Travel to Russia

[KaveMan]

[Personal message deleted by Admin]

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Gentlemen,

Please communicate personal messages via the PM System

The Open Forum is generally intended for the posting of information that is of interest to all readers.

Please use the Forum's Private Message system to exchange personal information and make personal plans.

Thank You

[Jake993]

Jake,

Thanks, that's very helpful.

If you had to recommend one hotel perfect as a mongering base (ie, near action, 'hip or younger' traffic, close to better salons / clubs, cool lobby or roof bar / club).

My plan is to come for 7 days; stay 2 in a hotel; then maybe 2 in a Airbnb apt; then maybe 2 train to outer pussy ring City with 8-10's Institute / Universirty gals).

If you could recommend:

-Best monger Hotel.

-Pussy Ring City to take aeroexpress train.

-Moscow Sauna with Escorts for debauchery.

I am sure I will be flailing about on my first Moscow trip.

-My plan is to gorge on breakfast Hotel Buffets.

-Chat up devushkas on streets / stores / malls and offer a visit to NYC or LA apt;.

-Gorge on Russian lunch at a high end cafe, cafeteria or deli.

-Relax in an elite Sauna while reviewing parade of escorts.

-Then back to hotel & out to dinner and Salon.

-I am hopeful as a fail-safe I can order an escort evey night and have 2-3 hr of debachery for $750-1000.

I am budgeting $10,000 with 75% of that going on pros 2 x / day over 5 days and ability to convert 1 non-pro with wallet / travel tease.

KaveMan,

After much thought on the topic, I must tell you that you ask some difficult questions. I say difficult because the kinds of hotels that you are looking for no longer exist right in the center of Moscow. Now that Russia is getting more concerned about "public morality" the sex trade is being driven underground. Or at very least away from the center of Moscow. Very few hotels in the center of Moscow have WG in the lobby anymore. While the center of Moscow is certainly hot and happening, none of the Western hotels in the center cater to the needs of the monger anymore. Having said all that, here is what I would suggest for your first visit.

1. Hotel. I would suggest hotel Korston. http://www.korston.ru/en/moscow/.

While it's not located RIGHT in the center, it caters to the needs of the monger. The hotel lobby is crawling with WGs almost every night. Plus they have a a strip club onsite and I believe they have a sauna as well. Food is good and there's a great Korean restaurant as well.

2. Pussy Ring City? Don't bother on your first trip. You will have plenty to do in Moscow. If you REALLY MUST go, take the Express train to Nizhny Novgorod.

3. If you want to go into the very center, you can take a taxi easily. Getting back is easy because all cab drivers know where Hotel Korston is. If you have a smart phone, you should download the App called "Get Taxi". It will save your life. Be sure to upload a "selfie" of yourself so that the drivers will know what you look like. This will make pick up much easier. Gypsie Cabs are almost obsolete now that apps like Get Taxi and Uber are available.

[KaveMan]

Jake,

Thanks, that's very helpful.

If you had to recommend one hotel perfect as a mongering base (ie, near action, 'hip or younger' traffic, close to better salons / clubs, cool lobby or roof bar / club).

My plan is to come for 7 days; stay 2 in a hotel; then maybe 2 in a Airbnb apt; then maybe 2 train to outer pussy ring City with 8-10's Institute / Universirty gals).

If you could recommend:

-Best monger Hotel.

-Pussy Ring City to take aeroexpress train.

-Moscow Sauna with Escorts for debauchery.

I am sure I will be flailing about on my first Moscow trip.

-My plan is to gorge on breakfast Hotel Buffets.

-Chat up devushkas on streets / stores / malls and offer a visit to NYC or LA apt;.

-Gorge on Russian lunch at a high end cafe, cafeteria or deli.

-Relax in an elite Sauna while reviewing parade of escorts.

-Then back to hotel & out to dinner and Salon.

-I am hopeful as a fail-safe I can order an escort evey night and have 2-3 hr of debachery for $750-1000.

