Visa advice for visitors and athletes going to Kirov, Russia

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Athletes participating in the 2013 UIAA Ice Climbing World Tour competition in Kirov are being warned by organizers to plan to get their Russian visas well in advance.

It takes about 10 days to get an official invitation from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs after receipt of the visa application.

It takes another 10 days in the mail before you receive it. Note: The Russian Embassy normally requires original copies, not scanned or fax copies of an application.

To apply for official invitation you will be asked to fill the application form in advance and send it to the competition organizers with scanned copies of your passport and valid health insurance for Russia to hr_kirov@mail.ru and pavelshabalin@mail.ru

Kirov is about 1000 kms from Moscow to the north-east on the Vyatka River in the middle of European part of Russia. It is one of the biggest cities along the Trans Siberian Railway with a a population of about 500,000 people.

Organizers strongly recommend you arrive in Moscow on 7 March 2013 before 3 p.m.

It is easy (and cheap) to get to Moscow subway from airports by train express and takes about an hour to get to the KOMSOMOL`SKAYA subway station where the YAROSLAVSKIY VOKZAL (railway station for the train to Kirov) is located.

The train to Kirov will depart 7 March 2013 at 6:50 p.m. and reserved tickets will be available if you order in advance.

For more detail, please read this note from the organizers on their website.