"Roland Perry" wrote in message
news
In message , at 16:30:21 on Mon, 23 Jan 2017,
Clank remarked:

Of course, everyone has the right to do things their own way. I'm
intimately familiar with Russian visas, and there they do have a separate
visa for business as opposed to tourism. That's mainly a mechanism for
charging more for the benefits of a business visa - not, surprisingly the
right to do business in particular (you don't even have to show you intend
to to get one, you just buy your invitation from a different place), but
rather the more expensive business visa gives you multiple entries over a
year, rather than the tourist visa which is issued for the exact number of
days of your planned trip.

Just to show Usenet is living up to its reputation of provoking
counter-examples, I've got a Russian visa for what they classified as a
business trip, valid for one entry/exit during a 30 day window.

Having recently looked into this, I think Clank has his cause and effect the
wrong way round

ISTM that the fixed dates (up to 30 days) single (or dual) entry visa is
available to anyone, for any reason, provided that it is supported by proof
of the appropriate travel and accommodation bookings (or if you want to stay
with friends/family an official invitation)

For the above the dual entry visa is designed for people transiting though
Russia to go somewhere else (whether lodging in Russia for part of the trip,
or not), in *both* directions. It is not meant to be used because you have
two single trips booked within the allowed availability.

If you want a visa for multiple, as yet to be booked visits within a year,
that is only available for a valid business reason with supporting official
invitations (though there must be something special available for people who
have settled in Russia, without a job)

tim