Changes to Student Visa requirements

[Renee Stillings]

I also checked with our visa processing agent in DC and they have 
heard nothing of the like - at least as concerns DC. Student visas can 
come in three flavors: ucheba, stazhirovka, and kursi (the differences 
really have more to do with registration/extention options). All are 
processed like business visas with the only differences being that now 
an HIV test (basic, not translated, apostilled, etc.) is required 
regardless of duration of studies, the original invitation is needed 
(for regular business visas copies are still fine, at least in DC) and 
there is a 5-day hold, meaning that a student cannot enter Russia for 
5 days from the date the visa is issued. The date of entry writted on 
the visa will reflect this. It is important to factor this in when 
choosing processing times and good agents do all these calculations 
for you as long as you indicate the actual entry date planned. As far 
as agents who do or do not process student visas, ours certainly does, 
and they keep track of these changes in requirements and alert us. We 
use Travel Document Systems in Washington. The average agent charges 
$50 per Russian visa (standard processing) on top of the consulate 
fees ($131 minimally) and shipping. I used to figure it was nice to 
save the $50 and then after a few idiotic discussions with the 
consulate one year I concluded that it was worth $50 to not have that 
added aggravation in my life. There are enough aggravations as it is 
when organizing studies and travel in Russia. I only wish $50 was all 
it took to solve them or at least make them someone else's problem.

Visa rules can indeed change suddenly when there is a change of 
consulate staff. The rules that were just discussed here are likely 
the full set as written in some Russian legislation on the subject and 
may be applied in certain countries where they can get away with 
making life miserable for people and yet they still want to go to 
Russia. And whoever is trying to scare/trick people into using that 
visa service just copied them. Not to say that they won't try that 
here in the US as well, but generally they have ignored most of those 
rules, although I recall the consulate in Seattle many years ago did 
try to enforce the translation nonsense.

Renee

> Happily, the site you give appears to be a commercial travel and 
visa site masquerading as an embassy site.  I would of course call the 
consulate to be sure.
> 
> Best,
> Stuart
> 
> 

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