Embassy report: Russian visa in Bishkek

[travisthetrout]

We (two Swiss citizens) just successfully applied for a Russian tourist visa in Bishkek.

Costs: 35 euro pp (payable in Som)
Processing: 4 working days

Below a detailed review to help those who might find themselves in a similar situation in the future.

The first thing to know is that the entrance to the Embassy is not on Manas St but around the corner off Kiev St (turn right just before the mall).

We went there at 09.00 this morning to be told to come back at 14.00. It therefore seems that the opening times are daily from 14.00-16.00 as stated above.

The first gate opened at around 13.55 and you then have to lock your bags and mobile phones into lockers on the left-hand side before proceeding to a second gate. For locals there seems to be a queueing system as the Russian officer manning the scene read names from a list and handed out numbered tickets. When we asked about visa application he just said: „Wait!“ There was no pushing and everyone seemed quite relaxed.

So we waited. Around 45-60 minutes until we were allowed to jump the queue and - after writing our names into a registry - were accompanied by said officer to desk number 1 where we stood for around 10-15 minutes before another lady queueing behind us noticed that we hadn‘t pressed the button on a grey box in front of the desk which apparently summons an official, so do remember to do this.

Then an extremely nice gentleman speaking excellent English appeared and checked our documents (btw you can print these in the underground passage between Chuy/Manas for 3 som bw and 20 som colour per page), which were:

Passport
Copy of passport
Medical Insurance
Tourist voucher and confirmation (colour copy not original)
Online visa form
Photo

He then asked us whether we had tickets to leave Russia. We said we hadn‘t but showed him our tickets for entering China (the country we will visit before entering Russia) and he made a copy of this and seemed happy. He then asked us to write a cover letter confirming our departure from Russia by the date indicated on our Visa application (so if you don‘t have tickets for leaving Russia, it would probably be good to bring a cover letter with you).

Then he stamped our passports and gave us the documents back to hand in to the „Kassa“. We had brought along copies of our passports and Kyrgyz entry stamps and asked him whether he could write that our passports were at the Russian embassy for the next four days in case we get stopped by the police. He politely did this, too.

We went to the Kassa and had to pay the equivalent of 35 euros pp in Som (and wait ten minutes till we received our pick up slips but at least we could watch Tom & Jerry from some random screen; pick up in four working days). And that was it!

In total we spent exactly two hours there but the application process itself was extremely simple and straightforward. Perhaps it was because of our nationality or that we are a couple or that we already had an old Russian visa in our passports or that the Russians are becoming more lenient regarding visas (see the eVisa news which came out a couple of weeks ago) but we were really glad that the experience in Bishkek was really easy and that the requirement of a 90+ day Kyrgyz visa seems to be a thing of the past.

Hope that helps some of you scouring the Internet for information as we were!

[travisthetrout]

Update:

we successfully picked up our passports and russian visas (without photos, which confused us, but probably because we are not so experienced) yesterday. Process really quick and easy, just make sure the guy at the second gate knows you are PICKING UP visas, he should let you in more quickly.

[tim207]

The embassy seems to have reverted to winter hours, so it is now only open for visa applications on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1400-1600. I arrived at 1330 on Monday, and after they opened at 1400, I was told to return the next day to apply.

I had a photo of their opening hours for all their consular services which I will post if I can find it, but it's nice that there is a sheet listing when they are open if you happen to swing by (it's not in English, so you will need to read Russian or Google Translate the image).

[Jonass]

I applied for a Russian tourist visa at the embassy in Bishkek with a German passport. I handed in the following documents: Visa form, LOI( through Ivisa for 20€), insurance confirmation( did not specify validity in Russia or fixed dates). I was asked for a registration in Kyrgyzstan but it didn't seem to be a problem that I didn't have one.
I wasn't asked and also didn't provide any hotel or transport bookings. The visa fee is 35€ only payable in Som. I collected the visa after 5 working days. Instead of getting a 30 day tourist visa, my visa is only valid for the specific time frame I mentioned in the visa form ( 18 days).
The staff at the embassy was very friendly and helpful. Applying for the visa took about 30min and picking it up less then 15 min.

