Lusya

Great report, ksose!
I just want to comment on a taboo on showing your feet, which you connected to this sad incident:
"With regards to the feet thing, I heard about a business deal where an American company went to Russia to negotiate. When things were pretty much all sorted out, the American leaned back and put his feet up. The deal was called off."
The reason why the deal was called off is not because of the taboo on showing feet, but because in most of the world outside of the US it's concidered to be extremly rude and impolite to put your feet on the table, and it is completely unacceptable in the business setting. However there is no taboo on sitting barefoot in the park.

kenav

ttt

FainaAgain

I wonder if Ksose is still around... and if your wife had to prove she doesn't have USSR citezenship, or is this a recent rule?

ksose

Still around, just not much...
My wife didnt have to "prove" she wasnt a citizen other than signing the visa application. I dont know how recent the rule is but I think it is significant because of the number of people that left the USSR. When you left, you were stripped of your citizenship.

FainaAgain

Yeah, but many reinstated the citizenship, so now if in the US passport the birthplace is former USSR or any of the republics, one must prove there is no dual citizenship.

tower

topping

Girlspytravel

Luckily I am now making some progress with my Russian visa for my trip in August-my hotel in St. Petersburg (they speak English and Italian-which happen to be two languages that I can also make myself understood in!) are sending me my "invitation" (which must be attached to my visa application) -they're only charging me US 30.00 for this honor, other hotels and companies charge more (I think there is an additional step before I can take my visa application over to the Russian Embassy-at any rate, I must pay US 135.00 I believe for that privilege, I ALSO must tell the Russians if I have any expertise in explosives or firearms, and must list EVERY COUNTRY I'VE BEEN IN FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS, (they don't have enough room for me to list them all!) and lastly, I have to write them a letter again telling them about my itinerary and where I am staying, this is in addition to what is on the visa application-SOVIET SOVIET SOVIET STANDARD HERE!-

It is driving me crazy, but the folks in St. Petersburg and Moscow have been very good with the emails and explanations-it's driving ME crazy though!

amp322

I am also filling out a Visa application for Russia, right now, and they want everything from where you last worked (like 20 years ago!) to the name of your former spouse (even if you are divorced, you must give the info!!) Crazy stuff, if you ask me.

FainaAgain

Amp, do they also ask what you named your first car? This would be going too far, huh?

Girlspytravel

Well, and remember, that if you have any firearms/explosives and/or nuclear expertise, you better cough that info. up too-as they tell you, if you answer yes, it does not mean that you won't get a visa, you just have to be "interviewed" by a consular officer! Okay!

Odin

The letter of invitation can only be issued by establishments that are licenced by the ministry of foreign affairs so sometimes the hotels pass a charge onto guests.

The visa application form asks List your last two places of work, excluding the current one.

The questions asked on the application form are very similar to those of other countries eg USA non-immigrant visa application or UK including those about former spouse, firearms and countries visited in last 10 years.

Marc_David_Miller

As Odin mentioned, the Russian visa application is similar to the US visa application; until around 2003 it was far simpler (and the visa application for most other countries' citizens also contains far fewer questions).

Off the top of my head I think that the cost of the Russian visa for a US citizen is also reflective of what the US charges a Russian citizen for a visa (that's why the Russian visa price went up earlier this year).

Also the itinerary is generated by your visa sponsor, not by yourself. In practical terms the invitation that you get from your hotel should incorporate this information.

Also, there are at least two people this would apply to (whose emails I don't have)-today I will be at the Russian Embassy in Washington from 12-2, and the Ukrainian Embassy from 6-8 for their receptions-feel free to look for me and introduce yourselves!

devenich

Thanks for all this information on Russia. Our dance troup is going on tour to Moscow in September(to participate in a festival there and in Volgodonsk). Your topics are all relevant to us, and make for good pre-travel reading.

Gisele1nonly

Nice and straight to the point travel report! Glad to stumbled upon this report. it gives me the birds eye view of the country I am visiting in the fall. I'm heading to Moscow and St.Ps first week of November and the Visa questionnaires are quite intimidating.