Visas

Almost all foreign visitors need a visa.

To apply for a Russian Tourist Visa to the Russian Consulate you need to have a visa support letter (invitation) from a Russian Tourist Company or Hotel. We can provide Visa Support to all our guests as well as non-guests (see Prices and Reservations). Our Russian visa support is valid for travel in all of Russia. Our company is officially registered with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our visa support is recognized by every Russian Consulate in the world.

A Russian Visa is a passport-sized document (look pictures). A visa lists entry/exit dates, your passport number, any children travelling with you, cities to be visited and visa type (Tourist visa or Business visa). It's an exit permit too, so if you lose it (or overstay), leaving the country can be harder than getting in. We currently provide Tourist Visa support only!

Tourist visas are issued to tourists who have booked accommodation in Russia for non-business reason. Typically this is issued for a maximum of 30 days. A tourist visa is best when you know exactly where and how long you will be staying without diverting from your planned itinerary. Officially you must have confirmed accommodation or transit information for every night you will be in the country. But don't worry, our visa invitation will confirm accommodation for every night you plan to stay in Russia so that you will have no problem when applying for a visa at the Russian Consulate.

Ordering Visa Support

We can send you your visa support by either fax or mail. Most of the time Russian Consulates will accept a fax copy of your visa support invitation. Although rare, some Russian Consulates may accept only an original of the invitation. Check with your local Russian Consulate about this. (Please note that express mail from Russia could take from up to 10 days!)

You must not alter your visa support invitation in any way! We send a copy of each invitation we issue to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If there is a discrepancy you will not be issued a visa.

Visa Processing

You must process your own visa. To obtain your Russian visa please give the Russian consulate your original valid passport together with photocopies of both your passport and your approved visa support invitation, a completed consular questionnaire, three passport-size photos and consular fees. Please contact the Russian Consulate in your country for a consular questionnaire and information about consular fees.

NOTE!

New visa registration rules

According to the laws of the Russian Federation you can stay in Russia without the visa registration not longer than for 3 working days. If you stay in one place longer than for 3 working days your visa should be registered. And you should do your registration every time you move from one place to another. So please keep all the tickets (bus, train, airplane, etc.) to attest your movements in the country. We can register all foreigners for the period of staying in our Hostel (also with visas issued by invitations of other companies). To get the visa registration you should provide us with the following documents:

-passport with your Russian visa

-migration card (ask for it on the border when you come to Russia)

We will make copies of these documens and within 3 working days (or less) our manager will give you a special registration document from the Central Registration Department. Please have this document with you during your stay in Saint- Petersburg.

Please note:

Visas are accepted for registration only if you have MIGRATION CARD which MUST be obtained on the Russian border. Please REQUIRE the card when entering Russia to escape problems with registration of your visas.

You will not be allowed to leave the country with an expired visa. Russian customs officials will send you back to St.Petersburg and you will have to pay a fine to get an exit permit.

Many of the overnight trains from St.Petersburg and Moscow to the Baltics and to Europe cross the Russian border after midnight. Make sure your visa does not expire at midnight before you get to the border or you may have problems leaving the country.