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Author Topic: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!  (Read 20710 times)

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Offline Ronnie

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Today!
« Reply #25 on: June 05, 2008, 06:11:29 PM »
Well Zmejka, it was certainly nice of them to tell you the Real reason behind the reason! I was pretty much 'cattle prodded' out the door without an explanation :(

So... I feel like I experienced a little bit of Russia today in Canada.... Greasing the palm as it were? Payment to the right individual?? A Bribe maybe??? Don't know, don't wanna' know  ;)
In short, My Tourist Visa was approved!!  :o
The Visa Consulting Service, I went to, got it done for me With the Original Invitation even. I guess it's all about who you know... and having it sent to the Russian Embassy in Ottawa for approval rather than the Toronto Consolate :)
It cost me some extra $$, but it was worth every penny to hear Lana scream with joy on the other end of the phone!!    :couple:

Вот так!  What did I tell you?

BTW the "terrorism" excuse is a farce.
Ronnie
Fourth year now living in Ukraine.  Speak Russian, Will Answer Questions.

Offline UTRO

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #26 on: June 05, 2008, 09:38:41 PM »
Last i looked, Aerosvit was flying nonstop between Toronto and Kyiv..good price too.

Ya we looked at that Ronnie, but it would be a two day train ride for Svet  :(  Although we won't rule it out as a possibility for next summer!
We are spending the weekend I arrive, July 11th & 12th, in Moscow. That city just drives me nuts with the Hotel room prices and the crap you get for those prices!! :( Lana has friends flying to Spain, staying in 2 or 3 Star Hotels for a week, for less than what the 'old Soviet' shyt costs for a weekend and far nicer too!
Actually, I think we may have found something reasonable.... Has anyone ever heard of the Alexander Block (Blok)? It's a small retired Austrian cruise liner tied up along the Moskva River. It has been converted into a Hotel - Casino and seems reasonably priced, 3000R. I don't really care if it's not the Marriott.... just so it's clean and comfortable for 2 nights :) http://www.nakorable.ru/hotel/rooms/photos/



Offline Ronnie

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #27 on: June 05, 2008, 10:40:49 PM »
Flights to Kyiv aren't so expensive are they?

Expensive hotels?
When did guys start staying in hotels instead of apartments?
Ronnie
Fourth year now living in Ukraine.  Speak Russian, Will Answer Questions.

Offline Ooooops

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #28 on: June 05, 2008, 11:03:41 PM »
Has anyone ever heard of the Alexander Block (Blok)? It's a small retired Austrian cruise liner tied up along the Moskva River. It has been converted into a Hotel - Casino and seems reasonably priced, 3000R. I don't really care if it's not the Marriott.... just so it's clean and comfortable for 2 nights :) http://www.nakorable.ru/hotel/rooms/photos/


I would think that if it's a casino it'll be very noisy and cigarette smoke filled. 

Offline Al_C

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #29 on: June 08, 2008, 04:23:03 AM »
Just as an aside, I have always used www.passportexpress.com.  The people there know their stuff and seems to always have the path of least resistance to get around the bureacratic idiots.  Their fees are reasonable and well worth it for their expertise alone.

Offline ConnerVT

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #30 on: June 08, 2008, 05:12:01 AM »
Just as an aside, I have always used ...

Quote
American Passport Express can assist in securing visas for U.S. citizens traveling to foreign countries.

Which doesn't help the original poster any, as he is a Canadian citizen.  Seems as Canada recently angered some folks who work at the Kremlin, so they are making things more difficult for Candians to get visas these days...

Offline BC

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #31 on: June 08, 2008, 05:56:25 AM »
Which doesn't help the original poster any, as he is a Canadian citizen.  Seems as Canada recently angered some folks who work at the Kremlin, so they are making things more difficult for Candians to get visas these days...

Any references?.. just interested in such, no barb attached.

Offline ConnerVT

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #32 on: June 08, 2008, 06:27:48 AM »
Russian visa policy typically is one of reciprocity.  If one country places a rule or restriction in place, Russia will match it.

Looking through several visa support sites, all have singled out Canadian citizens saying that there will be a minimum 15 day turn around time.  Other nationalities can (for a fee) have a visa expedited in a day or two.

For Canada to be singled out like this, they must of put something in place that someone in Russia took exception to...

Offline Misha

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #33 on: June 08, 2008, 07:46:16 AM »
Looking through several visa support sites, all have singled out Canadian citizens saying that there will be a minimum 15 day turn around time.  Other nationalities can (for a fee) have a visa expedited in a day or two.

For Canada to be singled out like this, they must of put something in place that someone in Russia took exception to...

This is a recent change. A couple years ago you could pay more to get a Russian visa processed faster. The main change on the Canadian side was the switch to having all visa applications delivered by a courier company: Pony Express. Applications for a temporary residence (i.e. a visa for a tourist or other visitor) and permanent residence are no longer accepted in person. You must pay the fee to Pony Express who handles the delivery of the application and the return of the passport and visa. Not all applicants are interviewed for a temporary residence visa.

Offline UTRO

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #34 on: June 08, 2008, 01:24:09 PM »
This is a recent change. A couple years ago you could pay more to get a Russian visa processed faster.

