St Petersburg visa query

Hi,

If you overnight in St Petersburg and choose an organised excursion for your first day (visa included) do you still need to apply for a visa for the second day if you want to explore on your own.

Kind regards, Meg😎

Hi,

If you overnight in St Petersburg and choose an organised excursion for your first day (visa included) do you still need to apply for a visa for the second day if you want to explore on your own.

 

Kind regards, Meg😎

Yes-you'll need a visa if you plan to explore on your own. The only time you don't need an actual visa is when your with your tour company.

Teanne

Yes-you'll need a visa if you plan to explore on your own. The only time you don't need an actual visa is when your with your tour company.

 

Teanne

How much does a visa cost?

I'm assuming St. Petersburg is the only Baltic port you need a Visa?

How much does a visa cost?

 

I'm assuming St. Petersburg is the only Baltic port you need a Visa?

$160

See: http://www.russianembassy.org/page/visa-processing-fees

I'm assuming St. Petersburg is the only Baltic port you need a Visa?

If you don't need a Schengen visa this is the only visa required. For Schengen visa holders be aware that you will need a multi entry Schengen visa in order to return into Schengen from SP.

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Strictly-speaking, the tour that you book through an accredited operator or through the ship doesn't "include" a visa - those are visa-free tours, so your tour ticket allows you through immigration without a visa.

But they're only good for booked tours. If you want to get off the ship on Day 2, or even the evening of Day 1, you need an appropriately-timed tour ticket

Or a tourist visa.

Tourist visas have to be bought well before your cruise. The fee is cheaper for Brits than for Americans, but since about 18 months ago Brits have to go in person to the Russian embassy in London or Edinburgh because they now require Brits to have biometric visas. Depending where you live, this can make life complicated & expensive

And I strongly suspect that visa-free tours have to be booked in advance, ie you can't wait until you're on your Day 1 tour to book a tour for Day 2

Financially it's a no-brainer - if you arrange to take a tour on Day 1 then also arrange to take a tour on Day 2, and the evening of Day 1 if you want.

If you're keen to explore alone on Day 2, contact several local operators with your thoughts. They interpret the rules for "accompanied" visa-free tours in different ways so some are more flexible than others. For instance some are prepared to take you somewhere (eg Nevsky Prospekt shopping street) and meet you back there a couple of hours later.

This will be easier (and cheaper) if you use the same operator both days.

Be aware that due to the written & spoken language, finding your way around isn't too easy. And the tour operators can beat the lines at several venues.

JB :)

PS to Hunwolf.

Americans don't need a Schengen visa to visit European countries. But to expand on Hallasm's post, other nationalities who do need a Schengen visa have to choose either a single-entry or a multiple entry visa. If the itinerary includes a non-Schengen country in between Schengen countries (on Baltic cruises St Petersburg always falls between Schengen countries) they will need to choose a multi-entry Schengen visa because a single-entry visa won't get them back into a Schengen country after St Petersburg. There have been examples when folk who mistakenly got single-entry Schengen visas have had to leave the ship at the port-of-call before St Pete's (eg Tallinn) & fly or ferry from there to the port after St Pete's (eg Helsinki) in order to remain in Schengen countries throughout.

How much does a visa cost?

 

I'm assuming St. Petersburg is the only Baltic port you need a Visa?

The basic cost of a visa is a fixed amount. However, many people use a visa service to spare themselves the cost and hassle of dealing with the process. Clearly, that convenience comes st a price.

What I don't know is if, at present, Russia is prepared to process a visa based on electronic submission of data coupled with mailing in one's passport so the visa can be put on a page. The last time my husband and I had to get a Russian visa, all the forms were written out by hand and submitted in person. If the "in person" part is still true, figure in the cost and hassle of a trip to one of the Russian consulates in the US. (That may make the price of a visa service seem more appealing.)

Ocean going cruisers don't need to do either of these things as long as they're willing to book the services of a licensed tour company who will provide a tour ticket.

How much does a visa cost?

