Russia: Visa: Part 3, Transit Visa!

Hello,

Today part 3 of Visa is the Transit visa. This is a short term visa that allows you to travel through a country within a certain time frame. Usually a matter of 3 days.
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Transit Visas

To obtain a transit visa the following documents should be submitted to the CONSULAR SECTION (CONSULATE):

1. A completed visa application form (one per person) available at the Consulate.

2. A valid passport which should have at least one clear visa pages.

3. One passport size photo of the applicant which should be stapled to the marked space of the application form.

4. A copy of the visa of the country you are going to and/or from if needed.

5. Copies of your airline tickets.

6. A cover letter specifying itinerary, enter and departure dates of your transit.

7. If applying by mail (all visa documents should be sent to 2641 Tunlaw rd. N.W., Washington DC, 20007), you should enclose a completely addressed and stamped return envelope or prepaid waybill, bearing your account number with the postal service (preferably Federal Express) and showing yourself as both shipper and recipient regardless of delivery address.

We do not accept waybills marked ‘bill sender’, ‘bill third party’, bill credit card’ or C.O.D. If you fail to follow the above mentioned requirements, your visa application will not be processed. If the papers are not acceptable for any reason or some documents are missing, we will return them by regular mail. When forwarding your documents to us, please, specify “attention: visa section”. We do not accept documents for international delivery!

If you apply personally, you should get a pick-up slip from the visa officer. You should present this slip to pick up your visa, when it is ready, or refer to its number to check out the status of the application.

8. A money order or cashier’s check payable to the Russian Embassy for visa processing. Please, note that we do not accept cash or any other checks. The visa processing fees are:

ATTENTION!

As of January 1, 2008 the U.S. State Department raises the fee for American visa from 100 USD to 131 USD.

On the basis of reciprocity the fee for Russian visa (standard processing time 6-10 business days) is also raised to 131 USD, effective from January 14, 2008. The fees for expedited visa processing will however remain unchanged.

For single entry visas are:
$131 for 6-10 business days processing;
$150 for 3-5 business days processing;
$200 for next business day processing or two business days processing;
$300 for same day processing;
For double entry visas are:
$131 for 6-10 business days processing;
$200 for 3-5 business days processing;
$250 for next business day processing or two business days processing;
$350 for same day processing;

Visa processing fee is not refundable

Please, note, that drop off day is not counted as business day!

ATTENTION FOR EU CITIZENS

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VISA AGREEMENT SIGNED BY THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND THE EUROPEAN UNIION CITIZENS OF ALL EU COUNTRIES EXCEPT DENMARK, IRELAND AND GREAT BRITAIN ARE WELCOME TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING FEES FOR PROCESSING OF ALL TYPES OF VISAS TO RUSSIA

6-10 BUSINESS DAYS – 50 USD

1-3 BUSINESS DAYS – 100 USD

You can download and print out an application for an entry visa right now as an Microsoft Winword document.

The Russian transit visa is valid only for 3 calendar days.

Any applicant may be interviewed by a consular officer if necessary.

When having received your visa please check it for mistakes (passport number, date of birth, validity) and, if necessary, return it to the Consulate for corrections.

The Consulate will not be responsible for any mistakes in the visas, which were not brought to our attention prior to your departure from the USA.

Please, note that visas cannot be changed or extended. If your travel plans changed after the visa issuance you have to reapply for a new one.

Any visa applicant may be interviewed by a consular officer if necessary.

Processing time, requirements and fees are subject to change without notice.

If you need more information please call us at (202)939-8907,8918, 8913 and 8911 Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. till 12.30 .p.m. and from 2.30. p.m. till 6 p.m.

Visa applications are accepted Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. till 12.15 p.m. ONLY
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3 days to travel across Russia, unless you are flying it would be hard to do. 🙂

Russia: Visa: Part 1, Business Visa!
Russia: Visa: Part 2, Tourist Visa!
http://www.russianembassy.org/

next Homestay visa!

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Russia: Missile Issue is Serious!

