Russian Visa

Hi,

I have sent inquiries to both travel companies and the Russian consulate office but I am wondering if anyone here knows the answer to my question.

I will be on a cruise that stops in St Petersburg for 3 days. I am told that if I take an excursion with a tour group (either via the cruise line or independent) that I am exempt from the visa requirement. Is this true for everyone? The other person going with me is a Taiwanese citizen but holds a green card.

You yourself are covered by your tour group, whether you booked it thru the ship or through an authorized tour company.

You yourself are covered by your tour group, whether you booked it thru the ship or through an authorized tour company.

Yes, but is this valid for only US citizens or for all cruise ship passengers regardless of citizenship?

Hi,

 

I have sent inquiries to both travel companies and the Russian consulate office but I am wondering if anyone here knows the answer to my question.

 

I will be on a cruise that stops in St Petersburg for 3 days. I am told that if I take an excursion with a tour group (either via the cruise line or independent) that I am exempt from the visa requirement. Is this true for everyone? The other person going with me is a Taiwanese citizen but holds a green card.

I think that saying you'd be exempt from the visa requirement is over stating or over simplifying the situation.

If you book with either the ship or with a private tour company, those organizations will take care of the paperwork that will let you enter St. Petersburg. For this convenience, you give up independence. You will not be allowed to wander the streets on your own unless you actually have gotten a tourist visa from a Russian consulate. If you want to shop, you must schedule shopping time with your tour guide. Ditto for dinner in a restaurant. Ditto for going to a ballet. However, if you have a Russian visa, obtained from a Russian consulate, you can go anywhere and do anything you want without an escort.

Having once applied for a Russian visa, I can tell you it is not a fun process. However, as a visitor on a river cruise, I had no alternative. Ocean going cruise passengers have a choice and most of us choose to tour with the ship or with a private tour company. But I think it is overstating the situation to say this group is exempt. You'll be asked to provide your passport number and lots of identifying personal data (e.g. birthday). The tour company submits this to the Russian authorities at least two weeks in advance of the visit.

This answer applies to US citizens. I'm guessing that as long as your travel companion will be traveling using his/her Taiwanese passport, the visa rules for Taiwan will apply. Emphasis on the word "guessing." I just noticed you are posting from Washington DC. I'd head on over to the Russian consulate, wait in line and ask the question in person. Question does the Taiwanese person live in DC, too? I ask because the previous time when I got my own visa I overheard the most ridiculous conversation at the DC Russian consulate. A young lady was in from Pennsylvania visiting relatives and decided to use her visit to deal with her visa. The Russian authorities refused to process her application. It seems that the Russians have assigned Pennsylvania residents to the NY Consulate office so they would do nothing.

Yes, but is this valid for only US citizens or for all cruise ship passengers regardless of citizenship?

That's a good question. In theory it should be valid for anyone who has a valid passport that enables them to get on the ship. But, as Russia can be different, best to have your friend check directly with the cruise line.

Yes, but is this valid for only US citizens or for all cruise ship passengers regardless of citizenship?

Russia has different visa agreements with different nations. Here's an excerpt from a web page that lists all the bi-lateral visa agreements involving Russia.

Group 1

Citizens of the countries of the CIS (the Commonwealth of Independent States) are permitted to stay in the Russian Federation for up to 90 days without a visa.

Countries: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine.

Group 2

Citizens of these countries are allowed to stay in the Russian Federation without a visa for up to 90 days in each 180-day period, provided they will not be involved in any commercial or work-related activities during their stay.

Countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Israel, Nicaragua, Peru, Venezuela.

Group 3

Citizens of the countries in this group can stay in the Russian Federation for up to 30 days without a visa. They are not entitled to work while in Russia.

Countries: Cuba, Montenegro, Serbia (with biometric passport), Thailand, Turkey (total amount of days in Russia not exceeding 90 in each 180-day period), Hong Kong (up to 14 days).

Group 4

Citizens of these Balkan countries can also stay in Russia without a visa for up to 30 days, but must also show tourist documents (tourist confirmation and tourist voucher) or an official invitation to immigration officials.

Countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia.

http://www.saint-petersburg.com/russian-visa/visa-free-travel/

Thank you everyone. I understand that the exemption only applies as long as I leave the ship with the tour group, stay with the tour group, and return back to the ship with the tour group. I did some more digging and it appears that there is a 72 hour policy where cruise passengers can visit St Petersburg without a visa provided that I sleep on the ship and accompanied by the tour guide when I'm off the ship.

The visa-free arrangements are exactly the same, whether you book with the ship or with one of the accredited local operators.

