{"id":2621,"date":"2024-01-05T18:25:20","date_gmt":"2024-01-05T18:25:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/russiable.com\/?p=2621"},"modified":"2024-01-05T18:59:05","modified_gmt":"2024-01-05T18:59:05","slug":"getting-russian-visa-new-zealand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/russiable.com\/getting-russian-visa-new-zealand\/","title":{"rendered":"How to get a Russian visa in New Zealand in an easy way"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong><em>I\u2019ve had to apply for tourist visas to Russia for family and friends on several different occasions and in different countries.&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>In this article, based on my experience, I want to explain step by step how a New Zealander citizen can obtain a visa on their own to travel to Russia. <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>I\u2019ll explain how to gather all of the documents you\u2019ll need to apply for a visa from your computer in a way that is quick (less than 1 hour) and cost-effective.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Russian-Visa-in-New-Zealand-Featured-image.jpg\" alt=\"Russian-Visa-in-New-Zealand-Featured-image\" class=\"wp-image-1556\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. INTRO QUESTIONS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before going into detail about the Russian visa application process, it&#8217;s important to answer a few questions in order to better understand the procedures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1.1. What is a visa and who should request one?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A visa is an authorization for a citizen of a foreign country to enter, stay in, or pass through the territory of the Russian Federation. It is a document that adheres to one of the pages of your passport.&nbsp; Here is a real example:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Real-Russia-Visa.jpg\" alt=\"Real Russia Visa\" class=\"wp-image-908\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Below you can see what the different sections of a Russian tourist visa mean:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Check-Russian-visa-data.jpg\" alt=\"Check Russian visa data\" class=\"wp-image-903\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>If you are from New Zealabd, you will need to obtain a visa in order to travel to Russia<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, people from about 40 countries that have bilateral agreements with Russia are exempt from needing to obtain a visa (see map). For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Those with passports from ex-USSR states like Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Ukraine, etc. are allowed to enter Russian territory using ordinary passports from their respective countries.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Most South American and Central American countries are exempt from needing to obtain a Russian visa.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Russian-Visa-exemption-countries.jpg\" alt=\"Russian Visa exemption countries\" class=\"wp-image-905\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Source<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Visa_policy_of_Russia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Visa policy of Russia &#8211; Wikipedia<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, note that&nbsp;<strong>tourists from all over the world on board large cruise ships have the right to stay in the Russian Federation without a visa for up to 72 hours<\/strong>&nbsp;provided living on board of a ferry or within a territory defined by the group tour program. They have the right to leave the ship and come back on board of the ship only as part of an organized tourist group and within the defined program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>All the information about Russian visa exemptions in this article: <a href=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/travel-russia-without-visa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Is it possible to travel to Russia without a visa?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1.2. What types of Russian visas are there?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Depending on the purpose of the entry, the Russian Federation issues 7 types of visas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>TOURIST<\/strong>. This is the most common visa and as the name indicates, it is issued for stays that are for tourism purposes. They are issued for a maximum of 30 days. You will need a letter of invitation from a <strong>Russian Licensed Tour Operator<\/strong>. It can be obtained in 5 minutes (below I explain how).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>PRIVATE VISA.&nbsp;<\/strong>These are issued to guests of Russian Nationals who reside within the territory of the Russian Federation. If you are staying in a private apartment with a Russian friend or family member, you can process a private visa, although the process is slower and more complicated:\n<ul>\n<li>If your stay is for a maximum of 30 days, it is easier to process a tourist visa. Simply include random hotels in the invitation letter and once obtained the visa you can stay where you want.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If your stay is more than 30 days (and 90 days maximum), then you must ask your Russian friend or relative to get you a private invitation letter to process a private visa. It may take 2-3 weeks. It must be requested through the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gosuslugi.ru\/16436\">Ministry of the Interior of the Russian Federation<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>BUSINESS<\/strong>. This type is for trips to Russia that are professional in nature and have a commercial purpose or are used to do business. The period of validity of the business visa can be 30, 90, 180 or 365 days (even more in certain cases).\n<ul>\n<li>It is a kind of visa that is also usually requested by people who do not have business in Russia but want to visit the country for a period of more than 30 days (maximum allowed by the tourist visa). It must be kept in mind that in essence the business visa is not addressed to these travelers, but the Russian authorities have always been permissive with this practice (maybe one day it will change).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>STUDENT<\/strong>. This is issued to those who are studying in the Russian Federation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>WORK<\/strong>. Visa that permits a person to work in Russia.