Check your Russian Visa for World Cup with Russian Embassy

[cove]

There may be cancellations of visas to get into Russia to watch the World Cup.
You should check that your Visa is still valid with the Russian Embassy.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

There may be cancellations of visas to get into Russia to watch the World Cup.
You should check that your Visa is still valid with the Russian Embassy.

Thanks for the heads-up. Have alerted friends travelling on fan IDs to check their validity. (Needless to say there is mild panic this morning )

 

[serfty]

ABC Article: Sudden ID cancellations leave World Cup-bound fans desperate, out of pocket

I'm thinking why would this all of a sudden occur? Maybe there have been ticket oversales ...


... nah, I'll take my tin foil hat off now ...

 

[cove]

It sure is a concern but I only know 3 who are booked and have World Cup tickets. They have internal flights and accommodation booked as well as the long hauls.

 

[jetpack]

I haven't received any cancellation emails or SMS so I'll be pretending that I never saw this thread.

 

[Denali]

On what grounds are they cancelling the visas?

 

[cove]

I think we will know that probably Monday or Tuesday.
It is quite a trek to get to Russia from Australia and the tickets were not inexpensive for Socceroo fans.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I haven't received any cancellation emails or SMS so I'll be pretending that I never saw this thread.

For any intending fans it would be good to proactively check, giving you time to get a tourist visa before departure. Otherwise risk getting refused boarding at the airport, or turned around once they arrive in Russia.

 

[Pushka]

On our cruise this week there is a couple going to the Cup. They were in a mild panic as they left before their tickets had arrived. But they did have some kind of official neck lanyard but I thought that wouldn’t really help them. But their tickets arrived this week into Australia and one of the others in the group is bringing them. I don’t have contact details to let them know about this but maybe their family is on top of it. They are in Belgrade today.

Ok. Have read the article. They have their fan ID. They now have tickets. Hope they are fine. Too late for them to get a visa. They are on an official tour group. Maybe that’s the difference.

 

[QF WP]

I just contacted my brother who is currently in Sweden. His response:

"Yes, you’re about the 4th time someone has shown it to me. The article I read said only two people have had their fan-id cancelled. I’m assuming as I’ve had no email that mine is still good! We’ll find out on Saturday when I fly into Saint Petersburg."

He gets another airport (LED) that I haven't been to yet

 

[QF WP]

Well they let my brother in, so everybody else should have got in easily

 

[cove]

Our two sons are travelling with a friend and all three got in to Russia. One son is using WhatsApp to message us off a Russian sim on his phone. They generally fly to venues and mostly get back to Moscow most evenings.
They all decided Qatar would be a No. Brazil was a Yes.