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Obtaining my Russian visa...question.
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sohniye



Joined: 15 Mar 2011
Posts: 90

PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 10:06 pm    Post subject: Obtaining my Russian visa...question. Reply with quote

Hi everyone,

I am seeking just a bit of advice from other American teachers who had to jump through the visa hoops. I want to see if my understanding of the situation is correct.

I am waiting for my degree and other paper to return with an apostille. Once I receive those I am supposed to send them to Russia, so my invitation letter can be processed.

When returned to me I can then send my visa application, payment, and passport to my relevant embassy.

I am a little worried about sending my passport away in the mail. According to my advisor this whole proccess could take around two months.

What has your experience been?

Thank you Smile
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spiral78



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

PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 10:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's pretty standard procedure to send your passport off to an embassy for a visa to be added. Mine had to be courier-ed to Toronto a few years back when I needed a Russian visa, and I've also gone through this process for visas to other countries.

Normally, it takes a relatively short time for the Embassy to process your visa and return your passport (mine's never been gone more than 10 days max). If you don't want to pay for courier service (my Russian employer handled all costs in my case), then for sure you want to send it via registered and insured post.
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Sashadroogie



Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise

PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 5:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The sending of your degrees to Russia so as to get the letter of invitation is new to me. Are you sure this is what you need to do? Normally, qualification documents need to be submitted to the embassy when applying for the visa itself. I'd be more concerned about that step than sending your passport to the Russian Embassy in the US
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smithrn1983



Joined: 23 Jul 2010
Posts: 320
Location: Moscow

PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 11:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I also didn't know you had to send apostilled copies of your degree to get a letter of invitation. This was not the case when I applied for my visa.

Also, check with the embassy, or consulate, in the U.S. before sending them your passport. Last I checked you have to use a specific courier service for this, or they won't accept your documents. Your other option, of course, is to take your application documents and passport to the embassy or consulate in person, which is what I did.

From the time you drop off your documents at the embassy, it takes less than a month for you to be issued your visa, and it can be done in three days if you pay for expedited processing.
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mackayscanland



Joined: 15 Mar 2009
Posts: 39

PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 6:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sohniye,
I am starting to research this and you need to google CIBT!!!
Quote:

Once I receive those I am supposed to send them to Russia, so my invitation letter can be processed.

No way!!!

You will need the letter of invitation from your employer first, then the process starts.

Quote:
When returned to me I can then send my visa application, payment, and passport to my relevant embassy.

Do not send anything to the embassy as they will just send it back!

There are three agencies that are used, and I will be using CIBT.
I would advise on doing the same and of course if anyone has any more on this, please rsvp!

Mac Cool [/quote]
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Americanartistist



Joined: 15 Oct 2011
Posts: 31

PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 7:24 pm    Post subject: There have been some recent changes in laws about teachers Reply with quote

I have been here since 2003, so I try keep an eye on things like this. One of the new laws passed last August is every teacher must provide a clean police record for here in Russia, I assume expats will also have to provide a clean record for the police where ever they come from (US teachers will be required to provide a report from the FBI now). Russians are starting to get strict with degree qualifications, so the school may very well want to see a official diploma with the necessary stamps to make it legit so it can be checked out before issuing an invitation.

I know in the past schools have been lax in verifying diplomas and certificates, however I think this will be changing. I have heard that schools now can be fined and lose their license to operate if they do not start verifying if the degree and certification is legit or not.

This is only what I have heard from students I have with connections in the Duma, maybe true, maybe not, in the past their info has been reliable.

I have been following this forum since before I moved to Moscow and used to be a member, but my computer screwed up and I lost all my passwords. I was working at 4 different schools at one time when I first came here, so that really left little free time for looking at forums. I have permanent residence which is not as hard as some think it is and I now have my PIE (private individual entrepreneur) registration, so when I work for a school now, they sign my contract instead of me having to sign my life away with their contract. However, enough about me,

I do think there are some serious changes coming in the private education field and if what I have heard about BKC now requiring all teachers to provide background checks from the police here in Moscow, I think that could be taken as a sign of these changes coming about because BKC hardly ever checked anything before.

I think it would depend on the school requesting your diploma as to if this is legit or not, is it one of the bigger Mcfranchise operations or one of the smaller Russian owned jobs? I have worked with a couple of the Mcfranchise operations and many of the Russian operations and in my opinion the smaller Russian schools are the best, but I do not work for just anybody, so I know how to check these schools out.

Best of luck
JD
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sohniye



Joined: 15 Mar 2011
Posts: 90

PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 9:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you everyone, your insight helps a lot! Very Happy

I am not sure if anyone else had to go through my particular embassy but it's worth asking. Did anyone else have issues with getting in contact with their embassy, namely the one in Seattle?

