Korean Job Discussion Forums

Tony_Balony · Joined: 12 Apr 2007

Russia Travel - when you get a visa, you are supposed to have reservations made at the hotels you are staying at.

Do the agents really check if I really stay at that hotel?

I will be in Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Irkutsk, Moscow or St. Pete. do I really have to register everyday witht he authorities?

Tony_Balony · Joined: 12 Apr 2007

oskinny1 · Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Location: Right behind you!

I think this has just never been changed from the ol' Red days. From what I hear (and what you already answered) nobody really checks, but at the border you may need to show your invite.

davai! · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Location: Kuwait

Every time you stay in a hotel, they will stamp your entry card, that is your de facto registration. Sounds like you will take the train, keep those stubs, that is your proof that you didn't need to register, b/c you were in transit.

You don't really need to stay at the same hotel you got your invite from, you can just stay anywhere.

The only "authorities" that will care are the border guards on your exit, and the Moscow cops, who can be thwarted by handing them your passport with, say 200-300 rubles in it.

Only Moscow has a law in place that the cops can stop you and ask you for your documents. In reality, the federal law forbids that.

Do watch your back in Petersburg on the subway. Many tourists have been pickpocketed in the crowd.

Good luck.

chris_J2 · Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Location: From Brisbane, Au.

The rule is that if you stay 3 nights in one place, you need to pay about $10US to register your visa (I made the mistake that this was a 'one-off' payment). I travelled from Irkutsk (I'd paid the visa rego there & stayed 4 nights) to Vladivostok in July, & kept all my train tickets, as proof of transit. Vladivostok & Khabarovsk were the only places that demanded to see a visa registration. In Khabarovsk, I simply went to another Hotel. In Vladivostok, they initially wanted an extra $20 US for visa rego, but in the end they simply stamped the visa for me free of charge, because I'd paid several thousand roubles for 4 nights. As Vladivostok will be your 1st entry point, & hotels were almost all booked out, I'd recommend you get the visa registered / hotel booking done by email asap. By law, you must register the visa within 3 days of arrival in Russia. Oh, & take a staple or 2 to attach the loose visa rego document to your passport, so you don't lose it. Russians I spoke to raved about St Petersburg, but weren't fussed on Moscow.

Tony_Balony · Joined: 12 Apr 2007

TY for the assistance.

There is a medical insurance requirement on the visa form. How did you satisfy that?

Expeditied visa processing by the consulate in Seoul. Is it same day or 24 hours. What does 24 hours mean in this regard?

TY

Tony_Balony · Joined: 12 Apr 2007

This part of the trip is turnign out to be lame. Vlad is ugly and remakable and expensive yet I am obsessed with visiting the most forlorn. Sometimes places that are off the beaten path are that way because they just suck.

chris_J2 · Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Location: From Brisbane, Au.

Khabarovsk & Kommsomolsk na Amur are better. Have you been up to the lookout in Vlad yet?

Tony_Balony · Joined: 12 Apr 2007

No, I'm on the verge of not going. The ferry leaves Tuesday and I can still be on that. I found some faires to Kiev for W1,000,000.
My travel time is truncated by family matters

I could get to Vlad and do the homeless thing until the train leaves at noon. That gets me to Kharborovsk at 2 AM. @$#%@

Its supposed to be nicer there. I don't have 2 days for the train so I was gonna fly to Irkutsk and then to St Pete. I think I'm gonna pass and have a calming 2 weeks in Europe.

I want more time but the season is over. sigh.

Tony_Balony · Joined: 12 Apr 2007

Yep I'm going to the Ukraine. I'll be in Kiev at 10:30 Wednesday night.
Yippee.

chris_J2 · Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Location: From Brisbane, Au.

I just hope you don't glow in the dark when you get home. Isn't Chernobyl near Kiev?

Tony_Balony · Joined: 12 Apr 2007

Yes, Chernobyl is near Kiev. Kiev Hasn't been evacuated nor are there any warnings and I'll only be there a few days.

But hey!

I'm going on a Ukrainian Bride dating tour!

I have a date with Irina who is cheeful, optimistic and romantic. Irina looks great with bright red lip gloss.

I have a date with Oksanna who is romantic, cheerful and optimistic. Oksanna looks great in red lip gloss. She's a dentist too!

Then I have to go on a train so I can visit yet another Irina-

davai! · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Location: Kuwait

You can take a tour to Chernobyl! An afternoon there is nothing to worry about radiation-wise.

I really regret not doing that when I was in the Ukraine.

Should cost about $100 US

whatthefunk · Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Location: Dont have a clue

okay, heres what you do. go to this site: http://www.waytorussia.net/. on the right hand side, you will see a visa support button. click on there and follow all the instructions. be sure that your dates and everything are exact as they cant be changed later. they will email you an invitation (it costs $30 US i think...). you need to bring this invitation to the russian embassy when you apply for your visa.

once you are in russia, you need to register your visa by staying in a hotel at your port of entry. so, if you enter into vladivostok, you will need to spend a night there so that your visa can be registered. this is very important.

you should register your visa every couple of days after that. you do not need to do it everywhere you stop, just every few days. you really dont need to do it at all, but when you leave the county, you could be asked a lot of questions about where the hell you have been if you have no registration stamps.

its pretty straight forward and not to much of a hassel. the web site i recommended is awesome. they have great customer service and are very quick.