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>HUMANITARIAN<\/strong>. Issued for stays with for the purpose of cultural exchange, sporting events, scientific\/technological, socio-political, religious or humanitarian missions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>TRANSIT<\/strong>. Used to pass through the Russian Federation in order to reach another country.\n<ul>\n<li>This visa is not necessary for foreigners who have a layover in an airport given that they don\u2019t leave the international area or for those who fly over the territory without a layover. More info about transit visa in this <a href=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/flight-stopover-moscow-transit-visa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">article<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Latest Russian visa statistics<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>53,2% of visas issued in 2016 were for tourism, 26.1% for business, 7.2% for humanitarian reasons, 5.6% for private visas, 4.2% for work and 1.4% for studies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Germany, China, France, Finland, Italy, the United States and Great Britain accounted for 53% of visas issued by Russia.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Behind these countries stand out by number of visas issued: Estonia, Latvia, Spain, Japan, Lithuania, Poland, Switzerland, India, Netherlands, Turkey, Austria, Czech Republic, Turkmenistan, Georgia, Belgium, Vietnam, Sweden and Iran.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kdmid.ru\/content\/cnslfunk_doc\/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B7%D1%8B\/Visa_2016.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Visa statistics &#8211; Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In general, all types of visa are processed in a similar way. The only difference worth mentioning is the obtaining of the so-called&nbsp;<strong>letter of invitation&nbsp;<\/strong>that, in the case of a tourist visa, is issued by a <strong>Russian tour operator<\/strong> or, in the case of a business visa, must be issued by a <strong>Russian company<\/strong> that has invited you to visit and in the case of a student visa, must be issued by the <strong>Russian educational institution<\/strong> where the person will be attending..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1.3. Where is the Russian visa processed in New Zealand?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As an individual, you can have your visa processed at the <a href=\"https:\/\/newzealand.mid.ru\/en\/consular_issues\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Consular section of the Russian Embassy in New Zealand<\/a> (which can be found in Wellington). Contact informaci\u00f3n:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Business hours<\/strong>: Monday-Friday 9.30 a.m. &#8211; 1.00 p.m.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Telephone<\/strong>: (04) 476 6742 (notary, passport renewals, etc.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Telephone<\/strong>: (04) 476-9548 (Visa officer)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Website<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/newzealand.mid.ru\/en\/consular_issues\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/newzealand.mid.ru\/en\/consular_issues\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Email<\/strong>: <a href=\"mailto:rus.consul.nz@gmail.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">rus.consul.nz@gmail.com<\/a> (consular issues)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Email<\/strong>: <a href=\"mailto:rus.wltvisa.nz@gmail.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">rus.wltvisa.nz@gmail.com<\/a> (visa issues)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Consular Section postal address<\/strong>: PO Box 17 262, Karori, Wellington, New Zealand<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Website-of-the-Consular-Section-of-the-Russian-Embassy-in-New-Zealand.jpg\" alt=\"Website of the Consular Section of the Russian Embassy in New Zealand\" class=\"wp-image-1558\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1.4. How much does it cost to get a Russian visa in New Zealand?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The cost of processing the visa is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>The actual <strong>visa processing fee<\/strong>, called consular fees, which at the consular section cost 110 NZ$ for an ordinary single-entry visa (processed within 10 days) or 240 NZ$ for an expedited Visa (processed in 3 days). Double entry visa is more expensive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>cost of the invitation or visa support<\/strong>, also called <strong>standard tourist confirmation<\/strong> (&#8220;Podtverzdeniye&#8221;). The cheapest are around 28 NZ$ (later I\u2019ll explain how to get one for this price in a PDF format in a few minutes).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In summary, for a trip of 10 days the cost would be the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>110 NZ$ for an ordinary single-entry visa in <strong>c<\/strong><strong>onsular fees.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>28 NZ$ for the <strong>invitation<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>TOTAL<\/strong>: 138 NZ$ euros<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1.5. When should I start applying to get a Russian visa?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You cannot apply for a visa earlier than 3 months before your entry to Russia. I recommend that you apply <strong>at least 5-6 weeks prior to your date of travel<\/strong> to accommodate any unforeseen processing delays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next I&#8217;ll show you how you can gather all the documentation from your computer in 1 hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. STEPS TO APPLY FOR A TOURIST RUSSIAN VISA IN NEW ZEALAND<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When applying for a tourist visa, you must provide the following information:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Passport&nbsp;<\/strong>(must be the original).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Invitation <\/strong>(also called&nbsp;<strong>visa support<\/strong> or <strong>standard tourist confirmation document<\/strong>). This document is the confirmation that you are going to be hosted as a tourist by a Russian tour operator, which is registered in the Unified register of tour operators.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The electronically completed&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/visa.kdmid.ru\/PetitionChoice.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Visa application form<\/a> (you must print, sign, and glue a passport-sized photo).