New Russian Visas

[CyberSamurai013 69]

So here is the official post for the new Russian visas:

http://www.russianem...estay_visa.html

In accordance with the

Agreement between the Russian Federation and the United States of America on the simplification of visa formalities for nationals of the Russian Federation and nationals of the United States of America

effective September 9, 2012, the US citizens shall as a rule be issued multiple-entry business, homestay/private, humanitarian and tourist visas (for a stay of no more than 6 months starting from the date of each entry) that are valid for 3 years (36 months) from the date of issue of the visa.

The visas shall be issued based on direct written statements (faxed or electronic copies) from Russian or American host organization or individuals.

When applying for a visa, in addition to the valid passport, photo and the visa application form (submitted on the web site:http://evisa.kdmid.ru) the applicant should provide the written statement from the host organization or individual (direct invitation) in free form, which should contain the following information.

Homestay/Private Visa

When applying for a homestay/private visa in addition to the valid passport and the visa application form the following documents should be provided: the notarized written statement from the hosting individual, which should give the full name, date of birth, citizenship, sex, passport number, address of registration, and address of the actual residence of the hosting individual, as well as the full name, date of birth, citizenship, sex, passport number, multiplicity of the visa, purpose of travel, requested period of entry, location of intended residence of the visa applicant, and the cities to be visited.

The host individual could be either a Russian citizen registered on the territory of the Russian Federation or a US citizen who has the permit to stay on the territory of Russian Federation for more than 90 days (i.e. work permit, common student multiple visa, diplomatic visa of the employee of the USA diplomatic missions or consulates on the territory of the Russian Federation).

US citizen is eligible for a 3-year multiple-entry private visa.

Visa fee - $ 180.00

The visa processing fees are:

For a single and double entry visa:

$140 for 4-15 calendar days processing;

$250 for 3 business days processing;

For a multiple-entry visa up to 3 years:

$180 for 4-15 calendar days processing;

$450 for 3 business days processing;

Visa processing fee is not refundable

The Embassy and Consulates General of Russia also have the right to request, if needed, additional documents/evidence which shows the purpose and length of the applicant's planned trip, the applicant's financial means sufficient for a stay in Russia and the applicant's intent to depart the Russian Federation after the trip:

- a bank statement from the applicant;

- a statement from the employer regarding the applicant's wages for the preceding year, half year or month;

- medical insurance valid in the country to be visited and fully covering the period of the first trip;

- documents regarding the applicant's ownership of property in the country of his citizenship;

- a certificate on the makeup of the applicant's family.

1. Effective April 10, 2012, under the agreement between the Embassy of the Russian Federation to the United States of America and the «Invisa Logistics Services LLC» company for the purpose of the improvement of visa services,

US citizens, foreign nationals and non-nationals ought to apply for the Russian tourist, business, humanitarian, work, student, homestay (private) or transit visas to the above-mentioned company's Visa Center located at:

1680 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. (intersection Wisconsin Ave. and Reservoir Rd.),

tel. (202) 495-3665, fax (202) 495-3666, business hours 9.00 a.m. 5.00 p.m., technical brake 1p.m. - 3 p.m.

For more information visit www.ils-usa.com.

Visa Center service fee is $ 30.00 per visa, consular tariffs remain the same.

2. Please be advised that upon filling up Electronic Visa Application Form online at http://evisa.kdmid.ru in option "Visa Issuing Office" you should choose the office you are planning to apply to: ILS/Washington, ILS/New York, ILS/San Francisco, ILS/Seattle or ILS/Houston.

3. Pursuant to the directive from the Russian Foreign Ministry, effective July 1, 2011, the Russian Embassy and all Russian Consulates General in the U.S.A. will require that all applications for Russian visas submitted in the United States be prepared using the Electronic Visa Application Form which is a web-based application, available online at http://evisa.kdmid.ru

Russian visa applications prepared using the old format or in a different manner will not be accepted after July 1, 2011.

After filling the Electronic Visa Application form online, applicants will have to print a copy of their application form, sign and date it, glue the requred size photo to it and submit this printed original form, along with other necessary documentation, to the «Invisa Logistics Services LLC» personally or through their representative or a visa agency.

