Who needs a visa invitation to Belarus? (Lena's mom is applying for private invitations) - Russian Ukrainian Belarus Travel Music Woman Dating News

	The Russian Meeting Place: A place to meet people and talk about all things Russian... International Discussions about Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Travel, Music, Russian News, Ukrainian culture, Belarusian Dating, Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Kiev and other intelligent topics about life in the former Soviet Union.

Pages: 1

Who needs a visa invitation to Belarus? (Lena's mom is applying for private invitations)
(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)

Posted by: Khashyar

Hi guys....

For those of you who want to meet Lena and I in Belarus, Lena's mom can probably apply for and get a private stay invitation for you for only the cost of the inivitation (which will be from $20 to $30)...

Lena said that since Lena's mom is going to apply for an invitation for me, that it would not be that much extra work to apply for an invitation for a few others at the same time.

We only ask for the cost that Lena's mom will spend on the invitation.

A private stay invitation is more flexible than a tourist or a business visa, and costs much less. For a tourist or business visa, you will need to have your hotel stays booked (probably at higher foreigner rates). But you do not need any hotel reservations for a private stay invitation.

Please let us know if you would like an invitation, and then we can begin the process... Once I receive my renewed U.S. passport (in about 4 weeks), then we will apply for the invitations.

Khashyar

Posted by: Eryk

Quote:

Originally posted by Khashyar
For a tourist or business visa, you will need to have your hotel stays booked

That is incorrect, there is no requirement for hotel accomodation to be booked in the case of a business visa ...only a tourist visa.

Eryk

Posted by: Khashyar

You're right, Eryk....

I wrote that by mistake...

Khashyar

Posted by: Castlestormer

Thanks Khashyar! I would love one. Please let me know when you need my personal information.

Posted by: Khashyar

Hi Steve...

Lena and I first thought about you when we posted this thread

When I receive my renewed passport in a few weeks (hopefully less than 4), then we will email you for your information...

I think that we would need the name that is on your passport, as well as the passport number... (Lena will let you know what else that you would need)....

I look forward to the trip and in meeting you in September

Khashyar

Posted by: zulu

Just a quick question, How long does it take to get a private visa?

I understand that it takes a long time, but my information may be wrong.

And also what duration can one get a private visa for ? and can one get a multiple entry private visa?

Posted by: Eryk

> How long does it take to get a private
> visa?

About 10 minutes if you do it on arrival at Minsk 2 instead of messing around with the embassy. A bit more expensive that way however.

>And also what duration can one get a >private visa for ?

90 days is the usual maximum.

> and can one get a multiple entry private > visa?

Yes.

Eryk

Posted by: Khashyar

Hi zulu...

Thank you for your question...

Private visas involve a person from the former Soviet Union going to a special passport office and applying for a private "homestay" invitation...

When they have received the private stay invitation, they then mail this paper invitation to you, and then you include the invitation with your application for a visa which you send to the embassy of the country you would like to visit.

In the summer of 2001, I received a private stay visa, which Lena applied for in her town, and then I requested a multiple entry visa so that I could travel to Poland and come back...

I have heard that multiple entry tourist visas to Belarus are difficult to receive, but I received either a triple or multiple entry visa (I forgot which one). the Belarusian Consulate in Washington D.C. called me and asked me why I wanted a multiple visa, and once I expained my reasons because of travel, they approved the (triple or multiple entry) visa.

My visa was good for either 3 or 6 months (I forgot which since it was 2 years ago).

A Belarusian citizen can pay a $10 express fee for the invitation, which can speed the process for the invitation to 2 or 3 days.

The Belarusian citizen THEN has to mail you the visa (which could take 2 or 3 weeks), and then you have to send in your application for the visa to the Consulate in your country.

The Belarusian government actually wants you to send them your passport so that they can affix the visa to your passport. (In 2001, I did not need to send my passport to the Russian Embassy for my Russian visa).

I hope that this helps...

Khashyar

(p.s.... I am going to split this thread from the tour section and place it in the visa forum section so that others can find it more easily).

Posted by: Khashyar

Hi Eryk...

Are you sure that you can receive a "Private" visa at the airport? Or do you mean Tourist and Business visas?

Khashyar

Posted by: Khashyar

I personally would feel more comfortable if I received my visa BEFORE leaving for my trip, so that I can make sure that the visa is taken care of before flying all the way to Minsk...

