Embassy report: Russian visa in Bishkek

[steven]

Please read and post reports on the embassy of Russia in Bishkek below.

We summarize all info on the Russia visa page.

See here if you are still in need of a letter of invitation for your Russian visa.

[Lina]

As I have lost a lot of time for getting a Russian visa in Bishkek, I wanted to share this information with you.

How to get a Kyrgyz and a Russian visa in Bishkek (October 2013)

A. In order to apply for a Russian visa you need a Kyrgyz visa which is valid more than 3 months. As far as I know there is no possibility to avoid this condition.

1. Go to ОВИР (Отдел виз и регистрации ) in the Департамент регистрации населения при Государственной регистрационной службе при Правительстве Кыргызской Республики. Address: Kievskaja 58(near the crossing with Sovetskaja).
Opening hours: 9am – 5 pm from Monday to Friday.

2. The office is on the 1st floors (go up the stairs on the left side).

3. Apply for a tourist visa (because you want to travel).
Needed documents (everything in twice)
- Fill out the application form that you can get there for 10 som
- Passport photo
- Letter stating what kind of visa you need and why (a sample is on the wall)
- Passport copy
- Copy of the entry stamps

4. They might send to the boss who sits on the 3rd floor. Explain your situation; she is the one who decides. Get your sheets signed by her and submit them on the 1st floor.

5. It will take about 10 days. A 3 months visa needs to be verified by commission.

6. Call the office after 10 days to ask if your visa is ready.


B. Get your Russian visa
1. Get all the needed documents: invitation, your passport, copy of your passport, copy of your Kyrgyz visa, passport photo, application form, 52$ in US Dollars (and usually also health insurance proof, income proof)
Opening hours: Tuesday/ Thursday, 2:30 – 4:30 pm. There is no appointment system

The normal proceeding takes 1 week (52$), but there is also a one day procedure (105$)

Warnings:
- I heard about people who got their Kyrgyz visa in one day and could immediately apply for the Russian visa but I also heard about people who did not get it at all. Therefore read through carefully through this section and keep it updated.
- Do not go to the consular service Department of Consular Services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic located at 10A Togolok Moldo Street. They refuse to give visa (but they do extend them).
- You can get a tourist visa for 2 months immediately at the OVIR. I have heard that the Russian embassy accepts this from time to time, but officially you need a visa for more than 3 months. You can also try to get a 2 months visa and to get it extended. In this case you do not need for the commission to decide (10 days).
- Better apply for a tourist visa than for a private visa. For the tourist visa it is enough when you say that you want to visit the country, or even if you say that you just need it for your Russian visa (but better do not write this on the application).
For a private visa a Kyrgyz citizen has to accompany you with his/her passport. S/he has to prove that s/he has enough financial resources (stable work) and sign that s/he will act as your guarantor.
- You are not allowed to leave the country while your Kyrgyz visa is processed (though you keep your passport). OVIR might refuse to give you the visa when you come back, however, if you ask in advance they might make an exception for you.
- The invitation (visa support) can be bought on the internet through various agencies. The cheapest I know costs 15 Euro. The Russian embassy in Bishkek seems to accept these invitations (it does not need to be an original one). You can also ask your friends to invite you, but this is not cheaper and takes about one month. The only advantage is that you can stay 3 months in Russia with such a visa.
- You can try to apply for a transit visa through Russia if you will not stay long. There are less requirements.
- The Russian Embassy only accepts US Dollars for the visa processing.

[SolveigaKalva]

Trying to get a Russian transit visa in the Russian embassy in Bishkek is not the easiest thing. I had all the documents needed and my train tickets from Astana to Moscow and from Moscow to Riga which is all they would need to care about. But no. The consul said that I need to prove how I'm going from Bishkek to Astana. Obviously - by cars found in the market as it always happens in those countries. He said that I still need to prove it and actually traveling alone by cars is dangerous here.. Well, that's not his business, right? I was trying to prove that I'm right and there is no reason for refusing the transit visa, but I had an impression that he is waiting for a bribe. Later I got my transit visa in Almaty consulate with no problems.

So, if you can, avoid the Russian embassy in Bishkek - quite rude staff and consul who is looking for bribes. Go to the Russian consulate in Almaty where is very nice, helpful staff and respectful consul! If your only option is Bishkek embassy, be sure you have tickets to Russia already from Kyrgyzstan and be ready that consul might ask for your Kyrgyzstan visa even if you don't need one. Don't worry, he will find an explanation why would you need one...

[hello.bigworld]

We got our Russian transit visa at the Russian embassy in Bishkek (German Passport). A French guy tried to get a tourist visa, but was rejected.
Got 10 days, as applied, for transit Kazakhstan - Ukraine. Price: 41 USDpp, processing time: 8 days.
Documents: Filled online Visa form, 1 photo, copy of: passport, international driving license, car documents, medical insurance and a letter stating purpose and route.
Overall straight forward process, but very busy at the embassy, when we applied/collected.
Opening hours for visa application: Tuesday and Thursday 14:30-15:30

[anne_agnes]

Hello, I applied for a transit visa in Bishkek because I needed it for my flight back home from Uzbekistan. It was an expedited procedure which took 3 working days and cost me $82 ( which was peanuts compared to having to buy a new ticket...). I applied online and next day I went to the consulate with one copy of the application form, one photo, a copy of the ticket and a proof of my itinerary from Bishkek to Uzbekistan. It was a little hard to prove the transfer from Tashkent to Urgench where my flight back home was from but I said that it was impossible to book train tickets outside of Uzbekistan. I also had a proof of insurance. It worked. The opening hours remain the same: 14:30 to 15:30 but better to arrive a bit early to have a better place in the queue.

[anne_agnes]

I forgot about the passport copy. They also made a copy of my visa to Uzbekistan. Overall, it was pretty straightforward as well though it took a while. Thanks and good luck!

[campingoncloudnine]

We went to the Consulate in Bishkek. The opening hours changed. It's now everyday from 14:00 to 16:00. You should arrive at least 10 minutes before opening. After entering the first gate, try to get yourself in front and tell the guy behind the second gate, that you are applying for a visa.

Visa process is very straightforward, but you need to print out all the documents beforehand. There is no printer there. The guy behind the desk was very friendly and helpful.

We applied for a transit visa. The documents we had to bring were:
Passport
Car documents and copies
Medical insurance valid in Russia
Online application form
1 passport photo
An itenerary letter
A copy of your Kyrgyzstan visa (not necessary for visa free countries, such as EU citizens.)
A copy of the visa of the country you'll go after Russia. (if needed).

We had to pay 40 dollars when applying. The process time is 4 working days.

Good luck!

Ewald and Alissa (Dutch)

[campingoncloudnine]

Update on the Russian visa:

We went to pick up the visa and to our surprise we received a ten day visa, while applying for 8 days!
Also, the visa doesn't state any entry or exit points.

Cheers!

Ewald and Alissa

[bmakhtoum]

hello all,

I am applying for a Russian tourist visa and I was wondering if the invitation letter has to be an original or a color copy is fine?

Also where did you get the invitation letter from in Bishkek?

thank you!

[sebas2day]

According to the Visa Information for the Russian Embassy in Bishkek you need to have the "original" tourist visa invitation letter with stamps. So yes, I think it should be in color.

See below:

visa-application-russia-bishkek.jpeg (179.19 KiB) Viewed 5069 times