Way to Russia Talk Lounge

cygenius · Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 12:10 pm Post subject: Invitation/Registration Query

Thank you for this most excellent site and forum. Have spent the past couple of hours scouring it in answer to the issues I set out below.

I was planning to visit Russia at the end of October for three weeks to a month for the purpose of visiting a lady with whom I have developed a relationship. It was our plan that I stay with her in her flat in Chelyabinsk and towards the end of my stay to travel with her to Moscow and St Petersburg probably staying in each of those cities for more than 72 hours.

She has attempted to obtain an invitation from her local Chelyabinsk OVIC. yesterday she informed me that the OVIC refused to draw up that invitation as her income was insufficient "to support a foreigner". I had planned to fly direct to Chelyabinsk on a direct flight from Tashkent and register my visa in Chelyabinsk.

I am in Australia and saw the posts set out in http://www.waytorussia.net/TalkLounge/conversation1285.html. I received exactly the same advice from a Sydney tourist company that specialises in Russian travel ie no confirmed/paid for hotel reservations for the whole period of my stay= no Russian visa.

I am interested in using Way to Russia to assist me with the invitation issue and registration. Can you please confirm that my understanding below is correct.

1. If using Way to Russia for visa support, your partner travel agency in Russia will issue the invitation/voucher specifying that I have prepaid accommodation in Chelyabinsk , Moscow and St Petersburg ( the cities I will nominate I intend to visit?

2. I would not be oblibed to stay in the hotel ( assuming a specific Chelyabinsk based hotel is named in the invitation/voucher.

3. Would it pose a problem with the Consulate or Russian Embassy in Canberra in issuing me with a visa given that my friend in Chelyabinsk had her request to issue an Invitation on my behalf refused ie would they be suspicious given the voucher refers to Chelyabinsk hotel yet I am evidently trying to stay with her in her flat. Assuming the local Consulate here has records or access to the records of her application at the Chelyabinsk OVIC.I dont know if that is the case or not.

Assuming I get a visa, I have some further queries about registration upon arrival.

4. Your partner company ( assuming they have no office in Chelyabinsk) would send me a letter requesting Chelyabinsk OVIC to register me. I would therefore NOT need to book into a hotel my first night there to enlist their aid in registering my period of stay in Chelyabinsk. Armed with this letter and a Landlord letter from my friend would there be a problem in registering at the Chelyabinsk OVIC? What would they make of the apparent contradiction between the landlord letter and the Invitation/voucher which states I am staying in a Chelyabinsk hotel? Perhaps the answer is that they are two independent processes. The Consulate is concerned to receive an Invitation/voucher proving prepaid accommodation when approving a visa but when you arrive and attempt to register your visa in each city, the OVIC are not concerned by where you are actually planning to stay?

I would, of course have to separately register in Moscow and St P but as I would be staying in hotels there this would not pose a problem.

Have I missed anything?

5. Oddly, I have not been able to find any listings for hotels in Chelyabinsk. Is there any sites you can suggest.

6. Can you ( or your partner agency) email me the Invitation/Voucher/letter addressed to Cheyabinsk OVIC?

I would be pleased to receive your response. I hope I can use your service as soon as I receive confirmation of these matters. I would prefer not to defer my travel arrangements later than end of October as I need to be back In Australia on 7 December for an important birthday celebration for a member of my family.

cygenius · Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 10:41 am Post subject:

I should have added to my query above whether your partner travel agent has an office or agent arrangement with any travel agent in Chelyabinsk or Yekaterinburg ( I have an option of flying in direct there) who would be able to assist in registration of the visa once I use Way to Russia to obtain the Invitation.

WayToRussia · Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 4:20 am Post subject: Re: Invitation/Registration Query

cygenius · Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 3:18 pm Post subject:

Thank you for your detailed response. It helps me a great deal.

I now have my voucher courtesy of your Company. Thank you for the prompt service and putting up with numerous emails about fax numbers in Australia not working and so on.

Paul