Russian Detective

writer · New Member Joined: 08 Jun 2007 Posts: 10

My visa is expiring soon and I was wondering if anyone knows where to go to get it renewed. I can get the invitation from the local language school (who are happy to grant me the invitation since I signed up for the semester-long learn Russian course!), but I need the Visa.

You are not allowed to get a Russian visa while you are in Russia, you have to apply in a different country. I don't want to fly all the way to the US and come back again, just to get the visa. Besides, my renters wouldn't like me showing up and announcing I will be there for a couple of weeks. Surprised

I have some things to do in Simferopol, and I want to get my visa there, in Ukraine. I don't know Kiev, I have never been there, I don't want to go there. I'm sure I'll go to some travel agency and they will say "Yes, we can get you the visa, you are from US? Fee is $500..." Really, what I am looking for is cheap visa, that I can get quick, since I would be in Simferopol for only 7 days.

I could Fedex my passport to the US and ask them to process it, and Fedex it back, but that makes several temporary problems, one, that I don't have my passport with me if I am stopped by the militzia here, two, what if it gets lost? three it's probably illegal anyway, four, with fedex costs and visa costs, it will add up to $500 anyway.

My friend in Yoshkar-Ola, who teaches English, went to Talinn (Estonia?) to get his visa. I don't want to go all the way there, I am in southern Russia, close to Kazahkstan. I have never been to Baltic countries, maybe it's a good idea, but I think to stay in the hotel is expensive, maybe $500 a week?

Any suggestions?

ledsledstar · New Member Joined: 06 May 2007 Posts: 20

seems odd, did you contact us embassy in Moscow if they could advise any help?
seems you may need bundles of $500.00?
wonder how much renters are willing to pay? Twisted Evil

j/k!

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Elena · Site Admin Joined: 24 Jan 2006 Posts: 2000 Location: USA

It is the first time I hear that you need to be outside of Russia to extend your visa.

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writer · New Member Joined: 08 Jun 2007 Posts: 10

Elena wrote:

It is the first time I hear that you need to be outside of Russia to extend your visa.

Yes, it is true.

Even yesterday, when I went to the store to buy bread, they said, "We have no bread." So I asked if they had fish, and they said, "No, not here, across the street is the store where they have no fish." So I asked, "Do you have visa?" and they said "No, you have to go to visa-store to get visa, of course." I said "Where is visa-store?' and they said "I don't know, and why you ask so many questions?"

But you are right, it is possible to extend your visa, I did it last time!

I "extended" my visa last time, when I stupid-stupid-stupid read the date wrong (when will I learn that the DAY comes first, not the MONTH, on the date-stamp) and scheduled my flight for 1 (one!) day after the visa expired. At the airport they refused to let me get on the plane. So I said, "who do I talk to, can I pay a fine?" but all the customs agents had vanished behind a door.

I heard them talking behind the door and when I knocked on the door it became silent. I opened the door, but someone said, "There is no one here."

Finally, a lady from Lufthansa, after I pointed out that Germany is the most wonderful country in the world, called the OVIR office. She reported that the officials were, since I was now an illegal alien, going to draft me into the Russian Army and send me to Chechnya.

No, really, I had to go to OVIR to get a 10-day extension on the visa, so I re-scheduled my flight to leave in 10 days. My employees were surprised to see me in the office next day - ha, ha, they thought they were going to goof off while the boss is in America.

So we went to the police station, and arranged for an interview, so I could confess to my crime - overstaying my visa. Then we had to go to the official police bank, but they were closed, since it was Tuesday, to pay the fine, and come back to the police station, but they were closed, since it was Wednesday, to get document, and back to OVIR, but they were closed on Thursday and Friday, and finally, I got the OVIR stamp, just in time to catch the plane, 9 days later, it was waiting impatiently for me.

So, it is possible to get a visa extension while you are still in Russia, but only if you like possibly extending your tourist visit into Chechnya...

kaka · Contributor Joined: 18 Jun 2007 Posts: 325

The short answer is that it is possible!!

This is however a little more complex than most realise.

Visas applications need to be made from where you have residency and a lot depends on the original application and what residency or permission to remain followed from that.

There is also a big difference in status between permission to remain and residency, PTR is a period of time you may stay there based on certain conditions flowing from your visa. You may not have residency and therefore may not be able to apply for a reentry visa from there.

Other possible reasons

What was your original visa application for?
Were you granted a short term visa [C class] or a longer one. Short visas are always difficult to extend from inside a country.

Is your status changing? ie did you enter on a visitor/ student visa and now seek to change your reason for being there, if so most cuntries require you do this from where you are legally resident. It may be possible to try to get a new visa from Finland or another non visa reqd country but the embassy there has discretion over whether to accept the application as you have no residency there.

Each case differs and without exact data there are many possible perms

You could pm me if you want to get more info on your situation

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