Transit visa for Moscow airport?

[sanuginz 0]

I'll be flying Orlando - New York - Moscow - Minsk soon. I have a belarus visa. Do I need a Russian transit visa just to stay in the airport 3 hours?

[Noel194 53]

I'll be flying Orlando - New York - Moscow - Minsk soon. I have a belarus visa. Do I need a Russian transit visa just to stay in the airport 3 hours?

No you can stay in the airport for up to 24 hours without a visa. I just did DC-Moscow-Kiev

[Visa Pro 1]

I'll be flying Orlando - New York - Moscow - Minsk soon. I have a belarus visa. Do I need a Russian transit visa just to stay in the airport 3 hours?

Transit visa not required for 3 hours.

[Visa Pro 1]

Transit visa not required for 3 hours.

My previous post might be wrong.

People from some countries need Transit visa, even if they just changing planes at airport.

You should apply for a transit visa to the Russian Consulate showing them your air tickets to and from Moscow. They will issue your transit visa on the grounds of your tickets. Please note that a transit visa can be valid for up to 72 hours.

http://www.russianvisa.org/faq.html#5 for more info.

[Petition2252 7]

I'll be flying Orlando - New York - Moscow - Minsk soon. I have a belarus visa. Do I need a Russian transit visa just to stay in the airport 3 hours?

YES I have flown to Belarus before. You will need a transit visa. This is because Moscow has two airports, a national and international. You will have to transit from the international to the national airport to get to Belarus (both are considered the same airport: SVO). Since Belarus is a CIS state, the flight going to it will be in the national airport. Because you need to leave the international airport, you WILL NEED A TRANSIT VISA.

I recommend flying through Frankfurt or Warsaw to avoid the extra Visa.

Edited April 23, 2010 by Matthew G

[sanuginz 0]

YES I have flown to Belarus before. You will need a transit visa. This is because Moscow has two airports, a national and international. You will have to transit from the international to the national airport to get to Belarus (both are considered the same airport: SVO). Since Belarus is a CIS state, the flight going to it will be in the national airport. Because you need to leave the international airport, you WILL NEED A TRANSIT VISA.

I recommend flying through Frankfurt or Warsaw to avoid the extra Visa.

Thanks for the first hand experience. I also heard from another first hand source that Aeroflot will not let you board the plane without a transit visa and then you have to pay an additional $1,000 to reroute to Vienna or somewhere else. My passport is in the Russian Washington embassy right now. It costs $225 for fees and shipping, not including what my Belarus visa cost. Next time I will avoid flying to Moscow and instead stick to my usual of Warsaw, Frankfurt, Paris, London, etc.

[Petition2252 7]

Thanks for the first hand experience. I also heard from another first hand source that Aeroflot will not let you board the plane without a transit visa and then you have to pay an additional $1,000 to reroute to Vienna or somewhere else. My passport is in the Russian Washington embassy right now. It costs $225 for fees and shipping, not including what my Belarus visa cost. Next time I will avoid flying to Moscow and instead stick to my usual of Warsaw, Frankfurt, Paris, London, etc.

This is unrelated but might be of interest to you:

Currently, U.S. citizens visiting or residing in Belarus are required to register with the local office of the Citizenship and Migration Department of the Ministry of Interior (formerly OVIR) within three business days of arrival. Starting July 21, 2010, foreigners who are staying in Belarus no more than 5 business days (plus a weekend) are not required to register. The registration fee is currently approximately $6 (the exact amount can be calculated by taking half of one National Minimum Tariff Unit) regardless of the duration of stay. Failure to register can result in fines and difficulties when departing. U.S. citizens staying in hotels are automatically registered at check-in. Registration performed by a hotel is free of charge.

Here is the link

[sanuginz 0]

This is unrelated but might be of interest to you:

Here is the link

I arrive May 26 so I still have to get documented at the police station. But next time and hereafter - woohoo! One less thing to worry about and waste half a day sitting around filling out forms to get stamped.

[Alla 3]

How can we get a visa to Belarus for my husband(US citizen)? We will stay 2 weeks there. Where to apply?

[slim 1,514]

How can we get a visa to Belarus for my husband(US citizen)? We will stay 2 weeks there. Where to apply?

This I don't know.

For Russia we use one of the "service companies" that charges around $200 and they do all the work. I'd assume Belarus would be the same but if not, the consulate or embassy's website would be a good place to start.

I'd also recommend sending a PM to VJ member "peejay" since he's been traveling to Belarus forever and he's pretty helpful.

[slim 1,514]

I sent him a PM about your question. Hopefully he'll stop by soon to let you know. He's been there at least once that I know of, maybe more. Either way, he'll probably be more familiar with the process than many of us with SOs from R/U.

[Alla 3]

I sent him a PM about your question. Hopefully he'll stop by soon to let you know. He's been there at least once that I know of, maybe more. Either way, he'll probably be more familiar with the process than many of us with SOs from R/U.

Thank you!

[peejay 327]

How can we get a visa to Belarus for my husband(US citizen)? We will stay 2 weeks there. Where to apply?

Actually I haven't been to Belarus since 2003. My wife tells me there have been some changes as far as requirements to register. Used to be US citizens had to register within 3 business days of entry into Belarus...now she says it is 7 business days. But since your husband will stay more than 7 days he will have to register. They have also began using the same migration card as Russia that is given upon entry and must be returned when leaving with registration stamps on it.

I am an American born US citizen, but I have Belarusian relatives from my mother's parents. My cousin would FAX me an invitation for a business visa and I would send my passport, the FAX copy of the invitation, application form, and the fees to the Belarusian embassy in Washington DC. They would mail back my passport with the business visa inside. After I got to Belarus I had to buy a room at a hostel and they would take care of the registration. After that I mostly stayed with my relatives. There is also a requirement for the purchase of medical insurance, but it is sold for a reasonable price at the airport upon entry. Buy it at the airport in Minsk because it is a real hassle to buy it elsewhere once you leave the airport. On my numerous trips to Belarus I always flew into Minsk and left through Minsk.

