Changes to Student Visa requirements

[Christine A Dunbar (cdunbar@Princeton.EDU)]

In New Jersey, at least, it can be done by mail.

Christine

----- Original Message -----
From: Jeanmarie Rouhier-Willoughby <jrouhie at EMAIL.UKY.EDU>
Date: Wednesday, February 4, 2009 2:20 pm
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Changes to Student Visa requirements
To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu

> An apostil is essentially the equivalent of a notary's seal, 
> however,  
> it is given only by the secretary of state (a government position  
> held in each state). To obtain one, a person must visit the 
> secretary  
> of state's office in the state capital. I am not sure if it can be  
> mailed and an apostil affixed, I suppose one would have to contact  
> the secretary of state's office. Best, JRW
> 
> On Feb 4, 2009, at 2:14 PM, John Givens wrote:
> 
> >      Dear Colleagues:
> >
> > I noticed that there are several changes this year to the  
> > requirements for
> > obtaining student visas to Russia.
> >
> > The NYC Russian Consulate website lists the following  
> requirements  
> > (below).
> > Items 2, 3 & 5 are new and item 4 now requires Russian   
> > translation and
> > Apostil certification. I understand that these new requirements   
> > are usually a
> > response to new requirements imposed on our side of their 
> students   
> > seeking
> > visas. My question is to those of you who, like the University of 
>  
> > Rochester,
> > run summer programs in Russia. Do you have any advice how to  
> > fulfill  these
> > requirements without expending an enormous amount of time and  
> > labor?  Is there a
> > visa service that does student visas? ("ExpresstoRussia"--the   
> > formal "partner"
> > of the  Russian Consulate--does not do student visas. I  called  
> > them already.)
> > Also, what do they mean by "Apostil of the local  office of the  
> > Secretary of
> > your State"?
> >  I noticed that the Russian Embassy does not have instructions  
> for  
> > student
> > visas and, in any case, no longer accepts mailed visa 
> applications   
> > (you have to
> > apply in person or through a service, but none of the services   
> > listed on their
> > websites do student visas).
> >  Thanks for any help! Here are the requirements from the Russian  
> 
> > Consulate
> > website:
> >  For  a Student Visa, please, submit:
> >     A    letter of Invitation from the Ministry of Foreign 
> Affairs  
> > or its
> > Regional    Office (if the Region you are going to study in does  
> > not have
> > Regional Office    of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the  
> > invitation is issued
> > by the    University, Institute or College on its official  
> > letterhead signed by
> > the    rector and certified either by the Office for 
> International  
> > Affairs of
> > the    local administration or by the local office of the 
> Ministry  
> > of Interior).
> >
> >     Your    current diploma or educational certificate, certified 
> 
> > by the State
> > or Federal    authorities
> >     General    health certificate on your current health 
> condition  
> > (must be
> > certified by    Apostil at the local office of the Secretary of  
> > your State and
> > translated into    Russian, then certified by the Consulate)
> >     A    copy of HIV test certificate (must be certified by 
> Apostil  
> > at the local
> > office    of the Secretary of your State and translated into  
> > Russian, then
> > certified by    the Consulate)
> >     A    confirmation of the payment arrangement directly from 
> the  
> > University,
> >  Institute or College you are going to study at.
> >     Your    original passport with at least 2 clean, side by side 
> 
> > pages to
> > attach the visa    to. The passport must be valid for up to 6  
> > months AFTER you
> > planned departure    from Russia.
> >     2    signed and dated Visa Application Forms (click to 
> download  
> > form for US
> > Citizens, click    here to download form for non-US citizens.  
> > The    forms
> > require Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can download this free if you 
> do  
> > not    have
> > it installed on your computer. 3 identical passport size (on white
> > background) photos. Please, write your name on the back of the 
> photos.>     Your    payment by money order or cashier's check made 
> out to  
> > the Russian
> > Consulate in    accordance with your local Consulate's fees (see  
> > Consulates
> > Website or call    them). Do not send cash or personal checks.
> >     Pre-paid    self-addressed return envelope from a reliable  
> > delivery company
> > (FED EX, DHL,    UPS).
> >
> >
> >
> > John Givens
> >  Associate Professor of Russian
> >  Modern Languages & Cultures
> >  Box 270082
> >  University of Rochester
> >  Rochester, NY 14627-0082
> >  585-275-4272
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------
> ---- 
> > ---
> >  Use your web browser to search the archives, control your  
> > subscription
> >   options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web 
> Interface  
> > at:
> >                     http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------
> ---- 
> > ---
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> -----
> Use your web browser to search the archives, control your 
> subscription  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS 
> Web Interface at:
>                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> -----
> 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------