Russian Tourist Visa

PaulieG

Hi all,
We're going to Tallinn in August and will take the train to St. Petersburg for a 3 day visit, then back to Tallinn. All the travel arrangements have been made no problem. I was just wondering if anyone on here knows how exactly we go about getting 2 Russian tourist visas for this. When I google it I keep coming across websites that offer to sort it all out for you but they sound a bit dubious. Thanks!

spurious

You apply at the Russian embassy. The details are here:

http://www.ireland.mid.ru/visa_en.html

Fill in the online form.
You will need 'vouchers' from the places you are staying. You drop in the completed forms with your passports, photo, proof of travel insurance and the fee (they only take postal orders or bank drafts, be warned) and go back usually about a week or two later and they will be ready. You can arrange for someone else to pick them up if you want.

The whole application process together with its grim faced officials and people waiting almost hopelessly is a sort of early introduction to one side of Russia. You learn to take it with good humour.

St. Petersburg is beautiful - enjoy.

harney

Last year I was in Helsinki, across the water from Tallinn. We just rocked up to a local ferry company and paid for a "cruise" to St Petersburg. It gives you a 72 hour visa into the country. It was something like €69 I think. The ferry travelled overnight to St Petersburg, and gave you most of the day there, followed by an overnight ferry back to Helsinki. They may have something similar from Tallinn.

harney

Have a look at this link, I think it is the same line that went from Helsinki to St Petersburg.

http://www.stpeterline.com/en/goodtoknow/visafreerule.aspx

*edit*

Checking my email, it was approximately £66 walking up to the desk of the ferry company to book it in Helsinki.

harney

This is also worth a look, although you will have to do some digging to work out the visa part on this route.

http://www.seat61.com/Estonia.htm#St_Petersburg_by_train

I'm guessing that if you called the train company they would probably have somebody that could explain how to get the 72 hour visa with a train ticket.

PaulieG

That's great. Thanks a lot. :-)

davepatr07

Hi there,


I thought I read somewhere that you can now get into Russia visa free for up to 15 days as a tourist? Please confirm as I'm looking at doing a tour.


Cheers