Russian visas

[Ranetka]

Hi All, nice to see so many familiar faces around.
We are going to Russia! A week in Saint Petersburg and then a week in Siberia with family. We have not yet organised a hotel/apartment to stay at.


So maybe someone can recommend apartment services in SPb please, not necessarily at the town centre but close to  metro please?


The other, more pressing question on the visa application do I need to provide hotel bookings and the actual address or can I just give a family address in
Siberia? If I give my family’s address would we need to provide any letter from them? Do we need to provide addresses with some proof and does it need to be both cities? So confused.

[msmob]

Hi

If  one of you are applying as a UK citizen and travelling with an RU citizen and the trip includes a visit to family you should get one of the family to invite you and get a family visa. It takes longer but surely the most appropriate visa for your plan?


Starting with the official site for RU visas in the UK
http://ru.vfsglobal.co.uk

If the UK passport holder (s) want a quicker visa, then a tourist visa?   One can buy a voucher online to support  booked accommodation. A  result from a Google search for such firms

http://tinyurl.com/Invitetoru

Sorry, cannot help re Piter apartments

Good luck

[Ranetka]

Thanks, yes want a quick one...some of the links offers an invitation letter for £10 or so. So one just gets this voucher and submit with other paperwork? I am massively confused.


Maybe someone can recommend a service they have used?

[msmob]

I have used realrussia.co.uk and http://invitationtorussia.co.uk/index.php#about-us-wrapper

[LAman]

Thanks, yes want a quick one...some of the links offers an invitation letter for £10 or so. So one just gets this voucher and submit with other paperwork? I am massively confused.


Maybe someone can recommend a service they have used?

You do know you need an invitation letter for each person applying for visa. You have no need for hotel listed in letter.

As I tell many people...… use tools in Trip Advisor and look in appropriate forum(for you Russia).

They have personal reviews for hotels. apts, or Airbnb. Just ask a question there.

[msmob]

What LAman is trying to say is that you do not have to stay at the establishment where you received the voucher from to support your visa application's))

[krimster2]

as MSMOB has suggested, ever the erudite provider of education that he is
go with a visa facilitator!!
I don't know how things work in the UK, but here in the USA there are a few Russians who run a "side business" of "facilitating visa applications" because they have a connection with someone on the "inside"
so whoever this is in the UK, I'd go there, it will get done much more quickly and reliably this way compared to DIY (but of course they must pay a small bribe which gets passed along to you)
last year, a 3 yr multi-entry took me less than a week to get through a Russian visa facilitator in Florida - from application to Fedex delivery to my front door
and because of my military and technical background it was a VERY difficult visa to process...
really glad that I didn't do EOD work, or then they'd have been really nervous instead of just slightly alarmed...

[Faux Pas]

It's been 10 years but I understand she is still in business. I used Irina at http://www.introbyirina.com/She can take care of your invitations, driver and apartment. I had an apartment close to the center and 2 blocks from the metro. It was a great location and then very reasonable

[whynotme]

Hi All, nice to see so many familiar faces around.
We are going to Russia! A week in Saint Petersburg and then a week in Siberia with family. We have not yet organised a hotel/apartment to stay at.


So maybe someone can recommend apartment services in SPb please, not necessarily at the town centre but close to  metro please?


The other, more pressing question on the visa application do I need to provide hotel bookings and the actual address or can I just give a family address in
Siberia? If I give my family’s address would we need to provide any letter from them? Do we need to provide addresses with some proof and does it need to be both cities? So confused.

Я б советовала не переусложнять. Если в Питере вы остановитесь в отеле, то там вам сделают регистрацию на ресепшн. Сибирские родственники могут сделать регистрацию иностранца в МФЦ (многофункциональный центр "Мои документы") по месту жительства, у нас это заняло час времени прошлым летом. 

[rwd123]

So maybe someone can recommend apartment services in SPb please, not necessarily at the town centre but close to  metro please?

The other, more pressing question on the visa application do I need to provide hotel bookings and the actual address or can I just give a family address in
Siberia? If I give my family’s address would we need to provide any letter from them? Do we need to provide addresses with some proof and does it need to be both cities? So confused.

Re apartments, booking.com or AirBnB or even avito.ru if you speak Russian (though the latter is less reliable).

Re visas, get a tourist visa; private visas may cause unnecessary headaches. Purchase a letter of invitation through a tour agency company (one per visitor) and apply for a tourist visa(s).

On the visa application(s) mention hotels in the cities you plan to visit, or even just one in St Petersburg. You don't need to stay in them or have a reservation. Russian laws do require registration but you are unlikely to encounter issues if you don't register (not advising you to skip registration but I've never been asked for evidence).

I am assuming you are not visiting a closed city. There are some cities that are restricted for foreigners.

[Faux Pas]

On the visa application(s) mention hotels in the cities you plan to visit, or even just one in St Petersburg. You don't need to stay in them or have a reservation. Russian laws do require registration but you are unlikely to encounter issues if you don't register (not advising you to skip registration but I've never been asked for evidence).

I skipped registration a couple of times with no issue then, there was an issue upon leaving. Nothing major, I was detained at Passport control for a couple of hours and nearly missed my flight. I was warned not to do it again or I'd be listed to deny future visas fwiw

It's a PITA but I'd recommend registering every time