelling over on the plain not a cruise or anything and rather than staying at a hotel or anything I'll be staying with her at her flat. Would a tourist visa be the best option or private? and what about this invitation business? Also, if I'm not staying at a hotel what do I need to do exactly because apparently if I were staying in a hotel the admin would sort some paper work out for me...

I'm confused... 0_o

Answer 1

You need a 30-day tourist visa. Apply at your nearest Russian consulate.



You will firstly need an invite. I would recommend paying for one through a visa company (waytorussia and gotorussia are good). They can arrange for the visa to get registered, once inside Russia. There are also plenty of hotels that will do it for you (even if you're not a guest).



From experience, I would avoid personal invites, as they can be a real pain to get registered (I once spent the best part of a day queueing).



Good guide here - http://www.waytorussia.net/Travel/VisaSupport.html

Answer 2

Tourist visa is the best option. Private takes long (i mean for a girl to make a private invitation for you via OVIR (takes more than a month) and then the time the post takes to deliver it from Russia to the US). Business is good but it's expensive. If you're not staying in the hotel - no problem. You have 3 working days after arrival to be registered. You go to any hotel near your place of stay in Russia and ask them to make registration of your visa (even if you're not staying there). They do it without problem, we did it with my foreign friends back in Russia in 2009 and 2010 (in 2009 it was St.Petersburg too).

Always have your passport with you in case you'll be stopped by militia (now they are police) for control. The registration you'll get from the hotel is a separate paper, don't lose it too till your arrival back in your home country.

Answer 3

you do not want a visa to flow to Ukraine as a canadian citizen, yet you will desire one to vist Russia..you will could to the Russin Embassy internet site and fill out a internet application for a visa then you definately will could drop it off on the Russian Embassy in individual its not too far from Lees bus station and wait 20 days for the visa...it expenses 75 funds.

Answer 4

One of the world's most beautiful cities is St. Petersburg; learn it with hotelbye . St. Petersburg has most of the materials for an memorable vacation knowledge: high artwork, lavish architecture, crazy nightlife, a fantastic record and rich cultural traditions that have encouraged and nurtured a few of the contemporary world's greatest literature, music, and visual art. From the mysterious twilight of the White Nights to world-beating chrome and dancing productions on magical cold weather days, St. Petersburg charms and encourages in every season so learn this excellent town because it will give you an wonderful vacation.

Answer 5

Simplest way: contact a visa service and let them do all the work for you. The cost, $200 for Russian Embassy, a photo, and about $35 dollars for the invitation (supplied by the service) and their legwork. You get your visa in about a week.

Answer 6

Contact Russian consulate in the UK.



http://rusemb.org.uk/consular/



It is quite difficult, same as the UK visa for us.