A few months ago I decided that a BIG trip was in order. The decision was as spontaneous as the destinations selected but before I knew it, my brother agreed to join me.
We’ll be spending a fair amount of time in Russia and have been gathering the necessary documentation to apply for our Visas. Judging from how convoluted the process is, you’d think Russia didn’t care about tourism.
First, we had to apply for an Invitation to visit the country. $40 bucks and a few days later, we got a lovely document via email and BAM, we’re officially invited to the land of the Tsars.
The application itself is quite detailed and some of the questions seem a bit leading…
I felt like I was filling out a strange job application. And then came the question that made me laugh…
Wow. This one caught me off guard – had to take some time and really think about it. And of course they only give you just a tiny little box to cram all that info into. Luckily I was able to attach a supplemental page with overflow information.
Add to the Invitation and Application a few passport photos + original passport, a cover letter and itinerary, a self addressed/stamped envelope and a money order for $131 USD (gasp) and everything seems to be in order to get the process started.