Hello,

The issue of Missile Interceptors is going to blow up in America’s face! Russia has a lot more firepower behind the scene then the USA lets out into their reports about Russia……

“”After the G8 meeting, Dmitry Medvedev expressed his disappointment that the USA hasn’t listened to Moscow which claimed that the elements of the American AMD located closely to the Russian border reduce drastically the country’s security. “We won’t get hysterical about the matter, rather, we’ll think over relevant steps,” the President stated.(L)

Russia harbors no doubts about its ability to secure the country in the context of deploying components of the U.S. missile defense shield in Europe, “At all events, don’t be anxious, our security will be safeguarded. We will be certainly enhancing the security of our state no matter how the situation will develop,” Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kislyak told reporters Thursday. (L)

In the mean time, the perspective is: Washington may station in Poland short/mid-range ballistic missiles under the guise of interceptors, said Alexander Pikaev, head of the disarmament and conflict settlement department at Russia’s Science Academy, RIA Novosti reported.

The United States intends to station ten interceptors in Poland and a radar station in the Czech Republic under the pretext of opposing potential threat of Iran. Russia is concerned about too close location of these facilities to its borders, fearing they would undermine the national security.

“Apart from the U.S. statements, there are no other ways to check whether these are the interceptors with non-nuclear weapons,” Pikaev said in the interview with RIA Novosti. “On the face of it, these missiles very much resemble the ballistic missiles of mid-/short range,” the expert pointed out.

“There is no complete guarantee that the matter at stake is exactly counter-missiles, not the ballistic missiles of ground-to-ground type,” Pikaev went on.

According to Pikaev, if the RF officers are denied the access to facilities of the U.S. missile defense shield in Europe, Russia won’t be able to check what missiles Poland has in the launching tubes.

“Therefore, the military will have to take into consideration the worst scenario, whereby ballistic missiles with very short time of arrival will be stationed there,” the expert said, adding that the implementation of the U.S. plans will make Russia’s combat and technical response inevitable.

“The missile defense system is the lawful target for nuclear forces. The Moscow system of air defense has been certainly added to the target list of American strategic forces,” he said.(L)“”

To all who listen to the games being played over Ballistic Missiles, do not believe but half of what you hear! No one tells the truth about Nuclear Missiles! (especially the USA)…….

Right now the United States is putting Europe in Hot water over these missiles. Russia will target any and all of Europe. I have said before Russia is stronger than the USA understands.

Why can’t we be friends?

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Russia: Moscow Has requested A Response To Accusations About Litvinenko Murder!

Hello,

I have kept you abreast of this situation between Russia & Britain. So while I was drinking my morning cup of coffee, I was thinking about what Russia has requested….
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Moscow is waiting for an official response from Britain regarding allegations that the Russian state was involved in the 2006 killing of former Russian security officer Aleksandr Litvinenko. The claims emerged on a BBC program on Monday. British Intelligence sources told journalists that the murder was carried out with the backing of the Russian state.

Russia’s ambassador to the U.K., Yury Fedotov, said Moscow wants the British government to either dismiss these allegations or confirm them. He also denied claims by the British press that nearly 30 representatives of the Russian Embassy in London are spies.

Aleksandr Litvinenko died of radioactive poisoning in London in November 2006, three weeks after suddenly falling ill. British investigators accused Russian agent-turned-businessman Andrey Lugovoy over the murder and demanded his extradition from Russia, sparking a major diplomatic row. (Link: Russiatoday)
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I keep saying, Britain accuses but no evidence, So far they have not responded to Russia on almost all Russia’s requests. I do not think that they will responded to this one either.

I hope that I am wrong but the longer they ignore, the wilder the stories get…..

http://kylekeeton.com/2008/06/russia-was-polonium-210-used-as-weapon.html
http://kylekeeton.com/2008/05/russia-says-lets-work-together-on.html
http://kylekeeton.com/2008/03/russia-spy-vs-spy.html
http://kylekeeton.com/2008/03/could-litvinenko-have-poison-himself.html
http://kylekeeton.com/2008/01/no-one-knows-who-killed-alexander.html
http://kylekeeton.com/2007/07/russia-united-kingdom.html

These are some of the articles that we have posted on the Aleksandr Litvinenko subject!

