Job Discussion Forums

revilo · Joined: 05 Oct 2013 Posts: 181 Location: Mos Eisley

I am Yank with desire to see Russia. My invitation comes fm school owner who arranged humanitarian visa to teach summer school. When I go online, I get confusing info about type of visa and purpose.
Should I just forget online application & print visa appli. and send it to Russian embassy in Riyadh? I hear DHL is reliable and embassy can crank it out in 3 days if I pay extra. the downside is that my passport travels around KSA without me. I will pay return postage.
Confused

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Dear revilo:

As Yank with desire to see Russia, you will fit right in- they have small understanding of or patience for inconsequential pesky things like articles!

On the visa thing, I do project work in Russia on a fairly regular basis. Why isn't the school owner dealing with your visa application? That sounds rather dodgy....

Best,
spiral

revilo · Joined: 05 Oct 2013 Posts: 181 Location: Mos Eisley

Owner wishes to avoid paying teacher wages with humanitarian visa. Russia forbids payment to hum wisa holders. The upside is 3 weeks room & board in beautiful Siberia. I wish to see if I can avoid returning to states for as long as possible. Nothing but riots & mayhem scheduled for summer & fall.

Also wish to see what Euro country looks like without kebabs. Nothing but kebabs here. Twisted Evil

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

They're still fairly popular, just called something different:-) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shashlik

Siberia's not exactly 'Euro,' except strictly in geographic terms; I wouldn't discuss Euro membership there:-) But I do sympathize with wishing to stay out of the States, being very thankful myself I have no trips scheduled there in the foreseeable future and will be casting my vote safely from my expatriate stronghold in central Europe.

Good luck with your humanitarian visa. Still sounds pretty dodgy....keep us posted on how that goes!

revilo · Joined: 05 Oct 2013 Posts: 181 Location: Mos Eisley

First stop is St. Petersburg for 1 week. See the sights. Kebab decompression. Then on to Siberia.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Travel agents within Saudi routinely act as "fixers" for visas. Ask around and you will get one who will do the paperwork for you.

revilo · Joined: 05 Oct 2013 Posts: 181 Location: Mos Eisley

Just so you know. I sent them my passport and now I have to go to Riyadh and pick it up. I can travel with my iqama in the Big Sandbox, but I need my passport to leave the Big Sandbox (or BS for short).

It does save me the aggravation of traveling to Siberia & teaching for nothing. My self-esteem is saved, but I lost a grand on hotels & tours.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

No understand ! You explain me teacher !

revilo · Joined: 05 Oct 2013 Posts: 181 Location: Mos Eisley

I mistakenly thought the Russian embassy would return the passport if I paid for return postage.

Russian embassy said "No can do" In the meantime, my company decided to sit on my iqama renewal and I waited about a month for them to return it.

I can't travel in KSA without my iqama and I can't enter a foreign country without my passport.

Lesson: if you apply for Russian visa, take off 1 week from work and fly to Riyadh to deliver application & passport personally.