How to register your visa in Russia

[SLHF1000]

I am providing this information as a courtesy to others only so they won't have to go through what I have had to, as to ensure ease of travel.

I'm thinking there are two distinct "GoToRussia" companies, so one of us may have "got hold of the wrong end of the stick. "  The one I referred to is the .com and .net out of Atlanta, which is the company I and other US residents have dealt with.  I found another, possibly the one you have used and trust: .co.uk.  The sites and companies are apparently completely different.  From Whois:

In the UK:
Domain name:  gotorussia.co.uk
Registrant:  StreamlineNet Limited (On behalf of a customer)
Registrant's address:
Castle Square, Melbourne, Derbyshire, DE73 8DY
Moscow visa registration address: ??

In the USA:
GTR Travel 309 Peters St. A, Atlanta, GA  30313
Registrar: DOTSTER
Moscow visa registration address: 24/6 Bolshoy Sergievskiy Pereulok, 107045 Moscow, Russia; metro stop “Chistye Prudy” or “Sukharevskaya.” Ph. 495-739-5681 (formerly 13 Leningradski Prospekt).  Apparently the Atlanta company has farmed this out, too, as that address is for the Inter Grand tourist agency (reference number 003285).
And, they charge $40 for registering the visa they issued an invitation for.

Cheers.

[Wild Orchid]

About registering visa at the post office. I had to come back to clear this up. Apparently, you don't  register visa at the post office but know people have a chance to prepare all relevent documents - forms, copies of pasport and their visas to Russia and post it themselves at the post office instead of going to OVIRs  and standing in lines there.

[Cameraguy]

About registering visa at the post office. I had to come back to clear this up. Apparently, you don't  register visa at the post office but know people have a chance to prepare all relevent documents - forms, copies of pasport and their visas to Russia and post it themselves at the post office instead of going to OVIRs  and standing in lines there.

Or... you could avoid the insanity of the Russian visa registration regime and just go to Ukraine.

That's what I finally did. Even my mother stayed on a cruise ship docked in St. Petersburg rather than jump through all the Russian visa hoops.

~CG

[Chris]

Or... you could avoid the insanity of the Russian visa registration regime and just go to Ukraine.


~CG

LOL actually that is what I am doing early October although I admit not for that specific reason

[mendeleyev]

East West Tours (www.east-west-tours.com) has handled my tickets and visa applications via the Seattle Consulate for years.  My next trip is already booked with them, my visa is in process, and as usual they don't need to charge me for a visa invitation since they are recognized by the Rus Gov.  I know things change frequently and asked my wife to drop by Hotel Molodezhnaya which is just two metro stops from our home and make sure they can process my registration as usual on the way home from SVO.  According to her they gave the green light that all will go as usual.

East-West also has a link on their website about procedures and places to register: 

I'm not trying to say that this is the only correct way.  I've just done it for a long time and as long as it continues to work will continue.  It's Russia and of course things can change on a whim.

[mendeleyev]

Thought it might be helpful for guys going to/thru Moscow to have a link to Hotel Molodezhnaya if needed: http://www.allrussiahotels.com/russia/moscow/hotel/molodezhnaya.html


If you need to download a Russian visa application: 
http://www.east-west-tours.com/VisaApplications/RussianVisaForm.doc


Found these instructions on the East-West-Tours website for their clients:

