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7 Jan 2016
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Russian business visa multiple entry as a "tourist"
Hi,
as stated in some other threads most of the travellers going from Europe to Mongolia or somewhere else in the east use a business visa with multiple entries. This due the fact that the Russian Tourist Visa is only valid for 30 days and you can have at least 3 bordercrossings to Russia when doing a roundtrip (Georgia - Russia, Kazakhstan - Russia, Mongolia - Russia when you travel back).
Today I had a talk with some Russians and they stated that you will have "problems" (these "problems" not further outlined) when you cross the border (Especially the Georgian) and you are obviously not a business-guy (hard to believe with a fully packed motorcycle  ).
Does anybody actually had some problems with a business visa at a bordercrossing into Russia? Have you even been asked what your "business" is?
Besides that they also stated that due the recent tensions between Russia and Turkey travellers coming from Turkey (non Turkey residents) will be screened more intensivly and a business visa might cause trouble.
Any experiences on this issue?
TIA
Stefan
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7 Jan 2016
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Not sure if he is here but my friend David Pickering crossed in and out of Russia last May/June time a few times on a business visa. I think he had a year long one.
Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and India for Christina Noble Children's Foundation. Watch this space
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7 Jan 2016
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I have a business visa, 2nd time now.
I did the Georgian/Russian border you mentioned.
No problem, in fact they were really friendly and helpful.
I also consider the Russians as very professional.
But I can imagine, if someone thinks he is the smart guy, that the find something.
Ans if you have business visa, why should you be not allowed to have some holyday in between with your bike 
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8 Jan 2016
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Probably hundreds of people on this site have used business visas, and no reported problems. I used a business visa to exit/enter Russia to/from Latvia this summer without any problem, and last year exited Russia to Norway and entered from Estonia, also without any problem.
The only reported problem is third-hand and reported in Post #8 of this thread:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...n-i-keep-83459
In the case reported above, I suspect that the Russians are trying to deter Finns from crossing the border to buy cheap benzin (and maybe alcohol).
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8 Jan 2016
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The franglais-riders
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I am pretty sure it has been discussed to death. Here is an extract below of what "Business Visa" covers.
I went in and out of Russia 3 times summer 2014. I am now in the process of applying for another business visa. The agency dealing with this knows it is for an "extended holiday" and not for real business. The business visa is the only visa to get multi entry visa.
The purpose of visit requested for your visa should generally correspond with your initial visit intentions. The purpose of visit will be written on the visa support documents and encoded into your visa, however, this does not restrict you to this purpose and you may, for example, use a business visa to visit family or friends or use a cultural visa to subsequently visit Russia for business purposes.
You may select from the following options when ordering your visa support through Real Russia; please note that not all options are available for all visa support services:
BUSINESS - for people who are going to Russia for business including meetings, conferences, contract negotiations and such general business activities. When applying at the consulate you will require a letter from your company stating the purpose of your visit to Russia and who will finance the trip.
CULTURAL - for people who are going to Russia for cultural or extended tourism periods. No supporting letter from an organiser is required, however you may be asked to provide a letter explaining your purpose of visit and show recent bank statements to demonstrate that you can support yourself in Russia for the period of the visa.
DRIVER - for people who are going to be driving commercial or passenger vehicles in Russia. When applying at the consulate you will require a letter from your company stating the purpose of your visit to Russia.
FAMILY MEMBER - for children under the age of 18 who are going to be travelling with an adult family member. When applying at the consulate the parent will be required to provide a letter stating the purpose of your visit to Russian and proof that they either have a Russia visa or are applying for one at the same time.
SPORT - for people who are going to be taking part in an organised sporting event, either as a professional or amateur. When applying at the consulate you will require a letter from the event sponsor stating the purpose of your visit to Russia.
By default I am pretty sure you will be categorised as "Cultural" as else you need more docs to provide. But in any case it does not matter as stated above.
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11 Jan 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by motoreiter
In the case reported above, I suspect that the Russians are trying to deter Finns from crossing the border to buy cheap benzin (and maybe alcohol).
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Wrong assumption and it was not question of visa type but stopping to border zone.
More likely it has been (as this happens only one border crossing that shop hasnt paid money to border guys or have had some other problems.
If you would come to any border crossing between Finland-Russia there is lot of shops on both sides of border. Finnish people go to buy petrol and alcohol from Russia side and russian people come even from Spb come to buy quality food and products from Finland. Actually one of my friend who lives next to Imatra border station has Russian side shops closer than finnish sides. So this case has nothing to do with that that Russian border guard is trying to stop finns to buy petrol or anything other.
