Russian Multi Entry Business Visa confusion!
 

I was under the impression that getting a multi entry business visa ( we will be in and out 3 times next spring/summer!) for Russia would not be too hard, especially using an Agency.

I got in touch with one. They seem to require a UK business letter to start process (which we cannot provide!) and quote a fortune for it in any case. see below.

And is it really "A big risk" to use a business Visa as a tourist, as they mention?!

Surely, there must be an easier (and cheaper) way? :(
And what the problem with french passports now??? What did the frogs do lately to upset the Russians?

Email from that agency:

You need to understand that it is a huge risk obtaining a business bias for Russia when you are clearly tourists in transit.
First of all we have to get an original invitation that costs £350.00 each + courier fees from Russia @ £60.00 and we then have to complete your on-line application form @ £25.00 each with false info + the visa fee @ below;
Business 12 month multiple entry Russian visa


Business 12 month multiple entry Russian visa Express Service



The invite takes a month to come through so we often end up using the express service. All this is beyond our control.
BUT we can not get the visa without a business letter to back it up so if you are unable to provide it then we simply can’t do it. I also might like to add that the Russian embassy are a bit more particular with French nationals.
I have copied in Darren who is my Russian specialist if you want to discuss this issue further.

There is no point in me advising further on the other countries until you have made a decision about Russia as you say the trip would be ‘off’.
Amanda

Any thoughts? Or maybe I contacted the wrong agency. If so, who would you recommend to sort out all my visas at once?
I don't have time to go round London to each embassy, I am a contractor and if I don't work I don't earn, so much better for me to pay an agency to do all the legwork.
Happy to hear from anyone on this.

Cheers.

Sounds like you got the wrong agency Maria!

I will also be getting a multi-entry business visa for my 2014 trip. I have been assured by an agency that business visas are not really just for business and that it is standard practice to issue them for long-duration or multi entry pleasure/tourist purposes. I'll have to look up the agency and add that later.

I was told that if I am in full-time employment, I won't need to submit any business document or financial records. However, those who are unemployed or self-employed may be required to submit proof of their financial standing.

The cost for the Russian visa is expensive - on a bit of a sliding scale depending on how quickly you need the visa. I'll add more specifics later.

My double entry business visa application through Real Russia was easy peasy! Make up your own letter headed business support letter following their template. The embassy never check. Or if you have a pal with a business use their letterhead. I used my parents sandwich shop, I said I was going to explore catering opportunities and the business was financially supporting me (you then don't have to demonstrate sufficient funds) and that I had my own travel and health insurance blah blah blah... Using Real Russia means it's all done by post, no embassy visits. I'm a UK national, not sure if the same for french?

Its not cheap or easy to get a business visa for Russia but there really is no alternative. You will not see much on a 30 day tourist visa. Add in multiple entries and you have no alternative. The vast majority of Moto travellers going thru Russia are also getting business visas.

Stephen has nailed it in his response.

A business letter is not as intimidating as it first appears. if you know someone with a business in case they do check then get them to write u a letter. Nothing in the letter is a promise or guarantee anyway.

And it sounds like u were too honest with your visa agents. Dont tell them the details of your real situation or reasons. That will just frighten them off.

Finally for what its worth FrenCH and Germans have it easier than Brits when it comes to visas. Americans have it easier again. When it comes to foreign relations including visa policy, Russians work on the basis of reciprocity. Thus each nationality actually has different visa costs which is equivalent to what that nation charges Russians for a visa. If its expensive its because thats what France charges Russians.

It can not be fairer than that.

Hi guys, thanks this is reassuring.
For contracting purposes, I have to have my own limited company (can't contract direct with client) so could use it I presume? Even if address and sole employee / director is myself.....

Anyway, I will try to be more economical with the truth once I get another agency working on our business visas.

