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Christina_McQueen
Just Starting
Joined: 12 Jan 2010
Posts: 5
Location: California
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 Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 6:27 am Post subject: Types Of Visas I need? |
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Hello.
Im planning a trip to Russia and I want to stay longer then 90 days. What visa do I apply for? Does it cost to apply? If so how much? Do I need to talk to someone from the airport place? I also want to know if anyone has any sites I can apply for a visa, or if i could talk to someone who would know more about these matters?
Thanks. |
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romdur
Lounge Lizard
Joined: 17 Mar 2010
Posts: 189
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| Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 8:53 am Post subject: |
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Christina,
I know from an earlier thread, that you are still looking forward to your first trip to Russia. I recommend 1 to 3 weeks for your first visit. There is a lot about Russia that is difficult to understand or imagine, until you see it with your own eyes! For this reason, it's a good idea to start with a modest-sized trip, so you can better prepare for your future involvement with Russia.
To stay more than 90 days is difficult. Probably the most practical way for you would be a student visa, but even this is a lot of work. You must find a Russian school that will accept you (and that you can afford!), and get yourself officially enrolled.
But the school must also do some work, in order to get a student visa for you, and not many schools are willing to do this (dealing with the Russian government is hard for us foreigners, but a constant source of frustration and misery for many Russians).
So, you can do some research, and look for schools where you can study something meaningful to you (perhaps Russian language), that are also willing to help you get a student visa. But if you can, try to make a shorter visit first on a tourist visa. You could use this trip to make some preparations for your possible future as a student in Russia.
If you go for a student visa, there will be many practical problems to solve, such as finding a place to live, and managing life on your own very far from your home country. You can find lots of information that will help - but it takes LOTS of preparation. |
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polarrrbear
Frequent Guest
Joined: 31 Aug 2007
Posts: 53
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| Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 9:00 am Post subject: |
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If you want to stay in Russia for more than 90 days, you need either work visa, student visa or temporary residency (or permanent residency which isn't the case here). For work visa, you will need to be employed and have the employer sponsor your visa, but the purpose is for employment, and companies are allocated only limited number of foreigner employment authorization and they will not do it for someone who just wants to stay in the country.
Student visa, much like work visa, you will have to be invited by academic institutions for education purposes. It might be more do-able than work visa if you can find a school willing to invite you over, but regardless it'd be a very costly endeavor.
At this point temporary residency is probably out of reach for you. Even if you qualify for it, it takes enormous amount of time, effort and paperwork including a couple of trips back and forth between US and Russia. If you just want to visit Russia for fun, it's not the way.
All in all, the longest you can stay within Russia without going through more costly and hassle is 90 days maximum at a time. Private visa (invitation prepared by someone you know in Russia) allows you to stay up to 90 days, so does business visa (a year long business visa allows you to stay total 180 days, but only not more than 90 days within each six months).
Just remember, it is pretty much a standard practice elsewhere. As long as you are simply visiting, you are a short term visitor. There is so many days they can allow for non-residents to stay within the country. On top of that, if you haven't traveled much, I don't think you need more than 90 days in Russia. While it's a very interesting country, it's a rough place and large cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg, every day items are surprisingly expensive.
If you plan to stay in nice hotels as you wrote in another thread, you are looking at hotel expenses in the $20,000 to $30,000 range even just for a 90-days visit, plus plane ticket(s), food, various expenses like transport, museum admission (they really rip off foreigners on that one), and so on. If you happen to have plenty of money, I think even 90 day visit would suffice for a first visit at most. |
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polarrrbear
Frequent Guest
Joined: 31 Aug 2007
Posts: 53
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| Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 9:16 am Post subject: |
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| Regarding visa, look for the Russian consulate website that covers your area. Visa processing probably costs some money, but details should be found there as to what you need and how to apply. Also make sure you have a bank account with a cash card or something that can be used world wide (like Cirrus). You really don't want to be carrying loads of cash in Russia. And really, buy travel insurance. Going there without it is not wise at all. |
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