Before You Go - Money Matters - En Route - Avoiding Crime - Health - A Few Useful Addresses And Phone Numbers

Breathing room. Give yourself plenty of time to obtain your visa. If your travel agent is arranging this, make sure the agency has all your information at least a month before you plan to depart, if not more. If you are traveling independently, make sure you have your visa invitation and application sent in at least a month before you need to go, in case there are any problems. You can, of course, get visas in a rush when necessary same day service is even possible now at the Russian embassy, but you will pay quite a bit extra.

Survival Kit. Pack a small carry-on with enough clothes and toiletries to survive for 24 hours after you arrive. Airport theft is up and bags do get lost and re-routed. Don't let either eventuality drag your trip down. And don't check soft-sided luggage if you can help it. Instead, take hard-sided luggage that has locks.

Cheaper by the dozen. Take along some spare passport photos for that "worst case" or in case you need to get a visa for another country or some other important document.

Avoid surprises. If you are traveling independently, confirm hotel reservations in advance, by fax or telex, if at all possible. Your travel agent should also be able to do this for you too.

Gift giving. Take along some nice, small business gifts if you are traveling to Russia on business: embossed lighters, pens, key chains, DeKalb seed hats, whatever fits the bill.

Don't worry about strange looks. Stop at your pharmacy before leaving and pick up some disposable needles. Put them in your carry-on right next to your traveler's checks. Basic antibiotics are also recommended.

What else to bring. Our Russia Survival Guide has a complete listing of 25 health and personalitems we suggest you take along. Certainly we cannot list them all here. Some of the most important things are: prescription and over-the-counter medicines you suspect you might need; Pepto-Bismol and/or Immodium; small tube of laundry soap; a photocopy of your passport and visa, kept separate from the originals; aspirin; antibiotics; a spare roll of toilet paper.

Russian visa support for foreign citizens

1. TOURIST INVITATION LETTER:
Single entry visa for up to 30 days
with hotel booking $35
without hotel booking $50
Time needed to aquire support 3 working days

2. BUSINESS INVITATION LETTER:
a/ Single entry visa for up to 3 months
(with fixed dates of visit to Russia) $65
b/ Double entry visa for up to 3 months
(with fixed dates of visit to Russia) $75
Time needed to aquire support 15 working days
c/ Multiple entry visa for up to 6 months $150
d/ Multiple entry visa for up to 12 months $190
Time needed to aquire support 30 working days

3. RUSSIAN VISA PROLONGING

4. REGISTRATION OF RUSSIAN VISA
(in the local UVIR)
Necessary documents: your passport copy.
We would like to ask you to indicate the Russian Embassy adress, where you will apply for your Russian visa.

Visa refusal is subject to the loss of $15 of the visa costs!

Before You Go - Money Matters - En Route - Avoiding Crime - Health - A Few Useful Addresses And Phone Numbers