Hi, I just wanted to let people know if you plan to apply for a Russian visa at the Czech Embassy you need to have a voucher for the exact amount of days that you plan to go for, so for Americans you cannot get a 3 year multiple entry visa on a normal 30 day single entry voucher anymore. I found this out today.
Thanks. I thought Russian embassies outside the USA didn’t even offer 3 year visas. Is it even possible to get a 3 year invitation voucher?
@gavinmac yea, i emailed Ivisa and they quoted me $114 for it.
@gavinmac I’ve contacted and tried probably over a dozen different Russian Embassies or Consulates over the years and not one would process a 3 year multi-entry for a USA passport holder while traveling. Only single entry. The rule has always been you are required to apply for the 3 year while in the US. Unless of course you carry two passports and can send one to a visa processing company in the US.
The rule for a 3 year has been to make your first entry date and that period of stay 3 years exactly on the application. It says that on the Russian Embassy website (specific to USA passports.) Providing a voucher for a first visit of a couple weeks is all you need. No one plans for 3 years in advance so it makes no sense. I just processed a new 3 year visa 2 months ago and never heard of a “3 year invitation voucher.” Sounds like a scam IMO. Just be careful with the visa processing companies who upsell at every turn.
V. Information for U.S. citizens
We recommend that US citizens apply for 3-year multiple-entry tourist visas regardless of the dates, number of entries and period of stay indicated in the tourist voucher.
When filling out the application online, please indicate a full three-year period of stay (e.g. 10.08.2024-09.08.2027) starting from the date of entry in your tourist voucher.
Click on the website and scroll to the bottom to find this information.
@Himynameis I think you might be conflating the two types of visas. A single entry you are required to have the exact dates on the voucher. A 3 year muli-entry is not the same process at all. You are only applying for a single entry I’m assuming? I highly doubt you can even apply for a 3 year multi-entry at that location.
@KO11 hi, I don’t think I am, I specifically wrote multi on the entry options and wrote the dates for a 3 year period. They just pointed at my voucher and said that it needs to be valid for 3 years and have multi on it, this wasn’t any sort of company this was the staff at the embassy, also I have residency for the Czech Republic so I am allowed to obtain a visa here. They did tell me that they don’t do this because of the conflict in Ukraine however.
@Himynameis Interesting. Let us know if they issue a 3 year multi-entry.
@KO11 I appreciate your feedback, but it just seems that this embassy follows a strange rule that no other embassy/consulate follows. Idk, I was quite baffled when I heard that from them too actually. The company that issued me my original voucher “Ivisa” even was astonished to hear it as well when I emailed them the situation.
Honestly, I’m very frustrated by the whole situation because it ruins my plans and now I will need to go back to America (a country that I haven’t been back to since 2021) for the specific visa to Russia.
I’m going to go again tomorrow and just apply for the 30 day single entry visa as I want to go see my friends still, I just have to change my plans a bit.
@Himynameis I’m a little confused by your situation TBH. Nonetheless, its a tough visa to get. Thank God we can get 3 years out of it.