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Next I\u2019ll explain the step-by-step process of obtaining a tourist visa that I always follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 1. Have a valid passport<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/New_Zealand_Passport_Biometric-300x188.jpg\" alt=\"New_Zealand_Passport_Biometric\" class=\"wp-image-1559\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>To apply for a visa, you must have a Passport that is valid for at least six&nbsp;months after your visa expires. You should also have at least two blank pages available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To apply for the visa you must submit your&nbsp;<strong>original passpor<\/strong><strong>t<\/strong>, which will remain in the hands of the Consulate for a few days. This is because the visa will be attached to one of the pages of your passport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your passport must not present&nbsp;<strong>any type of deterioration<\/strong>&nbsp;such as being torn on the cover, be stained or having broken pages. In these cases it is better to renew the passport before applying for the visa, since in the consulate they are usually very strict and they won\u2019t approve the visa if the passport is damaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 2. Set your itinerary: Cities and Hotels<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your visa must include your entry and exit dates meaning the first and last date that you will be in the country. This means you will need to know the dates of your trip before applying for your visa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>You do not have to buy airline or train tickets to Russia in order to apply for a visa<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you know your entry and exit dates, you should outline your itinerary and plan out the cities you want to visit and the hotels or apartments where you\u2019ll be staying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the visa application form, you have to include the <strong>cities you are going to visit<\/strong> as well as whether you will be making one or two entries. The most common type is <strong>single entry<\/strong> visa but you may also want to visit St. Petersburg, then go to Finland and return to St. Petersburg (<strong>double entry<\/strong>). You may also want to visit Latvia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan or Georgia. If so, you need to be very clear about where you will be going and what dates you will be entering or exiting the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To book accommodation I always use <a href=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/zenhotels\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Zenhotels<\/a>, a Russian booking platform in which you can find wide variety of accommodation and very good deals. Other good option is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/?aid=1142042\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Booking.com<\/a>. I recommend you use hotels with free cancellation. This way later, if you want, you can change hotels.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiable.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Zenhotels-Russian-booking-platform.jpg\" alt=\"Zenhotels-Russian-booking-platform\" class=\"wp-image-260\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>I made a <strong>short list of hotels I recommend<\/strong> as value for money is very good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Moscow<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/ru\/ibis-moscow-centre-bakhrushina.html?aid=1142042\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ibis Moscow Centre Bakhrushina<\/a> (3 stars)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/ru\/novotel-moscow-centre.html?aid=1142042\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Novotel Moscow Centre<\/a> (4 stars)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/ru\/novotel-moscow-city.html?aid=1142042\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Novotel Moscow City<\/a> (4 stars)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/ru\/radisson-royal-moscow.html?aid=1142042\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Radisson Royal Hotel<\/a> (5 stars)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>St. Petersburg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/ru\/ibis-st-petersburg-moskovsky-vokzal.html?aid=1142042\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ibis St Petersburg Centre<\/a> (3 stars)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/ru\/st-petersburg-centre.html?aid=1142042\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Novotel St Petersburg Centre<\/a> (4 stars)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/ru\/park-inn-nevsky.html?aid=1142042\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Park Inn by Radisson Nevsky<\/a> (4 stars)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/ru\/radisson-sas-royal.html?aid=1142042\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Radisson Royal Hotel<\/a> (5 stars)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example of itinerary for a trip to Russia:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Trip Dates<\/strong>: From July 21 to 30, 2020<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cities to visit<\/strong>: Saint Petersburg and Moscow\n<ul>\n<li>Stay in Saint Petersburg from July 21 to 24, 2020<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Travel on a night train from Saint Petersburg to Moscow during the night of July 24 (you can get tickets through the&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/pass.rzd.ru\/main-pass\/public\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">RZD Russian trains<\/a>&nbsp;website).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stay in Moscow from July 25 to 30, 2020.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Note<\/strong>: You can apply for a visa for a period longer than expected. For example, if you plan to be in Russia from July 21 to 30, you can apply for a visa from July 21 to 31, but keep in mind that both the invitation letter must have this same period, from July 21 to 31.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 3. Get an invitation or visa support (tourist confirmation document)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The&nbsp;<strong>letter of invitation&nbsp;<\/strong>(also known as the&nbsp;<em>visa support letter&nbsp;<\/em>or<em> standard tourist confirmation document<\/em>) is the most important document but also the most controversial. The letter of invitation should not be confused for a hotel reservation. They are not the same.