Visa's for Russia nand Minsk

[jj]

What type pof Visa's and requirements are there to visit Russia and Minsk.  I am think ing fo visiting Ukraine for six months to study Russian Travel vua Russia (short vsit to Moscow and St Petersburg) and Minsk then on to Kiev.  What is best visa Transit, Tourist, Business or private..  Wjat are the pros anc cons.  Cost etc.

Thanks in advance

[mdante99]

... in response to Visa's for Russia nand Minsk, posted by jj on Nov 3, 2001

For Minsk Belarus; you need a visa.
Tourist visa is easiest to obtain.
For Russia and Ukraine you also need visas.

You must have hotel reservations or a place to stay with airlines tickets purchased before filing an application.

It depends upon your individual circumstances; but ordiarily business visa is more difficult to obtain.
I suggest tourist visas for all of the three countries but you must have your travel plans finalized before you apply for the visas.

We offer professional visa services and work with people who routinely personally visit the consulates and the embassies.

Mark

[Dan]

... in response to Re: Visa's for Russia nand Minsk, posted by mdante99 on Nov 4, 2001

Speaking ONLY for Ukraine - the Private visa versus the Tourist visa are direct parallels. Both are a maximum of 6 months in duration and both are issued for a maximum of 2 entries. However, the Tourist visa is, IMHO, much more troublesome to acquire than the Private visa, principally due to the fact that you MUST have a formal invitation for the Tourist visa - and you DO NOT need the invitation for the Private visa. Processing costs through the Embassy/Consulate are identical for either visa type.

I think I understand your reasons for promoting the Tourist visa - but readers of the board should know you have a vested interest in promoting it over the Private (or Business) visa.

- Dan

[Mick]

... in response to A Matter of Opinion - And Mine Differs F..., posted by Dan on Nov 5, 2001

easy to obtain for US citizens, now that you do not need the invitation.
However, if you are from some other country (like Australia) you do need an invitation for both types of visa - private and tourist. In this case, it was very easy to get the tourist visa via a Ukrainian travel agency operating here in Australia. In fact, when I was making an enquiry about the visas to Ukraine at the Ukrainian consulate before my first trip to Ukraine, they referred me to them themselves. After I found out that it would take my now fiancée a few weeks (through OVIR) to arrange that invitation for me, I gave it a try and I was surprised how easy it was.
I simply sent them my passport with the visa application and a photograph. I only filled out my personal details and places (cities) I was planning to visit. That was all. I received my passport from the consulate in Sydney with the visa in it within 10 days.
Apparently the travel agency has a direct contact to the agency in Kiev that provides those tourist invitations. No air tickets or proof of arranged accommodation was required.
The cost of this was AUD60 (about $30 US now) and I thought, considering how hassle free it all was, it was a good deal and convenient way to go - in my case.

But again, I did it only to avoid the hassle that my fiancée would have had with her invitation for me (it may have included some cost for her, too). You guys have the advantage that you do not need an invitation for a private visa - that would have been my option too.

Regards

Mick

[Go2Rus]

... in response to Re: Visa's for Russia nand Minsk, posted by mdante99 on Nov 4, 2001

Mark said:  "You must have hotel reservations or a place to stay with airlines tickets purchased before filing an application."

That is simply not true for Russia.  I got my visa through
www dot gotorussia dot net  and they knew nothing about nor asked any questions concerning my airline tickets nor hotel reservations and, in fact, I had neither at the time I requested the visa.

[ron]

... in response to Mark, your statements are not true with ..., posted by Go2Rus on Nov 4, 2001

not a true statement in regards to ukraine also.

private invitation is most easiest, and simplest, visa to obtain in ukraine. do not need hotel confirmation, do not need to have previously purchased airline ticket.