I
have postponed writing this part of the blog until I had my passport safely back
in my hands. It is important for people to know how to get visas for such a
trip, and that generalizations about the process, length of visa, length of
stay, cost, and providers are useless.
So
this is what I did. I now have in my grimy little fist a US passport with a 3
year multi entry Russian Federation visa, good for up to 183 days in country. They issued it “действительна без фотографии” (“valid
without photo”). I am so happy I have
been taking Russian for the past 7 months. I would have been completely freaked
out (I do not know how to say that in Russian) if I had opened the passport and
seen that no photo was embedded in the Russian visa.
Anyway,
I sent my passport to Travisa in Washington DC back in November. This is their
contact information. Travisa 1731 21st. St. NW Washington, DC 20009 Phone: (202) 463-6166 Fax:
(202) 293-1112 Business Hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. https://www.travisa.com/.
I originally
decided to use Travisa because they are the portal for Azerbaijan Visas in the
USA. I actually ended up getting my Azerbaijan visa over the internet using an
agency in Kazahkstan called Stan Tours. But that is another part of the story.
The
deal with the Russian visa is that they will not even look at an application if
the date of first entry is more than 6 months in the future. My first date of
entry was shown as June 1,so it got sent back. Then it sat for couple of
weeks. But I got my 1st visa for Christmas. And I wanted the Russian
visa first because I figured I could get to Mongolia across Russia and have a
great trip even if other visas did not come through. It also worked well
because it showed the next countries that Russia had cleared me – and given me
this great visa. The total cost including agency fees was about $300, but it
was not overwhelming for what I got.
Oh I
forgot to tell you. Making out the Russian visa application form is time
consuming. The technical legal term for it is “sonofabitch”. But they wanted to
know everywhere I had been in the past 10 years, and when. And for me that is a
lot of work.
My
minder at Travisa was Shavkat Safaev, but he has since moved on. My case was
taken over by Diara Calhoun. She is a sweetheart and got the Tajikistan visa
for me.
Moving
on. Kazakhstan was next. It went rapidly. Once again I received a multiple
entry visa for 30 days each visit good until June 20, 2016. Cost was about $250
including the agency fee. In theory the cost is $160 if you do it yourself. But
use the agency. Otherwise you will end up having your passport in transit.
The
way I did it was as one visa was being considered I was doing the paperwork for
the next. Then when Travisa got my passport back the application for the next
country was in the office. Travisa then did an immediate turn around and sent it
on to the next embassy.
All
the time this is going on I am trying to figure out how to get a Turkmenistan
visa. Let me say right now, I do not have a Turkmen visa yet. This is the soft
underbelly of my official paperwork. Turkmenistan is pretty tightly regulated.
I would have needed a tourist visa. But that means I have to be on a tour. And
I do not know when I will arrive. So Plan A is to apply for a transit visa in
Baku, Azerbaijan. Then I take the boat to Turkmenbashi and tear across in
Turkmenistan in 5 days, because that is the length of the visa. Stress?
But
I do have an Uzbekistan Visa. Travisa did that one too. I forget the cost, but
it was in the $200 range. I have a 3 entry visa, each good for 30 days. You will
notice that I always get multiple entry. Well almost always. But I think it is
worth it to be able to go back if things get dicey down the road. I do not want
to be in position where I have to go on; and I want options.
Uzbekistan
went through fast.
While I was doing all this I
was still stymied on the Azerbaijan visa. The website for Azerbaijan in the USA
shows what appears to be a mandatory system for Americans. It isn’t. I made a reservation at a hostel in Baku.
Jeyhun Shahbazov
General Manager
Guest House Inn & Hostel
16/21 Azadlig ave.
Baku, Azerbaijan.
Tel.: +99412 493 41 67
Fax: +99412 493 59 12
Mob:+99450 626 21 73
Then
I contacted Stan Tours. David Berghof , david@stantours.com
STANtours Almaty / Ashgabat
They
are good and efficient, but payment was by Western Union, $115. I needed an
invitation not just the hotel. But it worked out. I got my visa by email. It
comes in pdf or similar format and you print it out in color yourself. It took
about 8 days.
And
that brings us to Tajikistan. I thought “this cannot be so hard” as I already
had four visas and things were going well time wise. Tajikistan took a while. I
need what is called a GBAO permit to travel on the Pamir Highway. The Tajiks
also wanted a separate letter with my itinerary and purpose. But it took about
four weeks to get it all sorted out. Diara at Travisa was very patient during
the process. I think the application was rejected twice and the passport sent
back. But I finally got it. And I got the whole 45 days, the maximum permitted.
I
had read other traveler tales of the Tajik visa. They went to the consulate in
Istanbul and had the visa plus GBAO permit in an hour. So, there is a plan B.
My fear was that I would get to Istanbul and not be able to get the visa.
And
just for information – not part of the five visas – for US citizens you get a
Turkish visa over the internet ($20) and
it is instantaneous, no photo needed. Mongolia gives US citizens entry without
a visa for 90 days.
Advice?
Well, always search the official websites for each country. There is a lot of
misinformation out there. The rules are different for each country and each
nationality applying for a visa. And it is going to cost you money. That is
just the way things are.
Fritz
Friiiiitz, have a great trip!!!! God protect you throughout your way. Grasi and Rodrigo (Brasil)
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