kazakhstan to mongolia
 

hi
I am planning a trip through the ;stans into mongolia and then into russia.
BUT !
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

'easiest' visa to get for Russia is the tourist 30 day visa.
clock starts ticking on first entry to country and so IF i have to enter russia from kazakhstan before entering mongolia i don't have enough time !

The simple question is :

"can you get from Kazakhstan into Mongolia WITHOUT going into Russia ? "

If not then next question is :

"any suggestions ? "

Phil

you "could" go through China in theory, but I can promise that will be more difficult to deal with than getting a longer holiday visa from Russia.

Phil

I visit Russia very regularly and use a Multi Entry Business Visa. This is valid for a full year from issue date. My latest one, issued in London, cost about £100 at the Embassy, plus a "fee" for getting an Invitation Letter sent to the Ministry.

Business Visas also allow Registrations at regional Police Offices instead of having to stay in hotels to get it - which presumably is a problem if camping in the wild!

Incidentally Russian Visas cost differing amounts if applied for in different countries, irrespective of the applicants nationality. I understand Helsinki and Paris Embassies charge considerably less than London. Check local Russian Embassy websites in countries you are planning to pass through. Could save you enough to buy me a beer in London!

EDIT:
The above costs etc assumes you are not going through a commercial firm but applying for your Visa yourself direct with a local Embassy and can get your Invitation Letter sent to the Ministry in Moscow.
Although I have now had 2 Multi Entry Business Visas of a year each (and about to apply for a third one) I have not been required to obtain an HIV test result. Possibly because my visits are usually up to 2 or 3 weeks each.

get a multi entry
 

A 6 mnth multi entry visa.

www.visalink.ru

As mentioned above will cost you £100, plus £60 for the invite

Does anyone know of a Canadian-based agency to assist with Russian visas?

Ta
 

Thanks people.
Re-assuring to know the multi entry business visa is feasible for us lot, i had looked at it but dismissed as couldn't see how i could answer all questions within my circumstances (i.e. not business man !). I'll go back and re-look.

TONY - as you appear a complete professional ! what with two under your belt and third on the way ! any chance of some scanned copies of completed application ????
And more-over I assume you are travelling extensively through Russia ? any advice ? tips ? would be more than welcome.


While on subject (wel about to go off it now !), my plan is to head to Magadan then load my truck into rented container and ship across to canada (Vancouver).
IN THEORY !!!! this is possible, I have spoken with the container shipping agent in Vancouver and their weekly service will take my truck (and considerable cost !).
BUT, BUT, BUT - it would really fill me with confidence to actually hear from somebody that has done this or KNOWS it is possible !! any ideas ?

TINTIN - i'm guessing you are based in Canada ? whereabouts ? cool beer or hot coffee will be most welcome when i finally get over there !

thanks again.
phil.

Russian Visa in Kazakhstan
 

You cannot enter Mongolia from Kazakhstan.
As someone has comment, trying through China you will find far more bureaucratic problems than applying for a multiple entrance visa to Russia and more expensive than a Russian multiple.
I think you can get double entry visas. Check that with your Russian consulate.
I have not applyed, but the word in Almaty (kaz) is that Russian Visas are expensive and take long to gety sorted out.
There are services that will help you or handle your Russian visa application for a fee lamost in every mayor city with a consulate; there are also web based ones. They know what to write on the application.
What I know is that if you need the visa in a hurry the russian consulates and the handling services are more than happy to arrange it for but charge fortunes for them.
The multiple visas from your consulate may be more economical at the end than having to apply for a visa in Almaty or Bishkek in a hurry because your local visa is running out or because you have to wait for two weeks in either to have the visa issued.
I hope this helps

Fernando

PHIL
The London Russian Embassy website http://www.rusemblon.org/ has full details and forms. I go along, complete a form and submit it with my Passport, own Company letter and the Invitation Letter reference number. After it all being inspected I pay the cashier and can collect the Passport and Visa later in the day. The only part I dont know about is the Letter of Invitation. My friends in Moscow raise this, take it to the Ministry and are issued with the reference number that I quote.

I have driven a lot in Moscow, both City and District, and have driven south to the Caucusses Mountains between the Caspian and Black Seas. This is all straightforward and main roads were generally good apart from odd potholes and bad ramps/holes at bridges and level crossings. The tedious part (apart from vast distances) is being regularly stopped at Road Police check points for document checks. This occurs more when the car was out of it's home area as indicated on it's number plate so I can imagine forward facing foriegn plates would excite them even more. These check points, signed in advance, must be approached and passed quite slowly on main roads, and require a complete stop on minor roads, so they can see each vehicle and driver. I was even stopped once on an unmade country track by an oncoming Road Police car by the driver holding a stick with a red disc out of his window!

Motorbikes are generally waved on unless the officer has a genuine interest in bikes. Also, beware of frequent radar speed checks - fortunately there is a good comeraderie on the road with oncoming drivers flashing lights to warn of them, thus avoiding on the spot fines or negotiated lower bribes!

Quaintly, the police also have many plywood cut-outs of the sides of police cars set up along the roadsides. Some even look reasonably convincing from a distance.

TINTINSTROM
There are Visa issuing Russian Embassies/Consulates in Ottawa and Montreal. Their websites in English and French are http://ottawa.rusembassy.org/ and http://montreal.rusembassy.org/
I have not looked through these but if like the London one they provide links to agencies who will do the work for you for a fee.

Removed - to delete Email address

I rode into Russia from the Ukraine and exited to Kazahkstan near Ashtrakan.
The Police in Rusia stoped me often to look at the bike and aks questions i couldn't understand. In general, they were polite and helpful but for the customs where each one that holsds your passport ask you for money!).

I got lost comming out of a small city. I found two Policemen on patrol at a roundabout. I asked for directions pointing at the map. Realizing that I could not understan their directions in Russian, they stoped the traffic and asked every driver where were they going untill they found one going my way and told me to follow him!
In The 'stans' you get stoped on sight!
Most admire the bike but some take the chance to see if they can get money from you. Normally they give up after a while althoug I find annoying the time they make you waste. The same reads for the Ukraine.
Of course, not every policeman that stoped me wanted money but... a few spoils it for all of them.
Local riders often recomend you not to stop for the police although I think it's bonkers. Just a little patience do.

f

Phil: Yes, I'm based in Calgary, Alberta. You are welcome to stop by for a beer, coffee or both. I have secure underground parking at my condo and I'm located right near the city centre. You're welcome to stay with me on your ride though if I'm available.

Tony: Thanks for that info about getting a visa whilst in Canada. Much appreciated.

Yes, The Business visa does not require you to be a businessman. Its just the only form of multi entry visa you can get.

For your reference, you will need to submit a letter stating what your business purpose is in Russia. I get one of these 12 mnth multi entry visas every year, and just write that I am a private investor looking at investment opportunities across Russia. That always does the trick. You will also need HIV antibody test results, from your doctor, for anything over a 3 month visa.

thats a bit rich given the high incidence of hiv in russia!!

Rarther then forkıng out 200US does Russıa do transıt vısa's to get from Kazak to Mongolıa???


I wıll then keep my normal tourıst vısa for Mongolıa > Vladıvostok...Unfortuanly ı do not have the multıple entry busıness vısa....