I have had from year 2010 5 multientry visas to Russia, now 6th (2-year). One was 2012 business, all others cultural visas. I would recommend to use cultural visa (at least in office what i use prices are same) It is second option to have multientry visa.
Like it has been said sevaral times allready what was 5 years ago is not anymore same. Tention to some countries has risen in Russia, there has been cases where use of wrong visa type has led into problems. Those cases has been also here in newspapers and discussion groups in Finland.
Also i know for a fact that some years ago my friends were driving with enduro bikes and border guard stopped them. Those who were using business visa were fined for wrong visa type. Whole group was taken into border guard (or whetever official that was) office for questioning and they spend there several hours.
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12 Jan 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tirpse
Wrong assumption and it was not question of visa type but stopping to border zone.
***
If you would come to any border crossing between Finland-Russia there is lot of shops on both sides of border. Finnish people go to buy petrol and alcohol from Russia side...Actually one of my friend who lives next to Imatra border station has Russian side shops closer than finnish sides. So this case has nothing to do with that that Russian border guard is trying to stop finns to buy petrol or anything other.
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What I'm saying is that I doubt the Russians like the fact that Finns cross the border, stop in a border zone to purchase cheap Russian benzin, and then drive back. I suspect that to discourage that practice, they will raise various issues, including the types of visa. As far as I can tell, nothing in your post contradicts that?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tirpse
Like it has been said sevaral times allready what was 5 years ago is not anymore same. Tention to some countries has risen in Russia, there has been cases where use of wrong visa type has led into problems. Those cases has been also here in newspapers and discussion groups in Finland.
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Very true, but there have been basically zero cases reported here of people having trouble crossing a border with a business visa, other than the ones you've raised, so instances should be viewed in context. I've read a lot of reports about visa problems, but almost always in connection with people that come here to work in some capacity, or people engaged in politically-sensitive projects.
For instance, I recall an issue where some Americans were thrown out because they were holding some kind of seminar on democracy-building and they were accused of having the wrong kind of visa (business instead of cultural, or vice-versa). Same with a lot of foreign people who were working here as English teachers although they only had tourist visas--they were also deported. As a more recent example, I've heard that Turks are currently having all kinds of problems entering the country, regardless of what kind of visa they have.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tirpse
Also i know for a fact that some years ago my friends were driving with enduro bikes and border guard stopped them. Those who were using business visa were fined for wrong visa type. Whole group was taken into border guard (or whetever official that was) office for questioning and they spend there several hours.
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OK, that seems to be a valid data point, but still it is one out of hundreds of other instances where people have had no problems. I also note that other issues could be at play--for instance, who issued the invitation letter for the business visa, how the application was filled out, etc.
If other HUBBers have had problem with business (or other visas), it would be interesting to hear from them.
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13 Jan 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by motoreiter
If other HUBBers have had problem with business (or other visas), it would be interesting to hear from them.
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Using business visa to travel with motorcycle most likely wont cause you any problem but if you live in Moscow you know that in Russia in bad day any goverment worker/organisation can use any possible reason to get you in shit if they feel like it or dont like you or dont happen to like your nationality or if they just have bad day.
One example: When coming back to Russia in Mongolia we were in Russia border station our passport and visa being checked. Very merry fellow checked our passports, look my passport and asked in russian:
"Finns, hmm i remember this one finnish actor Ville, Ville"
I added "Haapasalo"
"Da, Ville Haapasalo, good actor, you are good guys" Stamped our visa's and off we go. There was then rest of our groups coming but some germans or french (dont remember excactly) were before them.
Rest of our groups just seemed to stay in office and we waited probably 30 or 40 minutes before they came out.
Passport checker had started to check everything possible from those german guys passport and was as diffifucult as hell as he saw those guys nationality. Finnish guys were then again just handled in few minutes.
Like example for turkish citizens i am quite certain that if they would take business visa and go to Russia to motorcycle with that they would have problems in some border station thinking of current situation between Russia and Turkey.
It is up to everyone choose whatever visa they like and what is most convenient for them. Most likely with business visa no problems like you say motoreiter but noneless it is wrong visa type officially for motorcycle travelling and as it same price at least here in Finland as cultural visa i dont understand why people use business visa.
Last edited by Tirpse; 13 Jan 2016 at 13:13.
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4 Nov 2016
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Getting a Russian visa from outside your own country?