&nbsp;<strong>It is not necessary to have a hotel reservation in order to get a visa.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This letter of invitation is needed to apply for a visa and must be issued by a Russian tour operator, hotel, institution, or business who has invited you to visit them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When getting a<strong>&nbsp;tourist visa<\/strong>, letter of invitation (or visa support) is issued by a Russian tour operator or by the hotel in which you\u2019ll be staying. This document states that you have hired a Russian hotel service, the cities you will be staying, as well as the services you will receive from the hotel and the proof that you have paid for a reservation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take a look at the example of the real visa support shown below to see the 4 things which are marked in red and that you will need when filling out your visa application form: name of organization, address, reference number and confirmation number.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venemaal.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Naide-Venemaa-Venemaale-reisimise-kohta.jpg\" alt=\"Invitation to Russia for New Zealanders citizens\" class=\"wp-image-894\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>How do you get visa support (tourist confirmation document) for a tourist trip? <\/strong>There are two options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Option 1. Ask for it directly from the HOTEL,&nbsp;<\/strong>they can either fax or email it to you. While the document should be free in theory, the hotels usually charge a fee (between 35 and 70 NZ$). If you stay in two or more hotels, you will need an invitation letter from each hotel.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Please note<\/strong>: if the hotel makes you a free invitation you must stay at the hotel since if you cancel the reservation after obtaining the free invitation, the hotel can invalidate it and charge you a supplement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Option 2. Getting an invitation on your own through an authorized RUSSIAN TOUR OPERATOR. <\/strong>If you simply want to do things more quickly without having to call or email each individual hotel, there are different travel agencies that can quickly provide the visa support online in 5 minutes for about 28 NZ$. With this option you can include the hotels or apartments in which you are going to stay, but with the advantage that later you can change the hotels after obtaining your visa (you may find a cheaper hotel, or Airbnb apartment or one that you simply like better than the original hotel or apartment).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The best options that I used to get an invitation letter are: <a href=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/visa-support\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iVisa<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/letter-invitation-russia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Russia Support<\/a>. Prices range between 26 and 30 NZ$ per invitation. You can get it in 5 minutes in PDF format and you should print it in color.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you <a href=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/visa-support-russia-airbnb\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">have booked your accommodation through Airbnb<\/a> (or platforms such as Wimdu, Tripping, CouchSurfing, Interhome, HomeAway, VRBO, HomeStay, etc.), you can get an invitation through iVisa, Russia Support or HotelsPro. In these cases, in the invitation request forms (Hotel section) specify \u201capartment + address\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s see how to obtain an invitation letter with these Russian tour operators:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Option 1: iVisa<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/visa-support\">iVisa<\/a>&nbsp;is a Russian tour operator, which is registered in the unified register of tour operators. iVisa has one of the best systems currently available to obtain an invitation letter to travel to Russia. The system of issuing visa support is fully automated. You receive the invitation letter immediately after paying (in PDF format ready to print). You can pay by credit card or PayPal. Currently, the price is about 17 euros each visa support. The process of purchasing visa support can be done through this button:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">&nbsp;<a class=\"fasc-button fasc-size-medium fasc-type-flat fasc-ico-before dashicons-media-document fasc-style-bold\" style=\"background-color: #9c0621; color: #ffffff;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/visa-support\">iVisa &#8211; Visa Support (PDF)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The form is simple to fill. Here is an example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Information<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you stay in an apartment (from Airbnb or similar), in the Hotel section specify &#8220;apartment + address&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venemaal.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Visa-support-Venamaale-1.jpg\" alt=\"Visa support Russia for New Zealanders 1\" class=\"wp-image-912\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venemaal.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Visa-support-Venamaale-2.jpg\" alt=\"Visa support Russia for New Zealanders 2\" class=\"wp-image-913\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Confirmation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venemaal.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Visa-support-Venamaale-3.jpg\" alt=\"Visa support Russia for New Zealanders 3\" class=\"wp-image-914\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Payment: PayPal or credit card<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venemaal.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Visa-support-Venamaale-4.jpg\" alt=\"Visa support Russia for New Zealanders 4\" class=\"wp-image-915\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>4. Download Invitation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After payment you can download the invitation letter in PDF format. You will also receive the invitation in your email. An example of a visa support:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/venajalla.