Urgent help with Russian VISA
 

Hello!
To get my Russian visa, I need to show the hotel invitation / voucher that certain authorized hotels/travel agencies issue, but if I try to book through hotels.com, expedia, etc they don't mention the visa issue.

I found www.besthotelsrussia.com who offer the whole paperwork. Do anyone know/trust this website?
Thanks!
Ines

You will be contacting the hotel directly to get the invitation voucher, not a third party like expedia.

Some charge for it, but return the cost if your booking remains final.

Best to check out Russian Embassy website as there are many offering vouchers who are not authorized. Careful.

You may just need to go with a travel agency or those authorized by the Embassy to deal directly with them.

I am doing my visa here in Spain and on that website they actually have a list of the two agencies they recommend to use.

Thanks lincasanova. I actually went to the Embassy 2 days ago and didn't accept my hotel reservations as I didn't had the invitation voucher (I didn't know I needed them!). The travel agency they suggested me offers me the same hotels I had booked through internet at 3 times the price I had gotten, that is why I wanted to try booking on my own but making it sure that I'll get a reasonable and authorized deal.

Phone or email the hotel direct for an invitation.

If that works for the embassy, I'll go for that option! I thought this would have to be done through one of those authorized travel agency in order to work. Thanks

I organised my own flights and hotel too for our August visit, I am staying at Austrian Yard mnihotel they have been excellant and I received my invitation letter the same day i confirmed my booking. Now my problem is I live in Auckland NZ and think there is no Embassy here but a consulate in Wellington,-they were very efficient in e mailing me what was needed, I havent used a travel agent for decades but Im hoping they will accept my e tickets for flights. I guess I have to courier our passports.

Sometimes the agencies will still do your visa even though you are booking hotels elsewhere.

Your hotel should be able to produce the special voucher if it is a recognized entity.

This all gets quick expensive.. but Russia no longer allows indivuduals to get their own visas in some countries, forcing you to use an agency.

Don't forget about proof of health insurance.