The fuckers also over charged me. You see, aside from the actual visa fee (which can be substantial depending on how fast you need it) and the agency's processing fee, there's also a "reservation fee." Which basically means that to get a visa either someone has to officially invite you, which is a pain in the ass for them, or you need to have a reservation booked at an state approved hotel or residence for the duration of your stay. In reality almost veryone goes to an agency which creates a fictional reservation and you can stay where ever the hell you want. I puzzled over this for a while since the Russians obviously know people are doing this and then it occured to me. Either you actually have been invited or you have the money to make the fake reservation. They're fine with either option. Anyway, when everything was totalled together the visa cost me more than the flight. Next time I'm doing it without the agency.
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