PNN's posts have perhaps over-emphasised some factors ........

Yes, you are under the auspices of your guide. But most folk on guided tours hang with their guide anyway - getting the background of what you're seeing, asking questions, understanding how the locals live, timing your day, are all part of having a guide.

On a private tour, some guides are happy to give you free time to wander among the shops etc & arrange to meet you later. I think its a matter of how each guide interprets the regulations.

If you book an evening at the ballet, a restaurant, the folklore show, etc, your guide will deliver you & collect you. You are not under their watchful eye for the evening.

You don't have to provide "lots of identifying personal data". You'll be asked to provide only the information that's on your passport, plus of course your e-mail address.

PNN's list of countries exempt from usual visa requirements is perhaps a bit of a red herring, it is irrelevant to those who are visiting by cruise ship & taking a visa-free tour with an accredited tour operator. All it confirms is that Taiwanese citizens are no better-placed than Americans.

As happens with a number of other countries' government websites, it is difficult to find a govt reference to the visa-free concession to cruise passengers.

But here are some useful web pages:

http://www.russiavisa.com/visafreeentry.htm

http://www.visitrussia.com/visafreeentry.htm

http://www.stpeterline.com/en/Goodtoknow/Visafreerule.aspx

If you hunt the web you'll find more, certainly the websites of St Petersburg tour operators.

The visa-free arrangement certainly doesn't apply only to Americans.

Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, Canadians, Indians & others have taken those visa-free. tours.

And none of those websites mentions the nationalities of cruise ship passengers.

So it's looking good for your Taiwanese passport-holder. :)

You have several options to check about that Taiwanese passport:

The cruise line. Don't expect an accurate answer, visa requirements aren't a strong point of cruise line head offices. In fact you may be told that only those on ship's tours can take a tour visa-free - and that's downright wrong. :rolleyes:

The Russian embassy. You might think that the most guaranteed to give you the correct answer. But CC members who've asked have tended to know more than the person they've asked !!

With either of those, if you're told that the Taiwanese passport-holder cannot enter visa-free, ask whether you as an American citizen can enter visa-free. If you get the same negative answer you'll know that the information is duff.

A St Petersburg tour operator. Such as Alla Tours, TJ Travel, Best Guides, SPB Tours. They are experienced in dealing with the visa-free regulations, & their advice is far more likely to be accurate than any CC member, or an employee of your cruise line, or even a Russian embassy employee.

An e-mail to one of those tour operators should give you the accurate answer that you need. They usually respond within 24 hours.

JB :)

IMPORTANT PS. As an America citizen you don't need a visa to visit countries of the EU.

But your Taiwanese companion probably will.

Many EU countries are signatories of the "Schengen Agreement", You can travel freely between any of those countries, there are no borders between them. But if, as I suspect, the visit to St Petersburg is between visits to other Schengen countries, your companion will need a multi-entry Schengen visa - a single-entry Schengen visa will expire when you visit Russia. That's a mistake that a CC member made.

http://www.schengenvisainfo.com/

Of the 3 resources listed by John Bull to which you could ask your question, I would choose to ask the St. Petersburg tour company. They do this stuff ALL THE TIME and since their livelihood depends on getting people ashore for tours, they are going to know how to do it correctly.

We did a tour with ALLA tours last month and they were excellent in the speed in which they answered the questions I had before booking with them.

You don't have to provide "lots of identifying personal data". You'll be asked to provide only the information that's on your passport, plus of course your e-mail address.

There was another thread about the variability of the information asked for by different tour companies. We were asked for our home address, our home phone number, and, as you've mentioned, our email addresses, all information that I consider identifying personal data. This extra information did not appear on the ticket that got presented at passport control, but was part of the submission to the Russian authorities prior to our arrival. In the thread, some people mentioned that this personal information actually did appear on their tour ticket. So we'll agree to disagree on how much identifying personal data is required and how it gets handled.

PNN's list of countries exempt from usual visa requirements is perhaps a bit of a red herring, it is irrelevant to those who are visiting by cruise ship & taking a visa-free tour with an accredited tour operator. All it confirms is that Taiwanese citizens are no better-placed than Americans.

I think the crux of the matter is that you and I are using the phrase visa free somewhat differently. Citizens of the four groups of countries I listed can show up at a Russian port or airport without any prior administrative activity. As a result of bi-lateral arrangements, citizens of these countries don't have travel under the auspices of a licensed tour company and they don't need to apply for independent tourist visas. The conditions for a visit from a citizen of any of the countries I listed bear no resemblance to the conditions under which "Americans, Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, Canadians, Indians & others" visit Russia.

