Staying in Scandinavia for 120 days

Two possibilities I can think of: First, apply for a tourist visa. They allow you to stay for longer periods. The Schengen 90 days visa free is really nice for most tourists. Before Schengen, however, people still visited - they just had to plan ahead and apply for a visa. Second, If you don't have time to apply for a visa, you can always spend 30 of your days outside Schengen. The UK is often used as an example of somewhere you can visit visa free that is outside of Schengen. I'm sure there are other choices that you could also consider. If you go this route, be ready to prove you stayed outside Schengen (hotel receipts with your name on them would be my first choice) in case you're asked.

Can you apply on line? How long does it take to get it? How difficult is it to get a short term visa to russia?
Thanks for your help

Hello Nell. Where are you now ? Your 120 days will end on what date ?

I arrive may 7 and leave August 22

"I arrive may 7 and leave August 22" You're probably too late for an extended stay visa, and you're cutting it very short for Russia. I would do a google search for any travel agencies that specialize in trips to Russia (I would recommend the company I used, but they've either changed their name or gone out of business).

As to getting a tourist visa for Russia, a place to start is with this information from the US State Department. This is a helpful overview. But remember, you must apply to Russian authorities for the visa, not the US State Department. http://1.usa.gov/170lUqn

The UK suggestion sounds like the easiest resolution for your situation. Easy to get to from Scandinavia, no visa requirement and plenty to keep you occupied while you wait out your time.
Good luck!

After looking at those Russian visa requirements, I agree with Susan. The UK's a simpler option, and depending on the length of the Russian visa process, perhaps the only option short of flying back to the US on your 90th day in Scandinavia.

What's the purpose of your visit? That's sort of a key piece of information that seems to be missing at present. Tourist? Student? Work? It matters. BTW, you said you've already planned a trip...what exactly does that mean? Do you already have airline tickets and/or some other prepaid expenses?

I'm sorry to tell you, but getting a tourist visa in such short time will likely be impossible and may not work for your case anyway. But certainly try. You have to apply at the embassy or consulate of the country you are applying to. A few things to keep in mind: The tourist visa allows you an extended stay for that country. It does not extent the 90 day per 180 limits in other Schengen countries. If you won't be staying more than 90 days in a single country, they probably won't grant you a visa since you won't need one. It's a catch 22... You can enter Russia via the St. Peter ferry line for up to 72 hours without a visa. That works great for people just wanting to visit St. Petersburg via ferry but won't work for a longer visit. Russia is notorious for the time and hassle it takes to get a visa. You are best to work with a travel agency that specializes in Russia tourism. But you simply may not have enough time before you leave. The idea of spending at least 30 days in the UK is a great one to avoid completely destroying your trip. But it will obviously change your plans to travel in the Baltic region for 120 days and add to your travel costs. While passport checks are rare once you enter the Schengen zone, they do occur randomly and newer passports and electronic databases make it easier for authorities to track the length of your visit. If you are caught, even on departure, you are subject to serious fines and a travel ban within the Schengen zone. Occasionally passport control will ask to see things like return airline tickets, which in your case might show a 120 day stay. If that happened, you'd be denied entry and have to fly home at your expense. Point being, don't take the limits lightly. Good luck!

You have two separate problems -- that of being in Scandinavia for longer than the 90 days that are permitted without a visa, and going to Russia,which requires its own, rather difficult to get, visa. You really need to go visit the sites of each country's embassy to the United States. There you will find information on how long you're allowed to travel to each one under what conditions.