Russian Visa... what I now know....

bmwbikeruk said:
Hi Dave,

The info about visa requirements for travel in Russia is handy but I wonder if it is still up to date as your post was last sent nearly 3 years ago.

Regards
Mike
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Hi, I just stumbled across this thread, we booked a flight to Moscow in January 2015 and then a few days after Russia declared all visitors from then on had to have a visa and that for UK citizens they would only be available from the Embassy in London or Edinburgh (perhaps it's a consulate they have there not an embassy, I'm not sure) and that they would have to apply there in person. We cancelled the holiday and went to Quebec Winter Carnival instead. I should mention that when Russia announced the new requirements they did point out that both the UK and the USA had this requirement in place for some years previously for Russians wanting to come here.

Please note that all this is from memory from a couple of years ago so may not be totally correct, but in reply to Mike's question above I would say that things have indeed changed.
:beerjug:
 
Following this closely as I'm heading to eastern Europe next year and Russia could be on the list of countries that I visit. Any further updates from anyone?
 
Onahi said:
Did you go Deano ?
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Yes I did, but not on the bike unfortunately. In fact I've been twice. Moscow, Rostov-on-Don and I'm just back from Crimea. As soon as all the Covid restrictions are lifted I'll be heading to Russia and then onto Crimea amongst a few other places.
 
I went to St Petersburg & surrounding areas for work some years back

Visa was fine - I had the letter of invite & hotel all sorted.

One thing to watch for, the old roubles to dollars / dollars to roubles scam

Practiced everywhere, and guaranteed to leave you out of pocket (big time)


Everything is priced in roubles, but they wont accept roubles as payment it has to be dollars which they then convert to roubles (go figure)

They then give any change in roubles (which are worthless) & they wont accept

and guess what there's a conversion rate applied from dollars to roubles and roubles to dollars (which you never get back lol)

each hotel, taxi , bar, has it's own conversion factor .

So a £40 dollar taxi fare can often cost about £50 or £60 dollars once the conversion has been factored in .
 
I've booked the hotel, Got the invite and completed the online visa application form. I now have to go to London for the "in person" application to actually get the visa. Not sure if I just turn up or I have to some how book an appointment?
I'm not going until July, so loads of time. Then North to NordKapp ! Nice to hear your application was easy.
 
Onahi said:
I've booked the hotel, Got the invite and completed the online visa application form. I now have to go to London for the "in person" application to actually get the visa. Not sure if I just turn up or I have to some how book an appointment?
I'm not going until July, so loads of time. Then North to NordKapp ! Nice to hear your application was easy.
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You need to go to the Russian Visa Centre in Gee Street, London. You just turn up and take a ticket and wait. It's not normally a big queue and they are fairly decent there. Give em' your application, they check the form for any errors, they take your biometrics (fingerprints), you pay your money. Then then forward your application to the Russian Embassy who say 'yay or nay' and. a few weeks later, you get your passport back with the visa inside.
 
when we did our business visa's we had to supply an indate validated HIV test... which took abit of time and money to and a trip to a private hospital in London
 
Onahi said:
Ill just rock up after the 2nd lockdown ....
Cheers for your info.
Click to expand...

No worries, just remember that you cant apply any sooner than six months before you're heading out there. Thought it was worth mentioning.
 
So you think it's hard getting a visa now. Myself and a mate tourer Russia in 1981. Leaving South London on a Cossak combo with a top speed of 55mph downhill. It took us over a year to get transit visas. I seem to remember we got stopped a lot and on the spot money fines. A few packs of Marlboros helped in keeping our money. We were arrested for a night and held in the police chief's house. His family was treated as part of their family, feed us well. In the end, we stayed with them for 3 days as they would let us spend money on a hotel. We were arrested for having a pee against a wall in a side street.
The people were fantastic. We were helped and offered food and lodging for free. Back then the driving was worse than in Rome, didn't seem to be any driving rules at all. Road in towns was as good as ours but once outside these turned into potholed gravel. We stayed in the country for a month and it was an eye-opener to how poor the country was, the people are what made our trip.
I always wanted to return but on the other hand, I don't want to ruin my memories of our time spent there and the people we met.
 
The difference driving in Russia is, as in UK if you leave a car length between you and the vehicle in front somebody will want to squeeze in.

In Russia if you leave half a car length you will get half a car in the space :)

:blast
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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