Way to Russia Talk Lounge

Darren · Just Starting Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 5

First, let me say how much I appreciate your site. In months of trying to plan a trip to Russia, this is the only place I get clear answers!

I am going soon to St. Petersburg to stay with a friend, in her apt. She arranged through a friend of a friend a visa support for me, through a Moscow travel agency. It just arrived.

1: It has the wrong dates, claiming that I'm arriving two days earlier than I am, and leaving two days later.
2: It says that I arrive in Moscow, stay several days at a hotel there, and then go St. Petersburg. (I am not going to Moscow at all, and staying in a private apt. the whole time.)

What should I do next?

Darren

P.S. THe travel agency doesn't have an office in St. Petersburg in any case, so I also have the problem: what do I do to register when I get there?

WayToRussia · Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2004 5:24 am Post subject:

Hey Darren,

The first two points are not problems at all: actually it's better to allow yourself some time on the invitation before and after your planned travel to avoid overstayed visa (what if the plane is late or your miss it?)

It also doesn't matter which cities there are on the invitation, as long as St Petersburg, where you are going, is there.

The problem is that the agency doesn't have an office in St. Petersburg. If you will be staying in an apartment, it will be quite problematic for your to register your visa. Your options are either to try to make the visa company tell you an address of their partners in St. Petersburg where you can make a registration (even for a fee), or buy one night in a cheap hotel that will register you, or find yourself a travel agency there which will register your visa for a fee (this will be $20-$50).

By the way, if you ordered your visa support through this site, you wouldn't have any problems with registration, as the visa company - service provider has an office in the center of St. petersburg. But they register only the visa support they issue themselves. Sad

Darren · Just Starting Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 5

I will try to find out if the agency that issued my visa support has an affiliated office in St. Petersburg.

If they do not, which do you think will be cheaper: when I get there, to try and find a different agency to register my visa in St. Petersburg? Or, right now, just to get a new visa support from this site? If I get one from this site, will I have to pay any fees to register when I'm in St. Petersburg?

Finally, when I fill out my visa application, which dates do I use? The dates that are on my visa support (14 days)? Or the dates of my plane ticket (10 days)?

THANK YOU!!!

Darren

WayToRussia · Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2004 7:31 am Post subject:

If you get a new visa support from this site, it will cost you $30 US for the visa support, plus $20 US for the registration in St. Petersburg.
http://waytorussia.net/Services/VisaSupport/Tourist.html

I don't know how much you will find the registration in St. Petersburg for, but I guess it might be something like $20-$50 US realistically (although you'll have to search a bit).

For your application you should use the dates exactly as in your visa support. Also, it's better to put all the information (including hotels) exactly as it's written in your visa support into the visa application form.

Darren · Just Starting Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 5

Thank you very much. I will get my visa with this visa support and do whatever I have to to get it registered in St. Petersburg. (I am going to email the Moscow travel agency and ask them where they suggest I register in St. Petersburg).

Thank you again. You help a lot of people.

Darren

Darren · Just Starting Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 5

I decided I was too scared to take a chance, and have instead ordered a different visa support through this site. Thank you again for your help.

Darren