Way to Russia Talk Lounge

rbvaughan · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:25 am Post subject: Help w/ Visa

To anyone who can help me and/or offer some advice. Here is my situation.

I am taking a Russian language immersion course in October. I already have my airline and accommodations setup, but when I received my invitation with the language center, I received a Student Visa invitation. I will be in Moscow for two weeks and staying and learning at Moscow State University (MGU). Today, I went to the San Francisco Consulate office only to find out that I need an offical HIV test, notarized by the state of California, and then translated into Russian. I setup an appointment with my Doctor for the HIV test, but they said it could take from several days to several weeks to get the results back. I am running out of time and I'm not sure that I will have my visa before my flight leaves. Now, the Consulate official did mention to me that I can use a business visa instead, and that the HIV test would not be required. One of my questions is: Can I use a tourist or business visa with my accommodations still at the university, and will I run into issues registering a business/tourist visa at an education institution. I have already contacted the school who issued the student visa invitation, but I am afraid they will require me to pay an additional $200 for the change and urgency for the new invitation, if they can make the change at all.

What should I do? Who should I try to contact?

Thank you all for your time and hopeful advice.

Russ

overseas_expat · VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 620 Location: Moscow

Your best bet here, since you already have the student visa letter of invitation, is to find another doctor/clinic/hospital/whatever, which will return your HIV test results quickly. Get on the phone and the internet immediately to discover where you can get this done and the results returned immediately. Do not delay this one more minute. There are places which have a fast turnaround. Find one.

I think you will find that getting the Russian translation of the HIV test and the notarization very expensive and time consuming--worse than the HIV hassle. Start right now finding a place which will translate the test into Russian for you and tracing the process for getting the state of California to notarize your test.

You have already bought the airline tickets and you have no visa? Big mistake. Never make this mistake again, especially with Russia. Do not purchase any airline tickets ever again unless you have a nice warm visa already in your posession.

I hope you make it. Get going. NOW!

rbvaughan · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 4:37 am Post subject:

Thanks for the quick reply. I had bought the airline tickets in May when the price was still low. $1000 vs $2500. I also applied for the invitation back in June and was told I would not receive it until 3 weeks prior to departure. Now, granted had I known that I was going to NEED the HIV test, I would have done this months ago, but only finding out today that I needed it makes me wonder the same as you.

So, you are saying that a new business or tourist visa will not work in my situation? That I have to use the student invitation instead? I'll see about getting the HIV test results sooner, but doing a search on translating the test results has not returned much. I'll try changing keywords and see what I come up with..... Will keep you posted.....

And thank you again for your advice and quick response...

overseas_expat · VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 620 Location: Moscow

P.S.

Get ahold of the airline right away and try to negotiate a later/flexible flight date in advance. Try to buy some time. They may charge you several hundred bucks to rearrange your flight schedule but it will be worth it.

By the time you get the results of the AIDS test, have it translated, have it notarized by the state of California, and get all that stuff to the consulate--you will then be looking at 10 to 15 working days for the Russians to process your visa.

overseas_expat · VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 620 Location: Moscow

I'm not saying that a tourist or business visa are not options. But it's probable that you'll still be required to go through the same HIV hoops, in which case there is no advantage over the student visa.

The Russians are becoming more and more stingy with visas and they are increasingly hard to get. Doesn't really matter what kind of visa, they don't want foreigners in their country.

And the SF consulate has a reputation for being particularly difficult.

rbvaughan · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:13 pm Post subject:

Well, I went ahead and did the HIV test today. Should have the results by late tomorrow or Saturday. After I get the results, I will send it off to have the certified translation done, which I was told should take less than a day to do. Once I have the translation, I can then proceed with my Student visa. I will pay the San Francisco Consulate the fee to process next business day, so I know I will have my visa in time, as long as nothing else is missing or any other issues come up. Thank you for your advice and will keep you posted.

rbvaughan · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 3:38 am Post subject: Got It!

Overseas_expat: I followed your advice and jumped on the ball. It got really close to not having the visa in time, but I want to tell you that I received my visa today and I'm leaving for the Motherland tomorrow. Thank you all for your advice. Moscow here I come!

P.S. To those who are also using a student visa: I'm not sure about the other Consulate offices, but the San Francisco office would not process a Student Visa next business day, and instead processed in 6 business days. Make sure you give them the correct fee.....Even if you were going to pay more.....

overseas_expat · VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 620 Location: Moscow

Well done! Very Happy

Congratulations. That was a close shave, eh? I hope you enjoy the trip. Let us know how it all goes for you. Good job.