Khashyar

Posted by: Eryk

Quote:

Originally posted by Khashyar
Are you sure that you can receive a "Private" visa at the airport? Or do you mean Tourist and Business visas?

Yes, I'm sure. That is what I did last time I was over there (Dec. 28th.) ...90 day double entry 'Private' visa ...260 USD. I've used both 'Business' and 'Private' visas over the past year and I've never bothered dealing with the embassy, I always use the consular office at Minsk 2.

Eryk

Posted by: Khashyar

Thanks for sharing your experience with Belarusian visas...

In 2001, my private visa was less than $200...

Have the visa fees gone up, or is there a different price for a visa at the airport as opposed to receiving the visa from the foreign-based Embassy/Consulate?

Do they include the cost of insurance in the visa fee at the airport?

Khashyar

Posted by: Eryk

Quote:

Originally posted by Khashyar
I personally would feel more comfortable if I received my visa BEFORE leaving for my trip, so that I can make sure that the visa is taken care of before flying all the way to Minsk...

I agree, certainly less risky. I use my approach because I travel quite a lot and I usually need 3 or 4 Belarusian visas a year. Given what passes for 'efficiency' at the Belarusian Embassy in London I am not about to trust them with my passport if I don't have to

Couple of notes while I remember:

1) Some American Baptists have been annoying the local church recently by evangelising and handing out bibles in the street etc. Given that certain senior church figures are matey with Luka this has led to instructions being given to immigration officials to take a long, hard look at Americans who look like they may be importing bibles etc.

2) I have been informed twice by the MFA in Minsk over the last 3 months that invitations are no longer technically required for EU citizens (Presidential decree back in January) *however* this message doesn't seem to have got through to the Embassies yet so I wouldn't take the risk yet.

3) Invitations are valid for one year from date of issue. You do not need to know your exact arrival date to arrange one so there is no harm keeping a couple in 'stock'.

Eryk

Posted by: Eryk

Quote:

Originally posted by Khashyar
In 2001, my private visa was less than $200...

Have the visa fees gone up, or is there a different price for a visa at the airport as opposed to receiving the visa from the foreign-based Embassy/Consulate?

Do they include the cost of insurance in the visa fee at the airport?

Visa fees have gone up a bit since then. In addition getting the visa at the airport counts as 'express service' (which Embassies also do incidentally ...48 hour processing) and that involves roughly double the usual fee.

Insurance is not included in the visa fee and is not issued by the consular office. You get that from the desk on your right in the arrival hall directly opposite the stairs leading up to the consular office. It costs about 1 dollar per day. There are a couple of other insurance desks incidentally but they all cost the same and the one I mentioned usually has a middle aged guy manning it who speaks pretty good English.

Eryk

Posted by: Khashyar

Hi Everyone,

I have Just received my renewed U.S. passport, and Lena's mom wants to go to her local Belarus invitation office Tuesday to submit the applications for the private invitations.

If you are going to meet with Lena and I this September in Mogilev, please let us know if you would like Lena's mom to apply for a private invitation for you.

We will need some information from you by Sunday evening so that we can send the information to Lena's mom.

The invitations will cost about $20 (plus about $10 for "express" processing). I think that without express processing, it takes about one month to receive the invitation, and with express it takes about 10 days or so for the invitation processing. Lena's mom will find out the exact cost this week.

The invitation will then take about 2 weeks to send to the U.S.

Then, you will need to apply for the actual private visa through the Belarus Consulate in your country (in the U.S., it is in Washington D.C.).

Information that Lena's mom will need in order to receive your invitation is:

1) Your full name

2) Your mailing address

3) Your passport number

4) what type of work you do

5) the name and address of your employer (I think that you can use your home address as your work address if you would like).

This is the preliminary information that Lena mentioned that her mom said she needed, but I will confirm this with Lena tonight and revise this list.

You can email this information to Lena at: Lena (at) russianmeetingplace (dot) com. (I am not posting her email address link because of robot email spamming programs....

Khashyar

Posted by: Khashyar

Hello Everyone,

I received an updated list of information that Lena's mom will need to submit the invitations to Belarus.

She needs this information ASAP, so please email it to Lena or me as soon as you read this, and Lena's mom wants to submit the paperwork THIS WEEK.

