Visa information

Do I need a Visa?

Most nationalities require a visa for Russia and you must apply for it in advance. Visas are not available on arrival or en route.

You will need a Letter of Invitation (LOI), sometimes referred to as a Visa Support letter to submit with your visa application. Vodkatrain will provide the necessary documentation including your Letter of Invitation and Cover Letter that is required to support your visa application.

Once you have received your Cover Letter, Russian Travel Confirmation and Invitation Letter from us, you will be able to start the application process to obtain your visa. The earliest date you can apply for your Russian visa is three to six months prior to your intended entry date, depending on nationality. Please check with your local consulate/embassy.

Russian visas are issued with a specific start date and expiry date based on the Letter of Invitation and will only be valid for the duration of your pre-booked Vodkatrain arrangements. All travel must be completed within these dates. Completed visas cannot be changed or extended. Note: In order to ensure that your visa covers all days when travelling overland, as well as safeguarding against unforeseen delays or rail schedules, the dates on your visa will be longer than those on your actual itinerary.

If you would like to stay or travel in Russia before or after the commencement of your Vodaktrain arrangements, please contact us to discuss your options and the visa procedure as you may be required to obtain a second Letter of Invitation. Please note each embassy has varying restrictions on the number of Invitation letters that you can submit, with most only allowing a maximum of two.

Visa Registration

In Russia and some countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS – States of the former Soviet Union) you are required to pay a visa registration fee when you check in at hotels and hostels.

You must register your Russian visa no later than 7 days after your arrival into the country. You will need to register your visa at each city, please ask hotel reception to do this for you. Although the process is now electronic, we recommend you ask reception for a hard paper copy that can be kept with your passport and immigration card at all times. It is strongly recommended that you keep your passport and all original documents in a money belt and have photocopies of your passport, visa and the original hotel card/immigration card ready for presentation to police if requested. Travellers who lose this departure card or do not obtain the necessary registration will not be able to check-in to hotels and will be liable for a substantial fine imposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and administered by the local police.

All costs and responsibility for registration lies with individual travellers and is usually between USD$5 - $10 in each city – Some hotels provide this service free which is a bonus.

Visa fee

Do I need a visa?

Citizens of the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and most EU countries (German citizens do not require a visa for stays under 30 days) will need a Tourist visa to enter Mongolia, valid for stays that do not exceed 30 days. Citizens of Canada will not need a visa for visits up to 30 days and citizens of the USA will not need a visa for visits of up to 90 days. Citizens of other countries should check with the relevant consulates or contact our Travel Advisors for further information. If a visa is required, you will need to apply for it in advance. It is not possible to obtain a visa on arrival in Mongolia at land or air borders.

Vodkatrain will provide all required invitation letters including a cover letter outlining your itinerary, travel arrangements and the details of the inviting organisation who will be looking after you while you are in Mongolia. Your visa will be valid for entry 90 days from the date of issue.

Visa Fee

Please check the appropriate consulate website for specific information on the cost and method of payment. Cash is generally not accepted and often payment will need to be arranged before you apply with the embassy/consulate. The actual application process will vary depending on your nationality and the consulate/embassy at which you will be applying. Please check the appropriate consulate website for specific information.

Do I need a visa?

Most nationalities require a visa for China and you must apply for it in advance. Visas are not available on arrival and can be difficult to obtain outside your country of residence.

Vodkatrain will provide the necessary documentation including your Cover Letter and Proof of Travel Arrangements from our Local Partner in China, which are required to support your visa application. Please note that we can only include the travel arrangements that Vodkatrain has booked on your behalf. If you have organized any independent travel outside of your Vodaktrain arrangements, you will need to provide your own proof of these arrangements.

Your Chinese visa is valid for entry within 90 days from the date of issue; you cannot apply for your visa outside of 90 days prior to your intended date of entry into China.

Visa Fee

Please check the appropriate consulate website for specific information on the cost and method of payment. Cash is generally not accepted and often payment will need to be arranged before you apply with the embassy/consulate. The actual application process will vary depending on your nationality and the consulate/embassy at which you will be applying. Please check the appropriate consulate website for specific information.