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Stories from Soviet Childhood: MISHKA’S PORRIDGE (2)

Hello,

As you remember on Wednesdays we publish Stories from Soviet Childhood – my generation was brought up reading the stories, and generation of our parents was brought up on them and we tried to bring up our children by reading them good children book. Today we are finishing a story by Nikolay Nosov “Mishka’s Porridge”. If you did not read the first part please click at the little picture. To the right —->

MISHKA’S PORRIDGE
(Part 2)

Mishka [a boy’s name] took matches, tied a rope round the handle of the pail and went off to the well. In a few minutes he was back.

“Where’s the water?” I asked him. .
“Water? Out there in the well.”
“Don’t be silly. What’ve you done with the pail?”
“The pail? That’s in the well too.”
“In the well?”
“That’s right.”
“You mean you dropped it?”
“That’s right.”
“Oh, you silly donkey! We’ll starve to death this way. How are we going to get water now?”
“We can use the kettle.”
I took the kettle. “Give me the rope.”
“I haven’t got it.”
“Where is it?”
“Down there.”
“Down where?”
“In the well.”
“So you dropped the pail along with the rope?”
“That’s right.”

We started hunting for another piece of rope, but we couldn’t find any.
“I’ll go and ask the neighbors,” said Mishka.
“You can’t,” I said. “Look at the time. Everyone’s gone to bed long ago.”
As luck would have it, I felt awfully thirsty. I was simply dying for a drink.

Mishka said: “It’s always like that. When there’s no water you always feel thirsty. That’s why people always get thirsty in the desert —because there’s no water in the desert.”
“Never mind about deserts,” I said. “You go and find some rope.”
“Where shall I find it? I’ve looked everywhere. Let’s use the fishing-line.”
“Is it strong enough?”
“I think so.”
“What if it isn’t?”
“If it isn’t, it’ll break.”
We unwound the fishing-line, tied it to the kettle and went out to the well. I lowered the kettle into the well and filled it with water. The line was as taut as a violin string.
“It’s going to snap,” I said. “You watch.”
“Perhaps it’ll hold if we lift it very, very carefully,” said Mishka.
I raised it as carefully as I could. I had just got it above the water when there was a splash, and the kettle was gone.
“Did it break?” said Mishka. . “Of course it did. How are we going to get water now?”
“Let’s try the samovar,” said Mishka.
“No. We might as well throw the samovar straight into the well. Less trouble. Besides, we haven’t any more rope.”
“All right then, use the pot.”
“We haven’t so many pots to throw away,” I said.
“Well, then, try a tumbler.”
“Do you want to spend the rest of the night scooping up water by the tumblerful?”
“But what are we going to do? We’ve got to finish cooking the porridge. Besides, I’m terribly thirsty.”
“Let’s try the tin mug,” I said. “It’s a little bigger than a tumbler anyway.”

We went back to the house, tied the fishing-line to the mug so that it wouldn’t overturn and went back to the well. After we had drunk our fill of water Mishka said:
“That’s what always happens—when you’re thirsty you think you could drink up the sea, but when you begin drinking you find one mugful is plenty. That’s because people are naturally greedy.”

“Stop jabbering and bring the pot out here. We can fill it with water straight from the well. It will save us running back and forth a dozen times.”
Mishka brought the pot and stood it right at the edge of the well. I very nearly knocked it off with my elbow.

“Silly donkey,” I said. “What’s the idea of putting it right under my elbow? Hold on to it and keep as far from the well as you can, or you’ll send it flying into the water.”

Mishka took the pot and moved away from the well. I filled it up and we went back to the house. By this time our porridge was quite cold and the fire had gone out. We got it going again and put the pot back on the stove to cook. After a long time it started to boil, thickened gradually and made plopping noises.

“Hear that?” said Mishka. “We’re going to have some wonderful porridge soon.”
I took a little on a spoon and tasted it. It was awful! It had a nasty bitter burnt taste, and we had forgotten to salt it. Mishka tasted it too and spat it out at once.
“No,” he said. “I’d rather die of hunger than eat such stuff.”
“You would certainly die if you did eat it,” I said.
“But what shall we do?”
“I don’t know.”
“Donkeys!” cried Mishka. “We’ve forgotten the fish.”
“We’re not going to start bothering with fish at this time of night. It will be morning soon.”
“We won’t boil them, we’ll fry them. They’ll be ready in a minute, you’ll see.”
“Oh, all right,” I said. “But if it’s going to take as long as the porridge, count me out.”
“It’ll be ready in five minutes, you’ll see.”

