Getting A Visa To Russia? (Here is how We do it!) Once you are in Russia.

We are just sitting here drinking our morning cup of coffee and tea – glad to be home.

We just got back from a visa run to Ukraine. It was fun as always and the changes in Kiev in the few months that we have been gone, are numerous. Not always good changes but regardless many changes.

One thing that has not changed in 4 trips is the visa process. Other business and other issues have changed drastically but the visa part, thank goodness has stayed the same.

Items necessary to get a 3 month dual entry business visa:

1. Telex of Letter of Invitation! (very very very important)

2. one (1) photocopy of passport

3. two (2) passport size photos. (35mm x 45mm)

4. two (2) filled out applications to Consulate of Russia in Ukraine.

5. one (1) photocopy of Ukraine migration card stamped at border crossing.

6. $100 to $400 dollars according to time frame you want to wait. ($100 dollars – 10 days to $400 dollars – same day.)

What you do:

Get to the Consulate of Russia at 10 am and fill out applications. They will have you paste your pictures to the applications. Then you will sit at the desk in the lobby and wait for your turn. Then you go to the visa approval office. They look everything over that you give them and then they grumble at you. 🙂 Then they ask you about how soon you want visa. You politely say today please. They grumble some more and tell you that it costs 400 American dollars. You then nod affirmative and say Spasiba (thank you). Then they give you all information back and two slips of paper and tell you to go to cashier. Once at cashier you pay you money and they give you two slips of paper. One for picking up the visa the other for use to tell the local cops that your visa is in the consulates hands at this moment. (I make a suggestion at this point to have a photocopy of your passport in your pocket for help if the cops need a little extra information.) The Consulate of Russia keeps your passport to paste in a visa.

You do not need a HIV certificate nor a business letter but you must Telex a Letter of Invitation to them. Do not mail, Fed ex or hand deliver. You must have it Telexed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and nothing but Telex. That is a key part of the transaction.

For same day visa you can pick them up between 3 – 4 pm and do not be late because after 4 pm they say Het!

Another tidbit of information is to get to the consulate at 10 am because after 11 am I have been refused service. (They open at 10 am)

Ukraine visa run to get a visa for Russia has become a fun trip for us and it has been a good excuse to travel. We always take the train and every train ride is a new experience. I will be posting about what we saw and the train ride in the next few days. Svet and I took an excursion around Kiev this time and it was really neat.

We want to add the Consulate of Russia in the Ukraine is a fantastic Consulate. They have always been helpful and courteous. Thanks again…

Windows to Russia!
Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome!