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WHAT IS A RUSSIAN VISA? Russia is not a part of the European Union and due to this almost all nationalities need to get a special travel permit to Russia, which is called the visa. Russian visa is a sticker, which is glued into your passport and getting the visa takes about 21 days. WHICH NATIONALITIES DO NOT NEED VISA TO RUSSIA? As of 30.8.2012 the following nationalities can travel to Russian without a visa: Argentina, Thailand, Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nicaragua, Macedonia, Montenegro, Venezuela, Turkey, Serbia, Brasilia, Hong Kong, Chile, Israel and Columbia. VISA FREEDOM FOR ALL CRUISE PASSENGERS Only exception with the visa policy are organized group trips those last maximum 72 hours and done by St Peterline line ferry (both ways). If the trip is longer, or if you travel to other Russian cities (such as Moscow or Novogrod) and with other transportation (bus or train) then you need to have a visa. GETTING THE RUSSIAN VISA IN BRIEF 1. Fill up an online visa form (see below the link and instructions) 2. Print out the visa form and sign-­‐it 3. Attach one passport sized photograph to it by paperclip or glue 4. Deliver the documents to the travel meeting held in your school (about 3 weeks prior to the trip, registered participants will receive an invitation to this meeting.) 5. If you cannot attend the meeting, you can mail the documents to our main office in Helsinki (Finland) AIKAMATKAT OY-­‐TIMETRAVELS LTD, PO BOX 126, 00121 HELSINKI. 6. Russian visa documents can also be brought directly to our office in Helsinki or Tampere (Finland). See the addresses and opening hours: http://www.aikamatkat.fi/contact-­‐us-­‐page REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR THE RUSSIAN VISA 1.
A valid travel passport in original – PASSPORT MUST BE VALID AT LEAST 6 MONTHS AFTER THE TRIP. -­‐ Passport is collected at the meeting and you will get it back only on the first day of the trip. (The Russian visa is a sticker, which will be glued onto a passport page) 2.
One passport-­‐standard picture. Please pay attention, that the Russian consulate does NOT accept photocopies, too large or small pictures, self-­‐printed pictures or pictures those are not of passport standard! 3.
Visa application form filled, printed and signed. ATTENTION! The application has to be completed ONLINE via Russian Foreing ministery webpage. You can not fill in the application by hand. Please see instructions below. 4.
NON EU-­‐nationals and citizens of Ireland and United Kingdom -­‐ Required to provided also the following: A.) Non EU citizens (except for UK and Chinese citizens): Certificate of studies in Finland or Sweden (an approval letter or a student certificate given by the student union or registree's office) B.) Copy of your RESIDENCE PERMIT ID CARD C.) Citizens of UK and IRELAND – an extract from the police office or maistraatti (register´s office) stating your registration in Finland or Sweden. The extract should prove that the person has been in Finland/Sweden at least for 90 days before applying for the Russian visa or has a permanent residence permit in Finland/Sweden. D.) Citizens of China – from citizens of China a permanent residence permit in Finland or Sweden is required for applying for the Russian visa in Finland. Without permanent residence permit, it is not possible to apply for a Russian visa. BEFORE FILLING THE ONLINE VISA FORM MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING DATA AT HAND 1.
Your passport number and validity date 2.
Trip dates: (check the full trip dates from your confirmation message) 3.
Name and address of your university in Finland or Sweden (when filling in the form do not use letters ä,ö or å -­‐ replace them with ae, oe and o, for instance Jyvaeskylae (Jyväskylä) Vaexjoe (Växjö) or Lulea (instead of Luleå)) 4.
Your address in Finland or Sweden (when filling in the form do not use letters ä,ö or å -­‐ replace them with ae, oe and o, for instance Vaexjoe (Växjö) or Jyvaeskylae (Jyväskylä) ) 5.
The Name of our medical travel insurance company is FENNIA and policy number is 420-­‐8217173 NB! Please, notice that the visa application form is valid for 1 month in the system of Russian Foreign Ministery and the visa should be applied during this period. Russian visa can be issued maximum 2 months before the planned trip. FILLING INSTRUCTIONS
1)
Go to: https://visa.kdmid.ru
2)
Country: choose the country where the Russian visa will be issued for you: FINLAND - applies also to Swedish applicants
3)
Hint language: choose the instruction language. All the answer must be given in ENGLISH unless you have chosen Russian language.
4)
Instructions: read the instructions through very carefully
5)
check the box “I have read this information”
6)
Select “complete new application form”
SECURITY
• Create a password. This answer is needed later on if you need to correct or reprint the visa application form. NB! Please, use TIMETRAVELS14 as the password. This will
make it possible for our agency or the Russian consulate to correct possible mistakes in the visa application form.
• Enter the writing from picture and press “submit”
APPLICATION ID
Write down your visa application ID and press “next”
VISA DETAILS
Answer the questions accordingly:
HINTS:
• Purpose of visit = TOURISM
• Visa category and type = COMMON TOURIST
• Number of entries = SINGLE
• Date of entry into Russia = First day of the trip (departure from Finland)
• Date of exit from Russia = last day of the trip (arrival back to Finland)
ATTENTION! The Russian visa should be valid during the whole duration of stay in Russia. Please, check the trip dates from your reservation confirmation.
PERSONAL DETAILS
Write information according to your passport – the name information should be exactly as stated in your passport.
PASSPORT DETAILS
Passport number should be announced with all numbers and letters in it.
VISIT DETAILS
All the information has to be provided as given below:
• Name of the host travel company = Polaris, Address of the host travel company = Moscow
• Reference number= 009481
• Invitation number= 000
• Itinerary (places to be visited) = write here the Russian cities you will visit during the trip, Moscow, St Petersburg, Novgorod
• Do you have medical insurance policy valid in Russia? = YES, insurance company = FENNIA policy number 420-­‐8217173
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
You should provide here the study information in Finland or in Sweden (not in your home country).
• Name of employer = the name of the university/school you study in Finland or Sweden
• Work position = STUDENT (or other position)
• Employer address = the address of the university/school you study in Finland or Sweden
• Children under 16 years old traveling with you: NO
• Do you currently have relatives in Russia: this means only close relatives (mother, father, brother, sister) with Russian nationality
APPOINTMENT DETAILS
• Destination name = Visa application center VFS UK (Helsinki)
WHEN YOU HAVE FILLED UP EVERYTHING
1)
Check the application and press “save”
2)
Print the visa application form out with NO SCALING
3)
Put the date and the signature to the application form by hand
4)
Attach the picture and other documents required and bring them to the visa meeting or send to our Helsinki office
COMMON PROBLEMS AND MISTAKES WITH FILLING THE FORM 1. DO NOT USE LETTERS ä, ö, ü etc. or commas, dots, slashes (.;/-­‐_) Otherwise the form does not let you continue completion. 2. Please choose your nationality according to your passport. Do not choose FINLAND unless you have a Finnish passport 3. Fill in your current address and student status information (For instance if you are an exchange student in Finland or Sweden, use the Finnish address or Swedish address when asked for your home address or the address of the university -­‐ NOT those in your home country. 4. Students from USA and UK will have to fill a two-­‐sided document asking information about other places of studies you have attended. Please provide full details to all required fields (address and phone numbers etc.) 5. Make sure you have right travel dates for the visa form. Check the dates from the itinerary or your trip reservation. FILLED SOMETHING WRONG? You can retrieve, modify and reprint your visa form using https://visa.kdmid.ru In order to do so, you will have to use the reference number of your previous visa form and the safety question. If you had any problems, we can try to solve them after the Russian visa meeting or by e-­‐mail. So far all of our passengers have been able to get the Russian visa, if the passport has been valid, in one piece and nothing crazy has been written on the visa form. SENDING DOCUMENTS BY POST Postal delivery is a reliable way of sending the documents, as far as you write the address clearly and use secured letter as delivery method. Delivery time in Finland is one (1) working day and from Sweden about 2-­‐3 working days. POSTAL ADDRESS: AIKAMATKAT OY-­‐TIMETRAVELS LTD, PO BOX 126, 00121 HELSINKI-­‐FINLAND DEADLINE FOR SENDING THE VISA DOCUMENTS -­‐ LATEST BY 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE DEPARTURE (EU NATIONALS) AND 3,5 WEEKS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE (NON-­‐EU NATIONALS) NEED PASSPORT FOR TRAVELING? We have received several inquiries about other travel plans people have had. In some cases we have already agreed about later visa delivery to our office in Finland, but there were some cases those needed longer consideration. The problem is, that even though the Russian consulate in F inland could issue the visa faster, a delay can happen with the delivery by post even though we would use the most expensive services. This is why we suggest NOT to risk with your other travel plans, flight tickets etc. WHAT IF I DO NOT GET THE RUSSIAN VISA? If you will for some reason be rejected your visa application, we will refund your the price of the Russian trip and the visa service (if you have followed our instructions and there was nothing wrong with your passport etc). However, we can’t take any responsibility on consulate’s decisions to process visas longer than 5 working days and we will not be held responsible or liable for compensations, if this will cause you a cancellation of your other travel plans. This is not likely, but in the past 10 years of our experience it has happened a few times. IF YOU HAVE ANY TROUBLES WITH THE VISA FORM Please contact us by e-­‐mail: [email protected] Problems which cannot be solved can be checked latest at the travel meeting or by visiting our office.