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reneliza
Just Starting
Joined: 10 Jun 2010
Posts: 1
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 Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 10:18 pm Post subject: Applying for Visa in country other than that of citizenship |
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| Hi all! I'm a U.S. citizen currently traveling in Europe, and would like to visit Russia before returning home. Unfortunately I didn't plan well enough in advance to apply for a visa with enough time to receive it before leaving the U.S. and I won't be going home before my planned travel time to Russia. I had to change travel vouchers so I already have my flights to and from Russia secured. I wasn't aware that the visa would be so difficult to procure in a country other than that of my own citizenship. I'll be staying in Paris for nearly the entire month of July and had contacted the Russian consulate there to see if it would be possible for them to issue me a visa during my time there. After explaining my situation they said that they could. However as I research further it would appear that I can only be issued a visa from the U.S. Could I mail my passport and visa application documents to them once I'm settled for awhile in Paris, and they could send a visa to me there, or must it be given in person? I'm afraid that there was a miscommunication with the Paris consulate because these rules look pretty strict. Any help or advisement that anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much! |
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phyl
Just Starting
Joined: 10 Jun 2010
Posts: 1
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| Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 11:03 pm Post subject: visa for russia other than the country of citizenship (reply |
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You don't need to go in person. If you trust your correspondent in the US and use DHL or any other carrier (secured one) that would do the trick. Now be aware that, in Europe, as anywhere in the world, if you are not in possesion of your passport, you might have problems, although, if you are arrested in Europe, you are heard first. If you can explain why you are without a passpot, by showing a copy of it for example, there should be no problem, only that you will have to go back to the police station as soon as you get it back.
Be aware that it takes 3 to 10 days for the Russian embassy to issue the visa. You also need to contract a special travel insurance for Russia for the period of stay (SOS international for example).
What I would advise is to go to the US embassy and ask to make an authentification of a photocopy of your passport and the visa for the country you are staying in, so to avoid complication, if it is possible, of course.
Good luck |
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romdur
Lounge Lizard
Joined: 17 Mar 2010
Posts: 189
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| Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 10:20 pm Post subject: |
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In the past, I have thought -- and written -- about the concept of sending your passport to your home country, in order to apply for a Russian visa.
1. If you wish to attempt this, DON'T send your passport to the Russian consulate, or ask them to return it to your foreign address! I believe that a Russian consulate will not issue a visa, if they know you are not in your home country. You would need a friend or a visa service company to deal with consulate for you.
2. I did not personally research this, but I have on several occasions read that parcel/courier companies (Fedex and their like) prohibit the sending of passports across international borders. This is logical: passport and person are supposed to cross these frontiers together. And it doesn't take more than two minutes, to imagine plenty of reasons why these rules were put in place.
Of course, you can try and "sneak" a passport through, but remember that anything sent across an international border might be opened for inspection.
3. In general, when in a foreign country, you are legally obligated to present your passport whenever an official needs to verify your identity.
Taking these considerations into account, I have to conclude that this is not a prudent thing to attempt. I personally could not recommend this course of action.
If you can get to the UK, the consular websites there indicate that citizens of certain countries (including the USA) CAN apply for Russian visas there. (Note: I haven't yet heard from anyone who has DONE this, but the web pages seem quite plain about it.) But you would need to spend about 2 weeks in the United Kingdom. |
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kanolte
Just Starting
Joined: 14 Sep 2010
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2010 3:48 pm Post subject: Applying for Visa in country other than that of citizenship |
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Hi!
Reneliza (or anyone), were you ever able to obtain your Russian Visa in Europe?
I am in a similar situation. I am a U.S. citizen currently living in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Before I go back to the U.S. I was planning on traveling through Russia on the Trans-Siberian. Since I am not in the U.S. and there is no Russian Consulate in Burkina Faso, I will not be able to apply for the Visa in my country of residence. Are U.S. citizens eligible to obtain Russian Visas from any of the Russian Consulates in Europe? And if so, how long does the processing take?
Thanks in advance if anyone can give me any information on this!
Kat |
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overseas_expat
VIP
Joined: 11 Jan 2005
Posts: 741
Location: Moscow
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| Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 12:42 am Post subject: |
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For the last several years Americans have had great success getting Russian visas in Kiev, Ukrania. Usually takes about 10 days. Costs seem to be running about $500.
Try Kiev. |
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lizard_s7
Just Starting
Joined: 15 Sep 2010
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 9:19 am Post subject: |
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| I have never had any problems getting a Russian visa in other countries. First you should use an online company to get an invitation (no passport required, you just enter the number online). They basically put some hotel info on your invitation letter so that it looks legit, although you can then stay wherever you want. Then you take the invitation paperwork to the embassy in Paris along with your passport. They can often do it in one day (especially for a tourist visa) although some times it can take a little longer. I've never heard of a tourist visa taking ten days though. There is a new law that says once you have your visa there is a waiting period before you can enter the country. I don't remember exactly, but about 3 or 4 days. Once you are in Russia you need to register your visa with a hotel or hostel (or if you end up staying in a private home the company who gave you the support documents should help you figure out how to register it.) I applied for me last visa in Finland, and it was done on the same day (and it was a multi-entry one year business visa - so if they could do that in one day, a tourist visa should be no problem.) You can apply for the invitation on this website, then they e-mail you the documents you need for the embassy. Just get there early and expect it to take all day. It helps if you look over the embassy form online so you know what info you need for the form. |
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lizard_s7
Just Starting
Joined: 15 Sep 2010
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 9:22 am Post subject: |
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| ^^^ Sorry, I meant consulate and not embassy. |
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kanolte
Just Starting
Joined: 14 Sep 2010
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 12:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Thank you so much for your reply! We are flying into Paris, so we'll just get the invitation letters from this website and go from there. |
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jarman_ah
Frequent Guest
Joined: 23 Jul 2009
Posts: 14
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 12:47 am Post subject: |
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| Kanolte, did this work out okay for you? I have heard so many conflicting stories on this topic, so I gather that rules are changing -- probably becoming more relaxed -- all the time. But you are the very "newest" guinea pig... it would be useful to know how it all turned out! |
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romdur
Lounge Lizard
Joined: 17 Mar 2010
Posts: 189
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| Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 2:02 am Post subject: |
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jarman_ah:
It is certainly true that the rules are changing all the time -- but I would not assume that they are becoming more relaxed. It might even be, that the general trend is toward more strictness.
For example, there used to be quite a traffic of folks who lived full-time in Russia, who would make quick jaunts to Helsinki to get new 90-day business visas. I know a man who lived many years in Russia, doing this! And the new visa could usually be done in a day or two. But the consular office in Finland no longer does this. That bloke finally married his Russian girlfriend, and now has residency.
I also remember fairly recent reports of another Scandinavian consulate (don't remember which one, sorry) which was refusing to accept the "manufactured" invitations used by so many travelers who aren't getting invites from a hotel they are staying in. |
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