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Visa-invitation-voucher-iVisa-Finland.jpg\" alt=\"Visa invitation voucher iVisa New Zealand\" class=\"wp-image-66\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The <strong>information<\/strong> you need to fill out the visa application form:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Name of organization<\/strong>: Visa Centre, LLC<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Address<\/strong>: Leninsky Avenue 153 \u0410 office 706 St Petersburg 196247<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reference number<\/strong>: 015681<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Confirmation number<\/strong>: in the example is 106233 but note that <strong>it is different for each visa support<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Option 2: Russia Support<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Another excellent system is that used by <a href=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/letter-invitation-russia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Russia Support<\/a>, an agency specializing in the issuance of invitation letters. The form is very easy to fill out and allows you to get the invitation letter, ready to print and to present along with the rest of the documentation. It costs 16,90 EUR. They usually send the letter of invitation quickly (in minutes). The process of purchasing visa support can be done through this button:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a class=\"fasc-button fasc-size-medium fasc-type-flat fasc-ico-before dashicons-media-document fasc-style-bold\" style=\"background-color: #9c0621; color: #ffffff;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/letter-invitation-russia\/\">Russia Support &#8211; Invitation to Russia<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The form is simple to fill:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Information<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"584\" height=\"1026\" src=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Letter-of-invitation-to-Russia-in-5-minutes-for-19-USD-Russia-Support-1.jpg\" alt=\"Letter of invitation to Russia in 5 minutes for 19 USD - Russia Support 1\" class=\"wp-image-757\" srcset=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Letter-of-invitation-to-Russia-in-5-minutes-for-19-USD-Russia-Support-1.jpg 584w, https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Letter-of-invitation-to-Russia-in-5-minutes-for-19-USD-Russia-Support-1-171x300.jpg 171w, https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Letter-of-invitation-to-Russia-in-5-minutes-for-19-USD-Russia-Support-1-583x1024.jpg 583w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Confirmation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"851\" height=\"848\" src=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Letter-of-invitation-to-Russia-in-5-minutes-for-19-USD-Russia-Support-2.jpg\" alt=\"Letter of invitation to Russia in 5 minutes for 19 USD - Russia Support 2\" class=\"wp-image-758\" srcset=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Letter-of-invitation-to-Russia-in-5-minutes-for-19-USD-Russia-Support-2.jpg 851w, https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Letter-of-invitation-to-Russia-in-5-minutes-for-19-USD-Russia-Support-2-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Letter-of-invitation-to-Russia-in-5-minutes-for-19-USD-Russia-Support-2-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Letter-of-invitation-to-Russia-in-5-minutes-for-19-USD-Russia-Support-2-768x765.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 851px) 100vw, 851px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Payment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"804\" height=\"643\" src=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Letter-of-invitation-to-Russia-in-5-minutes-for-19-USD-Russia-Support-3.jpg\" alt=\"Letter of invitation to Russia in 5 minutes for 19 USD - Russia Support 3\" class=\"wp-image-759\" srcset=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Letter-of-invitation-to-Russia-in-5-minutes-for-19-USD-Russia-Support-3.jpg 804w, https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Letter-of-invitation-to-Russia-in-5-minutes-for-19-USD-Russia-Support-3-300x240.jpg 300w, https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Letter-of-invitation-to-Russia-in-5-minutes-for-19-USD-Russia-Support-3-768x614.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 804px) 100vw, 804px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"935\" height=\"658\" src=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Letter-of-invitation-to-Russia-in-5-minutes-for-19-USD-Russia-Support-4.jpg\" alt=\"Letter of invitation to Russia in 5 minutes for 19 USD - Russia Support 4\" class=\"wp-image-760\" srcset=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Letter-of-invitation-to-Russia-in-5-minutes-for-19-USD-Russia-Support-4.jpg 935w, https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Letter-of-invitation-to-Russia-in-5-minutes-for-19-USD-Russia-Support-4-300x211.jpg 300w, https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Letter-of-invitation-to-Russia-in-5-minutes-for-19-USD-Russia-Support-4-768x540.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 935px) 100vw, 935px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>4. Invitation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1615\" height=\"972\" src=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/VoucherGarcia.jpg\" alt=\"Example Voucher Visa Support\" class=\"wp-image-761\" srcset=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/VoucherGarcia.jpg 1615w, https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/VoucherGarcia-300x181.jpg 300w, https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/VoucherGarcia-768x462.jpg 768w, https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/VoucherGarcia-1024x616.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1615px) 100vw, 1615px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The <strong>information<\/strong> you need to fill out the visa application form:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Name of organization<\/strong>: VOYAGE EXPO, Ltd<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Address<\/strong>: Russia, 109382 Moscow, 129 Lublinskaya st<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reference number<\/strong>: 017740<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Confirmation number<\/strong>: in the above example is 166407 but note that <strong>it is different for each visa support<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 4. Buy an insurance policy for the whole period of your stay in Russia (optional)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>New Zealanders citizens are NOT required to present traveler\u2019s medical insurance<\/strong> in order to receive a visa, but I recommend having medical insurance to travel to Russia,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A good and cheap option is the Russian company <a href=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/cherehapa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Cherehapa<\/a>.