Maybe I am freaking out but since the visa and procedural rules seem to change frequently but I cannot seem to get anyone on the phone---so I sent them an email three days ago and still no answer.

Did anyone else experience this? Did anyone else find that they needed to send their applications to a councilate other than the one they are (were) assigned to?
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Americanartistist



Joined: 15 Oct 2011
Posts: 31

PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 7:02 am    Post subject: The last time I delt with the Russian embassy Reply with quote

was in 2003, at that time everything could be done by email, now it has to be done eith in person or by a registered representative. You have to understand visa issuance is a low priority for every embassy. So issues like this are put on the back burner, it is always best to visit any embassy in person or have somebody do it on your behalf. Too bad Biden when he was in Russia last turned down Russia's offer to do away with visas between the US and Russia, sure would have made things a lot easier. But take a look at the embassy web page, at least the one located in Washington is pretty clear about visa requirements and issues, or it was the last time I looked. Do not get discouraged, this is only a taste of the government hoop jumping you will have to do here, however, everything usually works out for those who do not give up.
JD


Last edited by Americanartistist on Fri Oct 21, 2011 7:12 am; edited 1 time in total
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Sashadroogie



Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise

PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 7:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't know if this is fully relevant to the topic at hand, but I think it is worth reminding posters that nearly all visa application forms have first to be submitted online these days and then printed off and sent to the visa office with other docs. Nothing more soul-destroying than to arrive at the nearest embassy early in the morning only to discover that you needed to have submitted online and in advance.

I presume this is the same procedure in the US.
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Sashadroogie



Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise

PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 7:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Payment of visa fees usually needs to be done electronically too. No more cash through the window. Again, needs to be done in advance of trip to the embassy...
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Americanartistist



Joined: 15 Oct 2011
Posts: 31

PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 7:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In the US, you now fill out the application online and then print it out, this form has to be turned in either in person or by a representative registered to do this with the embassy, along with the required supporting documentation. I assume a copy of what is filled out online is kept by the embassy. Back it 2003, I just downloaded a pdf form, filled it out, printed it and mailed everything back, but now in the US, everything has to be done either in person or by a representative. Thank goodness I no longer have to worry about visas.
JD
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smithrn1983



Joined: 23 Jul 2010
Posts: 320
Location: Moscow

PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 7:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sashadroogie wrote:
Payment of visa fees usually needs to be done electronically too. No more cash through the window. Again, needs to be done in advance of trip to the embassy...


I paid my last fee at the window at the consulate on the morning I arrived. Cashier's check or money order only. Also, I apparently printed out and filled in the wrong form. The margins had changed and I needed to use a different form. Fortunately, I was able to fill one out at the consulate with no problems at all. Nothing was done online for me.
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Americanartistist



Joined: 15 Oct 2011
Posts: 31

PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 11:18 am    Post subject: I also recommend Reply with quote

that you date everything using the European style of dating documents, day/month/year instead of the US form of dates, not that would be a problem in the US, but the sooner you get use to this form of dating documents, the better. I remember when I applied for my residence, I used the US style of dates and it made it through the approval chain until it reached the final person who refused to approve it because I used the US form of dating.

I have also learned to always download. fill out and print all forms so that you are covered. When I applied for my PIE, I was told to use a different form by everybody I talked to in the Russian tax office. I finally just downloaded all three forms, filled them out and then when I went to register, I was covered. Bureaucracy is everything in this country, never take anybody's word for anything in the government, everybody will tell you something different, you have to be prepared, so I always download all forms, usually it is no more than three, fill them out and print them, then more than likely you will have the form you need.

I paid by personal check, but then I also was able to mail in everything at that time. I know here in Moscow, I have noticed that government offices are now requiring proof of payment before they will process applications. When I applied for my PIE I had to provide a receipt from the bank showing that I had paid the fee, so it could be that the Russian embassy now requires advance payment, but I kind of think that now you have to apply in person or by representative, you may be able to pay when you turn in your paperwork.
JD
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PeterBar



Joined: 20 Jul 2006
Posts: 145
Location: La France profonde

PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 6:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Take a bottle of decent brandy with you and present it to the person who tells you that there's a problem.

If you know that you'll be meeting a woman take a bottle of good perfume as a gift.
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smithrn1983



Joined: 23 Jul 2010
Posts: 320
Location: Moscow

PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 4:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

PeterBar wrote:
Take a bottle of decent brandy with you and present it to the person who tells you that there's a problem.

If you know that you'll be meeting a woman take a bottle of good perfume as a gift.


Ahhhhhhh, the time honoured Russian traditions!
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