Visa registration when staying in private residence

[roykirk]

I am leaving for Russia in two days to see my girlfriend in Novosibirsk.  I utilized a visa company in Moscow for my letter of support for my tourist visa.  At the last minute, my girlfriend offered to have me stay at her flat.  This is great, but it presents a problem as far as visa registration.  I know some hotels will do it for a fee (the Hotel Sibir wants $70 to do it!).  Is this the only way?  Can she not go to the OVIR office personally and register it for me?  I e-mailed the visa company I used for advice, but have not heard back from them yet.

[roykirk]

I may have found my answer on my own.  It appears the OVIR offices don't even exist anymore.  Shows what I know.  Apparently there is a way she can register me at the post office.  http://moscow.usembassy.gov/consular/acs.php?record_id=acsrusvisas#VisaRegistration

[2tallbill]

I am leaving for Russia in two days to see my girlfriend in Novosibirsk.  I utilized a visa company in Moscow for my letter of support for my tourist visa.  At the last minute, my girlfriend offered to have me stay at her flat.  This is great, but it presents a problem as far as visa registration.  I know some hotels will do it for a fee (the Hotel Sibir wants $70 to do it!).  Is this the only way?  Can she not go to the OVIR office personally and register it for me?  I e-mailed the visa company I used for advice, but have not heard back from them yet.

I found someone to do it for something like $30.00 (a travel agent) you might also check with http://gotorussia.com/index.htm

Udachi,

Bill

[roykirk]

Thanks, Bill.  I talked with her this morning and she's fairly confident she can register it at the post office.  The rules changed again in 2007 concern private citizens registering visas, and I've had trouble understanding it all.  From what I've read, it doesn't appear like they'd keep me from leaving the country if it's not registered...but they say it could cause me a hangup if I wanted to return in the future. 

[Misha]

Thanks, Bill.  I talked with her this morning and she's fairly confident she can register it at the post office.  The rules changed again in 2007 concern private citizens registering visas, and I've had trouble understanding it all.  From what I've read, it doesn't appear like they'd keep me from leaving the country if it's not registered...but they say it could cause me a hangup if I wanted to return in the future. 

Did she specify that you have a tourist visa? Remember that a private citizen can sponsor you and you can be issued a private visa (as opposed to a tourist visa).

This what the Canadian government has to say on the issue and its warnings for travelers going to Russia:

"Canadians visiting Russia on a tourist visa must stay at a hotel. The hotel will register the visa for the tourist (generally for a fee). Individuals visiting Russia on tourist visas are forbidden from staying in private accommodations and will not be able to register their visas if they try to do so."

Mendeleyev, I believe, also specified in another thread a few weeks ago that the rules regarding tourist visas had changed and that a tourist visa must now be registered in a hotel.

[roykirk]

Yeah, that's the only part that's still not clear to me.  Obviously I have a tourist visa and not a guest one, because up until just a couple of days ago, I was still planning on staying in my own apartment.  Regardless, I'm staying with her, no matter what the visa rules are.  If she finds out she can't register it at the post office, I guess I'll just have to buck up and pay a hotel to register it for me.

[Misha]

If she finds out she can't register it at the post office, I guess I'll just have to buck up and pay a hotel to register it for me.

That would be a smart move. You don't want to get future visa applications rejected because you did not register your visa on this trip.

[55North]

It's correct about the Post Office for registering.  My Russian stamping ground has major security issues meaning that a letter of support is required just get out of the regional airport, else a bribe must be paid.
 
My fiancee is registered 50 miles away and our love nest landlord is an illegal who also has tax avoidance issues.

Solution? She borrows her employer's passport (in an adjacent city), and off we go to that Post Office to register.
 
Simple when you know how.