I think that the phrase "visa-free" as applied to "Americans, Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, Canadians, Indians & others" is frankly technically inaccurate. As ocean vessel passengers, we're allowed to enter because our guides are licensed and authorized to escort tourists. There's paperwork on us in the Russian system, initiated by our Russian tour guides; they've done all the work on our behalf so it feels as if we're entering visa free.

... As happens with a number of other countries' government websites, it is difficult to find a govt reference to the visa-free concession to cruise passengers.

But here are some useful web pages:

http://www.russiavisa.com/visafreeentry.htm

Reading this web site highlights the way people are using words in contradictory ways.

Follow that link and you'll come to a web page titled "Visa Free Entry." Visa. Free. Entry. Sounds fairly straightforward. That is until you come to the second paragraph and read the following, "Such companies will supply you with a tour ticket, which is called a blanket visa A blanket visa is not visa free. Effort free to the cruiser, but not legally or technically visa free.

http://www.visitrussia.com/visafreeentry.htm

This web site says the exact same thing: "the tour ticket is our blanket visa."

http://www.stpeterline.com/en/Goodtoknow/Visafreerule.aspx

This web site simply muddies the water again, by repeating the phrase visa free without clarifying that the tour ticket is a blanket visa.

From a marketing point of view, visa free certainly has more panache! For prospective cruisers who are trying to understand their rights and their options, it's not such a useful phrase as evidenced by the amount of verbiage John Bull and I have needed to reach this point in the discussion.

Hi PNN,

Won't disagree with the first paragraph of your penultimate post.

Our tour operator didn't ask for any further info such as home addresses, so I doubt it's required by immigration. But regulations change over time so mebbe one of us is out-of-date. Or mebbe it's for some other purpose.

Yes, citizens of the countries you listed can indeed visit visa-free with no prior arrangements and without the conditions imposed on cruise visitors. Such bi-lateral arrangements are common throughout the world.

My point was that the list is irrelevant to the OP or to pretty-well any other member of CC, and serves only to detract from the more-relevant parts of your post.

In most circumstances it makes no real difference whether a visit is with a supplied visa or is visa-free. It's a pedantic point, so others might wish to stop reading before their eyes glaze over :D.

But the phrase "visa-free" for cruise passengers is entirely technically-correct - it's not "just how it feels".

There is no visa, "blanket" or otherwise.

It's visa-free.

Yes, I too see plenty of mentions of tours "including a visa", of "group visas", of "blanket visas", of "a visa incorporated in your tour ticket" etc.

But cruise passengers are not provided with a visa. Cruisers using an accredited tour operator do not need a visa.

It's not the stpeterline ferry website that muddies the water by failing to mention "blanket visa", the muddying is by websites which use erroneous terms like that.

So I've had to dig into the Russian govt website to prove my point.

Here's the Russian Federation decree which provides the facility for cruise passengers to visit without a visa.

https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.co.uk&sl=ru&u=http://www.rg.ru/2003/09/03/kruizinostrantsy.html&usg=ALkJrhi9C8YfmeC3kv3j1mntMiocmlqSQw

It very clearly says that no visa is required.

No, I don't speak the language :o, it's a googletranslation, but it certainly proves the point.

These govt websites also correctly use the term "visa-free" and make no mention of a "blanket visa":

http://moscow.usembassy.gov/russian-visas.html

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/russia/entry-requirements

https://www.sydneyrussianconsulate.com/en/visa-section/tourist-visa.html

And even Cruise Critic's own page mentions visiting without a visa.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/ports/newport.cfm?ID=73

Finally, this isn't a govt website, it's a tour operator. But it's very clear & concise.

http://www.guide-guru.com/russian-visa-cruise/

Appreciated that by looking at a range of websites it's difficult to figure which are correct - whether cruisers' visits are visa-free, or are under some special visa.

But you've backed the wrong horse.

Regards

JB :)

GSkimmel - I made the point that nationalities of passengers weren't mentioned on any of the websites.

The same applies to that Russian govt decree which created the visa-free facility. So it's looking even better for your Taiwanese companion :)

My point was that the list is irrelevant to the OP or to pretty-well any other member of CC, and serves only to detract from the more-relevant parts of your post.

We'll agree to disagree on this point as well. Group 2 countries includes the following: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Israel, Nicaragua, Peru, Venezuela. I know for a fact that the passengers on our ship included citizens from those countries. As such, our cruise director felt the information about bilateral-agreement countries was important enough that he mentioned those countries and regulations when he read the passport/visa instructions prior to arriving in St. Petersburg. Does he make the same announcement if the passenger manifest doesn't include citizens from the bi-lateral agreement countries? Logic says no, but he did mention those regulations on our cruise so I took my cue from him when posting.