Of course there are cheap tickets to Moscow from the USA, but I am unfamiliar with the requirements for a US citizen to fly into there and transit to Belarus by train. My wife and stepdaughter do this, but they are Belarusian citizens and it is very easy since they do not need visas.

I once tried to get a home stay visa, but it took too long. I got impatient and finally asked my businessman cousin to FAX me a business invitation. The Запрашзнне (home stay invitation) my other cousin applied for at the OVIR and she mailed to me arrived after I already got the business visa, so I never tried to get that type of visa. But if I remember correctly I would have had to send the original home stay invitation (not a Faxed or e-mailed copy) to the Belarusian embassy in Washington DC along with my passport, application form, and fees to get the visa put in my passport and mailed back to me. Upon arrival to Belarus I would have to register at an OVIR office.

There is also a way to go through a Belarusian tourist agency to get a tourist visa and registration, but I am not familiar with that. Some of the VJ members that have done this have posted in the past about agencies that have done this at a reasonable cost. Perhaps you can send a P.M. to VJ member Why_Me as I recall he has recently posted some good current advice in this regard.

And there is also the Belarusian embassy USA website in both English and Russian that outlines visa requirements and has the required forms. Here is the link:

http://www.belarusembassy.org/

The visa requirements box in English is to the right.

I really have enjoyed my numerous visits to Belarus to visit my relatives and wife. It is complicated but not impossible for a foreigner to follow the rules. I have always left Belarus with all the proper registration documents and insurance, but the border guards just waive me through without wanting to see them. I always have more hassles entering Belarus than leaving. I'm not so sure how things are now. Make sure you know all the required documents you need before leaving so there won't be any problems.

Since it has been 7 years since my last visit I'm not so sure my advice is current or relevant. Hopefully the Belarus embassy link will help answer some of your questions.

Edited August 9, 2010 by peejay

[Alla 3]

Actually I haven't been to Belarus since 2003. My wife tells me there have been some changes as far as requirements to register. Used to be US citizens had to register within 3 business days of entry into Belarus...now she says it is 7 business days. But since your husband will stay more than 7 days he will have to register. They have also began using the same migration card as Russia that is given upon entry and must be returned when leaving with registration stamps on it.

I am an American born US citizen, but I have Belarusian relatives from my mother's parents. My cousin would FAX me an invitation for a business visa and I would send my passport, the FAX copy of the invitation, application form, and the fees to the Belarusian embassy in Washington DC. They would mail back my passport with the business visa inside. After I got to Belarus I had to buy a room at a hostel and they would take care of the registration. After that I mostly stayed with my relatives. There is also a requirement for the purchase of medical insurance, but it is sold for a reasonable price at the airport upon entry. Buy it at the airport in Minsk because it is a real hassle to buy it elsewhere once you leave the airport. On my numerous trips to Belarus I always flew into Minsk and left through Minsk.

Of course there are cheap tickets to Moscow from the USA, but I am unfamiliar with the requirements for a US citizen to fly into there and transit to Belarus by train. My wife and stepdaughter do this, but they are Belarusian citizens and it is very easy since they do not need visas.

I once tried to get a home stay visa, but it took too long. I got impatient and finally asked my businessman cousin to FAX me a business invitation. The Запрашзнне (home stay invitation) my other cousin applied for at the OVIR and she mailed to me arrived after I already got the business visa, so I never tried to get that type of visa. But if I remember correctly I would have had to send the original home stay invitation (not a Faxed or e-mailed copy) to the Belarusian embassy in Washington DC along with my passport, application form, and fees to get the visa put in my passport and mailed back to me. Upon arrival to Belarus I would have to register at an OVIR office.

There is also a way to go through a Belarusian tourist agency to get a tourist visa and registration, but I am not familiar with that. Some of the VJ members that have done this have posted in the past about agencies that have done this at a reasonable cost. Perhaps you can send a P.M. to VJ member Why_Me as I recall he has recently posted some good current advice in this regard.

And there is also the Belarusian embassy USA website in both English and Russian that outlines visa requirements and has the required forms. Here is the link:

http://www.belarusembassy.org/

The visa requirements box in English is to the right.

I really have enjoyed my numerous visits to Belarus to visit my relatives and wife. It is complicated but not impossible for a foreigner to follow the rules. I have always left Belarus with all the proper registration documents and insurance, but the border guards just waive me through without wanting to see them. I always have more hassles entering Belarus than leaving. I'm not so sure how things are now. Make sure you know all the required documents you need before leaving so there won't be any problems.

Since it has been 7 years since my last visit I'm not so sure my advice is current or relevant. Hopefully the Belarus embassy link will help answer some of your questions.

Appreciate your answer a lot! It really cleared some things for me.

[sanuginz 0]

Yes get your visa directly from the embassy. It is cheaper and I recommend the 2 week one if you have time. Although once the head consulate was on vacation and it took an entire month for me to get it. Get his visa in advance. Do not go to Moscow airport even if it is cheaper. You will have to pay for expensive taxi's and his transient visa which Russia requires a middleman company to get one of their visa's. If you do not stay in a hotel the first night you will need to register him at the police station within 3 business days. You will need his customs form, to pay a fee, and proof of health insurance which you can buy at the airport if they are selling it at the time. If not you can buy health insurance for him at a travel agency in Minsk. Then you need to fill out some form at the police station and wait in line sometimes a few hours to get his stamp for legality. If you leave the country like going to Ukraine upon reentering you will have to do the entire process over again.