Changes in Russian visa requirements?

[Professor Walter Comins-Richmond]

Dear Professor Douglas,

I do not know the official procedure, but the experience of my friends
and colleagues over the past few months leads me to believe that there is
no method of requesting a visa other than as tourist that is not subject
to denial. One friend sent a personal invititation and was refused
because it was a FAX, not the original (he got a visa with an original
that was rushed to him). After that, another friend got a visa with a
FAXed personal invitation. There are many visa issuing organizations that
are fairly successful, but occassionally they too run into inexplicable
refusals.

Your problem is a new one to me. I know of several individuals who have
recently received visas with institutional invitations.

I wish I could be more help. I am travelling to Russia this summer, and
simply resigned myself to staying in a hotel to receive a tourist visa.
However, my travel agent told me this is not even guaranteed, and I have
not yet received the visa.

Good luck,
Walter Comins-Richmond
Occidental College

*****************************************************************************
Walter Comins-Richmond
Assistant Professor                       "Everything can be filed under
Dept. of Languages and Literatures                     "miscellaneous.""
Occidental College
Los Angeles, CA 90041
(213)259-2636
<richmond at oxy.edu>

On Fri, 18 Apr 1997, Charlotte Douglas wrote:

> Colleagues:
>
> Does anyone have information about recent changes in Russian visa
> requirements?
>
> I am trying to get a visa for a research trip to Moscow.  I have an
> invitation from an institute affiliated with the Ministry of Culture.  I
> have often done this before, but now the invitation has just been refused
> by the Consulate here in New York which says that nothing but an invitation
> from the Ministry of Culture itself is now acceptable.
>
> This seems to me a major change in procedures.  How are research visits now
> being arranged?
>
> Since I will not be staying at a hotel, a tourist visa will not do.
>
> Thanks for any information,
>
> Charlotte Douglas
> Russian and Slavic Studies, NYU
> douglas at nyu.edu
>