Mishka cleaned the fish and put them on the frying-pan. The pan got hot and the fish stuck to the bottom. He tried to pull them off and made quite a mess of them.

I said: “Whoever tried frying fish without butter?”
Mishka got a bottle of vegetable oil and poured some on to the pan and put it into the stove straight on the coals so it should cook faster. The oil spluttered and crackled and suddenly it caught fire. Mishka snatched up the frying-pan and I wanted to pour water on it, but there wasn’t a drop of water in the house, so it burned and burned until all the oil had burned out. The room was full of smoke and all that was left of the fish were a few burned coals.

“Well,” said Mishka, “what are we going to fry now?”
“No more frying. Besides spoiling good food you’re liable to burn the house down. You’ve done enough cooking for one day!”
“But what shall we eat?
“
We tried chewing raw meal but it wasn’t much fun. We tried a raw onion, but it was bitter. We tried vegetable oil and nearly made ourselves sick. Finally we found the jam pot, licked it clean and went to bed. It was very late by then.

We woke up in the morning as hungry as wolves. Mishka wanted to cook some porridge, but when I saw him get out the meal I got cold all over.

“Don’t you dare,” I said. “I’ll go to Aunt Natasha, our landlady, and ask her to cook some porridge for us.”

We went to Aunt Natasha and told her all about it and promised to weed her garden for her if she would cook some porridge for us. She took pity on us and gave us some milk and cabbage pie while she cooked our porridge. And we ate and ate as if we couldn’t stop. Aunt Natasha’s little boy Vovka stood watching with his eyes popping out.

At last we had had enough. Aunt Natasha gave us a hook and some rope and we went to fish the pail and the kettle out of the well. It took us a long time before we finally managed to pull them up. But luckily nothing got lost. After that, Mishka and I and little Vovka weeded Aunt Natasha’s garden.

Mishka said: “Weeding is nothing. Anybody can do it. It’s easy. Much easier than cooking porridge, anyway.”

=================================================
Previous stories:

ZIS


Cucumbers


THE CRUCIAN CARP

=================================================

Best wishes and next Wednesday we will read next story!

Svet

comments always welcome

Russia: Czech Sold Their Soul Today! (USA Bought It!)

Hello,

I was drinking my morning cup of coffee & saw that Czech decided to sign away its soul to the USA…..
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The Czech authorities calmly signed the agreement although 75% of their people protested it. Poland has not signed a similar agreement to host interceptor missiles only because the sides are still haggling over the price, disregarding the opinion of ordinary Poles.

Europe continues to preach democracy to Russia, although its own democracy is badly in need of repair. When European voters rejected the common constitution, the EU leaders overruled their decision by approving a Reform Treaty, essentially an abridged form of the constitution under a different name.

In short, the implications are bad for everyone, for the United States as the mainstay of democracy, for Europe, and for democracy itself, as well as for Russia, which is only trying to develop democracy. (Link: RIA)
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I myself consider this a bad omen for the world at large. Everyone is to busy playing in everyone else’s backyards, when they need to go clean up their homes first…..

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Russia: Visa: Part 2, Tourist Visa!

Hello,

Today we talk about the Russian tourist visa, remember this information is from Washington DC. You must call your embassy to find out the rules for you.
————————————————
Tourist Visas

To obtain a tourist visa the following documents should be submitted to the CONSULAR SECTION (CONSULATE):

1. A completed visa application form (one per person) available at the Consulate or from .travel agencies and visa services.

2. A valid passport which should have at least two clear visa pages.

3. One passport size photo of the applicant which should be stapled to the marked space of the application form.

4. A standard tourist confirmation from a hosting authorized Russian travel agency or a hotel, registered with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a voucher from your hotel or travel agency in Russia.

5. A cover letter from yourself, containing the following information:

*applicant’s name or alphabetical list of a group;
*dates and points of arrival and departure in and from Russia and means of transportation;
*itinerary in Russia;

6. If applying by mail (all visa documents should be sent to 2641 Tunlaw rd. N.W., Washington DC, 20007), you should enclose a completely addressed and stamped return envelope or prepaid waybill, bearing your account number with the postal service (preferably Federal Express) and showing yourself as both shipper and recipient regardless of delivery address.