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT REGISTERING RUSSIAN VISAS
According to Russian immigration law, you must register your visa within 3 days upon arrival. This can be done at your hotel free of charge or for a nominal fee.
If you’re NOT staying at a hotel, in Moscow you need to register your visa at Go To Russia, Moscow office: 13, Leningradski prospect (Ленинградский проспект, 13) (1st floor), metro stop “Belorusskaya.” Phone, Fax: (495) 225-5012. Monday – Friday 10:00am – 7:00pm. Tourist visas are registered in 24 hours,  please call our local office about registering a business visa, as it may take longer and cost more.
If St. Petersburg is the first city on your itinerary, you are not staying at a hotel and plan to be there for at least three days, you can register at Status Travel: Kondratievski Prospect 21-1, Office 401-402, St Petersburg (Metro Stop "Finlyandski Vokzal"), Tel.: 7-921-9411520 (Alexander, English), 7-901-9738362 (Yana, Russian), Office Hours: 11:00am – 6:00pm. Tourist visas are registered in 24 hours,  please call our local office about registering a business visa, as it may take longer and cost more.
If you plan to travel to another city in Russia and do not have hotel reservations there, our US office can provide you with a letter addressed to a local OVIR department requesting assistance with your registration. You will need to provide us with visa details after it has been issued to obtain such letter.
If you have a multiple entry business visa and plan to stay at a hotel, the hotel will register you for the length of your stay on its premises. If you wish to register such visa for up to 3 to 6 months at a time, we recommend contacting our Moscow office. You should know that registration stamp goes on your ‘migration card’ which is taken away by immigration officials every time you leave Russia. Therefore, we do not advise registering for longer period than your actual stay in Russia. You would have to register multiple visa every time you arrive into Russia.
A visa is only good for the period it is issued for and cannot be extended while in Russia. In case of an emergency, if you cannot leave by the visa expiration date, please call our Moscow office as soon as possible. Please make sure to fill out Migration Card which will be given to you by customs officials as you cross the Russian border, and carry it with you at all times. Visa registration stamp will be placed on this card.

[ForgeMaster]

  I have used Go To Russia twice and they were very fast and troublefree getting my Russian visa.  However, they dont tell you anything about how to register when you get there.  From what I saw (this was over 2 years ago) you don't have to stay where you say you are going to stay or have a hotel do the registration for you.  If you don't stay at a hotel, you are responsible to figure that out on your own.  The first time I stayed at a hotel and they did it the registration for me.  The second time, I forgot and after I had been there for 10 days, I woke up and realized that I needed to do that myself.  My wife was frantic.  We spent half a day going from office to office as people sent us on a rabbit chase.  My now wife was sooo mad because the price had gone up on new year day, just last week, to triple the original price. 
  I am saying that the visa agency does not register it for you.  I would make sure that the marriage agency you go with (if you use one) will help you get your registration done upon arrival.  They should have done that many times for other clients.

[RussiaTraveler]

A long first post follows:
I live in and have a business in St Petersburg so deal with registration all the time, and know the laws versus interpretation of the laws.
The rules have not changed this year after the revamping of the system became effect during the winter.  If someone wished to follow the rules and be a good visitor they are rewarded by not having to do anything to register.  Your host/sponsor registers you.  A tourist visa has a specific criteria for issuance; being a tourist or general visitor who stays in an authorized accommodation such as a hotel, registered apartment or hostel.  In this case, simply present your passport to the clerk who fills out a form.  The registration application form is taken to the registration office, a division of OVIR, by your host.  You as a visitor do nothing and most times pay nothing.  The hotel or host will give you a photocopy of a torn-off section of the application with the stamp on it.  You do not get the original because the host is the one responsible for your stay and must turn in the original within 2 business days of your departure.
 This is how it is intended to work and for the millions of visitors who come on tourist visas, it is smooth, fast painless and free.  Your only responsibility is to tell the host when you are leaving by the time you actually do depart.

The confusion comes from RW hunters wishing to do it their way instead of the intended way.  By staying in unregistered accommodations or with a relative, you are not a tourist visa candidate.  Get the correct visa for your intended stay and everything works out simply and fast.  A business visa can be used for other uses or a homestay is the appropriate visa type for staying with relatives.
  OVIR can and will accept applications when accompanied by the host.  The host can did all himself since they are the ones responsible for reporting the visitors departure.  Most ex-pats live here as illegal immigrants, working on a business visa which is not a work visa. Business visas can be used for many things other than work. It can be registered at OVIR for up to the length of the visa validity and actual stay in Russia.

The proper way to live here and receive the benefits of residency is to apply for temporary residency.  It is not hard but few choose to do it because there is one very unpopular aspect to it.  To leave the country, an application for exit visa must be received from OVIR before departure, which usually takes a week to process. The possibility of being delayed in departing if an emergency back home requires it is the only real downside to a residency card.