In most circumstances it makes no real difference whether a visit is with a supplied visa or is visa-free. It's a pedantic point, so others might wish to stop reading before their eyes glaze over :D.

I think that understanding the situation fully -- even if you believe that I'm being pedantic -- gives one the courage necessary when the scare emails start arriving from the cruise lines trying to drum up business for the ship-sponsored excursions in St. Petersburg.

Happily, we agree on the most important fact: Visitors using the services of a private licensed tour company do not need to apply for a tourist visa at the Russian consulate.

We'll agree to disagree on this point as well. Group 2 countries includes the following: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Israel, Nicaragua, Peru, Venezuela. I know for a fact that the passengers on our ship included citizens from those countries. As such, our cruise director felt the information about bilateral-agreement countries was important enough that he mentioned those countries and regulations when he read the passport/visa instructions prior to arriving in St. Petersburg. Does he make the same announcement if the passenger manifest doesn't include citizens from the bi-lateral agreement countries? Logic says no, but he did mention those regulations on our cruise so I took my cue from him when posting.

 

 

 

I think that understanding the situation fully -- even if you believe that I'm being pedantic -- gives one the courage necessary when the scare emails start arriving from the cruise lines trying to drum up business for the ship-sponsored excursions in St. Petersburg.

 

Happily, we agree on the most important fact: Visitors using the services of a private licensed tour company do not need to apply for a tourist visa at the Russian consulate.

Hi again,

Your para 1.

An announcement by the captain was way too late to be of use to any citizen of those countries - they will have already made their tour arrangements, so it will only have served to confirm what any of them might have already known.

Now if only staff at cruise line head offices were as knowledgeable or efficient as your captain .................. :rolleyes:

Your para 2.

Being pedantic is no big deal, I'm often more guilty than you. ;)

What galled was being told that I'm wrong when I'm right, hence my persistence in finding that Russian govt. decree.

And yes, cruise lines incorrectly saying- sometimes by misleading phraseology & sometimes by downright lies - that you need either a ship's tour or a visa, is something folk should be aware of.

Your para 3.

Yep, that's the important thing.

Plenty of folk think that their tour operator fixed their visa rather than that the visa requirement was waived for cruise passengers.

But it makes no odds - the result is the same. :)

JB :)

para 1.

An announcement by the captain was way too late to be of use to any citizen of those countries - they will have already made their tour arrangements, so it will only have served to confirm what any of them might have already known.

We're both irritating one another in our exchanges. I include information about the regulations for citizens of countries with bi-lateral agreements in posts 6 and 10 and you inform me that what I've written is irrelevant to the readers on CC. Now, you're telling me that bi-lateral cruisers need to know their visa information in advance of their arrival. Why do you think I posted that information in the first place? Answer: to help readers learn, in advance, what they need to know.

I've made all the points I want to make on this thread. I'll certainly post again on this board when appropriate but I won't be replying to any of your continuing criticisms.

We're both irritating one another in our exchanges. I include information about the regulations for citizens of countries with bi-lateral agreements in posts 6 and 10 and you inform me that what I've written is irrelevant to the readers on CC. Now, you're telling me that bi-lateral cruisers need to know their visa information in advance of their arrival. Why do you think I posted that information in the first place? Answer: to help readers learn, in advance, what they need to know.

 

I've made all the points I want to make on this thread. I'll certainly post again on this board when appropriate but I won't be replying to any of your continuing criticisms.

Yikes, I come back with a conciliatory post, & you accuse me of irritating you :confused:

The one true irritation is that you called me out for being wrong - when I was right !!

"I think that the phrase "visa-free" as applied to "Americans, Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, Canadians, Indians & others" is frankly technically inaccurate." etc. :rolleyes:

No acknowledgement or apology for that?

JB :)

.

Just wanted to report, it was easy to get a three year multiple visa from the Russian Consulate in DC. Once the paperwork was finally together, it took one week. Using expediter though does make it more expensive. Here are some tips:

1. The picture must be exactly as per instructions.

2. The applications must have every questioned answered.

3. If someone is born in Russia and now a US citizen, you will need proof they were never a Russian citizen (as in a former Soviet citizen born in Russia) or have renounced citizenship. This is easily down with a copy of their former non Russian passport i.e. Ukraine etc.

4, You will need to pay for the official travel agency invitation letter even though you are on a cruise ship.