Here is the information that she needs:

1) First and Last Name
2) Your Home Address
3) Phone Number
4) Your Profession (Lena said that you can write "Self-employed, or that you own your own business, but you may want to state what kind of business)
5) work address (in 2002, I wrote "Self-Employed" for the business, and wrote my home address again for business address)
6) Birthdate
7) Where you were born
8) Your Passport Number
9) Which City (and if not in the U.S., Country) was the Passport Issued? (example, Seattle, Washington D.C., etc...)
10) Passport Expiration Date
11) How long you plan on staying in Belarus
12) The begining and Ending dates of your visit in Belarus

Most Belarusian invitations are issued and valid for 6 months.

Please email this information ASAP to us if you would like Lena's mom to obtain a Belarusian invitation for you.

Thanks,

Khashyar

Posted by: Eryk

Quote:

Originally posted by Khashyar
Most Belarusian invitations are issued and valid for 6 months.

The standard validity period for Belarusian invitations is 12 months ...it says so on the back of the certificate.

Eryk

Posted by: Khashyar

Thanks Eryk...

Perhaps I misunderstood what Lena told me regarding this.

Maybe she meant that you can stay in Belarus for up to 6 months...

But, thank you for the information.

Khashyar

Posted by: Castlestormer

K & L,

Prostite pazhaulsta!!! I just got back on the forum today. You'll have your information in about 15 minutes. Thanks for your patience, and I can't wait to finally meet you both and Bob.

Steve

Posted by: Khashyar

Hi guys

Lena's mom has submitted the applications for the invitations, and also gave the government official a little "bribe" (..I mean present

for expediated processing )... (I think something like a box of chocolate).

The invitations should be done in less than 10 days, and then she will "express"

mail them to our Los Angeles address.

I think that "express" mail from Belarus takes about 2 weeks?

But, I will keep you informed of the process...

Khashyar

Posted by: Eryk

Quote:

Originally posted by Khashyar
I think that "express" mail from Belarus takes about 2 weeks?

Could be up to 6 weeks, the 'express' bit doesn't really mean much there. If you have expensive flights etc. all pivoting on this then you might be better off using FedEx or DHL rather than relying on the postal service. I'll be back in Minsk on sunday by the way.

Eryk

Posted by: Khashyar

Thanks for the tip about FedEx and DHL...

Do you have an idea of what it might cost to send documents to the U.S. via those two?

Khashyar

Posted by: Eryk

Quote:

Originally posted by Khashyar

Do you have an idea of what it might cost to send documents to the U.S. via those two?

84000 BYR via DHL ....a bit less than $40

Eryk

Posted by: Khashyar

(thanks for the reply, Eryk...)

Steve and Bob...

Lena's mom has received the invitations, and has sent them to me yesterday by Express mail...

They SHOULD arrive in about a week, and then I will quickly send them to you....

Lena's mom actually scanned the invitations, adn perhaps I can have Lena transfer them to my computer so that I can resize them and post an example here in the forum

Khashyar

Posted by: rtking

Thanks Khashyar! (and thanks to Lena, Ira and Yuri also!)

It'll be great to submit all my info together to get a multi-entry visa for Ukraine and a visa to Belarus. That'll save me some worry right there!

Bob

Posted by: Laters

Actually Mila use to send me letters via registered mail and it always got to me in 1 week. And it didn't cost a lot, maybe $5.

Posted by: Laters

Also when I got my private invitation from Mila it was only good for 6 months. Where does it say 12 months?

Posted by: Laters

Hey Eryk, what business do you do in Minsk? If you don't mind me asking.

Posted by: Eryk

Quote:

Originally posted by Laters
Also when I got my private invitation from Mila it was only good for 6 months. Where does it say 12 months?

It says 12 months (the phrasing is actually 'one year') on the back of the invitation document.

Eryk

Posted by: Eryk

Quote:

Originally posted by Laters
Hey Eryk, what business do you do in Minsk? If you don't mind me asking.

I'm in the IT business. I develop 'control systems' of various sorts ...computer controlled doors in prisons, refrigeration systems, intelligent fire suppression systems ...that sort of thing. My location is pretty much incidental since all customer contact goes through my business partners in London.

Eryk

Posted by: neil277

Hello.

We feel that one person will be ok for invitation but if you submit more than 2 or three it will not work because in Belarus very strict law's.

Lukashenko controls Belarus.

Regards,

Natasha

Posted by: Khashyar

Actually, we have applied for about 15 invitations for my family an friends, and they have all been approved thus far.

Khashyar