You are correct Misha! In fact this is a Very new change. When I applied for a Visa, for my April trip, there were many different Tiers of processing still available. IE: 10 day, 5 day, 1 day, etc.. Not anymore!
According to http://visa.visaconnection.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=43&Itemid=36 this came into effect June 1st. I went for my latest Visa June 2nd.
I don't know if this was actually a result of Canada pissing somebody off at the Kremlin? I would say not because one thing that is now available to Canadians are Multiple Entry Tourist Visas. These were available to other nationalities for some time but not for Canadians at all until this Spring?! So they've tightened things up in one respect and loosened things off in another ???
« Last Edit: June 08, 2008, 01:26:50 PM by Utrobina »



Offline steviej

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #35 on: June 08, 2008, 04:38:03 PM »
I always used a company called "ZVS" which can be found at ZVS dot com. I paid them the money, and they always got the visas for me (thank God I don't have to go through that anymore - married to my RW 5 yrs now:) I noticed on their website that you can request any "from" country and any "to" country, so it looks like they claim to offer service in Canada, FYI

Offline UTRO

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #36 on: June 08, 2008, 05:39:57 PM »
Thanks Steve, I'll check them out! So every time you travelled to Russia did you do so on a Tourist Visa? With 4 Russian Visas in my Passport within a year, a fifth to be added at the end of the month, I'm wondering if Russian Passport Control starts to wonder, "why the hell would this guy want to visit here so often?!?"



Offline Misha

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #37 on: June 08, 2008, 05:41:42 PM »
Thanks Steve, I'll check them out! So every time you travelled to Russia did you do so on a Tourist Visa? With 4 Russian Visas in my Passport within a year, a fifth to be added at the end of the month, I'm wondering if Russian Passport Control starts to wonder, "why the hell would this guy want to visit here so often?!?"

Well, my guess is that they already know. It would be fascinating to know how much the FSB keeps on file.

Offline UTRO

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #38 on: June 08, 2008, 06:18:34 PM »
Well, my guess is that they already know. It would be fascinating to know how much the FSB keeps on file.

Yes, it really would be!
I guess I'm getting Paranoid :)
I was planning on bringing a good old little Hibachi with me this time and a 5kg slab of Beef Tenderloin to cut up into big thick steaks to give Lana, her family and friends a taste of Canadian/USA BBQ'ing. Now I'm not too sure. Kinda' worry what might happen if I am marked for a Claimed Luggage Inspection! I think there's still a ban on American Beef??
Has anyone had a Russian Style BBQ? See pics :)



Offline ScottinCrimea

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #39 on: June 08, 2008, 06:31:34 PM »
Anyone who has been to the FSU and not had a shashlik barbecue hasn't really experienced the FSU!

I'm not sure what fuel you would use with the hibachi as I don't recall seeing charcoal briquets available there and there isn't room in it for much wood.

While my wife enjoys a good grilled steak, she absolutely can't stand barbecue sauce. Something about anything sweet on meat doesn't sit right with her.  Totally unAmerican!

Offline steviej

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #40 on: June 08, 2008, 07:34:05 PM »
Thanks Steve, I'll check them out! So every time you travelled to Russia did you do so on a Tourist Visa? With 4 Russian Visas in my Passport within a year, a fifth to be added at the end of the month, I'm wondering if Russian Passport Control starts to wonder, "why the hell would this guy want to visit here so often?!?"
I think during  the era of our courtship, I went a total of 7 times. I think the most that fell into one calendar year was 3 times. Everytime, I gave ZVS a bunch of money, and they gave me visas, invitation letters, and whatever else I needed. I don't know if I was lucky or they have all the right palms greased. Conditions may have changed over the past 5 years too. I know they're not too fond of our idiot president.

Also, about trying to take anything out of the ordinary through customs .. I'd say don't do it. I would never try to take anything in or out except my underwear. The best approach is never to have anything to explain, with these guys. If you want to send some meat, I'd try some mail-order company that would do mail order delivery. Then if its stopped, it has nothing to do with you and can't interfere with your trip.

Actually, I am remember one time I had a problem ... and it was the last time I went during that era, and it was to bring my wife here on her fiance visa !!! It was my fault, but for some reason, maybe nervousness, I put the wrong dates down in my application materials to ZVS, and when my plane landed in SVO, guess what? I was there one day earlier than my visa allowed. And you know what? They wouldn't let me in. They were going to force me to go back, or get arrested, and a bunch of other harrassment. They can do to you whatever you want. And on the other side of passport control, my fiance and her father were waiting for me to appear, and I didn't. I was frantic! They had made a long trip to get to Moscow and her father had taken off from work. Well, if they weren't there, I would have been screwed, but they figured out something went wrong, and they know how to work the Russian system, especially her father. They found out there was one American who had been "detained", and went to work. It worked out that they set it up for me to pay a few people the correct "fines" and then they gave me updated paperwork. Whew !!! So, my advice of course do everything exactly by the book, and don't make any assumption of do anything that might require an explanation or exception (like bringing something in or out). Good luck!!