We do not accept waybills marked ‘bill sender’, ‘bill third party’, bill credit card’ or C.O.D. If you fail to follow the above mentioned requirements, your visa application will not be processed. If the papers are not acceptable for any reason or some documents are missing, we will return them by regular mail. When forwarding your documents to us, please, specify “attention: visa section”. We do not accept documents for international delivery!

If you apply personally, you should get a pick-up slip from the visa officer. You should present this slip to pick up your visa, when it is ready, or refer to its number to check out the status of the application.

7. A money order or cashier’s check payable to the Russian Embassy for visa processing. Please, note that we do not accept cash or any other checks. The visa processing fees are:

ATTENTION!

As of January 1, 2008 the U.S. State Department raises the fee for American visa from 100 USD to 131 USD.

On the basis of reciprocity the fee for Russian visa (standard processing time 6-10 business days) is also raised to 131 USD, effective from January 14, 2008. The fees for expedited visa processing will however remain unchanged.

For single entry visas are:
$131 for 6-10 business days processing;
$150 for 3-5 business days processing;
$200 for next business day processing or two business days processing;
$300 for same day processing;
For double entry visas are:
$131 for 6-10 business days processing;
$200 for 3-5 business days processing;
$250 for next business day processing or two business days processing;
$350 for same day processing;

Visa processing fee is not refundable

Please, note, that drop off day is not counted as business day!

ATTENTION FOR EU CITIZENS

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VISA AGREEMENT SIGNED BY THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND THE EUROPEAN UNIION CITIZENS OF ALL EU COUNTRIES EXCEPT DENMARK, IRELAND AND GREAT BRITAIN ARE WELCOME TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING FEES FOR PROCESSING OF ALL TYPES OF VISAS TO RUSSIA

6-10 BUSINESS DAYS – 50 USD

1-3 BUSINESS DAYS – 100 USD

You can download and print out an application for an entry visa right now as an Microsoft Winword document.

IMPORTANT:

THE DURATION OF THE RUSSIAN TOURIST VISA CANNOT BE LONGER THAN ONE MONTH!

When entering Russia as a tourist, you may be also required to present the copies of your tourist confirmation, hotel voucher and your return ticket with a fixed date of departure from Russia at the border check point.

We can do next or same day processing only if the volume of work technically permits.

Visa processing starts only after the complete required set of document is submitted.

When having received your visa please check it for mistakes (passport number, date of birth, validity) and, if necessary, return it to the Consulate for corrections.

The Consulate will not be responsible for any mistakes in the visas, which were not brought to our attention prior to your departure from the USA.

Please, note that visas cannot be changed or extended. If your travel plans changed after the visa issuance you have to reapply for a new one.

Any visa applicant may be interviewed by a consular officer if necessary.

Processing time, requirements and fees are subject to change without notice.

If you need more information please call us at (202)939-8907,8918, 8913 and 8911 Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. till 12.30 .p.m. and from 2.30. p.m. till 6 p.m.

Visa applications are accepted Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. till 12.15 p.m. ONLY
————————————————–
http://www.russianembassy.org/

Tomorrow transit visa!

Part 1 Business Visa
http://kylekeeton.com/2008/07/russia-visa-part-1-business-visa.html

Kyle & Svet

New Drink Drive Law Hurting Moscow!

TOYAKO (Hokkaido), July 8 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s chief sanitary official criticized on Tuesday a new law that allows motorists to drive after drinking small amounts of alcohol.

“It is a crime. It is a dangerous decision for our country,” Gennady Onishchenko told reporters on the sideline of the G8 summit currently being held on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido.

The decree, which came into force on July 1, allows motorists to drive with alcohol levels of 0.03 grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood, equal to a 0.33 bottle of beer or 250-300 mls of wine drunk 15 minutes before a test.

The law brings Russia into line with other European countries. Russian motorists were previously forbidden from driving after drinking even tiny amounts of alcohol.

In 2007, drink-driving was responsible for 10% of road accidents in Russia, while almost every second fatal accident was caused by a drunk driver.

———————————————

This is an article of truth. You drive carefully and defensivly in Moscow.

