Way to Russia Talk Lounge

jwoods · Just Starting Joined: 02 Jul 2008 Posts: 2

Received my tourist visa! Cost was €58, which could only be paid by bank transfer (you present the bank receipt when you collect the visa). Processing time took exactly 10 working days, which is the maximum time they quote on their signs.

However, following the ruling about you having to apply for visas at the Russian Consulate of your home country (unless you are a permanent resident) I was asked to present my Finnish Residents Permit.

But... they wouldn't give it back to me!!! First they denied having it saying they only made a copy, then after some rummaging they found it and said they needed to keep it, the original!

I've reported it's loss to the Finnish Police (who issue the permits, and am awaiting their advice).

Consulate is only open 9am - 12am, and queuing seems to start at around 8am. By 8:30am the queue is always about 20 deep. Mostly it's Russians doing whatever business they need to do, so you can try to push your way to the front and ask the security guard through the intercom if he'll let you in to do your visa (they keep you waiting in the street until there's some room inside then they buzz the gate open). Sometimes the security guard will speak to 'the queue' through the intercom and say something which sounds like visa - this means they'll let in someone with a visa query.

Expect lots of queue jumping, everyone tries their luck - if they have lots of kids with them, if their husbands are too fat to stand in line, if they're rich mafia-type etc etc.

You're watched through (at least) 2 CCTV cameras, and the security desk is right behind the door after the metal detector - so if you try to sneak in behind someone else who's been buzzed in, they'll kick you straight out again.

I've no experience of any other consulate, but I guess the overall experience wasn't too frustrating. Very strange office though, like a 1980s UK Post Office (without a queuing system but with many layers of bullet-proof glass behind each counter). They seemed to have no computers, nothing electronic, no calculators etc. Just lots of paper and ink stamps and log books and stapling and carbon paper.

Next time I'll probably try the Turku, Finland consulate and see if that's any different.