Offline Ronnie

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #41 on: June 08, 2008, 11:20:35 PM »
Russian visa policy typically is one of reciprocity.  If one country places a rule or restriction in place, Russia will match it.


Yep, this is good old Soviet mentality.  The west does something that they interpret as a slap in the face so they shoot themselves in the foot to reciprocate!

If they were really into the capitalist mentality, they'd retaliate by dropping the visa requirement and just charge a entrance fee and exit fee like Mexico does.  That way they get more Western dollars into their system by bringing in more tourists.  Americans/Canadians will pay the fees, they just don't want the hassle and delays.

« Last Edit: June 08, 2008, 11:24:17 PM by Ronnie »
Ronnie
Fourth year now living in Ukraine.  Speak Russian, Will Answer Questions.

Offline Al_C

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #42 on: June 09, 2008, 04:19:13 PM »
The visa fees are already hefty as they are:  $100/$200/$300.  No other country charges anywhere near this amount.  This is a profit center for them.

The reason I suggest a large expediting agency like Passport Express is volume.  If the Russian consulate is accustomed to a PE representative walking in there every day with a stack of visa apps, they are not going to give those apps nearly as much scrutiny as one that comes in as a one time deal.  This is daily business for both of them, and their objective is to just get it done.

Offline steviej

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #43 on: June 09, 2008, 04:35:03 PM »
The visa fees are already hefty as they are:  $100/$200/$300.  No other country charges anywhere near this amount.  This is a profit center for them.

The reason I suggest a large expediting agency like Passport Express is volume.  If the Russian consulate is accustomed to a PE representative walking in there every day with a stack of visa apps, they are not going to give those apps nearly as much scrutiny as one that comes in as a one time deal.  This is daily business for both of them, and their objective is to just get it done.


Al, I agree. A well established agency that brings in lots of visa apps. (a.k.a. $$$), knows peoples' faces and names, that's gotta be a better way to go, rather than being a "one off" of any kind.

Offline Ooooops

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #44 on: June 10, 2008, 06:24:54 AM »
Not exactly about the passport expiration but did you know that if you are abroad and you passport runs out of empty pages you can just go to the nearest US embassy and within 15 minutes get an insert with another 15 or so pages for free?   

Offline OlgaH

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #45 on: June 14, 2008, 08:42:26 AM »
Oh yes! I went to the Trifonov Monastery, when I visited in April, with Lana and her friends to light some Candles for her Mum's Health :) There is spring water, holy(?), flowing eternally... where people gather to splash it on themselves and drink it! Sorry, I'm not very religious but I found the place fascinating! It is located right beside a soccer football field, where it was explained to me that back in the Soviet Times (80s I believe) there was a completely unexpected and unheard of terrorist act of an explosion being detonated and it killed many people? I don't know much more, but in the photo you posted of the Monastery, Olga, you can see the field in the foreground. Do you know anything about this event?
Again, Thank-you!  :D

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Trifonov_monastery_Kirov.jpg

Sorry for my late answer. We had our about 6 days cruise.

The holy spring is right under the wooden chapel that was built by Reverend Trifon in the 17th century (the chapel was restored in 1990)

I can not recall that terrorist act in Kirov. If the event happened during the Soviet time probably it did not receive broad publicity.   

Offline cic_arnel

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #46 on: October 29, 2009, 07:59:39 PM »
Hello Utrobina,

Sorry if I don`t know your name so please pardon me. The reason why I am writing this is because I had exactly the same experience that you have regarding applying for a Russian tourist visa. You see, I am planning to visit my girlfriend in Moscow January next year. Last week I send my application to the Toronto consulate and this man was giving me a hard time and asking too many questions and told me that I should apply instead for a Private Invitation visa. As you described, it would be hard for my girlfriend to apply one for me. Not that she doesn`t want to but I don`t want her to suffer too much. Now I was wondering which Visa Consulting Agency did you use to apply for the tourist visa? I don`t mind paying extra just to avoid all the hassles and bureaucracy. By the way I live here in Edmonton, Alberta. I would appreciate your advice. Hope to hear from you soon.

Arnelio

Offline Phil dAmore

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #47 on: October 29, 2009, 08:50:03 PM »
Don't forget you are dealing with an entirely different mind-set!!

Yes, and that mind set is that they don't want foreigners there. At. All.  Oh, if you REALLY want to go they will issue the visa, after you jump through more hoops than a bear in the Moscow circus and pay the highest visa fees in the world, but make no mistake, they don't want us there.  Not to visit and most definitely not to live.

I got shot down for a tourist visa because the consulate said that I had too many previous business visas.  However they were happy to sell me another biz visa, at a higher cost.
Don't worry about avoiding temptation. . as you grow older, it will avoid you.-- Winston Churchill

Offline UTRO

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #48 on: October 29, 2009, 10:47:57 PM »
LoL! As Phil said :)
I sent you a PM Arnelio.
Business Visa is the way to go!!



Offline ohman4966

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Re: Denied a Russian Tourist Visa Yesterday!
« Reply #49 on: December 06, 2009, 09:36:38 AM »
How is the business visa the better way to go? thanks

 

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