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Visa Saint Petersburg

Anyone seen any info on if we will need visa's for Saint Petersburg like we did for the world cup? Not sure how they would turn them around in time as we are obviously not confirmed to play there until a few days before.

85 Replies

  • Peter Titmus

    In reply to Nicholas Small:

    To me that option looked the worst but to be fair the other 2 weren’t loads better, and the e.mail option wasn’t even given. I have written to them to ask, but am not holding my breath for an answer. I am surprised your order number came out as invalid - mine was fine, being the one at the top left of the invoice, but admittedly I didn’t complete the exercise so maybe I would have had a problem later on in the registration.
  • David Lilley

    In reply to Peter Titmus:

    Peter Titmus
    To me that option looked the worst

    I'm perfectly happy to collect my laminated Fan-ID in St Petersburg if I am able to print off the electronic version before my flight. The A4 paper version is sufficient to act as a visa substitute at the port of arrival. For the World Cup, you could exchange it for the laminated version at any of the Moscow airports. You had to walk past the issuing desk to get from passport control to the arrivals hall. My only worry is when the PDF electronic version will be available to print.

  • Nicholas Small

    In reply to Peter Titmus:

    I was able to type in the number. It's just when I try to submit the application it rejects it. I expect you'd have the same issue.

    I picked the option I did because it's just around the corner from where I work and *if* it had been possible to get a Fan ID with a conditional ticket, then I could have collected it in advance of the tournament starting.

    The email, as I understand it, isn't an option, as such. Anyone whose conditional ticket becomes confirmed will get an email when they complete the application.
  • Andrew McCarthy

    In reply to David Lilley:

    How have you managed to book a cancellable flight to St Petersburg? Is this through a specific company?
  • Peter Titmus

    In reply to David Lilley:

    That seems like a plan if they confirm it. So did you pick ‘collect at the distribution centre in Russia’ on the application, or have you not got that far yet (it seem so the order number we have may not be enough to apply just yet anyway)?
  • Andrew Coates

    In reply to Peter Titmus:

    Peter Titmus
    I’m in a similar position David except that my cancellable flight leaves Thursday for the Friday game, so I’d need the fan ID by end Wednesday. However my accommodation would need to be cancelled by end Tuesday.

    Apologies for the separate question, but i cannot find a way to search this forum. I recall there was a thread back after the draw was done about a website which offers the ability to cancel flights for a full refund, for payment of a small fee. Searching with google i can't find any websites which offer this, only free cancellation in the first 24 hours after booking.

    Can you remind me where i can book cancelable flights please? Thanks

  • Peter Titmus

    In reply to Andrew Coates:

    I booked it some time ago, some airlines will offer it if you book early enough but then the fare is going to be higher. It’s a question of searching the main airlines one by one to see if it’s still available, but I suspect you had to do this some months ago to get a reasonable deal. The other option is Opodo - don’t they do some form of cancellation insurance? Maybe that’s the one you were referring to.
  • David Lilley

    In reply to Andrew McCarthy:

    Andrew McCarthy
    How have you managed to book a cancellable flight to St Petersburg? Is this through a specific company?

    I booked it through Opodo.

    https://www.opodo.co.uk/images/pdf/canxself/conditions/OP_OPUK_en_1007_CANXSELF.pdf

  • David Lilley

    In reply to Peter Titmus:

    Peter Titmus
    That seems like a plan if they confirm it. So did you pick ‘collect at the distribution centre in Russia’ on the application, or have you not got that far yet (it seem so the order number we have may not be enough to apply just yet anyway)?

    I can't actually submit an application yet because I'm going to need a new passport before the Euros. Passport number is one of the input fields.

    This is an extract from the Fan-ID FAQs

    A FAN ID is issued on paper and in electronic form.

    A FAN ID on paper is a small laminated card containing personal data and a photo of the owner.

    A FAN ID in electronic form, containing personal data and a photo of the owner, will be sent to the e-mail address specified during registration for a FAN ID, in the form of a PDF file for printing on A4 paper before the start of the FAN ID validity period as an entry/exit document.

    What I want to know is when will the electronic Fan-ID be available ? None of the 'normal' delivery options are practicable :-

    #1  I can't get to a VFS Global visa center (sic) before my flight to St Petersburg leaves.
    #2  A Fan-ID posted to my UK address wouldn't arrive for days.
    #3  I can't go to the Fan-ID collection centre in St Petersburg because I can't enter the country if I don't already have the Fan-ID.

    If the system says that an application based on a conditional QF ticket is invalid then, presumably, it won't be sufficient to actually win the R16 in Copenhagen. We'll also have to wait until UEFA updates our ticket portfolio to show that the QF ticket is now unconditional for St Petersburg. When will they do that ? And then, after we've submitted the Fan-ID application, how long will it be before we get the email with the PDF Fan-ID ?

    The whole thing is looking like a nightmare. I just want the Russian authorities to tell us how the system works. If I know that I'm not going to get the Fan-ID in time then I could cancel the flights and hotel. I'd be gutted to miss the QF and waste my ticket because of bureaucracy but it would be worse if I also had to forfeit the money committed to the flights and hotels.

    If there's anyone from the England team camp reading this post, please win the group  !!!!!!

  • Darryl Sweeney
    Has anyone heard back on this. Ive just gone through Fan ID application and its not accepting the ticket or order number. I know these are conditional but its what they say to add onto the info required
  • Peter Titmus

    In reply to Darryl Sweeney:

    I just called the fan ID support and they said they would process the fan ID even for a conditional ticket and to select the post option. They also advised to put the order number in on my invoice and to contact them if it didn’t work, which it didn’t. So I have contacted them on support@fan-id.ru with this information and am awaiting their response, but I doubt it will be quick.
  • Peter Titmus

    In reply to Peter Titmus:

    Incidentally I just tried again using my actual conditional ticket number, as these are now showing in my ticket account against my application, but it made no difference and I still had the same error message.

    In theory this is such a simple question, but so far no one seems to know the answer, it’s looking like an awful lot of hassle to sort out at the moment.
  • Barry Pounder

    In reply to David Lilley:

    Picked mine up last week from Gee Street.

    Friendly staff .. fast tracked to the front of the queue
  • Peter Titmus

    In reply to Barry Pounder:

    I’m guessing that was a normal tourist visa with the biometric checks etc? If not, and it was a fan ID, I’d be interested in hearing how!
  • David Lilley

    In reply to Peter Titmus:

    Barry has posted before. He has an unconditional ticket for a St Petersburg match from last summer's general public sale.
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