We are travelling on Canadian passports. At the moment we are in Canada but want to get going on our travels in Dec. Does anyone know if we can send our passports in to get Russian visas from neighbouring counters like Poland for ex, when we are closer to understanding the dates we will need them? We won't even be near Russia until spring of 2017 but will be in Africa, and many parts of Europe beforehand. Or... we'll be sitting in Canada, waiting 8 weeks for visas we could have sent in while travelling. Thanks in advance for any insight. Heather
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4 Nov 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ridingfullcircle
We are travelling on Canadian passports. At the moment we are in Canada but want to get going on our travels in Dec. Does anyone know if we can send our passports in to get Russian visas from neighbouring counters like Poland for ex, when we are closer to understanding the dates we will need them? We won't even be near Russia until spring of 2017 but will be in Africa, and many parts of Europe beforehand. Or... we'll be sitting in Canada, waiting 8 weeks for visas we could have sent in while travelling. Thanks in advance for any insight. Heather
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Since you'll be applying on the road, you might think about using a visa service. Agencies will specify the turnaround time for each visa type up front. A Russian business visa should take no more than 2 months at the most to acquire, start to finish.
Importantly, agencies also procure the "letter of invitation" needed for a business visa, which seems a bit tricky to pin down if doing it on your own.
I (American) used an agency to get a 6-mo Russian business visa spring 2016, starting the process in Egypt after riding South Africa > Cairo. DHL'd my paperwork to the agency and they got the materials to the U.S. Russian consulate, which returned the visa approved to the agency. Then the agency sent the materials to a DHL office in Tbilisi, Georgia, where I picked it up.
(I used Travisa but can't recommend them; they might be OK but a few staffers bungled details several times and cost me some delay).
If you do it yourself, you'd probably want to DHL your application and passports into the Russian consulate in Canada... so long as they will agree to DHL your passports to a DHL location of your choosing. Good luck 
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5 Nov 2016
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And you need a 2nd passport when you are on the road.
To send it to the visa agency.
I do not know how it is for Canadians, but usually you have to apply in your home country.
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5 Nov 2016
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I also don't know how it is for Canadians, but US citizens don't have to apply for Russian visas in the US; I've gotten one in Milan and friends have gotten them all over Europe. IIRC there is a clause in the US-Russia visa treaty allowing for this.
When I got my visa in Milan, I had to leave my passport with the consulate for two week while I waited for the visa, so took the opportunity to explore Italy.
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28 Jan 2020
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Russia Multiple Entry Vias -Help!
Help - have just got off the phone to a visa company in London having been told that all I can get is double entry visa valid for 30 days - this completely destroys the idea of my trip( london -mongolia- japan).
Am a u.k citizen living in London & applying for my visa in London. Obviously I was hoping to be able to get a multiple entry (hopefully business) visa. I understand this can cost a bit more but I'm prepared for that.
Have I just been unlucky in the company I spoke to & does anyone have any recommendations? Am not giving up!!
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28 Jan 2020
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The franglais-riders
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wanderingsparky
Help - have just got off the phone to a visa company in London having been told that all I can get is double entry visa valid for 30 days - this completely destroys the idea of my trip( london -mongolia- japan).
Am a u.k citizen living in London & applying for my visa in London. Obviously I was hoping to be able to get a multiple entry (hopefully business) visa. I understand this can cost a bit more but I'm prepared for that.
Have I just been unlucky in the company I spoke to & does anyone have any recommendations? Am not giving up!!
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It is still possible to get multi entry business visas for 6 or 12 months:
https://realrussia.co.uk/Visas/Russian/Business
See with them, I used them 3 times for biz visas with no issues for husband and myself.
Cheers,
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29 Jan 2020
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wanderingsparky
Help - have just got off the phone to a visa company in London having been told that all I can get is double entry visa valid for 30 days - this completely destroys the idea of my trip( london -mongolia- japan).
Am a u.k citizen living in London & applying for my visa in London. Obviously I was hoping to be able to get a multiple entry (hopefully business) visa. I understand this can cost a bit more but I'm prepared for that.
Have I just been unlucky in the company I spoke to & does anyone have any recommendations? Am not giving up!!
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The catch is that to get a multi-entry time-based visa, you need to have had a single or double-entry visa previously (and have left the country with no problems), so that they trust you now.
If your trip is not absolutely imminent, I suggest that you get a single or double visa, take a cheap flight for some sightseeing in St Petersburg or such, then use its presence in your passport to re-apply for a time-based multivisa.
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