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  #1  
Old 20 May 2024
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Kazakhstan - Russia - Georgia
Hi all,

I'd appreciate advice about getting Russian visa to ride from Kazaksthan to Georgia via Russia. It would be a 3 day, 2 night transit, and I'm thinking of staying overnight in Astrakhan and Russkoe.

I am already travelling in India, heading to Pakistan, all sorted, then China, all sorted, then Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan. So will need to get my visa somewhere along the route.

1) Do I need a full tourist visa, or can I apply more easily for a transit visa.?
2) Does my bike need a Carnet?
3) How to deal with lack of access to money in Russia
4) Where can I get a visa on-route?

Here's my trip at Polarsteps - https://www.polarsteps.com/PabloCros...0-bullet-dream

Thanks guys
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Old 21 May 2024
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See the answers below


1) Do I need a full tourist visa, or can I apply more easily for a transit visa.?

You dont get a tourist visa on the road. only transit visa.
Hopefully

2) Does my bike need a Carnet?

No, only if you want to cross, Iran, Pakistan, India ....

3) How to deal with lack of access to money in Russia

Simple, just take a lot of cash with you


4) Where can I get a visa on-route?

Maybe in Tiblisi, maybe in Ankara, Dushabe, Tashkent, Bishkek.
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Old 21 May 2024
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Smile Visa for Russia
You can apply for an e-Visa. Takes 4 days to process, gives you 16 days to stay in Russia and costs you less than 50€.
Try this link: https://evisa.kdmid.ru/
I just did it last week and it worked without any trouble in my case. Good luck.

Bruno
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Old 22 May 2024
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Hi Bruno,

Just what I wanted to hear! I'll follow your link.

Did you need a Letter of support?

Thanks,

Paul
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Old 22 May 2024
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Hi Paul,

I was busy on this topic as well recently for my own trip this summer.

There are 3 main types of visa that COULD be of use for you.
- Tourist visa: up to 3 months of validity, but afaik you can only apply for this in your home country
- Transit visa: it's supposed to be quite uncertain how many days you will get to transit (they usually calculate with 500 kms/ day). Don't know if you can apply on the road for this visa.
- E-visa: this sounded like an interesting question to me as well (low priced, like Bruno also said), but MIND YOU: you cannot use this type of visa at every land border! As far as I was able to find out, you can use it at the crossing from Russia to Georgia ("Verkhnij Lars"), but NOT at (at least) the western crossings between Kazakhstan and Russia.

For this reason, I applied for a regular tourist visa, which is in process right now.

If time is not limited for you, you can always consider to put your bike on the ferry from Aktau (Kazakhstan) to Baku (Azerbaijan) and fly in yourself to Baku.
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Old 22 May 2024
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Visa
Hi Paul,

no invitation, no letter of support no hotel booking. It's really pretty simple. However, you need to upload a copy of your passport and fill in the form. That's it basically. It's all well described on their platform.
Bruno
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Old 24 May 2024
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Quote:
Originally Posted by axb View Post
You can apply for an e-Visa. Takes 4 days to process, gives you 16 days to stay in Russia and costs you less than 50€.
Try this link: https://evisa.kdmid.ru/
I just did it last week and it worked without any trouble in my case. Good luck.

Bruno
Question:

How can you use a eVisa to cross from Kasachstan to Russia, when there is no border officialy supported from and to Kasachstan with evisa?

https://electronic-visa.kdmid.ru/checkpoint_en.html
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Old 24 May 2024
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Originally Posted by axb View Post
Hi Paul,

no invitation, no letter of support no hotel booking. It's really pretty simple. However, you need to upload a copy of your passport and fill in the form. That's it basically. It's all well described on their platform.
Bruno
You used the border to Kasachstan, where also the official Russian website says it is not possible to cross with eVisa?
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Old 25 May 2024
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Originally Posted by klausmong1 View Post

3) How to deal with lack of access to money in Russia

Simple, just take a lot of cash with you
Western cards don't work in Russia as it is currently disconnected from SWIFT. This includes ATMs, so yes, you will have to take with you any currency you will need. Euros and Dollars can be widely exchanged.

If you don't want to carry a lot of cash it is possible to apply for a Tinkoff Debit Card for Foreigners. Basically you apply online and a representative delivers it to you in a day or two at an address you select. You then go to one of a large network of ATMs and preload the card with the Roubles you have changed. Hey presto you have a card to buy fuel, hotels. etc. As it's a Mir card you can use it in some neighbouring countries.

Also consider road and health insurance. You can *probably* buy road insurance at the border. It's only a small fine if you don't have it but you don't want to think about the consequences if you have an accident without it. For health insurance, the state will pay for A&E treatment but not anything above that. Even in Russia this can get pricey and your western health insurance company can't pay because of the aforementioned SWIFT issues. Go to a broker like Rosgosstrakh or AlfaStrakhovanie in the first city and you should be able to buy cover.
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