Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(on a cruise ship or passenger ferry), who are allowed to be in the country for up to 72
hours without a visa. However, there's a catch: You must book a tour through a local
organization.
If you're arriving on the
St
.
Peter Line ferry,
you will likely be able to pay for
their “shuttle service”—an unguided, round-trip bus between the port and downtown,
leaving you with free time to explore. This option, which exploits a loophole that
could close at any moment, is the only way to see the city both unaccompanied and
without a visa.
If you're arriving by
cruise
, things are a bit more restrictive: You must pay for a
cruise-line excursion (or book a tour through a locally based company), and are re-
quired to remain with your guide or escort the entire time you are on land—which
means you'll have virtually no free time to explore on your own. Or, you can obtain a
visa to explore the city on your own. The visa route buys you independence, but you
must hassle with the visa application process well in advance. An excursion is more
expensive and completely scripted, but virtually effortless. If you're an adventurous
traveler and want to experience the real Russia, at least consider going the visa route.
How to Get a Visa
Getting a Russian visa is not exactly difficult, but it does take a few weeks to accom-
plish. If the steps outlined below make your head spin, skip down to “Third-Party
Visa Agencies.”
1. Before applying for a visa, you must first get an official document called a
“visa
invitation”
(
priglashenie;
sometimes called a “letter of invitation,” “visa sponsor,” or
“visa support letter”) from a Russian organization recognized by the Russian Foreign
Ministry. Visa invitations are typically issued either by a hotel or by a tour operator.
If you're arriving by cruise, you'll need to arrange an invitation through a third-party
agency—see below.) When you make a hotel reservation, ask the hotel to arrange for
an invitation as well (they'll usually charge $15-30). If you're visiting more than one
city in Russia, ask if your entire trip can be included on a single invitation, so you
don't have to get invitations from each hotel. You may find online agencies willing
to issue invitations for a fee, but stick with the agency recommended by your hotel.
Don't expect the invitation process to make sense; it feels (and is) bureaucratic. The
organization that issues your invitation is legally responsible for you during your stay
in Russia, but in practice, you will never have any contact with them.
2. Fill out the
Electronic Visa Application Form
(available online at
ht-
tp://visa.kdmid.ru
)
. You'll need to choose between a multiple-entry visa (valid for
three years, $180) or a double-/single-entry visa ($140). Note that your passport must
be valid for at least six months beyond the date of your departure from Russia, and
must have two adjacent blank pages to accommodate the visa.
3. Submit the invitation, the form, your passport, a passport photograph, and the
processing fee (money order or cashier's check only) to the Russian Embassy. Ap-
plications are accepted anywhere from
30 to 90 days before departure
(the specific
timeframe changes constantly, but you'll certainly need at least a month for the full
process). Note that Russia's embassies and consulates in the US do not accept visa ap-
