Way to Russia Talk Lounge

Chanzit · Just Starting Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2

Hi,
I'm living in Beijing now and plan to travel with a few friends on the trans-siberian from China to Moscow. We want to buy our tickets piecemeal so we can have freedom to wander, then pick up the train, then wander, etc., all the way to Moscow. Obviously we cannot have a visa that forces us to give a complete itinerary in the beginning, or at least not one that we must stick to. One month is long enough for us, so we are thinking of a tourist visa. Is this good logic? Where do you think our travel agent sponsor should be from if we use a tourist visa? Maybe Irkutsk? We are recent college graduates, looking for maximum flexibility and minimum cost.

Thanks for any/all advice
Adam

paul.k · Just Starting Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 6 Location: paris

Hello,
i allmost have the same question, but on the opposite way :

we are planning to go from Paris to Kirghiztan (way and back) in august and september

First : we'd like to go by bus or train : do we need visa for each countries we're gonna go through (Russia, Kazakstan, maybe Ukraine), and, if yes, what is the best solution.

Second: on our way back, we'd like to go during about one month, from town to town, with no precise route (through Russia, Kazakstan, Ukraine) : we'd like to know what kind of visas would be the best for this kind of trip

thanks for helping

paul

WayToRussia · Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2004 11:37 pm Post subject:

Yes, with your plans tourist visa is good enough.

Your visa support can be issued by any company, your main concern is the registration of the visa. Basically, any agency will not mind registering your visa for $20-$40 each. If you manage to find a good visa support company that has an office in Irkutsk and that can do a free registration for you, perhaps they are the best choice.

WayToRussia · Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2004 11:40 pm Post subject:

For Paul:

Looks like your best choice for Russia is a double entry tourist visa (it allows you double entry only from CIS countries, which you will be in fact visiting), and a visa for each CIS country you're going to go to.

You can apply for them through this site.

Chanzit · Just Starting Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2

Thanks for the speedy and informative reply.

A couple more questions:

How woud you suggest finding such a company in Irkutsk? Could I apply for such an invitation from this site?

Also, I am in China, while two friends of mine who are coming are in the united states now. Can we all use the same invitation (and have two sent to the states and one to Beijing) or should we all arrange separate ones?

Best,
Adam

****
Here is your response:

Yes, with your plans tourist visa is good enough.

Your visa support can be issued by any company, your main concern is the registration of the visa. Basically, any agency will not mind registering your visa for $20-$40 each. If you manage to find a good visa support company that has an office in Irkutsk and that can do a free registration for you, perhaps they are the best choice.

paul.k · Just Starting Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 6 Location: paris

thanks for quik answer,
i also have further questions :

- i understood that tourist vasas were only for one month, and we'll probably 2-3 days crossing russia on the beginning of august, and then spend something like 2 weeks in russia on our way back, by the end of september. So we'll spend less than a month in russia, but in a 2 month period :

can the double entry visa last 2 month ?

what kind of invitations do we need (do we need 2, one for each entry ?)

thanks,

Paul