Visa application process for Russian cruise

We are in the process of completing visa application forms for a Russian cruise later this year. We understand that we can use the stamps displayed in our passport pages to indicate our travel history for the previous 10 years. However, there are questions for which we would have to "guess" at an answer or do not know the answer at all. For example, there are certain schools and places of employment from 30+ years ago that are no longer in existence and the questions are asking for dates/addresses/phone numbers. What is the expectation to be able to respond to these questions accurately? Thank you very much.

When I've applied for Russian visas in the past I was told that the answers need to be consistent rather than accurate, so make sure you retain a copy of whatever answers you give as if you apply for another Russian visa in the future, your answers then will be compared to your answers now.

Of course, if this is not your first Russian visa I hope you have a good memory :) ...

We are in the process of completing visa application forms for a Russian cruise later this year. We understand that we can use the stamps displayed in our passport pages to indicate our travel history for the previous 10 years. However, there are questions for which we would have to "guess" at an answer or do not know the answer at all. For example, there are certain schools and places of employment from 30+ years ago that are no longer in existence and the questions are asking for dates/addresses/phone numbers. What is the expectation to be able to respond to these questions accurately? Thank you very much.

We got our Russian visas through Generations Visa Service in Washington, DC. in 2012. This was BEFORE the current political situation and things could be very different now. The instructions we received with ours advised us to write "retired" in the name of the employer and N/A for the rest of the fields. If still working fill out employer name. If housewife, type in housewife and if self-employed provide name of business, address and phone number. As for college, we were advised to list no more than 2 colleges with name and degree. At that time they weren't terribly picky but of course times have changed so I would strongly suggest you contact the person who provided the application and ask them.

On a personal note, Russia was wonderful. Prepare to be amazed!!!

Are you going with a specific company on your vacation? We are going with Viking to Russia next week--I did our visas through GenVisa and their guide on how to fill it out is SPOT ON. http://genvisa.com/viking/pdfs/VikingRussia.pdf

It took exactly 6 weeks from when I submitted it to receiving it at home.

Are you going with a specific company on your vacation? We are going with Viking to Russia next week--I did our visas through GenVisa and their guide on how to fill it out is SPOT ON. http://genvisa.com/viking/pdfs/VikingRussia.pdf

 

It took exactly 6 weeks from when I submitted it to receiving it at home.

That's who we used too...it's pricey, but they were very good and we were able to pay extra for Fed Ex....worth it since our mail delivery is spotty at best. I couldn't find their web site and looked at my receipt. I'm glad they're still in business, they were very reputable and helpful.

We used Genvisa. We did not hesitate to call them for help with the questions. Also Viking had posted a sample of a visa application which was very helpful. Yes it cost to use them but the help and timely processing of the visa was worth it.

The river cruise in Russian was very good, informative, and memorable.

We also journal on our trips so our journals were very helpful with dates for different trips abroad we had to list on the application.

I wouldn't sweat the small stuff.

It asked for colleges. I probably attended classes at 4 colleges but just put the one I attended the most and graduated from.

I used a visa service both times. I don't live near an Embassy. It was worth every cent to use the agency. They told me exactly what date they were bringing it to them and when they expected it back. I used the company that is now know as Visa Central (it was Zierer or zvs.com).

Are you going with a specific company on your vacation? We are going with Viking to Russia next week--I did our visas through GenVisa and their guide on how to fill it out is SPOT ON. http://genvisa.com/viking/pdfs/VikingRussia.pdf

 

It took exactly 6 weeks from when I submitted it to receiving it at home.

We live close enough to visit the contractor handling russia visas in San Francisco (Invisa) so I followed the instructions in the link exactly. The invite letter I got back from Viking listed (in Russian) all the stops between Moscow and St Petersburg. But the genvisa instructions said to list only Moscow & St Petersburg (page 4, Visit Details, #6). During the application intake process, the clerk said there was a mismatch between the application and the invite letter. I could either go home, correct the application, re-print it, and return another day. Or, they could fix it for $30/person. Paid the fee. Maybe GenVisa has a different relationship with the place they submit the application or there are different policies in different offices.