&nbsp;To acquire it, you must enter its <a href=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/cherehapa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">website<\/a> and enter the traveler&#8217;s personal information: name, surname and date of birth. You can add several travelers when purchasing the insurance policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The policyholder will be the person who contracts the insurance, that is, the person who pays. Normally it will be the traveler who is responsible for buying insurance for all travelers. You must provide your email address, to which the insurance policy will be sent.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/cherehapa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rusalia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Seguro-medico-e-visa-rusa-1-Cherehapa-Liberty-Seguros-.jpg\" alt=\"Russian e-visa medical insurance 1 - Cherehapa - Liberty Insurances\" class=\"wp-image-11552\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>In a second step, you must make the payment by entering your card details:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rusalia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Seguro-medico-e-visa-rusa-2-Cherehapa-Liberty-Seguros-.jpg\" alt=\"Russian e-visa medical insurance 2 - Cherehapa - Liberty Insurances\" class=\"wp-image-11553\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Once the payment is made, you can download the policy in PDF format, ready to print. They will also send it to your email. The policy will include the names of all the insured. You can check the detailed conditions of the policy in this <a href=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Liberty_rules_RusEng.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">link<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rusalia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Seguro-medico-e-visa-rusa-Ejemplo-Cherehapa-Liberty-Seguros-.jpg\" alt=\"Insurance-russian-e-visa - Example - Cherehapa - Liberty Insurances\" class=\"wp-image-11554\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 5. Fill out the Visa Application Form<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you have all of the information you need as far as dates, entries\/exits, a current passport, letter of invitation, and travel insurance, you are ready to fill out the visa application form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The form can be filled out electronically by visiting:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a class=\"fasc-button fasc-size-medium fasc-type-flat fasc-ico-before dashicons-media-document fasc-style-bold\" style=\"background-color: #9c0621; color: #ffffff;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/visa.kdmid.ru\/PetitionChoice.aspx\">Russian Visa application form<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The application should include your personal information, the purpose of your visit (tourism, business, study, etc.), your itinerary and dates, your insurance policy information and other information that I\u2019ll show you here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you go to fill out the form for the first time, you should select your country (New Zealand) and the language you would like to continue in. Also mark in the box that you have read the introductory information. Next, click <strong>Complete new application form<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Get-Russian-visa-in-New-Zealand-Completion-of-electronic-visa-application-form-1.jpg\" alt=\"Get Russian visa in New Zealand - Completion of electronic visa application form 1\" class=\"wp-image-1560\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Choose a password to be able to recover the form later (for example: ma123456789).&nbsp;If you have any problem to retrieve a completed form, you can fill in a new form.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Get-Russian-visa-in-New-Zealand-Completion-of-electronic-visa-application-form-2.jpg\" alt=\"Get Russian visa in New Zealand - Completion of electronic visa application form 2\" class=\"wp-image-1561\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Get-Russian-visa-in-New-Zealand-Completion-of-electronic-visa-application-form-3.jpg\" alt=\"Get Russian visa in New Zealand - Completion of electronic visa application form 3\" class=\"wp-image-1562\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Get-Russian-visa-in-New-Zealand-Completion-of-electronic-visa-application-form-4.jpg\" alt=\"Get Russian visa in New Zealand - Completion of electronic visa application form 4\" class=\"wp-image-1563\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Get-Russian-visa-in-New-Zealand-Completion-of-electronic-visa-application-form-5.jpg\" alt=\"Get Russian visa in New Zealand - Completion of electronic visa application form 5\" class=\"wp-image-1564\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Get-Russian-visa-in-New-Zealand-Completion-of-electronic-visa-application-form-6.jpg\" alt=\"Get Russian visa in New Zealand - Completion of electronic visa application form 6\" class=\"wp-image-1565\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>In the section that says <strong>Visit details<\/strong>, you should include the following information from your visa support that I mentioned earlier:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><em>Travel company<\/em> (in the case of tourist visa)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Name of organization<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Address<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reference number<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Confirmation number<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Get-Russian-visa-in-New-Zealand-Completion-of-electronic-visa-application-form-7.jpg\" alt=\"Get Russian visa in New Zealand - Completion of electronic visa application form 7\" class=\"wp-image-1566\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The consulate may want to contact you, so <strong>state clearly your contact telephone number<\/strong> (office and after hours) in the application form.