Visa services in foreign countries, and most services within Russia are 3rd party resellers and do not have the authorization to issue tourist visas but any registered business can sponsor a business visa.  The new financial responsibility act that went into effect June 1st 2007 has brought security of travel consumers up to European and US standards but it also means most tour operators that worked before do not qualify and do not have a new Reference number which must be used to issue invitations. 
As stated in a post above the list of approved tour services can be found on the government web site: www.russiatourism.ru

The old advice to register at a hotel that you are not staying in is one reason the new law went into effect, to remove the temptation of night clerks of illegally registering visitors and putting their employer at risk.  This is not a valid request of a hotel.

It is best to use direct agents instead of resellers because new responsibilities rest with  the reference number holder that can cause delays or high costs to rectify through a 3rd party.  The largest service was also mentioned above IntelServices which is the true provider for many resellers such as gotorussia and most in the UK and the US.  It is cheaper  and much safer to go directly to the issuing hosting company if not staying at a hotel or registered apartment.  I could relate horrendous stories of problems induced by some of the forum favorites as visa resellers.  If you do insist on getting a 3rd party invitation be sure to have the full legal name of the real sponsor, address and contact information.  You can be asked for it at passport control and you will need when registering if you do it yourself.
If a invitation issuer does not provide a positive method of registration DONOT use their service.If any glitch occurs and you do not have direct contact with your real host/sponsor you are stuck with no recourse and in a few cases, must leave the country as a deportee and be barred from reentry for a specified time period
Having deportation listed in your passport will limit your future foreign travel to any country.
So it all boils down to how one wants to go about visiting another country; make their own rules and anything can happen or follow the laws and respect the country you visit and reap the benefits such as do-nothing-pay-nothing registration.  Why do some people claim Russia is not about laws and then come with the intent to bend or avoid very law that exists.  Russia does not want you here if you do not respect the rules and laws, but in most cases they are pretty tolerant, whereas pulling the same attitude in others such as the US would land you in prison or deported.

Think about this one fact of which there is no argument: Millions of tourists who follow the rules come each summer and never realize there is a registration process, everything is handled so smoothly and without their input that they do not know that it occurred.   Why are women hunters so much more worried and confused by this situation? Can someone explain this, I really do not understand the cause.

[RussiaTraveler]

Or... you could avoid the insanity of the Russian visa registration regime and just go to Ukraine.

That's what I finally did. Even my mother stayed on a cruise ship docked in St. Petersburg rather than jump through all the Russian visa hoops.

~CG

Your mother was sadly misinformed and lost out on the jewel of the Baltic cruise.  There is NO VISA required for cruise ship passengers who arrive and depart on the same ship, have a valid passport from any country, and use an authorized tour operator for shore excursions.  Of the 400,000 who came last summer, only a handful had a visa and none of those needed to register a visit of less than 72 hours.  Most cruise ships are in St Petersburg for 2 days and some of the smaller luxury ships which dock in the city center on the Neva River stay 3 days.  The expected total this summer is 600,000. 
Getting through passport control, when the 2000-3000 passengers disembark, is very fast; 10-15 minutes for all passengers and most of the crew(SPb is the leave port for crew so they get one day off the ship).

Who gave her such bad advice? The reason most Baltic cruisers select that route is to visit St Petersburg since it is the highlight and longest port call of the entire voyage.  It is also the fastest growing Europe cruise destination with all the major lines represented and increasing their fleet presence each year so it is not just ignorance why your mother was deceived. The agent, if it was an agent might be liable for damages.

[Manny]

This account would suggest the Post Office option is OK and also mentions why you may choose not to bother at all.

http://blogs.waytorussia.net//item/100

[chivo]

and there's no insanity to it. Whatever the rules, because they do change from time to time, the process is so simple now, anyone avoiding this country and going to Ukraine simply on the basis of a visa and/or its registration is really shortsighted.