 

I'm assuming St. Petersburg is the only Baltic port you need a Visa?

Yes, Russia is the only port on Baltic itineraries that requires a visa for US citizens.

My Russian visa cost $300.00. The price to apply in person is fixed at $160.00. Although the price of the VISA is fixed, you must apply IN PERSON or use a service which will deliver your documents to the consulate (in person) on your behalf. There are only 5 Russian consulates in the USA - none in Alabama (where you reside) or in Colorado (where I reside). So, you will either need to apply in person at the Russian consulate that serves Alabama (Houston) OR use a service. It was much easier for me to use a service. I used ILS:

http://www.ils-usa.com/

Thank you for all the helpful information.

I think I will stick to organised tours for both days.

Kind regards

Meg😎

Meg67-

This June we did a two day private tour with Best Guides. The first day was to Novgorod because we'd been to St Pete twice before. This won't be of interest to you as a first timer. The second day was a walking tour of the central area of St Pete with a guide. We told them what places we wanted to visit and our guide added several more. Had a long walk on the Nevsky Prospekt with a stop for tea and pastries in one of the oldest cafes in the city. Best Guides provided the visa for both days. You might contact several tour companies and see if you could do a one day tour with a group to see the sites outside the city and the other day as a private walking tour of the city center.

Just a thought....

<<<Karen>>>

Thank you everyone for the detailed information. This is great.

First cruise to the Baltic for us next year, though I've been to Estonia on business in the past.

Definitely sounds like the preferred route in St. Petersburg (we are there 2 days) is an arranged tour.

BTW...the Copenhagen thread by Danish Viking is amazing. We are spending a couple of days there before leaving on our cruise. The info on there is great!

Much appreciated.

I it's my understanding that United States citizens traveling to Russia do not need a visa as long as they are taking a Princess Cruise Excursion. If you're planning on getting off the ship on your own or with a different travel agency, then yes you need a visa.

Bucket List Bohemians, that is not correct. You don't have to take a ship's tour to go visa free, the situation is identical if you take a tour with an accredited Russian tour operator eg Alla, SPB etc. Unfortunately, a lot of cruise lines, including Princess, like to give the impression that only their tours are visa fee. It's obviously in their own interest to do so but is very unscrupulous. There are numerous posts on this forum from very happy cruisers who've used local tour operators,

I it's my understanding that United States citizens traveling to Russia do not need a visa as long as they are taking a Princess Cruise Excursion. If you're planning on getting off the ship on your own or with a different travel agency, then yes you need a visa.

no you don't need a visa if you book with cruise line excursion OR a private tour company

that is the clever wording from cruiselines to scare people into taking their own tours

there is a big difference between getting off ship completely on own so requiring a visa versus using a private tour company which can work out fraction of the cost if you share with fellow cruisers via your roll call

I it's my understanding that United States citizens traveling to Russia do not need a visa as long as they are taking a Princess Cruise Excursion. If you're planning on getting off the ship on your own or with a different travel agency, then yes you need a visa.

Your understanding is not correct. Check out this link:

http://www.saint-petersburg.com/russian-visa/for-cruise-ship-passengers/

The text in #2 begins, "Though you may be encouraged to think otherwise, the tours offered by your cruise operator or booking agent are not the only options for cruise ship passengers to see St. Petersburg visa-free. There are a number of independent companies in St. Petersburg with the necessary licensing to offer shore tours for cruise ship passengers without Russian visas..."

My emphasis added.

Right - as others have correctly noted, no visa is needed if you book through ANY licensed tour company. You do NOT need to book with your ship.

no you don't need a visa if you book with cruise line excursion OR a private tour company

that is the clever wording from cruiselines to scare people into taking their own tours

 

there is a big difference between getting off ship completely on own so requiring a visa versus using a private tour company which can work out fraction of the cost if you share with fellow cruisers via your roll call

That I can confirm. Aside from the way cheaper individual rates, we still got a very attractive group rate for 6 friends traveling together.