Travel Tips: Business Travel in Moscow
There are nearly 3,000 American companies operating in Russia. The International Business Center is less than 3 miles away from the Red Square in Russia’s capital Moscow, one of Russia’s main tourist attractions. The close proximity allows for business professionals to enjoy their off time exploring like tourists. While Russia may be making headlines due to President Trump and the election, there is still an ever-growing business presence between Russian and American companies. Make sure you know about the passport and visa requirements for business travel in Russia.
Many major U.S. companies with a strong business presence in Russia such as PepsiCo, McDonald’s, General Motors, Johnson & Johnson and General Electric. GE recently signed a joint venture with Rosneft, an oil firm, with the expectation that the sanctions on the oil firms will be lifted soon. Companies like PepsiCo and Danone, with the first and second largest markets, grow at 20% per year for years on end. With each year that passes more Americans go to Russia for the perfected mixture of business and pleasure.
Russia is ideal for business trips and for international businesses at large because Russia is a key market in any global or European corporate strategy due to their location, size, and quality of work/life/products. Russia ranks among the top three profit markets in the world. This massive country is also home to 142 million people making it the largest market in Europe. The economy is steady as the unemployment rate is the lowest in all Europe at 5.4%.
Make the Most of Your Business Travel in Moscow Russia
All work and no play? That’s not how it goes. When business travelers have time off in Moscow there are a few sites they must visit all within the famous Red Square which is convenient for business workers with not a lot of time to themselves. The Red Square offers world renounced historical sites all within a few mile radius.
The Red Square, one of the world’s most famous public squares, sits directly in the center of the city. Here visitors can visit Saint Basil’s Cathedral in the south of the square that is immediately recognizable due to its unique 16th-century designs. There are tours throughout the day or a lot of people opt to see it from the outside and take in all its architectural and historical beauty.
In the east of the Red Square, visitors can find the famous and massive GUM department store/ shopping mall that looks like a castle from the outside. The GUM department store has roots dating back to the 15th- century and was closed by Stalin in 1928 to be used as the headquarters for officials working on the first Five Year Plan. His plan was short lived and now is reopened and is home to luxury shops that sit inside of the decadently decorated interior that is fit for a king.
The north side of the Red Square offers the State Historical Museum. The exterior itself is a sight to be seen with its Russian Revivalism architectural style equivalent to the Eastern world’s Neo- Gothic movement. Inside holds an extensive collection of artifacts that tell the story of Russia’s history from past to present.
Lenin’s Mausoleum is to the west and is probably one of the stranger tourist attractions that attracts thousands each year. Here the body of Vladimir Lenin is embalmed and on display since he passed in 1924.
Business Travel in Moscow Russia: Passport & Visa Information
If you are traveling to Russia for business you must ask your business partners in Russia to write you a business invitation to be granted access to the proper visa. The letter must be on the letterhead of the company and sent by a scan via e-mail. In the event does not suffice a free form letter can be written. In this event the letter should contain the following:
– The company’s name, address, registration number, stamp, the signature of the director of the company.
– Explicitly state your name, year of birth, passport number, passport validity dates;
– The formal request to grant you a 3-year multiple-entry visa;
– That dates of your planned visits to Russia (the invitation should have the precise dates and also list the hotels or places where you will be staying during your visit);
– The company should also state that according to Federal Law 115 (25.07.2002) and Federal Law 167 (24.03.2003) it will ensure that you will have sufficient funds for your stay in Russia during your visits, that it will provide your medical travel insurance for Russia (unless you have your own) and will pay the necessary costs in case of emergency.
If you need help applying for your business visa to Russia, there are private services that can help. Contact a trusted Russian Visa specialist to help you get your business travel plans under way. You will need a valid passport in order to get a visa to Russia. If you need your passport processed quickly, please give us a call at 877-910-7277 or place your order here.
