Visas
All foreigners traveling to or through Russia must have a
passport and a visa covering the duration of stay. Below you can read how to obtain a Russian visa in two
simple steps.
Step 1: Getting an Invitation
To obtain a Russian visa you need an
invitation from the Russian side.
Such an invitation consists of a tourist voucher and a room
reservation confirmation.
Only Russian organizations, registered by the Russian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MID) (tourist agencies, hotels,
etc.) or the organizations registered by the Russian Interior
Ministry (MVD) can issue such invitations.
Single tourist visa is valid up for a month and for a
single entry.
Step 2: Getting a Visa
When you get an invitation (fax copy is usually
sufficient), you submit it to the Russian Consulate in
your country together with an application for a visa.
It is better to check on whether the Russian
Consulate would accept fax copy of invitation or original only.
There are two types of Visa - Tourist Visa and
Business Visa
Tourist Visa
A Tourist visa is a document which allows foreigners to
travel to Russia as tourists. They are issued for a maximum
of 30 days and cannot be extended.
You normally apply for a tourist visa when you know
exactly where and how long you will be staying without
diverting from your planned itinerary. When applying for a
tourist visa to Russia, you must have confirmed
accommodation for every night of your stay in the country.
When conferences such as EUROCRYPT are being held in a
Russian hotel, it is usual that the delegates know exactly
where they will be staying and have confirmed accommodation
for every night of their stay.
It is common practice for the conference organisers to
arrange some tourist activity as part of the conference and
for delegates to attend using a Tourist visa.
For EUROCRYPT the Pulkovskaya Hotel has officially
registered a tourist group EUR-290506 and will be able to
provide support in you applying for a Tourist visa.
Business Visa
A Business visa is issued for travellers, who visit
Russia on official or private business. Business visas are
best for visitors who do not know their exact itineraries,
want to stay in Russia longer than for 30 days or need to
enter Russia on frequent occasions within a certain
period of time.
Business visas to the Russian Federation may be issued
with up to two entries and for up to 90 days. There are also
multiple-entry business visas, valid for 6 or 12 months with
unlimited entries/exits. While tourist visa cannot be
extended, business visa extensions can be arranged through
the organization which provided the invitation for the
existing business visa.
Taking Advice
We believe that you should be able to attend EUROCRYPT
using a Tourist Visa, but if you are unsure of the position
in your country we recommend you to visit web site of the
Russian Embassy or the Consulate in your country and follow
their guidance.
To apply for a Russian visa, you need to provide Consulate
with the
following papers along with an invitation:
1. Passport and a copy of its first page.
(Your
passport should be valid for at least 6 months after the visa
expires)
2. Three applicant’s photos (3 X 4
cm)
3. Russian Visa Application Form filled and
signed
(click here
to download (PDF))
4. Evidence of medical
insurance
Visa support request for attendees
staying at the Pulkovskaya
Hotel.
If you stay at the Pulkovskaya Hotel and apply for a
Tourist Visa
through the hotel visa support service, then your answers to
the questions of a visa application form should be the
following:
7. Tourism
8. The Pulkovskaya Hotel
9. Saint Petersburg
14. EUR-290506
(this is a tourist group index of our
group in Pulkovskaya DB)
Please, be accurate with the answers about purpose of
your visit to Russia during the interview.
If you fill the field 7 of the visa application form
with "Tourism", then your answer should be the same.
If you need a Business Visa, we recommend you to contact
Russian travel agency Maria via their web site
Maria or by
the email
maritour@online.ru or by telephone:
+7-495-725-57-45, 725-57-46, 775-82-26 and ask a visa
support manager Ilona.
EUROCRYPT 2006 made arrangements with the agency that
discounted price for Business Visa invitation letter for
most of the countries is $60
if the letter to be issued in 3-4 working days and is $40 if
the letter to be issued in 8 working days.
But for several countries: Algeria, Angola, Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Vietnam, India, Iraq, Iran, China, North Korea,
Lebanon, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Syria, Somali,
Turkey, Chad, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia this price could be
slightly different.
It depends on the conditions on what Russian Foreign
Affairs Ministry could accept such visa support.
To find the price of this support, please, contact the
travel agency Maria.
If you need an original of the letter, you should order
registered mail delivery or an express mail delivery.
You can also find travel and visa support information via
the web sites of the local Russian travel agencies below:
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