I am budgeting $10,000 with 75% of that going on pros 2 x / day over 5 days and ability to convert 1 non-pro with wallet / travel tease.

[Jake993]

Strav,

What is the current process / timeline to get a Tourist Visa?

Seems like ILS docs / reqs are extensive and you actually have to use a Travel agency to assemble.

Also, what is the money / currency / credit card situation. Seems like you will be withdrawing $100's of dollars daily.

Lots of threads say don't use ATMs. Are Western Banks present and you can withdraw?

Thanks

This is one of the best site for visa to Russia. I have used it many times as have my friends and relatives who come to visit. Fast and painless. http://www.visatorussia.com/.

As for money, there ATM's everywhere. They are fine. I have lived here for three years and have been coming here since 2005. Never a problem. Just watch your fees.

The only unpleasant limitation that I ran into was the daily limit that was imposed on my US ATM cards. Most Russian banks (even those under foreign banner like Raiffeisen and CitiBank) will let you withdraw the equivalent of about $5,000 a day, while Wells Fargo and Chase, for example, will only let you take out $500 a day. Best to check with your bank before you depart. And while $500 a day may seem like enough, remember that this is Moscow.

Many ATM's will give you the option of Rubles, Dollars or Euro. While in Russia, Rubles are most useful. If you are going to bring dollars from home, don't bother with anything other than new crisp $100 bills. Frankly, the only thing US dollars are useful for in Russia these days is paying hookers. For everything else pay in rubles. VISA and MASTERCARD are widely accepted while AMEX acceptance is still limited to hotels and high end restaurants. And even with hookers, you are better off negotiating in rubles. The girls will haggle in 1,000 ruble increments (about $30) if you are talking rubles and $100 increments if you are negotiating in dollars. See the difference?

In Moscow these days, credit cards are becoming very popular, but by all accounts, Cash Is King. Like most everyone else, I rarely walk around with less than 15,000 rubles ($430) in my pocket. Why? Who the fuck knows? Local custom I guess. Although I do admit, now that I have a Russian credit card (VISA) it's quite handy. Credit cards here use the "Chip & Pin" system, so there's no messing around with signatures. All very secure. If you DO pay for a restaurant or bar tab with a credit card, be aware that you should NOT leave a tip on the card. Pay the gratuity in cash. If you leave a tip on the credit card, it will NEVER get to the server. Trust me on this. In fact, just pay cash for meals and bar bills. Many times there are problem with foreign credit cards in bars and restaurants.

[KaveMan]

Strav,

What is the current process / timeline to get a Tourist Visa?

Seems like ILS docs / reqs are extensive and you actually have to use a Travel agency to assemble.

Also, what is the money / currency / credit card situation. Seems like you will be withdrawing $100's of dollars daily.

Lots of threads say don't use ATMs. Are Western Banks present and you can withdraw?

Thanks

[Stravinsky]

Hey Suka,

We seem to be talking in circles...

The information I posted did not come from Travisa, it came from the ILS website. ILS is the official agency disignated for people in the U.S. to apply for Russian visas.

Travisa is nothing more than a travel agency. I imagine they mis-interpreted the instructions posted by ILS Re: Tourist visas vs. Homestay visas. You need to take your information from ILS, not Travisa.

BTW - we are all looking forward to a detailed report about your trip to the provinces (I think?)

[Suka Shalava]

hey suka,

i read through the ils instructions for submitting visa applications,

www.ils-usa.com/main.php?id=mailing&lang=en

it seems the consulate in houston does list the documents you mentioned; bank statement, proof of employment, etc. but these documents are only necessary if you apply for a private, homestay visa. if you are applying for a regular tourist visa, then it shouldn't be a problem.

strav,

thanks for finally being the only one, as usual, willing to come forward, stand up, and announce, that i've been right all along. after 15 years, i should be used to it by now. i've also been moaning, groaning, whining, and complaining for that long, about truth bending chest puffers that imho, obscure and avoid facts and as a result, fail to add to the quality of this sacred place for dedicated devoted mongers.