Bottom line, if you have a reputable visa company handling your paperwork, the process SHOULD be handled by them at no (or the very least, a minimal) charge.

If you go the individual invitation route (tourist visa), as mentioned many times, its very simple also.

I just returned from Ukraine matter of fact, and registered my visa through the company that sponsors me at no charge, and with absolutely no hassles. Process time 1 day.

RussiaTraveler,

If you have a 1 yr multi-entry visa, you do have to leave the country every six months by law, but of course like everything else here in Russia, there are ways around this .

please people don't be alarmed at the process, its so simple, even the biggest fool should have no problem. good luck

chivo

p.s any company that you use that charges you for a visa registration should be dropped as there are many who will include it in their service at no charge.

[Cameraguy]

Your mother was sadly misinformed and lost out on the jewel of the Baltic cruise.  There is NO VISA required for cruise ship passengers who arrive and depart on the same ship, have a valid passport from any country, and use an authorized tour operator for shore excursions.  Of the 400,000 who came last summer, only a handful had a visa and none of those needed to register a visit of less than 72 hours.  Most cruise ships are in St Petersburg for 2 days and some of the smaller luxury ships which dock in the city center on the Neva River stay 3 days.

This was some years ago, but I doubt my mother the Cruise Queen was misinformed. It was a one-day stop.

What's this "authorized tour operator for shore excursions?" Does it mean you couldn't go walk around the Hermitage by yourself?

and there's no insanity to it. Whatever the rules, because they do change from time to time, the process is so simple now, anyone avoiding this country and going to Ukraine simply on the basis of a visa and/or its registration is really shortsighted.

I just returned from Ukraine matter of fact, and registered my visa through the company that sponsors me at no charge, and with absolutely no hassles. Process time 1 day.

What's really insane is getting a Ukrainian visa. Unless you're staying more than 30 days, visas for westerners haven't been required for years.

And I'll have to respectfully disagree about the relative insanity of the Russian visa system, especially when visiting multiple cities. I've been jumping through their ever-changing rules and regs. for registering with visa sponsors, hotels, apts., OVIR and sometimes not at all since it was the USSR back in the days when I'd have my own personal Intourist "guides". I also remember the days when I'd have to pay about 3-5X for my "foreigner ticket" where I'd wait for planes by myself in the foreigners departure hall.

For 30-day visits, there's no reason for requiring visas at all, unless it's payback for our own uber-pricks at Homeland Insecurity.

~CG 

[Jet]

For 30-day visits, there's no reason for requiring visas at all, unless it's payback for our own uber-pricks at Homeland Insecurity.

~CG 

BINGO! That BS supplement №95 is just about a verbatim copy of the one the US came up with for Russian males over 18 a year or two prior.

[chivo]

This was some years ago, but I doubt my mother the Cruise Queen was misinformed. It was a one-day stop.

What's this "authorized tour operator for shore excursions?" Does it mean you couldn't go walk around the Hermitage by yourself?

What's really insane is getting a Ukrainian visa. Unless you're staying more than 30 days, visas for westerners haven't been required for years.

And I'll have to respectfully disagree about the relative insanity of the Russian visa system, especially when visiting multiple cities. I've been jumping through their ever-changing rules and regs. for registering with visa sponsors, hotels, apts., OVIR and sometimes not at all since it was the USSR back in the days when I'd have my own personal Intourist "guides". I also remember the days when I'd have to pay about 3-5X for my "foreigner ticket" where I'd wait for planes by myself in the foreigners departure hall.

For 30-day visits, there's no reason for requiring visas at all, unless it's payback for our own uber-pricks at Homeland Insecurity.

~CG 

CG,

One of us is confused, maybe (probably) its me. I just returned from Ukraine, but it was back to Russia. Of course I didn't need a visa to enter Ukraine.

Yes the good old days...well, like the visas to Ukraine, the difficulties have all but disappeared. I wouldn't be surprised if the process becomes even easier in the future.

