urgent help!! russian visa @ the airport??
 

Hello, i need to fly out for a family emergency and im about to buy a ticket. the cheapest i found is via Moscow, Russia, but I don't have a visa or a transit visa. If I show them that my connection flight is out of Moscow 8 hrs later will they grant me a transit visa...and can i leave the airport to walk around while i wait for my plane??

i found some info on the web but it's not detailed.

Assuming you're US citizen then it's a no go, emergency or not.

http://www.russianembassy.org/CONSULAT/TRAN-VIS.HTM

I re-read your post. Perhaps you meant that you have time to apply for one and that's possible, but if you meant getting one at the airport then the answer is no.

Check with the airline - they face hefty fines if they let passengers travel without required documents.

You won't have a problem in Moscow -- because you most likely will not ever get there. When you check in for the flight, if you don't have a visa you will be denied boarding . . .

Just curious, where are you going that the cheapest ticket takes you through Moscow?

A transit visa is not required if you remain in the transit zone of the airport in order to catch an onward or connecting flight within 24 hours of arrival.

It is not possible to leave the airport in this case but you can transit without visa.

<b>Odin</b>,

I know you are a Russian expert but the link I posted earlier specifically states:

<i><b>Transit Visas</b>



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.


Visa Application for US citizens (download)
Visa Application for non US citizens (download)

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.


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

5.


<b>Copies of your airline tickets.</b>

6.


<b>A cover letter specifying itinerary, enter and departure dates of your transit.</b>

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:</i>


It's very possible I'm misunderstanding something here but that's what the Russian Embassy website is telling us.

Any input will be welcomed as we are also thinking of transiting through Moscow in the near future. Thanks.

I see nothing on the Washington US Embasy website quoted above that says anything AT ALL about the circumstances under which transit visas are required. Or that implies Odin is in error

From the website of the Russian Embassy London: (www.rusemblon.org/logon_en.htm)

&quot;If you are going to transit via Russia to any other country you need a Transit Visa. However, a Transit Visa is not required if you remain in the transit zone of the airport in order to catch an onward or connecting flight within 24 hours of arrival. &quot;

A transit visa will be required in the case of change of terminals from SVO2 to SVO1 (since they are far apart) or between SVO &amp; DME and the other Moscow airports.

Here is some more info:-

http://www.russianvisa.org/transitvisa.html

It would be advisable to get the final word from a visa specialist such as CIBT.