Another issue I had with the application process was listing the countries visited in the last 10 years. The application only allows for 30 countries. We've cruised a lot and we have > 30, although many are only day stops and there are no stamps in our passports indicating that we were in many countries. The visa processor said to skip countries without stamps. Our passports are also relatively new and have few stamps. But, again, I have little confidence in the answers given by the staff.

We go back to pick up the passports (hopefully with visas) in 10 days.

But, again, I have little confidence in the answers given by the staff.

 

We go back to pick up the passports (hopefully with visas) in 10 days.

The advice you've been given is consistent with advice I've had elsewhere.

This is more about consistency of the available documents, not being able to withstand a deep background check :)

Application should match invitation, previous travel should not be inconsistent with passport, current application should not be inconsistent with any prior application etc.

We are booked on the first Viking river cruise from St Petersburg next year (departs 4th May 2018). We live within a one hour drive of Manchester, where there is a Russian Visa Centre, so we intend to do our own visas rather than pay for an agency to process them.

We want to apply for the Visas early as we are away Feb/March, but understand applications can be made 6 months prior to the holiday. Has anyone had any problems applying for visas early (just a bit concerned they may delay an application so we do not get our passports back before mid February, when we go away)?

I can't be of any help re your actual question, but I would be very grateful if you will post how you get on with your visa application, as we are on a Russian river cruise next October. Volgagrad to Moscow. The one concern I have over it is the visa application. We will be using London as we live in Suffolk, but any information gratefully received!

We want to apply for the Visas early as we are away Feb/March, but understand applications can be made 6 months prior to the holiday. Has anyone had any problems applying for visas early (just a bit concerned they may delay an application so we do not get our passports back before mid February, when we go away)?

I wouldn't expect a delay simply on the grounds that you applied a little earlier, but do make sure you have the required 'invitation' documents from Viking if you don't already have them as you'll need them for the application.

Also do make sure you answer whatever phone number you have provided to them while they are processing your visa as they may call for clarification and not answering will delay the process.

Also check the requirements to provide bank information, if they apply to you then make sure you do have original paper statements available as just printing your online statements will not do, unless you can persuade your bank to verify and sign them which can be difficult to impossible...

Thanks for the reply Mark. The comment about the possibility of them ringing is particularly useful to know.

We got our passports replaced in December and the replacements came through within a few days, which is much quicker than is stated. We were then able to ask Viking for the "invitation letter", which needed our relevant passport numbers before it could be produced by Viking.

The invitation also came through pretty quickly (within a few working days), and it was accompanied by an 18 page attachment of notes regards how to fill in the visa application. There was a bit of a hicup as we checked the details given on the notes, compared to what was on the actual invitation letter and found that different companies and their details were given. We rang Viking (UK) and it seems they had sent the wrong details, which did not give the company used in Russia for visa applications by people applying independently (not using a visa company). The replacement notes have now been sent.

The application form was changed at some stage last year, so requirements have changed, with more details being required for some things. I do not have a detailed knowledge of what was required previously, but work history is only needed for certain classes of jobs and they do require passport details for applicants children (as needed for flights) and details of applicants parents (full names, date and place of birth as well as date and date and place of death if applicable). We are also asked to supply passport numbers etc. for up to 3 past passports. Our older passports have been shredded, so, since we cannot supply those details on the form,we have needed to write a letter to accompany our application stating why we cannot give those details.

It is also necessary to have fingerprints taken at a visa application centre, but I do not know if that was required previously. There is quite a bit of detail wanted for the application and as far as we can see that can only be supplied by the applicant, so the visa agents seem to be just someone to check an application and charge a fat fee for that, but we are yet to complete the application, so will report back when we have the visas............

We are UK nationals and reside in the UK, so I am not sure if details vary for other people.

It is also necessary to have fingerprints taken at a visa application centre, but I do not know if that was required previously. There is quite a bit of detail wanted for the application and as far as we can see that can only be supplied by the applicant, so the visa agents seem to be just someone to check an application and charge a fat fee for that, but we are yet to complete the application, so will report back when we have the visas............

 

We are UK nationals and reside in the UK, so I am not sure if details vary for other people.

The finger print thing is relatively new and makes it necessary to attend in person instead of using an agent as used to be possible.

Regarding the large amount of detail required, do keep a copy of whatever you submit.