Here's how I registered my visa. 1) went to to sponsor of my visa (invitation) in Moscow, 2) they took a copy of my passport w/visa and a copy of my immigration card, 3) I gave them my address and phone number, 4) returned the next day to pick up the registration. Total cost in money $0.

Yes pretty complex. I don't know how I managed  .

I understand its easier to get into Ukraine because you don't need a visa. Its just about as easy entering Russia, although it will cost you more money (couple hundred dollars for the visa for instance) , but the jumping through hoops days are way over, and it doesn't matter how many cities you plan on visiting. I travel through Russia with no problems at all without having to re register my visa.

most of us will use either a tourist or business visa as you well know.

I will stand by my comment not to chose any particular country to find your woman on the basis of a visa, and I think that's the bottom line here. Finding a woman to share you life has always been a numbers game to me, why limit you options for what I believe/know to be a very small blip in a very big picture.

I think most of the problem here has to do with the unknown, but believe me no one has anything to fear but fear itself. Thats why I also suggest using a reputable company for your visa, preferably with offices in Moscow. good luck.

chivo

p.s It took all of 3 days to get a case of the squirts in Ukraine. That was WAYYYYY more inconvenient than registering my visa 

[Cameraguy]

Chivo,

I also wouldn't choose a country based solely on visa regulations and I've personally never had any trouble (even when not registering at all), but here's an example of one visa company's take on the new Jan. 2007 visa rules. I've bolded a couple of comments that frequent travelers to Russia will surely recognize:

Important notice on visa-registration in Russia:

Starting with January 15, 2007, new registration rules came into effect in Russia. Despite a seeming complexity, it will actually become EASIER to register tourist and business visas in Russia. Each inviting entity or host will be able to assist a visiting foreigner with registration simply by filling out and submitting simple paperwork in a timely manner.

We realize that the new registration law is very unclear and confusing. Moreover, recent articles in press have fueled this confusion even further.

Unfortunately, it is still not 100% clear how the law is supposed to be implemented. We are keeping our eye on the developments and will be updating the information on our website as soon as the information becomes available.

One thing is clear - authorities insist that the registration papers are to be filled out by an actual inviting entity, i.e. a host if the foreigner is staying at a private apartment and an actual company that a foreigner came to do business with. Usually this can be different from the inviting organization listed on the invitation. In case of foreigners staying at hotels, the hotel will be performing all the necessary steps to complete registration. We have not heard of a single case of a hotel refusing to register a guest.

Please review the rules below.

A foreign citizen visiting Russia on a tourist or business visa must register at the local Foreign Migration Services department within three business days of the arrival time. Paperwork must be completed by the receiving entity. Please note that the receiving entity is not necessarily the same as the inviting organization entered at the person's visa support invitation and visa but the actual host company, a hotel or a person a foreigner is visiting in Russia.

The receiving entity must fill out the special notification form and submit it to the local Foreign Migration Services Department on the behalf of the foreign citizen within three business days. The notification form has two parts separated by the puncture line. One part is submitted to the authorities and the other must be kept by the foreigner throughout the entire stay and presented to the authorities if needed. In case of foreigners staying at hotels, the hotel will be performing all the necessary steps to complete registration. We have not heard of a single case of a hotel refusing to register a guest.

When the foreign citizen is leaving Russia, he must return this receipt to the receiving entity, which in turn must submit it to the Foreign Migration Service within 24 hours. Should the second part of the form not be returned to the Foreign Migration Service upon the foreigner's departure, the authorities assume that he/she never left and the visa is overstayed. This could lead to the foreigner being fined (up to USD 1500!) and/or placed in one of the black lists maintained by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which might make future travel to Russia difficult. In addition, the receiving entity will also be fined.

Registration must be done at each location where a foreigner stays for a period of three business days or more.

Each foreigner entering Russia will still be getting a migration card. This card must be kept throughout the stay and presented once again upon departure. However, it is no longer necessary for registration.

While, as it often happens in Russia, many details are not finalized yet, we urge you to attempt registration. If traveling to cities other than Moscow, we suggest that you attempt to register at the local OVIR (FMS is a new name for the well-known OVIR).

