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  • Frequently Asked Questions

    1. How long does it take to get a visa, and how far in advance should I apply?
      For information on visa application processing times please visit our 'processing times' page.


    2. Can I get my money back if my application is refused or I withdraw it?
      If you want to withdraw your application you must contact the visa application centre where you submitted your application. Please do not contact visa staff at the UK Border Agency. You will have to attend the visa application centre in person between 09:00 and 11:00 and complete a form authorising the withdrawal of your application.

      The visa application centre will forward your authorisation to visa staff at the UK Border Agency. Your passport will be returned to the visa application centre the within 2 working day. Please note that although staff at the UK Border Agency in Moscow will try hard to meet these timescales, there can sometimes be unavoidable delays in processing your withdrawal requests. It is possible that the UK Border Agency may not consider your request and the visa application centre won't be in a position to give you any information on this. To know more, you should contact the UK Border Agency by email at Moscowvisainquiries@fco.gov.uk. Visa application fees are paid for consideration of the application and are set at a level to cover our administrative costs. Payment of the fee does not guarantee the visa will be issued and visa application fees are not refundable if an application is unsuccessful or withdrawn.

    3. What length of visitor's visa can I apply for?
      As a visitor, you can apply for a visa which is valid for 6 months; 1 year; 2 years; 5 years; or 10 years.
      This is the length of time that you can use the visa. As a visitor, the longest that you can stay in the UK on any one trip is six months. Please note, the visa officer may decide to make your visa valid for a shorter time than you have asked for, for example if you are not a regular traveler or have never visited the UK before. We do not refund visa fees if, for example, you have applied for a longer duration visa, but are issued with a shorter validity one.

    4. What does a letter of invitation need to say and does it need to be notarised?
      There is no set form of words for a letter of invitation. Sponsors should write the invitation in their own words. It should be addressed to the person being invited and must include details of the purpose and duration of the visit and also the relationship between the applicant and the signatory of the letter and /or the persons inviting the applicant. These letters do not have to be notarised. It should be clear from the invitation why the person is being invited, by who, for how long and where they will stay.

    5. Where should sponsors send their invitation letters?
      Invitations must be sent direct to the person who is being invited. The person applying for the visa should include the invitation with their documents when they lodge their application at the visa application centre. Please do not send (or copy) invitation or sponsorship letters to the visa section. We do not have the resources to retain them, or to link them to the application.

    6. Do I need to have a letter from my employers indicating my salary if some or all of my expenses are going to be covered by my sponsor?
      Evidence of your circumstances in Russia is helpful to satisfy the visa officer that you are in settled employment and also to indicate your financial situation here. You should include this information with your application whether you are paying for the trip or not.

    7. Do I need a transit visa if I am staying in the United Kingdom for less than twenty-four hours? Can I leave the airport?
      If you are a Russian national, provided you arrive by air and you have a confirmed onward ticket for a flight within twenty-four hours to a country where you are assured of entry, you do not require a transit visa and you can leave the airport. Being able to transit without a visa is only a concession and there is no guarantee you will be allowed to pass through the UK in transit by the UK Immigration Authorities. You may still be refused entry when you arrive at the UK airport if a UK Immigration Officer is not satisfied that you qualify. We recommend that you apply for a UK transit visa before you travel.

    8. If I am refused a visa, when can I re-apply?
      You can re apply at any time and your new application will be considered. You should be aware, that if there has been no significant change in your circumstances since the last refusal, or if you are unable to address the reasons for refusal, your application may be refused again. If you were last refused it will not mean that any new visa applications that you make will be refused automatically, unless you have submitted forged documents in connection with any application relating to your UK immigration status (this means an application for a visa, or to enter or remain in the UK). If you re apply then you will have to complete the full application process again.

    9. In the case of an application for a marriage visa, must the sponsor be present at the interview?
      No. In most circumstances only the applicant needs to be interviewed. You will be required to submit evidence of the sponsor's residence status in the United Kingdom, freedom to marry and ability to support and accommodate without recourse to public funds.