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Get-Russian-visa-in-New-Zealand-Completion-of-electronic-visa-application-form-8.jpg\" alt=\"Get Russian visa in New Zealand - Completion of electronic visa application form 8\" class=\"wp-image-1567\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Lastly, select the place where you will be processing your visa application. You can select any Consulate or Russian Visa Center in your area:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Get-Russian-visa-in-New-Zealand-Completion-of-electronic-visa-application-form-9.jpg\" alt=\"Get Russian visa in New Zealand - Completion of electronic visa application form 9\" class=\"wp-image-1568\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Once you have finished entering all of the information, a summary will appear in case you would like to change something. If all of the information looks correct, click the Save button:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Get-Russian-visa-in-New-Zealand-Completion-of-electronic-visa-application-form-10.jpg\" alt=\"Get Russian visa in New Zealand - Completion of electronic visa application form 10\" class=\"wp-image-1569\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>On the next page, you\u2019ll see that you can download the completed form as a PDF. Simply click on the A4 Print button:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Get-Russian-visa-in-New-Zealand-Completion-of-electronic-visa-application-form-11.jpg\" alt=\"Get Russian visa in New Zealand - Completion of electronic visa application form 11\" class=\"wp-image-1570\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 6. Print the Visa Application Form, sign it, and glue a photo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You must print the PDF form double-sided, write the date, paste a photo, and don\u2019t forget to sign it:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Get-Russian-visa-in-New-Zealand-Completion-of-electronic-visa-application-form-12.jpg\" alt=\"Get Russian visa in New Zealand - Completion of electronic visa application form 12\" class=\"wp-image-1571\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Get-Russian-visa-in-New-Zealand-Completion-of-electronic-visa-application-form-13.jpg\" alt=\"Get Russian visa in New Zealand - Completion of electronic visa application form 13\" class=\"wp-image-1572\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The photo should be an original photo (3,5 x 4,5 cm) that is recent, in color, from the front, against a white background, and without glasses with tinted lenses or hats. Detailed instructions:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venemaal.ee\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Foto-spetsifikatsioonid-Vene-viisa.jpg\" alt=\"Photo specifications for Russian visa\" class=\"wp-image-909\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 7. Take all your documents to the Consular section of the Russian Embassy in New Zealand<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Now you have all the required documents: passport, invitation, and completed form signed and with a photo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It has not been difficult to get these documents, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The final step is to take everything to the Consular section of the Russian Embassy in New Zealand, located in Wellington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can apply for visa <strong>personally<\/strong> or by <strong>post <\/strong>(postal address: PO Box 17 262, Karori, Wellington, New Zealand). When mailing your application along with all required documents a self-addressed pre-paid return envelope should be enclosed. Otherwise, your visa will not be processed. To avoid your correspondence being lost in mail, they recommend using Courier Post Services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can submit your application in person at the Consular Section during its business hours or send it by post. They recommend NZ Post or NZ Couriers fast services (only these bags can be posted you back with your passports).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Business hours<\/strong>: Monday-Friday 9.30 a.m. &#8211; 1.00 p.m.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Telephone<\/strong>: (04) 476-9548 (Visa officer)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Website<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/newzealand.mid.ru\/en\/consular_issues\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/newzealand.mid.ru\/en\/consular_issues\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Email<\/strong>: <a href=\"mailto:rus.wltvisa.nz@gmail.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">rus.wltvisa.nz@gmail.com<\/a> (visa issues)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Consular Section postal address<\/strong>: PO Box 17 262, Karori, Wellington, New Zealand<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Payment methods:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Consulate <strong>does not accept cash<\/strong> as mode of payment. They <strong>do not accept cheques<\/strong> from personal or company checkbooks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They accept <strong>debit card<\/strong> (eftpos card) or <strong>bank cheques<\/strong> as mode of payment. They <strong>do not accept credit cards<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Recipient name<\/strong>: Embassy of the Russian Federation in New Zealand.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 8. Collect your passport with your visa<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In order to collect your passport with your visa you will need to present the original receipt given to you during the submission. If you wish to nominate somebody to collect the passport on your behalf, they must carry the original receipt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Processing times vary from application to application and are at the sole discretion of the Russian Consulate. Processing times under normal circumstances are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Normal application<\/strong> &#8211; 10 business days<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Urgent application<\/strong> &#8211; 3 business days<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you send your application by Post normal processing time is 14 business days, urgent \u2013 4 business days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The final result of the whole process is your passport with your visa attached to one of the pages. Check the validity of the visa issued to ensure that it covers the period of stay requested, the number or entries required, and that it is valid for the purpose of trip immediately after collection of the passport. The Embassy of the Russian Federation in New Zealand accept resubmission of passports for correction on the day of the passport collection only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below is an example of a tourist visa (\u0422\u0423\u0420\u0418\u0417\u041c, 004), with the information you should check:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/russiau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Check-Russian-visa-data.jpg\" alt=\"Check Russian visa data\" class=\"wp-image-903\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. SUBSEQUENT FORMAL PROCEEDINGS AFTER OBTAINING THE VISA<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you already have a visa you should bear in mind that there are <strong>two additional steps<\/strong> that must be done once you get to Russia: the immigration card and visa registration. The first thing is usually completed by the customs officer and the second the hotel where you will stay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is important to always carry both the passport and the immigration card while traveling, and the accreditation of the registry in case it may be required from you on the street by the police (it is rare for them to do so, though).