Russian - visa questions

Hello,

Im planng my trip to Russia and Europe in July 2008. I have friends in Moscow, St Petersburg and Yoshkar-Ola who are willing for me to stay as guest with them.

I plan to transit Moscow aiport on outbound flight Australia to Europe but stay in Russia for about 2 weeks on return journey to Australia.

My friend in Yoshka-Ola was told by their OVIR that maximum stay on guest visa is 30 days MAX not 90 days as the Russian Consulate, Sydney Australia website says.

As you can see from my flight route my total travel times exceed standard 30 day visa period (22 July to 28 August) between entry and final exit.
1 19JUL BRISBANE HONG KONG
2 22JUL HONG KONG MOSCOW (Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO) on Aeroflot)
3 28JUL MOSCOW PRAGUE (Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO) on Aeroflot)

4 18AUG PRAGUE MOSCOW
5 28AUG MOSCOW TOKYO 29AUG
6 6SEP TOKYO BRISBANE 07SEPT

I was wondering what the best option for visa(s) I should get to satisfy Russian immigration at Shermetyevo.
-Do I need a transit visa for the outbound leg if I dont go outside the airport. Just a visa for the time i want to stay in August.
-Do you suggest I just get double entry guest visa or one transit for outbound and then one guest visa for return to Australia.
-Is it simpler to get something like waytorussia.com to organise a 90day tourist visa or sponsorship for me.
-Or is it simpler to get business visa to clear up the dual transit/entry situations

Im Australian passport holder and will be applying for visa in Sydney, Australia.

Thanks

From the dates you provided, a transit visa won't suffice. You'll be staying 7 days outbound and 11 days on the return leg. The total stay in below 30 days. I.e. you'll need a double entry tourist visa with a permit stay length of (max) 30 days and a validity of 60 or 90 days.

A transit visa permits one or at most two nights.

Your only real solution is a 90 day double entry business visa. These can be ordered online from companies like nevsky88.com or visatorussia.com

I would never ask anyone to obtain a private visitor visa. It is a huge imposition. They must queue several times to obtain the document and then it must be sent to you via courier service because the Russian mail service is terribly unreliable.

Ruth

Hello

Apologises - I made a mistake with the outbound flight dates. It should have been Australia straight through to Europe ie just transitting Moscow. My return leg is when I will be actually stopping over. Still outside 30 days total travel time. Does this change the type of visa(s) required????

1 19JUL BRISBANE HONG KONG
2 22JUL HONG KONG MOSCOW (Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO) on Aeroflot)
3 22JUL MOSCOW PRAGUE (Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO) on Aeroflot)

4 18AUG PRAGUE MOSCOW
5 28AUG MOSCOW TOKYO 29AUG
6 6SEP TOKYO BRISBANE 07SEPT

Tourist visas are for a maximum of 30 days from the day you enter to the day you depart. They cannot be extended.

Your only option is a 90 day business visa or a 90 day private visa although the latter is difficult to obtain the documents.

You have no choice other than to change your travel dates.

Ruth