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Russian Visa |
Russian Visa
Planning a visit to Russia starts with a applying for a Russian entrance visa in Russian embassy or consulate in one's home country. All foreigners visiting Russian need a visa except for the citizens of several CIS countries that enjoy visa free regime (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine). There are various types of Russian visa each of which requires the specific type of invitation (a visas support), the original or a copy of which is asked for by a Russian consulate.
Types of Russian visa.
Tourist visa for the visitors touring Russia, is the easiest type of visa to get. Usually it is a single-entry visa, for the period of no longer than one month and can't be extended while in Russia. A tourist visa requires confirmed accommodation or information on every night of one's stay in Russia. A tourist invitation including a tourist voucher and a tourist confirmation issued by a licensed travel agency is necessary to get a tourist visa.
Business visa is granted on an official invitation from a Russian company, registered in Russian Interior Ministry. It does not limit a visitor to one month stay and allows multiple entries.
Personal (Private) visa is necessary for those visiting relatives and friends in Russia. The original of an invitation from a Russian citizen in required for getting this visa. The private visa is single entry visa and is valid for no longer then 3 months.
Russian entry visa also includes student visa, for those coming to Russia on exchange programs or education, work visa, for those seeking employment in Russia and transit visa when a person is travelling to another country through Russian territory and plans leave the airport transit zone or/and take the next flight in more then 24 hrs.
The number of documents necessary for applying for a Russian visa depends on a type of visa one gets, yet it always includes:
Current passport with at least 2 blank visa pages, valid for at least 6 months after visa's expiration date,
a completed and signed visa application form, the recent passport-size photo, an invitation depending on a type of visa.
Please check with the Russian consulate in your country whether an original or a copy is required in a particular case.
Those planning to stay in Russia for more then 3 month have to submit an HIV certificate to the consulate where one applies for a visa.
A medical insurance may be needed as well, this one has to contact the Russian consulate to check if he needs it.
While passing through the customs all foreigners are required to fill out the migration card whose top part is collected on entering the country and the bottom part is asked for when one leaves Russia. The name and address of the inviting company as marked in the invitation, the purpose of the visit and the length of stay is required to be marked in the migration card. The migration card is stamped with a departure date one has to not to miss regardless of the visa validity.
One has to register his visa with the local branch of the migration service within 3 days of his arrival in Russia.
Useful links:
Russian visa - Online Russian Visa Processing, Same Day Express Service.
Russian visa - Tourist, Business, Multy Entry Visa Specialists in Online Processing
Russian Visa Requirements - Visa Home. - Complete information for entry to Russia, practicalities on obtaining Russian visa. Provides visa news, links for your trip to Russia
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Russian embassies and consulates
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c o u n t r y o f v i s i t |
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| the USA | the UK | Germany | Italy | Canada | Australia | Other | ||
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| Belarus | - |
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| Moldova | - |
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| Kazakhstan | - |
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| Kyrgyzstan | - |
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Useful links:
Embassies and Consulate Generals of the Russian Federation - Russian Embassy and Consulates - worldwide listing.
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Transportation
All big cities have international airports, so getting into Russian is quite easy.
Useful links:
Russian airlines - Booking and buying tickets, flight time-table, price information
Aeroflot - Russian Airlines
Expedia.com - A premier online travel planning and flight-booking site. Purchase airline tickets online, find vacation packages, and make hotel and car reservations, find maps, destination information, travel news and more.
Lowestfare.com - More Travel For Less!
Travelling inside the country one would need to use a bus or a train. It is not recommended to rent a car due roads conditions. The traffic snarls in cities would also make it quite hard. The public transport includes subway, buses trams, minibuses (marshrutki), trolleybuses, ferries and is usually moderately priced. Hiring a taxi, make sure they are official ones. Negotiate the price when use the taxi.
Useful links:
Russia Train - Train Tickets & Schedules, Hotels Search & Order Online, Visas, Tours.
RussianTrains.com™ - Book Russian Train Tickets Online: Convenient and Reliable.