while i greatly appreciate your homework on my behalf, unfortunately you missed my original point, which was that this has always been about the requirements for the new (2013) three year tourist multiple entry visa, not private home stay visas! i have no idea where you got that. it's very clear on travisa's website, that the extra document requirements are listed for the 3 year tourist multiple entry visa application.

anyway, all that shit aside, i am pleased to report another wildly positive experience in the most glorious of glorious motherlands of our beloved federation of republics, and all political propaganda aside, the provinces continue to be best place on earth.

the current political tension is certainly a concern, and i ask all members for their continuous prayers for leaders to find a peaceful amicable solution that settles the mess.

i can report that after flying aeroflot on two practically empty flights in 2013 to svo, my flight last month was filled to capacity, clearly due to what's happening in ukraine. it 'seemed' like everybody was in a big hurry to get the hell out of here to get back home, for whatever reason, i certainly didn't get curious and ask. i apologize that i won't even be able to fully divulge all the details about the bizarre dyev i sat next to on the plane, suffice it to say that her extremely muscular boyfriend did not want to even acknowledge they were together, after her dreadful conduct. i can report though, that the other passengers went out of their way to be supportive, which really speaks to their spirit of fairness and willingness to do the right thing, and for that, i will always be grateful. i will tell you that after 14 years flying swissair, klm, and lufthansa, i can say without question that aeroflot beats them all hands down. at this point, i have enough miles for three free round trips on those other carriers, and i will never use them, as i will gladly pay the fares to travel on aeroflot.

and aeroflot continues to improve their service. this time, i did not even have to collect my suitcase at svo, they checked it right through on my connection to the provinces. what a pleasure, and sheremetyevo is so superior to dme, the only exception being the awesome lamb chops in the georgian style restaurant upstairs on the left. wish they had something like that, instead of fridays.

can also report that i was not all that surprised, due to politics, yet again, that my return home included yet another extra round of inquiry, along with many of my fellow passengers, including russian families traveling with small children. so, how much money are you carrying, and let's take a peek, shall we? i get it fellas. there's likely some unreported currency moving around, and you're supposed to try to find it. everybody's got a job to do. nobody should hold that against you. courteous officers, that don't give you an attitude, are worth mentioning.

[Stravinsky]

Hey Suka,

I read through the ILS instructions for submitting visa applications,

www.ils-usa.com/main.php?id=mailing&lang=en

It seems each consulate has slightly different requirements and the consulate in Houston does list the documents you mentioned; bank statement, proof of employment, etc. But these documents are only necessary if you apply for a private, homestay visa. If you are applying for a regular tourist visa, then it shouldn't be a problem. You can always call the consulate to verify that.

[Stravinsky]

More than 5 years ago, the consulate in Washington changed their policy that allowed those of us that live in southern states to send in our tourist visa applications directly on our own for processing, and began requiring applications be only handled by a third party service, that would have to be submitted to Houston.

Five years ago, the Russian government changed its policy of accepting visa applications and required that all visa applications must be submitted by a travel agency certified by the consulate, not by the applicant themselves. I think you're right, they just got tired of dealing with all the applications that were not properly filled out or missing docs.

I realize that everybody else here has the time and option to show up in person at consulates in Washington, New York, and San Francisco, but I simply do not. For me, the fees I pay to use Travisa are well worth the convenience.

I think very few people can appear at the consulate in person, unless you live next door. Why would you? It's easier to do it through an agency.

Travisa has provided excellent service to me ever since then. I highly doubt they make up their own requirements for additional documents.

True, it doesn't make any sense, but then why is Travisa the only agency asking for these documents?

All of the Russian consulates and the Russian embassy are recommending applicants to Invisa Logistics Services, www.ils-usa.com, but Invisa is not asking for these documents. I checked a couple of different Russian visa processing services that I have used in the past and neither of them are asking for the kind of personal info that Travisa wants.

The solution is simple, if you don't want to hand over this kind of info to Travisa, then use another agency.

[Suka Shalava]

Suka,

The Russian government is not asking for this information, your visa service is asking for it. What is the visa service you are using, and what is their web address?

