This is my first article written in English (thanks to Google Translate!). If you find grammatical error, then blame it to Google… Haha…
I purposely applied the visa by myself because after googling, I found out that travel agents’s handling cost is expensive. Nah..
Please bear in mind that my reason to visit Russia is for vacation, so surely the requirement I wrote here might be different for business purpose.
Based on my experience at that time, the documents required were just as simple as these:
1. Passport (min. 6 months to the expiration date and there is a blank page for visa stamp… sure lah… )
2. Fill-out the form honestly. Better to fill-out the form that you collect at the Consulate, because the form downloaded from the website has different paper size (meaning, you have to fill it again)
3. Passport photo size 3 × 4 (1 piece only!). Affix it to the form above.
4. Proof of airline ticket booking (proof of booking only, not necessarily the confirmed/issued one)
5. Print-out the letter of invitation, which can be “ordered” through http://www.visatorussia.com/
Kind of interesting anyway, the fact that the letter of invitation can be ordered online. If you need a quick letter of invitation (request today, receive today: the cost is $ 45 per person). Simply follow the instructions wrote on the website link above, fill-out the required form and prepare your credit card to pay online. Travel plan (arrival and departure dates in Russia) is somewhat tricky, because it turns out that the date mentioned in the visa stamp will be in accordance with the date that has been registered in the letter of invitation.
When the letter of invitation and visa forms, for example: 17 September for arrival and 27 September for departure, then later in the visa stamp, will be shown that the date of our arrival and departure: 17 September and 27 September! So, we can not change the plan anymore, say for departing early on 16 Sept, or going home on 28 Sept….
To my knowledge, the visa in another country, the visa period is valid for example “three months after the date of arrival” or “not later than 2 weeks from the date of arrival”. So even if the date will be a little bit changed (still in the period in accordance with the stamped visa), it would be no problem. For example, with the itinerary as above, then usually the visa stamp will be written, i.e. visas valid for entry before 31 September or even October 17th. Well, the Russian did it differently…
Anyway, if the above documents are complete, just submitted to the Consulate (if in Jakarta, it is located next to the Russian Embassy on HR Rasuna Said street / in front of “Pasar Festival”).
The cost for normal process (max. 7 working days): a single entry USD 70, while a multiple entry USD 100 (if I’m not wrong… Hee.. ). As for the express process (1-2 days), the cost are soaring to USD 175 or so for single entry.
The rather nice thing is, the officer at the Consulate is very kind and cooperative. My visa application date is less than 7 days prior to my departure date. I thought I should take the express process. But the lady informed me to use the normal process, instead, and assured me that it would not be a problem.
After all documents are validated and we pay the fee, the Consulate will issue a receipt that shows the date of our appointment to collect the visa. At that time, the date of appointment that written on my receipt was on my departure date! But, the lady said kindly, “Just try to come a day earlier, the visa will be usually ready”.
And yes, that’s so true… When I arrived one day early, my visa was ready.
Hip Hip Hurray… We’re coming to Moscow!!
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