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Document 1: Immigration card<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you enter the territory of the Russian Federation, you must fill out the <strong>immigration card<\/strong>, though in practice, at large airports, it is usually the immigration service which takes care of it (either digitally or manually). It is done during passport control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The immigration card is a paper which consists of two equal parts that are the size of a passport page. One of the parts is kept by the border police and the second will be delivered to you. It is important that you keep this card as they will ask it to you when you leave the country. In addition, you will also need the immigration card to register the visa, as I explain in the next section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the following screenshot you can see how the immigration card looks, which usually comes in Russian and English:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rusalia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Tarjeta-de-inmigraci\u00f3n-Rusia.jpg\" alt=\"Immigration card in Russia\" class=\"wp-image-6330\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a class=\"fasc-button fasc-size-medium fasc-type-flat fasc-ico-before dashicons-media-document fasc-style-bold\" style=\"background-color: #9c0621; color: #ffffff;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/russian-airports-immigration-card-customs-formalities\/\">Immigration card in Russia<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Document 2: Registration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have applied for a tourist visa, you have the obligation to <strong>register within the first 7 working days of arrival <\/strong>(excluding weekends and holidays). Before March 2011, the registration must be done within 72 hours, but the new Russian law modified this term. If you are going to stay in Russia less than 7 working days, then you do not need to register.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The purpose of this registry (which comes from the communist era) is to notify immigration authorities of the place where you will stay while you are in Russia. The registration must be done in each of the cities that you are going to visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You will need to fill out another <a href=\"https:\/\/\u0433\u0443\u0432\u043c.\u043c\u0432\u0434.\u0440\u0444\/upload\/site1\/document_gosuslugi\/000\/003\/066\/uvedomlenie.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">registration form<\/a>. It\u2019s not your obligation to register, but rather the hotel where you are staying or the host of the apartment where you are staying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are staying in a hotel, when you arrive, <strong>the hotel itself will register your visa.<\/strong> They will ask you the passport with the visa and immigration card (the one you get at the border when you arrive to the country).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you will not stay in a hotel, but in a private house, <strong>then the Russian host is the one required to register his\/her guest at a police station or at the post office<\/strong>. You don\u2019t need to be present in the registry but you must provide your host a copy of the first page of the passport, the visa and the immigration card. You may be charged a small fee for this procedure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The accreditation registration is not required to leave the country, though the immigration card is required. In the following screenshot you can see how this form looks. The tourist stays with the bottom part (from the dotted line):<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rusalia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Registro-Visa-Rusia.jpg\" alt=\"Visa registration in Russia\" class=\"wp-image-6331\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a class=\"fasc-button fasc-size-medium fasc-type-flat fasc-ico-before dashicons-media-document fasc-style-bold\" style=\"background-color: #9c0621; color: #ffffff;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/russiable.com\/registration-visa-russia\/\">Registration in Russia<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em><strong>Thanks for reading this article. If you found it useful, you can help me by sharing it on your social networks. Thank you<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I\u2019ve had to apply for tourist visas to Russia for family and friends on several different occasions and in different countries.&nbsp;In this article, based on my experience, I want to explain step by step how a New Zealander citizen can obtain a visa on their own to travel to Russia. I\u2019ll explain how to gather [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1445,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"modified_by":"Irena Domingo","featured_image_src":"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Business-visa-Russia.jpg","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Business-visa-Russia.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Irena Domingo","author_link":"https:\/\/russiable.com\/author\/irena-domingo\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2621"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2621"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2621\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2623,"href":"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2621\/revisions\/2623"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1445"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2621"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2621"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/russiable.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}