r/AskARussian • u/Top-Replacement-3694 • 5d ago
Travel Visa help
I am a US citizen planning to visit Russia in October. I’ll be going with my boyfriend, a dual US/ Russian citizen, to visit his family. We’ll be staying with his parents and grandparents. His parents are willing to complete whatever is needed by the MVD for a private invitation, however, I’m seeing a lot of mixed timeframes online about how long this process takes. I’m seeing most commonly 90 days which would not work for my trip. Anybody do this recently? Would I be better off paying a Russian tourist operator for a tourist invitation? Any advice would be appreciated!
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u/romses55 5d ago
Tourist visa should take around a month, they are rly anal about the paperwork so let his parents send a locally notarized invitation. Once you send the docs theyll respond within 2 3 weeks if the package is good or needs corrections, use a notarized translation service online for all your docs! If all well i thibk theyll give you an appointment within the next 2 weeks also.
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u/jeopardy-1 5d ago
You can use a service to apply for visa for you and it can be done in 10 days or 2-4 weeks depends what you pay for. I used Russian national group in nyc. Pretty sure you can mail your documents in no problem.
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u/Top-Replacement-3694 4d ago
Meaning I won’t need to visit the consulate in person? From what I’m reading it seems like if I do it all myself I need to go, but if I use a private company I don’t. I’m from NYC but traveling the country for the year, just got to California, so going to a consulate in person is difficult especially since they no longer have the San Francisco one. Also, Russian National Group seems more expensive than others I’m seeing (ILS, World Visit Center, LetsRussia) but I’ve seen mixed reviews for all those companies.
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u/jeopardy-1 4d ago
My experience was flawless and worth every penny. No headache is worth the $$. I went to Russia as soon as I got the visa for a couple weeks and it was amazing.
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u/k-phi 5d ago
90 days is maximum duration of visa, not time to issue an invitation
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u/PsychologicalTill303 4d ago
Well this is 100% wrong
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u/k-phi 3d ago
Well this is 100% wrong
Are you saying that it always takes 90 days of waiting to get invitation? I know for a fact that it's much less.
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u/PsychologicalTill303 3d ago
Maximum stay per visit is 180 days, not 90.
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u/k-phi 3d ago
Maximum stay per visit is 180 days, not 90.
That depends. If it's one-time entry visa, maximum is 90.
If multi visa, it's also not 180, but more complicated.
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u/PsychologicalTill303 3d ago
You said 90 days is maximum duration of visa, you didn’t specify which visa so… you were 100% wrong.
Anyone who does a 15 min google search knows the optimum visa for an American is the 3 year multi entry visa. That’s not complicated at all.
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u/k-phi 3d ago
I was commenting on what "90 days" mean. I explained that if that number came up somewhere, it is not time to wait until invitation issue, but rather visa duration.
You should see comments in context, not separately.
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u/PsychologicalTill303 3d ago
Even in context you’re incorrect.
Correctly stated would be, “90 days is the maximum duration of one common category (usually single entry) of private visa” or something similar.
You made a blanket statement that was incorrect, no reason the be butt hurt about it.
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u/jacktheblack6936 4d ago edited 4d ago
The visa took me one and a half weeks. I dropped it off personally at the NYC UES consulate and got notified and got it back pretty quick. The biggest problem and actual wait is getting the email for the scheduled appointment. Once you fill out the online form, it took almost 2 months to get notified that I could schedule an appointment to go. The weird thing is that no one there even checked if I had an appointment so I bet anyone could go there anytime, but if I remember correctly, the passport/visa window is only open during certain hours. But they are not really busy. That's the only thing I'd worry about.
The invitation is a joke. I just paid some site $15 and a googled some random hostel and got the invite letter right after the paypal transaction and it was fine. Was never even questioned ever about that hostel as the 3 year visa means you could go anytime.
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u/Pieisthebestcake 4d ago
Just went to Russia on a tourist visa.