While the registration form is not approved for use in all the Russian cities and there may be some variations, we do have the latest form used in Moscow and some other cities (download here: PDF file, DOC file). The forms exist in Russian only. Please check with the local authorities in the city where you will be staying which form should be used.

Once the form is finalized by the Russian Ministry of Jurisprudence and is uniform across Russia, we will create an electronic version of it and make it available for you on your website.

~CG

[Cameraguy]

Your mother was sadly misinformed and lost out on the jewel of the Baltic cruise.  There is NO VISA required for cruise ship passengers who arrive and depart on the same ship, have a valid passport from any country, and use an authorized tour operator for shore excursions.  Of the 400,000 who came last summer, only a handful had a visa and none of those needed to register a visit of less than 72 hours.  Most cruise ships are in St Petersburg for 2 days and some of the smaller luxury ships which dock in the city center on the Neva River stay 3 days.  The expected total this summer is 600,000. 

Getting through passport control, when the 2000-3000 passengers disembark, is very fast; 10-15 minutes for all passengers and most of the crew(SPb is the leave port for crew so they get one day off the ship).

Who gave her such bad advice? The reason most Baltic cruisers select that route is to visit St Petersburg since it is the highlight and longest port call of the entire voyage.  It is also the fastest growing Europe cruise destination with all the major lines represented and increasing their fleet presence each year so it is not just ignorance why your mother was deceived. The agent, if it was an agent might be liable for damages.

RussiaTraveler, I did a little research and found this message on a cruise ship port review board:

Visiting this great city by cruise ship is a very bittersweet experience. The good news is that one does not need a visa if one is with an approved Russian tour company (booked through the cruise line or booked independently). The bad news is that these tours are very expensive (plan on spending almost $200 per person per day for a comprehensive sightseeing tour whether booked privately for six people or booked through the cruise line for a busload).

A Russian visa costs US citizens about $200: $120 basic visa fee, more if expedited; $35 required support letter from a Russian agency, the cruise line will not provide these; $40 or more for a visa processing agency in the US if you do not deal directly with the Russians; $15 or more for fed-ex shipping. In addition, the ship docks at the industrial port (Kanonersky Island) which is isolated halfway between the city center and the summer palace (Peterhof), with a good two mile walk to the port gate and another mile walk to public transport. Special taxis are available from the ship, but these add about $30 each way to the city center. Regular city taxis are not allowed within the port complex, so it may take two taxi rides when returning to the ship independently.

In the end, I very, very strongly recommend booking a tour with a private Russian agency. These are much more personal (just a few passengers instead of a busload), they cover more territory in greater depth, they offer special options like lunch with a Russian family, and they cost about the same as the cruise’s busload tours. Princess does offer private vehicles and guides for touring St. Petersburg, but these are charged against the ship account of only one of the passengers and are non-refundable. The private tours charge each passenger a pro-rated fee which is payable near the end of the tour. No deposit is needed to hold the privately booked tours.

I recommend using the internet to compare the shore excursion options and prices between the cruise line’s web site and the private agency web sites, then make your reservations accordingly.

Passengers who took the ship’s tours were disappointed when their waiting lines extended almost the entire length of the ship. There are only 8 Russian officials to stamp the passports of about 2,000 disembarking passengers, so consider an afternoon tour on your first day if you are taking any of the ship’s tours. Our tablemates later told us they waited for two hours to get from the ship to their tour bus that morning! The ship may hold back visa passengers until all tour passengers have cleared, but they cannot legally hold back non-visa Russian tour agency passengers. We simply waited out of the way in the alcove at the bottom of the stairs on deck 4 forward and walked off with the first ship’s tour group.

So you are technically correct, but my mother probably hadn't pre-booked a tour. I don't know of another country that requires the purchase of a tour if you don't have a visa. And I see the Russian taxi mafia controls Piter's cruise ship port in addition to the airports. 