[katykins79]

I got a Russian transit visa in Bishkek last week and had no problems. The embassy staff are actually pretty friendly and the process was straightforward. I needed travel bookings, passport photo and the completed online form (for the transit visa it's just the same form as for the tourist visa). I was able to pay in Kyrgyz Som in cash at the desk in the embassy (about USD 37.00 I think).
Bear in mind the entrance for visa applications is at the back of the embassy to the right of the Bishkek Park shopping centre. You leave your things in a locker there and then show your passport to the guy who mans the barrier – it seems that tourists go to a different desk from locals and I was taken straight through so didn't have to wait at all. I was able to collect it one week later, but presumably you can pay more for a faster service.
Someone else mentioned in an earlier post that they are operating on winter hours now, and when I tried to submit my application on a Monday I was told to go back the following day at 14.00. So Tuesday at 14.00 is the time to go for tourists right now I guess, although there may be other days of the week when you can do it too.

[Coucouroute3]

I applied for a Russian tourist visa at the embassy in Bishkek with a German passport.

Thank you for this report Jonass,

Could you confirm that they didn't ask you a Kyrgyz visa valid more than 3 months to apply for the Russian one ? I know that UE citizen doesn't need Kyrgyz visa for less than 2 months, so maybe Russian embassy doesn't accept in this case.

[Jonass]

I entered Kyrgyztan visa free. So I was only allowed to stay there for 60 days. At the Russian embassy I was asked for a long term registration/90+ days stay in Kyrgyztan but in the end it was no problem that I didn´t have it. The guy who checked my application also asked his supervisor about this issue. I am not sure if they changed their rules or became more generous and made an exception for me. They were all very helpful at the embassy

[Coucouroute3]

Hi everybody,

I'm french (with a visa free permission of 60 days) and I just get my Russian Tourist Visa. As said before it doesn't look like to be a problem anymore even if the man who checked my application asked me if I have a 3 months Kirghiz Visa, I just said 'no' and it was ok.

Here the documents I brought :

1. Passport
2. Copy of passport
3. Medical Insurance
4. Tourist voucher and confirmation. I made it with Ivisa, here the destinations I put: Omsk, Perm, Kirov, Kostroma, Moscow. And check on Booking to put real hostels names
5. Online visa form (https://visa.kdmid.ru)
6. 1 identity photo
7. 1 fake flight Moscow-Istanbul made on Yatra.com with the 'Hold on' button (with a smartphone put computer version)
8. 37$ or nearly 2600 Som

The staff is really helpful, at the first door do not hesitate to say that you come for visa application, it will be faster for you.

Embassy is open on tuesday and thursday even in the morning (I came at 11am and it was open).

Hope it will helps you, I think showing a "flight back" can facilitate but not sure. Good luck everybody !

[Elki]

we applied for a transit visa in June 2019 to cross the Altai region to get to Mongolia's western border crossing, i.e. ca. 1200 km
The answer on our first informal inquiry at the consulate in Osh was that we would not get more than 4 days
In Bishkek, we presented our case in detail, outlining our route (Google map) and our heavy vehicle, with which we cannot do more than 50km/h, i.e. covering 500km/day would not add to road safety.
we asked to get at least 6 days, also arguing that we needed to visit the local MAN dealer in Barnaul for repair.
To our most positive surprise, the gentleman handling our application was most sympathetic and without further questioning offered us 10 days!!
We were over the moon!!

[Poney]

Hello,
We succesfully got our russian visa 6 month validity and 90 days (french passeport) in the country and multiple entry, today (29/09/2022) at the consulate in Bishkek.
We applied 2 weeks ago, the guy never asked us residence permit in Kirghizstan, he just took essential documents : invitation letter, insurance, copy of passport, printed form, photo and 2922 soms (35€). He gave us an appointment for 2 weeks later. When we came back all was ready and correct.
For now you need to take an appointment in the website of the embassy to apply and wear a mask to enter.
It was really easy. We asked the invitation letter from Alpha service agency in Paris they were very reactive (6 month validity visa for schengen passeport cost 85€).

2 guys from Netherland asked at the same time a 10 days trabsit visa and they were succesful too.

I hope it will be helping you, because for us it worked very well and easily.