Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
44
events to celebrate the northern light.
It's peak tourist season.
November 7:
Day of Reconciliation
and Accord. For 70 years this was called
Revolution Day, marking the 1917
events that brought the Soviets to
power. The post-Soviet government
didn't have the heart to take away the
holiday, so they renamed it. A dwin-
dling number of Communist die-hards
still gather around Red Square, visiting
Lenin's tomb and lamenting the demise
of his brainchild.
December 12:
Constitution Day.
Marks the 1993 referendum that
approved Russia's first post-Soviet con-
stitution.
Last week in December:
White Days
Festival (St. Petersburg). The city boost-
ers' efforts to lure tourists during the
snowy months, this festival includes
winter carnivals in the city parks and a
dense program of dance, opera, and
orchestral performances. See www.
whitedays.com for more information.
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ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
VISAS
International visitors' first experience of
Russia is the costly, often frustrating pro-
cess of getting a visa. Brace yourself, and
remember that the rest of your Russian
experience—the exhilarating White
Nights, the gilded bell towers, the salmon
tartlets following iced vodka—will be
worth the hassle.
All visitors to Russia need a valid pass-
port and visa, with the exception of resi-
dents of a few former Soviet republics.
Package tours usually take care of visas,
though you will need to give the travel
agency your passport for submission to the
nearest Russian embassy or consulate.
I strongly recommend going through
some kind of visa service if you are on your
own, to limit troubles and misunderstand-
ing. For independent travelers, visa appli-
cants must provide proof of hotel
reservations in an official letter from a hotel
or travel agency. Travelers staying in private
homes need an official invitation from a
Russian organization. Three places that
offer this service for a fee are www.wayto
russia.net; www.travelinrussia.com (in the
U.S.,
&
253/550-7816
); and Sindbad's
Hostel in St. Petersburg, www.sindbad.ru
(
&
812/331-2020
). Fees for the visa (in
addition to any fees for the invitation)
range from $30 to $350, depending on
how quickly you need it, how long you
need it, and how many times you want to
enter the country. For example, a single-
entry, 3-month tourist visa costs $100 in
the United States. Start the process several
weeks before you leave. If you do not live
near a Russian embassy or consulate, you
can apply by mail, but you will have to send
your passport to them via Federal Express.
Anyone applying for a visa for more than 3
months must provide proof of a recent HIV
test, a discriminatory and futile effort to
cope with Russia's growing AIDS/HIV
problem.
Once you get your visa, which is gener-
ally a sticker affixed to your passport,
make a copy of it in case of emergency.
You will need the original visa to leave the
country as well as to enter it, and for as
long as you're in Russia. While in Russia
you will also need to
register your visa
with the local authorities. Most hotels will
do this automatically for you the first day,
but ask to be sure. If they don't offer this
service, check with the visa agencies listed
above.
Contact your nearest Russian embassy
for rules in your country:
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