The Electronic Visa Application Form will provide greater accuracy and security in processing visa applications. It should be filled out in its full entirety. Incomplete forms may significantly delay visa processing time.

2. A valid passport which should have at least two clear visa pages.

3. One passport size (1 3/8" * 1 3/4", 35x45 mm) photo of the applicant which should be glued to the marked space of the application form.

4. Original letter of invitation. Your relatives or friends (Russian citizens) should provide you with an official letter of invitation bearing your personal data and registered with a local office of the Russian Interior Ministry.

If you wish to visit your friends or relatives (foreign citizens) currently working or studying in Russia they should obtain an official letter of invitation from the Russian hosting organization (see business visa instructions).

5.

If applying by mail. The Consular Division no longer accepts mailed applications. Applicants unable to be present in person are referred to the following visa agencies:

Travisa Visa Service, Inc. PVS International CIBT, Inc.

Tel: (800) 222-2589

www.travisarussia.com

Tel: (800) 556-9990

(703)908-0330

Fax: (703) 908-0332

www.pvsinternational.org

6.

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.

Please, note, that drop off day is not counted as business day!

ATTENTION FOR EU CITIZENS

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VISA AGREEMENT SIGNED BY THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND THE EUROPEAN UNIION CITIZENS OF ALL EU COUNTRIES EXCEPT IRELAND AND GREAT BRITAIN ARE WELCOME TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING FEES FOR PROCESSING OF ALL TYPES OF VISAS TO RUSSIA

6-10 BUSINESS DAYS - 50 USD

1-3 BUSINESS DAYS - 100 USD

My question is how many days do you need to be out of the country between visits on a multiple entry visa?

Edited September 22, 2012 by CyberKnight13

[eekee 182]

No one knows yet, but it should become clear. Probably an overnight trip to Ukraine or the Baltics or wherever will do it. That seems to be the consensus among people I know.

[CyberSamurai013 69]

No one knows yet, but it should become clear. Probably an overnight trip to Ukraine or the Baltics or wherever will do it. That seems to be the consensus among people I know.

Ok, that is what I was hoping for. Thank you.

[CyberSamurai013 69]

So there is contradictory information on the new visas. This site: http://ruscon.org/visa_dep_ENG.html#privatevisa says that a homestay (private) visa is only good for 90 days. Is this based on whether your spouse, traveling with you, or her mother writes the letter?

For instance Olga is a Russian Citizen and a conditional Permanent Resident of the US residing in the US. If she writes the letter and we travel together to Russia can I stay 90 days or 180 days between entries?

[eekee 182]

So there is contradictory information on the new visas. This site: http://ruscon.org/visa_dep_ENG.html#privatevisa says that a homestay (private) visa is only good for 90 days. Is this based on whether your spouse, traveling with you, or her mother writes the letter?

For instance Olga is a Russian Citizen and a conditional Permanent Resident of the US residing in the US. If she writes the letter and we travel together to Russia can I stay 90 days or 180 days between entries?

It seems so. The other kind would be from someone living in Russia. I, for instance, could invite you guys to come for three years. Your wife can't. Weird, whatever, it's Russia. You can have babushka or really anyone invite you though if you want to stay for longer. Or just get a business/tourist visa.

[CyberSamurai013 69]

It seems so. The other kind would be from someone living in Russia. I, for instance, could invite you guys to come for three years. Your wife can't. Weird, whatever, it's Russia. You can have babushka or really anyone invite you though if you want to stay for longer. Or just get a business/tourist visa.

Thank you

Crazy, lol. I'll have her mom do the invitation then. Also do you know where I can find legit info on becoming a Russian resident?

Edited September 24, 2012 by CyberKnight13

[eekee 182]

Thank you

Crazy, lol. I'll have her mom do the invitation then. Also do you know where I can find legit info on becoming a Russian resident?

Check out the expat.ru forums. If you do go this route, be prepared to spend a LOT of time at OVIR. Very few people actually go through with it for that reason, and with three-year visas, there's even less reason to go through with it now.

[CyberSamurai013 69]

Check out the expat.ru forums. If you do go this route, be prepared to spend a LOT of time at OVIR. Very few people actually go through with it for that reason, and with three-year visas, there's even less reason to go through with it now.

Lol. Ok, thank you I will check it out in depth. I was on there earlier.

