Way to Russia Talk Lounge

justmehere23 · Just Starting Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 3

I am leaving the U.S. in 3 days to travel in Eastern Europe. I will be in Latvia and Estonia before Russia. Can I go to the Russian consulate in one of those countries to get a visa, or do I have to get mine from a Russian consulate in the U.S. (in which case I do not have time)?

krasatulya · VIP Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 590

This is straight from the Visa section of this website:

"Normally, you can apply for a Russian visa at the country where you live. But if you're traveling at the moment, for example, you can apply anywhere else in the world, unless, you're from Germany or some Asian countries (except Japan). The nationals of Germany and of some Asian countries (except Japan) can only apply for a Russian visa in their own country. "

overseas_expat · VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 676 Location: Moscow

You can get a Russian visa in both Latvia or Estonia. Or America. But you're probably out of time in the US.

Be advised that it will be expensive and time consuming.

Both of these Baltic countries have Russian embassies that operate on the cowboy mentality. It's the wild west and they've got the guns.

It will take probably from 3 to 5 days to get a visa in either Riga or Tallinn. You will need to find a travel agency in these countries which will issue you a Russian Letter of Invitation. These are expensive. Perhaps 100 Euro? For a Russian visa it is necessary to have such a letter of invitation.

You will be required to provide the results of an HIV test for the visa. The Russian embassy will give you a list of clinics which test and provide such documentation (in Russian). Then with the Letter of Invitation in hand and the HIV test results, and probably at least 250 Euro for an overnight/expedited visa, you're fixed. This whole shebang, not counting food and lodging, will probably cost about 500 Euro to be done in less than 3 days at the Russian embassy in either Latvia or Estonia.

You could have done it for 100 bucks in America if you had given yourself enough time.

justmehere23 · Just Starting Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 3

Yeah, I should know better to prepare WAY ahead of time.... but, I am wondering if it will help to at least get the "invitation" while I am here. I found a site the will have it to me in 24 hours. Will it be valid in another country?

overseas_expat · VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 676 Location: Moscow

justmehere23 · Just Starting Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 3

Thanks expat and krasatulya!

surfguy · Lounge Wizard Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 6979

I had a visa mailed to me..using the SF consulate...if you were to go to a consulate probably you could get your visa in just a couple of days and cost would be more but still worth it. You can get a same day visa for $300.00...I would do this and save the hassles

saint_chrisburg · Frequent Guest Joined: 03 Oct 2007 Posts: 46

Well, you'll only need the results of an HIV exam if you wish to get a visa for a validity of more than three-months. Also, be careful about the invitation, as sometimes they are written out to specific consulates (I once received an invitation that required it be filed at the consulate in Washington D.C, and was null and void at any other consulate). If you have all the proper paperwork, you can usually get your visa done the same day at a consulate, albeit at a price (and be careful, as this differs from place to place and time to time). If you do end up doing the visa in the Baltics, I'd recommend Riga. The consulate there is easy to find, and relatively uncrowded in my experience of it (did my visa there twice).