Russians remind me of the old days in the USA, driving around with a beer in your hand. At one time that was very comman in the USA. In Russia it is very comman, (but worse) many are driving with a bottle of vodka in hand.

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Abkhazia Has A Good Point!

Hello,

Looks like Abkhazia has their facts together.

I am starting to see a, USA playing bad in your backyard issue!
——————————————–
Abkhazia rejects U.S. proposal
Abkhazia says it won’t put into action a U.S. suggestion to place an international police force in the region. The Abkhaz President said the country needs no help from the U.S., which he says has always taken a pro-Georgian stance.

In its statement the U.S. administration underlined that it supports Georgia’s territorial integrity and insists on both sides resuming peace talks.

“We call on Russia to reverse its recent provocative steps in Abkhazia and consult Tbilisi on any future steps in both Abkhazia and South Ossetia. We note the urgent need for an international police presence in the areas where these bombings have occurred,” the U.S. statement said.

Following the proposal to deploy an international police force in Abkhazia to stop the wave of bombings there, Abkhazian president Sergei Bagapsh blamed Washington for its pro-Georgian position and pledged to keep Russian peacekeepers in the region.

“There cannot be any international police force in our territory,” Bagapsh said.

“Once the U.S. State Department stated that international police forces should be deployed where explosions occurred in Abkhazia, it became clear who organised these terror attacks and why and what for,” he added.

Several blasts have occurred in the Abkhazian towns of Gali, Gagra and Sukhumi in recent days, killing four people and injuring a dozen.
———————————————
When you can not play correctly you should be sent home……

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

Russian News: July 8th, 2008!

RBC, 08.07.2008, Moscow 12:59:20.Swiss bank UBS is interested in managing the Reserve Fund and the National Welfare Fund, Deputy Finance Minister Dmitry Pankin told journalists today. Following a meeting with a Swiss delegation headed by Federal Councilor of Economic Affairs Doris Leuthard, UBS representatives expressed their interest in both acting as advisors for the Russian funds and in managing them.

RBC, 08.07.2008, Toyako 11:22:38.The leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) countries have agreed to form specialized funds that could help solve the current food crisis, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told journalists today. He pointed out that Russia had suggested that talks between the agriculture ministers of the G8 countries should be organized, and that a special session, the so-called ‘grain summit,’ should be held to discuss the reasons and consequences of a rise or stabilization in grain prices for the food market. Medvedev also noted that the leaders of the G8 countries had already agreed to take multi-lateral steps in order to influence the food crisis and gradually start using second generation biofuel.

RBC, 08.07.2008, Toyako 10:59:26.During a meeting with journalists today, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev expressed his opinion that the existing financial system was inefficient, instead proposing to make the ruble a reserve currency. Medvedev noted that G8 leaders said during a summit today that neither they nor the other heads of state were satisfied with the current global financial situation. The participants of the summit discussed the possibility of bringing the methods and objectives of existing financial institutions in line with the economic realities, Medvedev said, adding that the situation with a fairly weak dollar and an overly strong euro was raising concerns among Russia’s partners. He pointed out that Russia needed to promote the idea of making the ruble one of the reserve currencies.

RBC, 08.07.2008, London 11:12:54.Severstal has completed the acquisition of US steel producer WCI Steel for $140m, the Russian steelmaker said in a press release today. Citi and Raymond James acted as Severstal’s financial advisors for the deal, whereas Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP was its legal advisor.

RBC, 07.07.2008, Toyako 18:10:18.Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has met with his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy today, Presidential Aide Sergei Prikhodko told journalists, adding that this was the first meeting of the two Presidents. During the talks, Medvedev praised Russian-French relations and the dynamics of bilateral trade. The leaders also discussed the implementation of major investment projects, Prikhodko said. Among other issues was bilateral economic cooperation, particularly in the automobile industry, and here the work of French automobile companies, such as Renault, Peugeot, and Citroen, in Russia came in for special praise by the Russian President. Prikhodko noted that the Presidents had also discussed Russia-EU relations and that Sarkozy had promised that France would provide support to Russia in this respect.

Russia: Visa: Part 1, Business Visa!