While they cannot verify much of what you tell them this time around, if you ever apply for a visa in the future they will compare your new application to this one so it is important to ensure that any details in a future application match what you put into this one...

Excellent information supplied above, many thanks. I hope you don't mind me butting in and learning how it is done.

My wife and self are on the Moscow to St Petersburg trip next July and as we live within an hours drive from London I too will be making an independent application for visa's.

I intend to start the ball rolling about March time, so will be keeping an eye on your correspondence.

Our applications are now complete and we have submitted them online to VFS, who are the official company, who process the visas on behalf of the Russian embassy. They offer a pre checking service for £18 and you need to send them scans of the application forms and all documents and any other paperwork that is to be taken to the Russian Visa Centre to make the application. The £18 also gets us fast track when we go to the visa centre (though our visas will still take the same length of time to be processed and returned to us), so hopefully we will not be so long waiting in Manchester and will be more assured that the application will be acceptable, so no chance we may have to return at a later date. So £18 sounded worthwhile, even though we are reasonably confident all will be fine.

As it is now necessary to have fingerprints taken, I understand everyone has to take their application in person to a visa centre in the UK (these are in London, Manchester or Edinburgh). We were told about that by Viking when we booked the holiday.

The 18 pages of notes and screenshots, supplied by Viking, were very useful and as far as I could make out the notes which were sent to us in error, are what Viking send to people who use their visa processing company. As the only difference was the page which gave the tour company name in Russia and code numbers relating to the letter of invitation, it seems to us likely that even people using the visa company have to fill in their own form online then print it out before taking it to a visa centre. Presumably they also get their forms checked and have somewhere they can easily address any queries - but for a lot more than £18. Of course I have no personal knowledge of what does happen when people use the visa processing company, rather than go direct to VFS, so I could be wrong about that. If anyone has experience of using a processing company in the UK, it would be interesting to hear of their experiences though.

The cost of the visa application, when applying directly is £108pp (cash or card payment), which is presumably paid when we take the applications to Manchester.

Following on from my previous post, we had a call from VFS just now, have been told our applications are fine and the Russian gentleman who phoned has made an appointment for us to go to the visa centre in Manchester at 2pm on Thursday - appointments only made if you have the pre check done (£18 - card payment taken during the phone call). So we just need to take everything to the visa centre and pay the visa fee of £108.40 per person.

No need to have worried about speed of response as the centre only opened this morning after the Russian Orthodox Christmas, which is later than ours and the call came in at 09.35, after our application had been checked. We can now look forward to a pleasant day in Manchester as we can plan ahead, knowing we will not need to be concerned about how long we may have to wait at the centre. Could have gone tomorrow, but trains not running.

Will post again when we get the visas.

This all sounds very positive, I am beginning to relax about getting our visas in April/May. I can only hope that the London office is as organised as the Manchester one!

LIke you, we don't have our last 3 passports, so good to know that a letter of explanation will suffice.

Initially we had a panic as to where my parents were born, I am no longer able to ask them and I am an only child, but I think and hope I have solved it.

I presume London and Edinburgh are major centres cf. Manchester, as Manchester cannot offer a fast track visa, but the other two can. The email we received this morning (to confirm details we were told on the phone), said to allow 8 working days to get passport back (including the day it is submitted), so does not sound like a problem.

This could be a quiet time of year of course as most people (and certainly river cruises are in the summer season).

Following on to my previous posts re doing our visa application in the UK ourselves:-

Got our passports back a couple of days ago with the Russian visas inserted.

We had no problems at all in Manchester. The visa centre there is only a small room with a few seats for anyone waiting. We arrived soon after their lunch break (with appointment as mentioned in previous post) and there was only one person there, who was being dealt with by one of the two staff. I did hear the other member of staff tell someone who was later enquiring about the system that they do get busy later in the year. We were also told that they are busier in the mornings.

The passports are returned by DX courier. We went to the Manchester visa centre a week last Thursday and were told they would be delivered last Friday (which they did) or Monday (tomorrow). The delivery is trackable and can be delayed if needed, but someone has to be in to sign for them. They could also have been collected from the London of Edinburgh visa centres, but that is not possible in the Manchester one. You may be able to have them delivered to another address as long as someone can sign for them, but not sure about that - so you would need to ask VFS, who were happy to answer questions about our application on the phone.