[SMR 368]

Check out the expat.ru forums. If you do go this route, be prepared to spend a LOT of time at OVIR. Very few people actually go through with it for that reason, and with three-year visas, there's even less reason to go through with it now.

The other thing is that you have to claim to the the Russian government that you wrote a letter to the US embassy stating that you want to have your citizenship revoked. That presents a problem to most. I would actually say it's more significant that the OVIR thing.

[CyberSamurai013 69]

The other thing is that you have to claim to the the Russian government that you wrote a letter to the US embassy stating that you want to have your citizenship revoked. That presents a problem to most. I would actually say it's more significant that the OVIR thing.

Yeah eff that noise. I will probably just stick with the 3 year multiple entry visa, especially if I only have to leave the country for like a day or so between entries. Our goal right now is hopping back and forth between the U.S. and Russia spending about a year in each place at a time.

Edited September 24, 2012 by CyberKnight13

[SMR 368]

Yeah eff that noise. I will probably just stick with the 3 year multiple entry visa, especially if I only have to leave the country for like a day or so between entries. Our goal right now is hopping back and forth between the U.S. and Russia spending about a year in each place at a time.

There is permanent residence. If you are married to an RF citizen, you will be approved almost for certain. You will have to come on a valid visa and then achieve temporary residence. After a certain period you can adjust to permanent residence. There are various requirements that you can read on official government websites. The expat.ru forum is a good place to find those that have done it, like Eekee said.

However, if your plan is to go back and forth year by year then you are correct to stick to visas as you can't effectively maintain permanent residence that way. As long as your wife has US citizenship you should be fine.

[eekee 182]

The other thing is that you have to claim to the the Russian government that you wrote a letter to the US embassy stating that you want to have your citizenship revoked. That presents a problem to most. I would actually say it's more significant that the OVIR thing.

That's if you want citizenship, not residency. Residency does not necessarily have to end in citizenship. It is perfectly fine to have American citizenship and Russian residency, and it is a boon because you no longer need a work permit. The disadvantage is, as I said, wasting days of your life at OVIR.

[eekee 182]

But yes, reading what you said after that, SMR, I agree that it is pointless if you want to go back and forth, especially with the new visa laws. I can think of one person off the top of my head out of every foreigner I've ever met here who has permanent residency, and he has told me that if he could do it all over again, he wouldn't bother. Even with not needing a work permit and having the right to work as an independent contractor, a lot of businesses that hire foreigners come across people with permanent residency so rarely that they don't even believe your documents are in order and that you don't need a work permit and so on.

What are you planning on doing in Russia? If you just want to teach English, then I definitely wouldn't bother because no one ever bothers with work permits for English teachers anyway. If you want to start a business of your own, it doesn't help that much because you'd still need an actual citizen for some legal stuff.

[CyberSamurai013 69]

But yes, reading what you said after that, SMR, I agree that it is pointless if you want to go back and forth, especially with the new visa laws. I can think of one person off the top of my head out of every foreigner I've ever met here who has permanent residency, and he has told me that if he could do it all over again, he wouldn't bother. Even with not needing a work permit and having the right to work as an independent contractor, a lot of businesses that hire foreigners come across people with permanent residency so rarely that they don't even believe your documents are in order and that you don't need a work permit and so on.

What are you planning on doing in Russia? If you just want to teach English, then I definitely wouldn't bother because no one ever bothers with work permits for English teachers anyway. If you want to start a business of your own, it doesn't help that much because you'd still need an actual citizen for some legal stuff.

I am a disabled veteran so I won't be working. Olga is on a 2 year green card right now and may seek U.S. citizenship. We hear all kinds of rumors like if she stays in Russia for 6 months it will jeopardize her chances here for citizenship, etc. We just want the freedom to move back and forth but we cannot afford to do so frequently so we are looking at longer stays in each place. We also have roots in the U.S. that we do not want to uproot if we are going to be in Russia less than 6 months.

[SMR 368]

That's if you want citizenship, not residency. Residency does not necessarily have to end in citizenship. It is perfectly fine to have American citizenship and Russian residency, and it is a boon because you no longer need a work permit. The disadvantage is, as I said, wasting days of your life at OVIR.

Right, I didn't realize the original question was about residency and not citizenship. Thanks.