Hello,

I was drinking my morning cup of coffee & checking up on visa information. This is a constant problem in Russia…..
——————————————-
Business Visas

To obtain a business visa the following documents should be submitted to the CONSULAR SECTION (CONSULATE)::
1. A completed visa application form (one per person) available at the Consulate or travel agencies and visa services.
2. A valid passport which should have at least two clear visa pages.
3. One passport size photo of the applicant which should be stapled to the marked space of the application form.
4. An official letter of invitation from your hosting organization registered with either the Russian Ministry of the Interior with its local offices or the Russian Foreign Ministry with its regional representatives. Such invitations can be delivered to us by telex or forwarded to you directly through facsimile transmission. Please note however that we reserve the right to require originals if we deem it necessary.
5. A cover letter from your company (or from yourself if traveling individually) with information on the traveler, destination, terms and purpose of the trip.
6. Please be informed that in order to obtain student or work visa an HIV-test should be presented. A person can enter the country on a student or work visa only five days after it has been issued.
7. If applying by mail (all visa documents should be sent to 2641 Tunlaw rd. N.W., Washington DC, 20007), you should enclose a completely addressed and stamped return envelope or prepaid waybill, bearing your account number with the postal service (preferably Federal Express) and showing yourself as both shipper and recipient regardless of delivery address.

We do not accept waybills marked ‘bill sender’, ‘bill third party’, bill credit card’ or C.O.D. If you fail to follow the above mentioned requirements, your visa application will not be processed. If the papers are not acceptable for any reason or some documents are missing, we will return them by regular mail. When forwarding your documents to us, please, specify “attention: visa section”. We do not accept documents for international delivery!

If you apply personally, you should get a pick-up slip from the visa officer. You should present this slip to pick up your visa, when it is ready, or refer to its number to check out the status of the application.

8. A money order or cashier’s check payable to the Russian Embassy for visa processing. Please, note that we do not accept cash or any other checks. The visa processing fees are:

As of January 1, 2008 the U.S. State Department raises the fee for American visa from 100 USD to 131 USD.

On the basis of reciprocity the fee for Russian visa (standard processing time 6-10 business days) is also raised to 131 USD, effective from January 14, 2008. The fees for expedited visa processing will however remain unchanged.

For single entry visas are:
$131 for 6-10 business days processing;
$150 for 3-5 business days processing;
$200 for next business day processing or two business days processing;
$300 for same day processing;
For double entry visas are:
$131 for 6-10 business days processing;
$200 for 3-5 business days processing;
$250 for next business day processing or two business days processing;
$350 for same day processing;

For multiple entry visas are:
$131 for 6-10 business days processing;
$300 for 3-5 business days processing;
$350 for next business day processing or two business days processing;
$450 for same day processing;

Visa processing fee is not refundable

Please, note, that drop off day is not counted as business day!

*ATTENTION FOR EU CITIZENS*

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VISA AGREEMENT SIGNED BY THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND THE EUROPEAN UNIION CITIZENS OF ALL EU COUNTRIES EXCEPT DENMARK, IRELAND AND GREAT BRITAIN ARE WELCOME TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING FEES FOR PROCESSING OF ALL TYPES OF VISAS TO RUSSIA

6-10 BUSINESS DAYS – 50 USD

1-3 BUSINESS DAYS – 100 USD

Visa processing starts only after the complete required set of document is submitted.

When having received your visa please check it for mistakes (passport number, date of birth, validity) and, if necessary, return it to the Consulate for corrections.

The Consulate will not be responsible for any mistakes in the visas, which were not brought to our attention prior to your departure from the USA.

Please, note that visas cannot be changed or extended. If your travel plans changed after the visa issuance you have to reapply for a new one.

Any visa applicant may be interviewed by a consular officer if necessary.

Processing time, requirements and fees are subject to change without notice.

If you need more information please call us at (202)939-8907,8918, 8913 and 8911 Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. till 12.30 .p.m. and from 2.30. p.m. till 6 p.m.

Visa applications are accepted Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. till 12.15 p.m. ONLY
———————————————

So that is the Business Visa to Russia. This comes from the American Embassy in Washington DC. (USA)

Always call your embassy because the rules change all the time.

http://www.russianembassy.org/

Tomorrow part 2 Tourist Visa!
http://kylekeeton.com/2008/07/russia-visa-part-2-tourist-visa.html

Kyle & Svet