Anyone have recent experience of getting Russian Visa ?

mikedublin

Hi.

Just wondering if anyone has any recent experience of getting a Russian Visa ?

How much it costs and how long it takes ?

I've read some posts here going back a few years so just wondering what the process is like now.

I'm thinking of doing a tour in October.

Cheers, Mike

dearg lady

Was just about to post similiar, as other threads on this are quite old!!

Headin in Sept and hoping to stay in a hostel as it's cheaper, however I believe hostels can't generally issue travel vouchers..is this correct??

Also, what is the website travel vouchers can be obtained from, and what's the price??

Thanks!

Ideo

Theres threads on the Russian visas in the trans-Siberian railway thread in the independent traveling forum. You'll probably find your answers in that thread!

another native

Google "Russian Embassy Dublin." Lots of info there.

honeymonster

I got one, it was like two years ago.

You need to get an invite letter, think I just google this was ten euro.

There's a form on their website you fill out and attached your invite letter. I think theres a fee of 60 euro and it takes two weeks.

It's best to do it through the post. I think the place is on orwell road. It opens at 8 but people start lining up at 6. The office closes at 12.

The amount of people was unreal.

undo

I just picked up my Russian visa yesterday and so have news right from the front lines.

Yes, the embassy is in Orwell Road. The consular section opens at 9am and closes at 11:45am sharp. There is a single, tiny room for people to queue with a single window where they take applications. The queue moves at a glacial pace. Sometimes, nobody gets served for half an hour. When 11:45am comes around and you are still queuing, they may or may not serve you - it is a matter of luck.

All in all, expect to queue for about two hours (though with massive luck, it can be as little as 15 minutes). Make sure to bring all the paperwork. If anything is missing or incorrect, you will have to queue all the way at the back again. What you need is this:

* Application form - You fill this in on a special website and print it off from there. The form has a space for your picture in the bottom-left corner and a barcode. There are older forms that look different. These are not acceptable. Funny enough, you can download the invalid forms right off the embassy's website... go figure.

* Photograph - Technically, it should be attached to your application form with a paper clip. They seem to take forms with glued-on photos as well. But better not chance it.

* Proof of health insurance - This has to be insurance acceptable to the Russians for a stay in Russia. You can buy it online.

* Voucher - You can get this little slip either from your hotel in Russia, online place for about €10 or from a travel agency in Talbot Street (no need to book your holidays through them, they will sell you just the voucher if you want to).

* Your passport - I am not sure how many months of validity you need beyond your stay. Mine is valid for a good few more years.

* A money order or bank draft for the fee - This one is important. I saw so many people get turned back because they did not have an accepted form of payment on them. Check or cash are not accepted. Pre-paying into the embassy's bank account is technically allowed but leads to delays and confusion. The best thing is to get a postal money order. If you forget it, you will have to head over to the nearest post office and then queue all the way at the back.

* Flight details - I think this is not strictly required but most people (including myself) had their flight details on them.

The processing, as it says on their website, takes 4 to 20 business days. For a higher fee, you can get 3 day "rush" processing. I submitted my application on Monday, paid the rush fee and picked up the visa on Thursday. Thankfully, you are allowed to skip the queue when picking up your visa.

It is a bit of a surreal experience from the past. The embassy looks like it has not changed one bit since the iron curtain fell. You will see a lot of frustrated, sad faces in the queue. The metal detector at the entrance evokes a feeling of old times as does the appearance of the entire place. But once you have made it through the red tape, you really know you deserve your holiday .

Finally, as for price - It depends on the type of visa you want, whether you need rush processing or not and what citizenship you hold. You can find out the price on the embassy's website.

YFlyer

Take note: people will pass you out while you are in the queue. This is even people that are putting in their application. Its a Russian thing.

dearg lady

undo wrote: »

* Application form - You fill this in on a special website and print it off from there. The form has a space for your picture in the bottom-left corner and a barcode. There are older forms that look different. These are not acceptable. Funny enough, you can download the invalid forms right off the embassy's website... go figure.

meant to ask, what's the website? I don't want to print the wrong one!

mikedublin

Thanks for all the information.