More than 5 years ago, the consulate in Washington changed their policy that allowed those of us that live in southern states to send in our tourist visa applications directly on our own for processing, and began requiring applications be only handled by a third party service, that would have to be submitted to Houston. The reason was probably because too many applications were not completed properly, or did not include all the requirements, and the consulate only has the time or staff to deal with applications that are ready to go. The visa service would ensure that if applications were not completed properly, they would take the time with the applicant to get everything corrected, before submitting them to the consulate.

Travisa has provided excellent service to me ever since then. I highly doubt they make up their own requirements for additional documents.

I realize that everybody else here has the time and option to show up in person at consulates in Washington, New York, and San Francisco, but I simply do not. For me, the fees I pay to use Travisa are well worth the convenience.

[Stravinsky]

Decided to provide some proof to those in doubt. Copied and pasted this directly from Visa Processing Service Website. I don't live near a city with a Consulate, so I use them, and they do a great job.

"Russian Tourist 3 Year Visa Requirements for US Citizens:

Other Forms:

A letter of intent addressed to the Embassy or Consulate, respectfully requesting the visa to be issued including the preferred validity.

The letter must be signed by the applicant.

The letter must include the applicant's name, nationality, passport number, date and place of birth, address in the US and cities to be visited in Russia.

Houston: additional required documents:

- Bank Statement with a minimum balance of $3, 000

- Letter of employment from HR department

- Check stub to show proof of payment / employment

- Copy of health insurance card

- Proof of property ownership

- Signed Certificate of the makeup of the applicants family."

So I will ask my original question again. My question was never whether anyone else had to provide this info. My question was, is there any reason to have concern, providing all this extra personal info?

Suka,

The Russian government is not asking for this information, your visa service is asking for it. What is the visa service you are using, and what is their web address?

[Skwiskwis]

Returned from an excursion two months ago and found that the machine generated forms at passport control were NOT available in the passport control area we arrived in (despite the fact that they announced on the Aeroflot flight that the forms would not be handed out because Sherm Airport had the machines now). As a consequence, both I and the girl I was with (who was from Ukraine) had to queue up twice, once to be told we needed to fill out the forms and the second time after we filled them out and a second planeload of people had arrived. I'm guessing that Sherm Airport has multiple passport control areas and not all of them have the machines. Presumably the areas that cater to charter flights don't, as when I arrived from the US previously the area I went thru passport control in had the machines.

Just arrived in StPb yesterday (July 31) and found that they had the machines (Pulkova 2). Flew in from Paris and the Air France people handed out the forms on the plane, but when I went to the passport control window the official pushed my form back out the window and then printed one off herself from her machine. Pulkova 2 has only 1 passport control area so far as I know, and it appears we might not have to fill out these forms anymore, so long as the machines don't break down.

So as usual in Russia. Never quite sure where modernity will sprout up and how long it will stay.

[Jake993]

Thanks Jake for the response! Not sure to be happy about it or not.

So there is no official website or anything thru which you can call them to hotel! Hmm. Tough hunting eh.

VERY tough hunting. It's the wild East frontier.

[GoblinCrazyy]

Thanks Jake for the response! Not sure to be happy about it or not.

So there is no official website or anything thru which you can call them to hotel! Hmm. Tough hunting eh.

[Jake993]

Help please.

Hi Folks,

I have been following this forum in recent months while I was traveling and I have found this extermely useful for all kinds of info!

But now I am faced with a challenge. I am traveling to this place called Yuzhno-Sakhalin. Unfortunately despite my best of web searches I am unable to find a single website or forum which provides info about escort service in Sakhalin.

I know its a rural island in russia, but I was disappointed to see that no escort service is there in this island! (I hope I am wrong). So dear friends, kindly provide me info on any kind of service available in sakhalin. Or any experiences that is worth sharing!

I was in Yuzhno Sakhalinsk a few years back for a week. Best bet is the sauna or taxi drivers. There are a few in the hotel bars but not many.