Tran-Siberian Railway

Visa Procurement

Please be advised that visa requirements are subject to change and that visa procurement is the responsibility of the traveller and not On The Go Tours, therefore it is essential that you check current visa requirements with the embassy before travel. Please also ensure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months from your planned date of departure from Russia, Mongolia or China.

If you're planning a journey on the Trans-siberian Railway you will require visas. All nationalities require a visa to visit Russia and China. Some nationalities require a visa for Mongolia.

In order to obtain a Russian visa you will require a Russian invitation letter. On The Go Tours can obtain the invitation letter from the Russian authorities for you. Please provide us with your passport details as soon as possible after booking as we need these details for the Russian invitation letter as well as for train and hotel bookings.

For details on visa procurement for nationalities not listed here, please refer to Project Visa.

Russia, Mongolia & China visa information for

UK Residents

Travel visas are an essential part of your holiday and you can’t get on with your adventure until you have them but they can be complicated things to sort out. There are application forms to complete and paperwork to provide. If you're a resident of the UK and would like someone to handle your Trans Siberian visa application for you then we recommend CIBTvisas. Please follow this link for more details on how to start your visa application with them - http://www.cibtvisas.co.uk/onthego


Russia

The Russian government introduced biometric applications in the UK in 2014. That means that you need to apply for your Russian visa in person at the visa application centre in London or Edinburgh and submit your biometric data at the time of application (fingerprints and facial image), along with the visa fee and your letter of invitation.

Standard visas take on average 9 to 10 working days, and you must leave a minimum of 3 weeks before your trip to ensure you get your visa on time. The Russian Embassy experiences unprecedented demand, so the sooner you get your application to us, the better. Visa applications are only accepted 3 months or less prior to the date of your exit from Russia.

If you need your visa faster you’ll need to pay an express visa fee.

For details on how to obtain your Russian visa - click here.


Mongolia

UK nationals do currently require a visa to enter Mongolia for stays up to 30 days.

Embassy of Mongolia
7-8 Kensington Court, London W8 5DL
Tel: +44 (0) 207 937 0150
Fax: +44 (0) 207 937 1117
http://embassyofmongolia.co.uk/


China

For information regarding your China visa application click here.

If you would like to obtain your visa yourself then upon confirmation of your holiday, please visit here and complete the online China visa application.

Russia, Mongolia & China visa information for

Australia & New Zealand residents


Russia

Please visit the relevant embassy link below for visa form and instructions.

Australia
Embassy of Russia - Sydney
7-9 Fullerton Street, Woollahra NSW 2025
Tel : (02) 9326-1188 9326-1866
Fax : (02) 9327-5065
http://www.sydneyrussianconsulate.com

New Zealand
Embassy of Russia - Wellington
57 Messines Road, Karori, Wellington
Tel: (04) 476 6113
Fax: (04) 476 3843
http://www.newzealand.mid.ru


Mongolia

Please visit the relevant embassy link below for visa form and instructions.

Embassy of Mongolia (AUS & NZ)
23 Culgoa Circuit
O’Malley, ACT 2606
Tel: +61 (02) 62862947
http://www.mongolianembassy.org.au

Consulate of Mongolia, New Zealand
30A Avalon Crescent
Avalon
Lower Hutt 5011
Wellington
New Zealand
Tel:+64 [04] 569 2788
www.mongolianconsulate-nz.com


China

Please visit the relevant embassy link below for visa form and instructions.

Australia
Australian Embassy of China
15 Coronation Drive
Yarralumla
A.C.T 2600
Canberra
Tel: 0262734780
http://au.china-embassy.org/eng/ls/vfc/

New Zealand
Canadian Embassy of New Zealand
57 Messines Road
Karori
Wellington
Tel: 04721382-600
http://www.chinaembassy.org.nz/eng/lsfw/prcd/

Russia, Mongolia & China visa information for

USA & Canadian Residents


Russia

Please visit the relevant embassy link below for visa form and instructions.

USA
Embassy of Russia
2650 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington DC, 20007
Tel: (202)298-5700
Fax: (202)298-5735
www.russianembassy.org

Canada
Embassy of Russia
285, Charlotte Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K 1 N 8 L 5, Canada
Tel: +1 613 235-4341, 236-1413
Fax: +1 613 236-6342
http://www.rusembassy.ca


Mongolia

At present U.S. and Canadian nationals do not require a visa to enter Mongolia for stays of up to 90 days.


China

Please visit the relevant embassy link below for visa form and instructions.

USA
US Embassy of China
2201 Wisconsin Avenue
N.W., Suite 110
Washington D.C. 20007
Tel: (202) 338-6688
http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/

Canada
Canadian Embassy of China
515 St. Patrick Street
Ottawa
Ont. K1N 5H3
http://ca.china-embassy.org/eng/lsyw/gzrz/vusa/

Russia, Mongolia & China visa information for

South African Residents

Please visit the relevant embassy link below for visa form and instructions. As of 30 March 2017, South African passport holders will be granted visa free entry to Russia for a duration of up to 90 days when travelling without the intention of living, working or studying in Russia.

Russia
Embassy of the Russian Federation
316 Brooks Street
Menlo Park
Pretoria
P.O. Box 6743
Pretoria 0001
South Africa
Tel: 012 362 1337
www.russianembassy.org.za


China
Embassy of China
972 Pretorius Street
Arcadia
0083, Pretoria
South Africa
Tel: 012 431 6500
www.chinese-embassy.org.za

See Also

To help plan your adventure on the Trans-Siberian Railway, check out these handy travel guide resources:

Best Time to Visit - climate and seasons in Russia, Mongolia and China
Best Places to Visit - our top 10 stops along the journey
Top Travel Tips - time zones, currency, health advice and more
Planning your Journey - essential information to help you plan your route
Getting Tickets - for travelling with children, as a group and more useful info
Style of Travel -what to expect on our Trans-Siberian Railway Packages
Accommodation options - from standard hotels to authentic homestays
Traveller Reviews - here's what our past travellers had to say about their experiences