Way to Russia Talk Lounge

DITTRICH

Dear WTR,

The London Embassy has changed some things - in particular on their website it states that for a tourist visa you need original signed and stamped documents for the visa support - "reservation confirmation" and "travel voucher". So has anyone successfully applied using faxed or emailed documents?

Normally my babushka-in-law gets a private invitation for me but this year I decided to get a tourist visa because I hope the temporary import permit for my vehicle will be issued for 30 days with a tourist visa and not 10 days with a private visa so I won't have to visit the customs at Tsaritsino. I also save Babushka more work in 36degree moscow weather. I hope to register at my wife's apartment in Moscow using this new postal system!

On the Private Visa side, my son has a private invitation but when I use the online form at the russian embassy in London it asks if you will be seeing relatives in Russia. Of course yes but the form does not allow you to enter this information and it tells you that the embassy will contact you for this information. How crazy is that? So can I leave Babushka off the application and save myself some hassle? What does WTR think? Also, the invitation itself was requested by Babushka on my wife's behalf! and my wife appears as the inviting party! So my wife is inviting my son to go to Russia and live at our own russian apartment!

I should be grateful for London consulate experiences of tourist visa support documents and an opinion from WTR on leaving Babushka off of the private visa application! Maybe I should put my wife as the relative my son is visiting?!

Only in Russia

Regards

Les

PS This year I try the M9 route to Moscow from baltic countries but NOT byelarus!