Visas worked like a charm in Petersburg. Able to come and go as we pleased. There is usually a cab service at the port that can summon a cab for you or you can take the shuttle bus to the port gate. The real advantage is you can go out for White Nights, visit friends, and stay as late as you want to and come in at any hour of the day or night.

Just wanted to report, it was easy to get a three year multiple visa from the Russian Consulate in DC. Once the paperwork was finally together, it took one week. Using expediter though does make it more expensive. Here are some tips:

 

1. The picture must be exactly as per instructions.

 

2. The applications must have every questioned answered.

 

3. If someone is born in Russia and now a US citizen, you will need proof they were never a Russian citizen (as in a former Soviet citizen born in Russia) or have renounced citizenship. This is easily down with a copy of their former non Russian passport i.e. Ukraine etc.

 

4, You will need to pay for the official travel agency invitation letter even though you are on a cruise ship.

 

Visas worked like a charm in Petersburg. Able to come and go as we pleased. There is usually a cab service at the port that can summon a cab for you or you can take the shuttle bus to the port gate. The real advantage is you can go out for White Nights, visit friends, and stay as late as you want to and come in at any hour of the day or night.

Does the shuttle bus take you to a metro or bus stop at the gate? I heard there's a city bus you can catch inside the port as well? Planning this for next summer. Appreciate hearing about your experience.

Does the shuttle bus take you to a metro or bus stop at the gate? I heard there's a city bus you can catch inside the port as well? Planning this for next summer. Appreciate hearing about your experience.

Bus 158

http://orgp.ru/mar/15438.html

I am thinking of flying to St Petersburg to board the Regal Princess. Do I need to get a Visa? Would it make any difference if I go directly to and from the ship on a Princess transport bus?

I am thinking of flying to St Petersburg to board the Regal Princess. Do I need to get a Visa?

Yes, absolutely.

Would it make any difference if I go directly to and from the ship on a Princess transport bus?

None.

The only way you can avoid getting a visa from the Russian consulate is to visit for a port call and use the services of a licensed tour company. If you embark and/or disembark in SPB, you lose the visa- free option.

From what I know about Russian visas, you need to have a letter from a sponsoring organization in Russia. It can be the tour operator (cruise line?) who is arranging your trip to Russia, or a hotel where you will be staying if you are an independent traveller

Over the years of reading this board, I've seen posters mention that some of the private tour operators will act as a sponsor and write a letter that ocean cruisers can use to get a Russian visa. I don't recall anyone ever naming the specific tour companies that will do that. However, I can confidently state that the ocean cruise ships will not provide such a letter. To do so would ease the way for cruisers to visit SPB without using the services of the ship's-sponsored excursions. Right now, the cruise lines are willing to twist the fact, omit the facts, and intimidate their customers to get bodies in the seats of the cruise buses! No way are they going to help their passengers travel about the city independently!

(You may notice that I keep writing ocean cruise ship. The same visa-free privilege doesn't apply to cruisers on a river cruise or cruisers beginning or ending their cruise in SPB.)

Over the years of reading this board, I've seen posters mention that some of the private tour operators will act as a sponsor and write a letter that ocean cruisers can use to get a Russian visa.

As far as I understand all licensed and registered Russian tour operators as well as hotels can provide such a letter and this service is very cheap . You will pay later on to your consulate.

Jess :)

I have a 3 year multi entry Russian visa & have just returned from spending another 5 weeks in Russia.

Hotels can issue the invitation letter as well as travel agencies (for a fee). If you have booked a hotel in St. Petersburg, the hotel will issue the invitation letter and it is usually free. If you plan on overnighting aboard ship, you can use a service (fee) and apply online for the invitation. There are many agencies that provide this service and the link to just one (not used by me as hotel provided my invitation) is below:

https://russia-invitation.travisa-online.com/visa-support/about

To actually obtain the Russian visa, I used ILS (since I live nowhere near a Russian consulate, I used their mail service and didn't have to appear in person). Link to ILS:http://ils-usa.com/index.php?id=index&lang=en#logo

The cost of my visa was approximately $300. As was already mentioned, if you are booked on a cruise ship and only staying in Russia for an overnight visit (2 days), it makes little sense to obtain the visa unless you are a diehard DIYer like myself and/or plan on returning to Russia. The cost of the visa will exceed the cost of a group tour offered by many of the excellent private tour operators in Russia (Alla Tours, Best Guides, Ulko tours, TJ, SPB, etc.) who include the visa waiver when you book their tours.

If you fly into St. Petersburg, you MUST obtain a Russian visa. If you have any questions, shoot me an email (see my signature below).