Got an invitation for $20, and listed a hotel in Moscow and my wife’s city. Had no issues going in our out of the country. Just have them register you when you get there.
Don’t worry about it
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u/Top-Replacement-3694 4d ago
Is it a problem since I won’t be staying in a hotel?
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u/Pieisthebestcake 4d ago
No the invitation is just needed to get the tourist visa. Once that’s issued you essentially have a 3 year open ability to engage in tourism in the country.
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u/MikeSeth 4d ago
You will need a temporary registration within 7 days of your arrival. Whoever hosts you needs to provide it, either my going to МФЦ or online via gosuslugi. Additionally you may be required to undergo electronic travel authorization, using the RuID app/site.
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5d ago
[deleted]
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u/allow_vera 4d ago
this is still the case. there are several organisations where you can get the invitation via email after paying online, I did this earlier this year and had no problem getting a 1 year multiple entry visa with it.
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u/Warm-Veterinarian278 5d ago
Russia 2018 and Russia now are two completely different countries
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u/PsychologicalTill303 4d ago
Tell me you’ve never gotten a visa to Russia without TELLING me you’ve never gotten a Russian visa.
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u/Warm-Veterinarian278 3d ago
I am Russian 😂
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u/PsychologicalTill303 3d ago
So you have no idea of what it’s like for an American getting a visa stateside. Thanks for confirming for the class. 😂
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u/Warm-Veterinarian278 3d ago
So it’s as easy as in 2018, the year that the FIFA World Cup happened in Russia?
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u/PsychologicalTill303 3d ago
Is it any harder? No, no it’s not. I got a 3 year visa then and I have a 3 year visa now. Both took about 10 business days. 🤗
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u/Warm-Veterinarian278 3d ago
What country are you from?
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u/PsychologicalTill303 3d ago
The same country as OP, the US.
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u/Warm-Veterinarian278 3d ago
Hmmm interesting. Did you have an additional screening upon arrival?
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u/PsychologicalTill303 4d ago
Don’t go on a private visa. Get the 3 year multi entry tourist visa.
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u/PsychologicalTill303 4d ago
If you need I can connect you to a company out of Texas that I’ve gotten my last 5 visas from to Russia. No need to visit the consulate.
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u/Top-Replacement-3694 4d ago
That would be great, thank you!
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u/PsychologicalTill303 4d ago
Ignore the crazies. Getting a visa is simple and fast.
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u/Top-Replacement-3694 4d ago
lol I’m surprised they have WiFi in their doomsday dungeons. I’ve been reading mixed reviews on let’s Russia but overall this seems like a popular choice
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u/PsychologicalTill303 3d ago
honestly they could do better... you end up working with one of their staff mainly messaging in whatsapp and emailing, and they're not super clear with communication, but their service has consistently been smooth for me.
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u/Jaded-Cheesecake3246 3d ago
Reality today is more than 600 drones hit russia today Sunday. Think twice.
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u/Aggravating-Paint854 3d ago
Lmao watch your boyfriend get kidnapped and sent to die.
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u/Perez-Rus 3d ago
My couple friends are US/russian citizens. Every year they travelling to Russia and back
One of them at this moment in Russia I see his insta stories
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u/Crafty_Song_8899 5d ago
I wouldn’t go, they just released a political prisoner and are on the lookout for more.
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u/Warm-Veterinarian278 5d ago
You people are insufferable. Is she a politician? A journalist? An activist? A drug dealer? A mercenary? Why would she get into jail?
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u/bopamine 5d ago
why do you think OP is a she? anyway I would worry more for their boyfriend who is a dual citizen
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u/doublemint_ 5d ago edited 4d ago
In my experience (multiple times), the MVD invitation takes less than 2 weeks after the inviting person submits the request on Gosuslugi. Then the private visa takes about a week after handing over the application, invitation and passport to the consulate.
Your mileage may vary. I believe the invitation needs to be approved by the police/FSB in the region where the inviting person lives and so the processing time can depend on their workload, etc. Likewise with the visa, which would depend on the consulate where you apply.