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Russian time
Russia spans 9 time zones. Standard time zone in Moscow and St-Petersburg is UTC/GMT +3 hours. All Russian cities Time Zones are specified relative to Moscow Time. The time zones are as follows:|
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| Kaliningrad Time | UTC+02 | Kaliningrad Oblast |
| Moscow Time | UTC+03 | Most of European Russia |
| Yekaterinburg Time | UTC+05 | Bashkortostan, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Khantia-Mansia, Kurgan Oblast, Orenburg Oblast, Perm Krai, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Tyumen Oblast, and Yamalia |
| Omsk Time | UTC+06 | Altai Krai, Altai Republic, Novosibirsk Oblast, Omsk Oblast and Tomsk Oblast |
| Krasnoyarsk Time | UTC+07 | Kemerovo Oblast, Khakassia, Krasnoyarsk Krai and Tuva |
| Irkutsk Time | UTC+08 | Buryatia and Irkutsk Oblast |
| Yakutsk Time | UTC+09 | Amur Oblast, western Sakha Republic and Zabaykalsky Krai |
| Vladivostok Time | UTC+10 | The Jewish Autonomous Oblast, Khabarovsk Krai, Primorsky Krai, central Sakha Republic and Sakhalin Island |
| Magadan Time | UTC+11 | Magadan Oblast, eastern Sakha Republic, Kuril Islands, Chukotka and Kamchatka Krai |
When telling time, Russians either use 24-hour time or 12-hour time with the words "óòðà", "äíÿ", "âå÷åðà" or "íî÷è" added.
Useful links:
The World Clock – Time Zone Converter Current time various locations around the world.
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Russian currency
Russia’s currency is the "rouble". One rouble is divided into 100 kopecks. The following banknotes are in use: 10 Roubles, 50 Roubles, 100 Roubles, 500 Roubles, 1000 Roubles, 5000 Roubles
Useful links
The world favourite currency site - Check for the actual exchange rate.
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Travelling etiquette.
Following ssome simple rules and observing basic social etiquette will make your trip smooth and worry free as well as help adapt well while being in Russia.
Formal circumstances suggest a handshake while greeting both men and women, men should wait for the woman to offer her hand first. Most women should not expect a handshake at the start of a meeting and probably shouldn't initiate one.
Unofficial meetings, including friends and family suggest a kiss and a hug or just "hello" and a smile. Being invited to be seated, avoid sitting with your legs akimbo, or your ankle resting on one knee. Usually guests are asked to take off the shoes when they enter the home. Whistling inside the building is a bad sign and is a part of Russian superstitions some treat quite seriously.
Being invited for dinner, a small gift, like wine or chocolate is appropriate to give to the host. The protest of the host is a part of etiquette as well. Flowers are presented in odd numbers only. Even numbers are for funerals. The table manners suggest that the fork is hold in the left hand, knife - in right hand. Refusing to try a meal may offend the host. Show respect to the eldest. Be prepared to accept taking care of you at the table, like putting food on the plate and pouring drink. It is impolite to pour a drink for oneself, esp. if you are a woman. It is worth getting to know what popular meals of Russian national cuisine are in advance.
Having a business trip, come on time, have your business cards translated into Russian, dress conservatively for business occasions. Smiling too much with no particular reason, gesturing, excessive complimenting and speaking loudly seem to be strange and impolite. A haircut for a man and a manicure for a woman is a must. In general looking polished is an advantage. Meeting pushed back past business hours are normal. Learn the patronymics of your partners and go light on alcohol on casual meetings.
It is not worth discussing politics of Russia, Putin and the USSR in conversations as well as avoid debatable topics like homosexuality, WWII, Georgia and Ossetia. It could be right for any country though as a foreigner never has a complete picture. Russian do not expect you to be immediately too friendly and usually resistant to discuss personal topics with a stranger. Be prepared that Russian often speak their minds
Inviting a woman to the restaurant, be prepared to pay for her unless she suggests this herself. Tipping is a part of etiquette. Tip 10% in restaurants if the service was good. Be prepared to very limited smoking free areas. There is plenty of smoking in Russia.
If you stand in a line, don't leave too much space in front of you, otherwise, people would think you are not standing. Be prepared to share food and drink with other passengers of your compartment when you are travelling by train.
There is usually a Two-Tier Price System in museums and national parks, with a higher price for foreigners. Women are supposed to cover heads with a scarf in churches and cathedrals.
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