~CG

[mendeleyev]

Camera guy, like you I was traveling the region during the Soviet days and in some ways it's more simple now even with all the constant changes.  I have experienced those intourist guides and Soviet Press Dept guides, and it seemed like nobody wanted to make a decision and take responsibility.  The buck was always passed along because taking responsibility could lead to trouble down the road if some higher authority deemed it to be the wrong decision.

We've finalized my next travel dates and I'll be in Russia for December-January and my wife tells me that we'll register as usual at the hotel we always use for my registration.  She is there at our Moscow home now and checked with the hotel recently and was assured that they could provide the registration service as usual. 

When we travel in January to visit relatives in Volgograd and Kaluga we may register at OVIR/FMS...depending on the number of days we spend in each city.  I have learned to relax and allow Russian relatives take care of those issues.  They have always gotten it done easily with no stress and I'm willing to pay a few reasonable bucks to make sure it gets done. 

I'm truly sorry your Mother was not able to visit Sankt P.  It is one of my favourite Russian cities and there is so much to see.  As you already know, one could spend weeks and not exhaust the opportunities to enjoy the places where events literally changed the world, historic churches, museums, art galleries and extensive cultural events.  I hope that she can go again and enjoy this beautiful city.

I enjoy your posts.

[Cameraguy]

We've finalized my next travel dates and I'll be in Russia for December-January and my wife tells me that we'll register as usual at the hotel we always use for my registration.  She is there at our Moscow home now and checked with the hotel recently and was assured that they could provide the registration service as usual. 

When we travel in January to visit relatives in Volgograd and Kaluga we may register at OVIR/FMS...depending on the number of days we spend in each city.  I have learned to relax and allow Russian relatives take care of those issues.  They have always gotten it done easily with no stress and I'm willing to pay a few reasonable bucks to make sure it gets done. 

I'll take your (and Chivo's) word that visa registration is simpler than it used to be. And I agree with Chivo that it's not necessary to register beyond Moscow. In my dozen or so trips to Russia, I've only done so once and nobody's ever said a word. I also agree with your sentiments about Piter. I think my favorite trip was sitting along the banks of the Neva drinking our way through various types of Baltica all night while watching the White Nights celebrations.

I've always said if you're unable to calmly deal with the never-ending frustrations of Russian bureaucracy, you probably shouldn't marry a Russian woman, as many are equally complex and dare I say, frustrating. My old friends Donna Pedro and Hellen from RWG are ample testimony to this. But my libertarian streak still appreciates the lack of OVIR/FMS in Ukraine.

Have a good trip in December.

~CG

[Markje]

Well, I was just in Ukraine and to clarify things. you still need a visa to enter Ukraine, the only difference is that its just a very small clod of paper that you can fill out at the border guard and get stamped right there! valid visa in 10 seconds flat. (Depending solely on the speed of your pen!). They gave me this piece of paper while waiting in line for luggage checks and by the time it was my turn the visa was all ready to go.

[Cameraguy]

I can't see the paper you're referring to, but I'll bet it's an immigration form rather than a visa. Visits of up to 90 days by most Westerners, including der Nederlanders, don't require visas.

Remember to bring a pen for the customs and immigration forms and have a Ukrainian address ready where you'll be staying.

~CG

[Markje]

I can't see the paper you're referring to, but I'll bet it's an immigration form rather than a visa. Visits of up to 90 days by most Westerners, including der Nederlanders, don't require visas.

Remember to bring a pen for the customs and immigration forms and have a Ukrainian address ready where you'll be staying.

~CG

Nope, its a visa. I had to fill out the type myself though, so I entered "tourist" in the appropriate box

[Cameraguy]

Strange. Here's the Ukrainian Consulate's visa page:

http://www.ukrconsul.org/visa/visa_drops.htm

~CG

[Markje]

Strange. Here's the Ukrainian Consulate's visa page:

http://www.ukrconsul.org/visa/visa_drops.htm

~CG

I asked the border guard this very same question. He said that "visa not requiered" is only listed to make things clear for the travellers point of view. It means you can just drive up to the border without arranging anything (or fly) and get your visa issued right then and there.  He said that it would just be confusing to list the proper official rules and therefore they chose this version.