Changes to Student Visa requirements

Thu Feb 5 02:37:32 UTC 2009

What website is this from?

The New York consulate's official site -- at least the one I got to from the official embassy site (http://www.russianembassy.org/ --> http://www.ruscon.org/main_ENG.html) gives a much simpler procedure, and still allows for applications by post (http://www.ruscon.org/visa_dep_ENG.html).  The embassy does indeed say that they will no longer accept applications by post.  I couldn't find any specifications on student visas on the embassy website.

Best,
Stuart Goldberg

Student Visa

To apply for a student visa, an applicant should submit to the Consulate a completed visa application form, national passport, two standard passport pictures, Money Order (see page 1 points 1-4 of General Information), as well as:

   1.

      Original letter of Invitation from the Ministry of Internal Affairs or its Regional Office. 

If you apply for a student visa, you should submit original HIV blood test (AIDS) Certificate. This certificate is valid for 3 month only.

If you submit the documents for the student visa, please be aware that the national passport has to be valid for no less than one and a half-year.

All documents should be submitted not less than 6 business days prior to the entry to the Russian Federation.

----- Original Message -----
From: "John Givens" <givn at MAIL.ROCHESTER.EDU>
To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Sent: Wednesday, February 4, 2009 2:14:58 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: [SEELANGS] Changes to Student Visa requirements

     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

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