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VISA INFORMATION FOR RUSSIA
Discovery 'Baltic Cities & St Petersburg' Cruise DS11
Sailing 22nd May 2013 - A4576
British passport holders normally require an individual visa issued in advance by the Consular Authorities in the UK in order to enter Russia but as a passenger on the above cruise this may not be necessary.
As long as you limit your sightseeing in St. Petersburg to participation in the officially approved shore excursions there is no need to apply for an individual visa. A certified manifest of all guests on board is issued to the local Immigration Authorities and this document replaces individual visas.
We have pleasure in enclosing the advance details of the shore excursion programme that is due to be operated during your cruise and there is a range of carefully selected excursions available in St. Petersburg to enable you to make the most of your time there.
If however you do prefer to make independent arrangements for your time in Russia, it is possible to do so, although the procedure is quite lengthy and relatively expensive. You need to arrange for personalised invitations from our local agent in Russia which must support any application that is made to the Russian Consular Authorities in the UK.
A visa fee is levied by the Russian Consulate (at the time of writing £50.00 per person based on a 7 day visa processing service for a single entry Tourist Visa for a British passport holder, but the rate can vary) and this cost is to your own account. In addition, the Consular Authorities now outsource their visa application processing service to Messrs VF Services (UK) Ltd who will accept and process the applications on your behalf and a service charge of £27.60 per passport is levied. More details of the procedures and charges involved can be obtained from the following websites:
Embassy of the Russian Federation to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and
Russia Visa Information - UK - Home Page.
Should you wish to apply for a personalised invitation, which cost £15.00 per application to enable you to obtain an individual visa kindly contact us no later than 1st May 2013
Once you are in possession of the invitations you will be required to complete visa application forms, supply passport size photographs and present them together with your passport at the earliest opportunity to Messrs VF Services (UK) Ltd for forwarding to the Russian Consular Authorities in the UK. Please note that since September 2011, the visa application form process can only be completed online and therefore you should carefully read the latest information contained on the
Russia Visa Information - UK - Home Page website to ensure that you follow the correct procedures.