Cheers,

Yikes. That agency sounds like a pain in the rear. We used visalink-Russia.com and I think the invite document cost about 60 euro each & took a week or 2. It looked like something had to go to and from Moscow in the mail and then the scanned doc was sent to us. I don't remember if we provided a business letter but it's likely we did to the embassy. Use your LLC & just say something about consulting or exploring technical partnerships. Once you get the invite doc, applying for the actual visa is straightforward & an agency should not have to jump thru extra hoops. It is worth it to get the business visa though. Even if only for not having to prove and declare every hotel you will stay at. The flexibility is invaluable. Once we got to Russia no official ever asked about our business...good luck

I made enquiries with the Go To Russia agency. A couple of the questions and their response are copied below:

1. What is the likelihood of being issued a six-month multi-entry business visa for this kind of trip? It has been suggested that a multi-entry visa would not usually be issued to persons who have not previously entered Russia on a single-entry visa (this will be my first visit to Russia). –
Answer: There is no such restriction. You can get a multiple entry visa even if you have not travelled to Russia before.

2. What flexibility exists regarding the required documentation for a business visa? Your website states that an introductory business letter would be required from a British company detailing the terms of the trip. As the trip will be for purely pleasure purposes, I don't see how I could meet this requirement. How do you deal with this issue for tourists applying for a business visa? – Answer: currently the business letter is not required, however if you are unemployed, self employed or working from home, the Russian consulate will require copies of your bank statements for the last 3 months.

Russia has been pushing the EU to agree a visa free regime for about 5 years now. But the Russians, because of their insistance on reciprocity, will only allow EU citizens to visit Russia visa free if the EU allows Russians in visa free.

Again its the European end that is not yet agreeing to it.

So yet again the problem is at our end not theirs.

The EU is actually asking Russia to drop visa requirements for its citizens but has refused to do the same for Russia. Support for visa free travel in the EU is actually very strong in tourism countries like Spain and Italy and to a smallee degree France. But countries that get little benefit from Russian tourism don't support a visa free regime.

Your busines support letter should look something like this, its what I used without any problems (names changed)...

Hope this helps

:thumbup1:

thanks guys this is all very useful info.

Stephen, thanks for publishing the template support business letter. I will definitely use that as a starting point if I am asked for one.

Just need to replace my passport and will start the process in January so we can leave mid April! Can't wait to get started!

Cheers.

Great info in this thread, thanks :)

I just required at a russian travel agency in Denmark about a business visa, and they told me I needed a business insurance to apply for a business visa (??). That a normal travel insurance wouldnt be enough for that kind of visa. This could be hard for me to get, even though I have a small personal company.

Is this true or did I just use the wrong agency?
Will Get visa to Russia - tourist, business visa support and invitations. Russian embassy and consulate visa requirements. Visalink not require business insurance?

Also, what do they need to see here?
"..if you are unemployed, self employed or working from home, the Russian consulate will require copies of your bank statements for the last 3 months."
I dont have savings to show - only a minimal monthly income - will that do?

Thanks, Michael

Not what I have been told.
I am self employed too and. Going for travel not business. Agency I used does not care about this as the multi trip business visa is also for non business trips as well.

Get another agency.
A a French living in the uK and contractor (. I.e. Self employed) I need to provide the following:

Passport
ID photo
3 last banks statements ( personal not business) those have to show my details and the most recent has to be no more than 2 weeks old (!)
Travel insurance covering Russia
Return plane tickets ( peculiar to French nationals)

Note the bank statements have to show enough cash to sustain you. At least £3000.....

I started the application and will take all docs to my agency after the 20th of January, once I get my January bank statement ( which I use also as proof of address !)
I offered to bring my company bank statements but I was told it was not necessary.

Hope this help.
But this is in the UK . I had difficulties with one of the agencies, they nearly had a breakdown when I asked them for a business visa when I was not going for business! I suggest just shop around!
Good luck!

I have had about 15 business visas to Russia in the last 15 years and never had any "business insurance" nor ever heard of any "business insurance".
Never really even had a regular insurance policy.

I just told them I had a credit card that covers travel and emergency insurance when I buy with it.

There is a box on the form that asks if you have travel insurance, and I write "Yes".

Always worked for me.


You probably used the wrong agency. Visalink never did ask for unnecessary stuff from me, and did all my visas. Rules change frequently, so who knows, it might be true. But I doubt it.

You havent been reading the posts above. Read again.

Just get a friend with a business to write you a letter saying all the stuff above as per Stephens example.

Or make up a business, invent a cool looking letterhead on your computer and write your own business support letter.