The charges for a visa in Russia will be much lower, after the complaints about overcharging and possible conflict of interest.
Applicants for Russian visa complained that in some cases they were asked to pay from €400 to €560 for emergency tourist visas, aside of the additional charges that these centres ask in some occasions, VisaGuide.World reports.
Russian ambassador Stanislav Osadchiy was called to investigate privately operated centres on the visa issues, for foreigners who want to go to Russia.
Alexei Voloboev, member of the political office of the party I, the Citizen (EOP) filled the complaint last January regarding the overcharging.
“Apart from the consular and service fees of €25 plus VAT (19 per cent), the centres’ employees impose any additional charges for services that skyrocket the cost of their service,” Voloboev added.
The member of the political office of the party, the Citizen (EOP) explained that to deliver each application from the centre to the Russian in Nicosia which is €50 plus VAT, while to send the documents within the same day the cost is €230 plus VAT.
“An EU citizen who wanted to visit Russia for the funeral of a close relative, had to pay around €560 for an urgent three-day tourist visa, while a large international company with offices in Cyprus and Russia had to pay between €800 and €900 for annual visas for each of their employees,” Voloboev pointed out.
The Russian embassy asserted that all the measures were taken and that the company, Interlink Service, known as one of the oldest international visa centres, has changed the charges for additional services and improved the quality of its services.
The Russian embassy recommended many to file for visas to its consular services, without the need to go on the private company offices, as the prices in these centres are considered high.
According to the latest decision, the amount of money they now they charge for a regular visa at the company’s Nicosia office is €30, including all the taxes, while €25 will be charged for urgent issuance of the visa.
In other cities the charge for an urgent issuance of visa will be €50, the embassy pointed out.
The embassy claims that the services offered will include receiving the necessary visa documents checking to make sure that they comply with the Russian law on visa applications, as well as submitting them to the consulate to check, receiving passports for the visa issuance and return of the documents to the visa centres to be given to applicants.