catching a flight from St Petersburg

[starsanai]

Hi,

We are booking a Baltics cruise. Two people from our group have to leave the ship in St Petersburg and fly out to US. While I know that one doesn't need a visa if one is on a cruiseship, bit I'd like to know if they'll allow you to fly out of the country if you don't have a visa. Would they bother you at the immigration?

Urgent response needed. Thanks

[dogs4fun]

Hi,

We are booking a Baltics cruise. Two people from our group have to leave the ship in St Petersburg and fly out to US. While I know that one doesn't need a visa if one is on a cruiseship, bit I'd like to know if they'll allow you to fly out of the country if you don't have a visa. Would they bother you at the immigration?

Urgent response needed. Thanks

Yes, you absolutely DO need a visa if you are planning on flying out of St. Petersburg.

[CruiserBruce]

Yes, you absolutely DO need a visa if you are planning on flying out of St. Petersburg.

 

Correct. You can't even leave the port building w/o a visa.

[aquilegia]

Yes, they certainly would 'bother' you. You would be in the country illegally.

[Desdichado62]

What they need is a transit visa since they intend to transit in SPB and will stay three days or less.

 

http://www.saint-petersburg.com/russian-visa/transit-visas.asp

http://travelrussia.su/en/faq.php#6

Edited March 15, 2014 by Desdichado62

[starsanai]

Hi Desdichado62,

Thanks that is much better news. Can the cruiseship or cruise agents help in getting a transit visa? We are deciding between Celebrity & RCI.

Thanks a ton

[Desdichado62]

Hi Desdichado62,

Thanks that is much better news. Can the cruiseship or cruise agents help in getting a transit visa? We are deciding between Celebrity & RCI.

Thanks a ton

 

 

Sorry I don't now but I guess it is up to them to apply for a visa at the Embassy but I guess they could always ask the agent or the cruise line.

[scubacruiserx2]

Hi,

We are booking a Baltics cruise. Two people from our group have to leave the ship in St Petersburg and fly out to US. While I know that one doesn't need a visa if one is on a cruiseship, bit I'd like to know if they'll allow you to fly out of the country if you don't have a visa. Would they bother you at the immigration?

Urgent response needed. Thanks

 

Here's a link to the Russian Consulate concerning transit Visas. It's the same form and process as a regular Visa - so you may as well consider a stay .

 

 

http://www.russianconsulate.info/transit_visas.html

[Jonza]

Does your timetable allow flying out one day later once you are in Helsinki or Tallinn inside the Schengen zone again? Tallinn airport is fairly small, but does have connections to most European hubs. Helsinki airport is significantly larger with more connections to European hubs and direct flights to New York and Chicago in the US.

[jamessemaj]

Does your timetable allow flying out one day later once you are in Helsinki or Tallinn inside the Schengen zone again? Tallinn airport is fairly small, but does have connections to most European hubs. Helsinki airport is significantly larger with more connections to European hubs and direct flights to New York and Chicago in the US.

 

That was my thought exactly. Is the schedule so tight that catching a flight 1 day later in another port is not possible? In that case, I would suggest foregoing the cruise until a more flexible time is possible. A visa is required to even go to the airport in St. Petersburg, and the so called transit visa is as much trouble and complication as a regular visa.

[starsanai]

Thanks all....yes it seems that having just 5 days on cruise is bad enough, but it would mean just 4 days if they were to disembark in tallinn.......will have to do some rethinking I guess. Does anyone know if you HAVE to submit Russian application for visa in person or can it be done through an agent( in US)....?

[scubacruiserx2]

We have used an agency 3 times. They advise , check the application for accuracy and submit it to the consulate . It is then attached to your passport and returned in an overnight mailer.

[jamessemaj]

Thanks all....yes it seems that having just 5 days on cruise is bad enough, but it would mean just 4 days if they were to disembark in tallinn.......will have to do some rethinking I guess. Does anyone know if you HAVE to submit Russian application for visa in person or can it be done through an agent( in US)....?

 

I believe there is a fairly new procedure in which you submit an online application through an agency specifically under contract to the Russian government. They will process. Just go to the Russian embassy web site to check.

[spbstan]

If there are an American Citizen they can apply for the 3 year multiple entry vias that gives a lot of flexibility for the same cost ad process.

Starting in June 2014, a new visa rule comes into effect, citizens of selected countries can fly into Russia and fly out to another foreign air destination visa free for 72 hours. This would not work for a cruise passenger however since it specifies arrival and departure by air