Trying to visit my Russian Fiancé while K-1 is pending

[JSWH 262]

34 minutes ago, millefleur said:

Weird, I'm about to apply for my fifth Russian visa and this time around they said I don't need travel insurance? If you apply via one of the visa centers it says that it isn't required anymore for US citizens?

 

I'm not buying insurance this time so I hope everything will be fine. Previously it was always required.

 

Even on the Consulate site, it says US citizens no longer require it. Maybe the travel agencies will still recommend it?

 

The three year visa is unclear for me, as I'm not sure if it's available to first-time applicants. I heard that you can only apply for a 3-year after you've already had a Russian visa, but I can't verify this.

Well, they must have changed the rules. That's why I said to check the current requirements on the Consulate site. It makes everything even easier. 

 

What about 3-year multi visa, there's an information I copied from the Houston Consulate website:

 

"It’s recommended that the US citizens apply for a 3-year multiple-entry tourist visa regardless of the dates of entry/exit, number of entries or period of stay actually stated in the confirmation of the hotel reservation or confirmation of reception of the tourist. When applying for a 3-year multiple-entry tourist visa, please indicate a three year period of stay in the visa application form."  http://www.rusconhouston.mid.ru/tourist_visa_to_russia.htm

 

It's also mentioned that the Consulate "has the right to request medical insurance if needed". 

 

P.S. My fiancé was issued a 3-year visa without any questions. 

[Dashinka 24,654]

For my first three trips to Russia I got a single entry tourist visa ( the three year visa wasn't available for the first two trips).  I went through the local travel company here and they took care of everything including the letter.  The visa form did ask about medical insurance, so I put down that I don't need it as my own insurance already covers it nad I had no issues.  For my last application, I got the three year visa and have used it two times so far, and again the local visa company took care of everything.

 

The links already posted should help you out so good Luck and safe travels!

[Dima_April 9]

I went through something similar in March of 2015.  I applied for a tourist visa to visit my  fiance in Moscow, so I could attend the K-1 visa interview at the US Embassy.  Dmitrii, made a hotel reservation at http://www.sherston.ru/ and then told the clerk that I needed a voucher to prove I had a host to stay with.  The hotel then sent a link to my personal email and I paid online with a credit card for a digital transcript to carry with me during my travels in Russia.  The hotel, informed the Russian authorities/police of my intended stay. You should check with the hotel you plan to stay at, as some do not offer this service.  Also, the voucher is only good for the hotel you originally booked, you cannot use it to stay at a different location.  In July of 2016, I traveled back to Russia, but this time I stayed with my fiance, in his home.  He simply went to the local police station and filled out a form that told the authorities where I was staying (his address), and that he would bare all responsibility for me while there.  That was it - very easy.
As someone mentioned in an earlier reply, Russia, does not care of your impending K-1; travel to Russia, as much as you please.  If your fiance intends to travel to the US, while your petition is pending, then there could be potential problems.  If someone wants to turn him back at the airport they may do so, thinking that it is an effort on both your parts to negate the entire K-1 process.  This could either result in a waste of time and money or even result in a 10 year ban from re-entering the US (according to our lawyer).  Good luck and safe travels.  All will be fine in the end - we have been married since September 15, 2016.

[redleg627 15]

I used a local travel visa service (http://www.visarussiatravel.com/index)  to get my Visa to Russia when my wife and I were in K-1 process. It may have cost most, but they saved me a lot of head ache. No issues when I arrived to Moscow. And yes they now require travel insurance. Its all part of the process now. Just roll with it.

[millefleur 5,047]

Hey guys, I just picked up my three year private visa. Insurance is no longer necessary for US citizens.

 

I highly recommend the three year private visa: it was super easy as very little paperwork was necessary.

[Алекс и Эрин 105]

13 hours ago, millefleur said:

Hey guys, I just picked up my three year private visa. Insurance is no longer necessary for US citizens.

 

I highly recommend the three year private visa: it was super easy as very little paperwork was necessary.

Cool.  That's good to know.  I also did the 3-year private visa.  No problems with it.  I did however, at the time have to provide insurance.  I went through AIG and paid $15 for their most basic service.  It was good for 1 year.  So, even if you want it I assume you can purchase it at your own discretion.  Still nice to know it is no longer necessary when applying for the visa. 

[tanderson64 201]

The Russian visa process is easy.  I booked the hotel, received the required letters from the hotel the next day via email. Filled out the visa application form found on the Russian consulate site http://seattle.mid.ru/web/seattle-en/visas (this is for consulate in Seattle, but form link on site is same for every where).  I used the ILS Visa center in Seattle to help with the application http://www.ils-usa.com . They have centers near the Russian consulate in the cities listed on the site.  I was fortunate that I live a couple of hours from Seattle - I went to the center, gave them the application, and the staff made corrections to the application with me (they have direct access to the database), I paid the fee and they said come back in a week to pick up your visa.

 

When the visa was ready, they sent me a text, I returned to the center and picked up my visa.  Review the visa carefully to make sure the information is correct.  I can read Russian (self-taught, and it does not take long to learn), so that is helpful, but the staff will go over it with you if you cannot.

 

They will recommend getting the 3 year visa, as does the Russian consulate.  With this visa, I can visit Russia when I want, and can stay for up to 6 months.  You don't need to re-apply for a new visa every time you visit, and if you plan on mutliple visits, it saves money.

 

It is only $30 dollars for the Visa center to process the visa, so use them.  If you don't live near one of the cities, you can do the visa by mail, but that will cost $85 to cover return shipping when you visa is ready.

 

They don't care about medical insurance.  US citizens are not required to have it.

 

I hope this helps.

[millefleur 5,047]

The San Francisco center is a lot lazier: no texts or communication from them from my experience.

 

A heads up for anyone who has to travel from out of town to pick up the visa: consider Russian holidays!! I stupidly forgot about the Feb. 23rd holiday and low and behold, the office ended up being closed for two days. This severely messed up my plans and I even had to buy a last minute plane ticket to go to SF and pick up the visa before they closed. It was really stressful and cost me a bunch more than I expected. So even if they haven't posted it on their site: they will be closed of just about ALL Russian national holidays, so keep it in mind.

 

The $85 mail processing is worth it. After having spent a bunch of money staying in SF to seemingly avoid that, in retrospect I wish I had just done the mail processing, and also the whole holiday closures wouldn't have been a problem then.