    10. Do I need to show my old passport when I apply?
      Do I need to show my old passport when I apply? It is extremely helpful if you do. If your old passport contains visas showing previous foreign travels, you may wish to ask for it to be returned to you by the Russian passport office when you renew it. You will then be able to attach it to your new passport when you submit your UK visa application. It is very useful for us to see such direct evidence of previous travels abroad and seeing an old passport can often enable us to process your application much quicker.

    11. Apart from a letter of invitation what other evidence should I bring?
      This very much depends upon the type of application which is being submitted. Please see the 'How to apply' page for further information.

    12. When completing the application form, must I always provide the name of a British Citizen as a sponsor?
      No. Anyone present in the United Kingdom, for whatever purpose, can sponsor someone. It is important to name the specific sponsor particularly in the case of family visits. If you are intending to visit a Russian relative then please specify this and submit evidence of their immigration status in the UK (for example, a copy of their passport photograph page and current UK Visa).

    13. I have heard that the UK Border Agency at the British Embassy in Moscow refuses visas to single women. Is this true?
      No, it is not. Each visa application is considered on its own merits and, provided the applicant qualifies in accordance with the UK's Immigration Rules, their visa will be issued. It is important to remember that of the 160,000 or so visa applications made in Russia each year, only a very small percentage are refused. The ratio of men to women in this figure is roughly equal.

    14. I am a British citizen with a Russian girlfriend. I want to invite her for a holiday in the United Kingdom but I have heard that visas are never issued to women in such cases. Is this true?
      No. We regularly deal with applications of this type and the majority are issued with visas. The main reason for refusing applications of this type is because the applicant has not been honest with relevant facts to the visa officer. Our advice is that all applicants should be open and honest when making a visa application. Where an applicant appears to have attempted to lie to the visa officer, the application is likely to be refused.

    15. Do you issue visas for Commonwealth countries?
      Yes, for certain Commonwealth countries and other territories and islands such as the Bahamas, Gibraltar and the Cayman Islands. Please visit www.ukvisas.gov.uk for full details of which countries and territories the UK Border Agency at the British Embassy in Moscow issue on behalf of. Please remember that it is presently not possible to apply for these types of visa online. It is necessary to visit one of our visa application centres and submit a paper-based application. An appointment is not required.

    16. Can you help me find a job in the UK and permission to work?
      No. Visa staff at the UK Border Agency in Moscow makes decisions on visa applications, and are not involved in the employment process. For information on working in the UK, please visit the UK Border Agency website.

    17. If I am refused a visa, will I know why and can I appeal against the refusal?
      If you are refused, you will receive a written notice from the visa officer detailing the reasons why you have been refused. The right of appeal against refusal only exists for certain categories and the visa officer will inform you at the time of refusal if you have the right to appeal. For information on how to make an appeal, please visit the 'appeals' page.

    18. Are there any other documents I need to show if I am a foreign national living and working in Russia?
      Under Russian law governing the labour activity of foreign citizens in Russia, employers must obtain a work permit for their foreign employee (although there are some exceptions for certain types of employee, permanent residents and nationality). The employee will be given a Federal Migration Service (FMS) work permission card (with the holder's photograph on it) to prove they are working legally in Russia. If you are such a foreign worker here, the visa officer expects to see the original FMS card (and a photocopy for our records) submitted with your application when you apply for a UK visa. If you do not have such a card and are working here in Russia (not just here on a short business trip), you will have to satisfy the visa officer that you are working here legally and the reasons why you do not have to have an FMS card. Please note, that it is your responsibility to show that you are working legally in Russia, as the visa officer may refuse your application if you do not demonstrate this.

    19. I want to go to the United Kingdom to study. What sort of visa should I apply for?
      • Student visitor (As a student visitor you may take a short course of study during your visit to the UK, provided your college is recognised. Under this category you will be regarded as a visitor and not a student and for this reason you cannot work or extend your stay. A student visitor would, for example, come here on holiday and may do an English language course, as well.

      • Points-based system Tier 4 General students and Tier 4 child student (Applications under made Tier 4 gives you full student status rather than visitor status. Under Tier 4 you are entitled to work part-time and extend your stay)
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