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How
to apply for a Russian visa, Russian
consulate requirements:
contents:
russian visa requirements (tourist, business, private)
- the price of a russian visa - where to apply - what if your
russian visa is going to expire - information about some russian
consulates - your feedback
Revised May 2008:
The information in this section is completely revised according
to the latest laws and regulations.
Russian
Visa Requirements:
Before applying for your Russian visa,
choose what kind of visa you need. You can refer to Types
of Visa section of this site to choose the visa that'll
best suit your needs or just use our Russian
Visa Troubleshooter that will guide you through the process.
After you chose the visa you need, first of all, contact the
Russian consulate where you will apply and ask them about their
requirements.
You can see a complete list of all Russian consulates in the
world (their addresses, phone numbers and internet sites) in
the Russian
Consulates Worldwide section of this site. You might
also be interested in our Russian Visa
Insider's info page.
Here's a general list of requirements for every type of
Russian visa:
1. A valid passport with at least one blank
page (for a visa), the expiration date should be not earlier
than 3 months after your visa validity ends. Sometimes you may
be required to present two photocopies of your passport
(copy all the most important pages of
the
passport
--
showing
your
name,
birth
date, photo,
passport number, expiration date).
2. Russian visa application form completed and signed (it's available
in a Russian consulate for free, you can download a sample here
- Adobe Acrobat format).
3. Three passport-type photographs (make sure you have no glasses
and hats on).
4. For individual travelers: a letter of invitation (also
called "visa support" or "tourist voucher and
tourist reservation confirmation") issued
by a Russian travel agency authorized in the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs
(MFA),
or directly from a Russian
hotel, showing the reference number of the company in the MFA
and the confirmation number for the visa (see Types
of Visa section).
5. Shengen countries, Estonian, and Israeli citizens need
to present an insurance valid in Russia (usually already
included on your credit card policy).
6. French citizens sometimes are also requited to present bank statements
for
the
last
3
months and a copy of their return tickets (as well as insurance, as above).
Most Russian consulates do not require originals of the
invitation papers: a fax or a scanned copy (sent to you via e-mail)
is enough. Only the consulates in Switzerland, Sweden and sometimes
Germany ask for originals. Also note that a consulate has the
right to request the originals of the papers, if they need them.
For cruise passengers or group travelers: the Russian
visa should be arranged with your cruise organizers. You will
be able to leave the port only together with the cruise organizers.
1. A valid passport with at least one blank
page (for a visa), the expiration date should be not earlier
than 3 months after your visa validity ends. Sometimes you may
be required to present two photocopies of your passport (copy
all the most important pages of the passport -- showing your
name, birth date, photo, passport number, expiration date).
2. Russian visa application form completed and signed (it's available
in a Russian consulate for free, you can download a sample here
- Adobe Acrobat format).
3. Three passport-type photographs (make sure you have no glasses
and hats on).
4. Official invitation from an organization
authorized to invite business visitors to Russia. The Invitation
to Russia must be
issued by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, its regional
representatives, or Russian travel agencies authorized to process
invitations
for
business visas.
The Russian consulate where you will apply has a right to ask
for an original copy of the invitation.
5. If you're applying for a visa longer than 6 or 12 months or
a multiple entry visa, an HIV test may be
required by some consulates.
6. Some consulates may require to present a letter from
your employer confirming your trip to Russia and itinerary.
7. Shengen countries, Estonian, and Israeli citizens need to
present an insurance valid in Russia (usually already included
on your credit card policy).
8. French citizens sometimes are also requited to present bank statements
for the last 3 months and a copy of their return tickets (as
well as insurance, as above).
Most Russian consulates do not require originals of the
invitation papers if you are getting a single or double-entry
business visa: a fax or a scanned copy (sent to you via e-mail)
is enough. Only
the
consulates
in Switzerland,
Sweden
and sometimes
Germany ask for originals. Note, however, that a consulate has
the right to request the originals of the papers, if they need
them. Originals of multiple entry business visa invitations are
always required by all consulates.
1. A valid passport with at least one blank
page (for a visa), the expiration date should be not earlier
than 3 months after your visa validity ends. Sometimes you may
be required to present two photocopies of your passport (copy
all the most important pages of the passport -- showing your
name, birth date, photo, passport number, expiration date).
2. Russian visa application form completed and signed (it's available
in a Russian consulate for free, you can download a sample here
- Adobe Acrobat format).
3. Three passport-type photographs (make sure you have no glasses
and hats on).
4. A private invitation certificate ("izveshchenie"
or "priglashenie") from the local OVIR office (immigration
officials) in Russia (for Moscow this certificate is issued by
a local police
department). The person who's inviting you must obtain this certificate
for
you
in OVIR
and
send the original certificate to you. When you come to Russia,
you can only live at this person's place.
Effective from not so long ago, American male citizens also need
to fill in a very strange paper (called "a supplement to
visa application form) to make sure they will not be spying in
Russia. It should be presented along with the other documents
to paranoid consulate officials. You can see it here
(Adobe Acrobat format). See what one person posted to us in
response to this sentence in the end of
this page.
Getting the Russian Visa
We strongly recommend you to obtain
the appropriate invitation ("visa support" or "tourist
confirmation")
first and only
after that fill
in the visa application form and submit all documents.
To increase
your chances of getting the visa, the data you specify in
the visa application form should be the same as in your invitation
(e.g. the purpose of the trip, the place of stay, etc.).
Also,
while having an interview with a Russian consulate official,
you'll
increase
your chances if you say things that don't contradict to what's
written in your application form and your invitation (e.g. if
you say that you want to come to Russia only to make the Trans-Siberian
and to camp for 3 months around lake Baikal, when you're applying
for a business visa it will definitely not increase your chances).
There are three ways to submit your documents: either
you can do it all by yourself (going to the consulate), by post
(this is convenient, because you can send your papers from any
country), or through a travel
agency in your country (they'll take all your documents, send
them to
the consulate and charge you an additional fee for that).
If you apply for a business visa, the invitation can be sent by
telex to the Russian consulate where you will apply. It's really
easier for you when it's done like that, so we recommend to use
this option. Some travel agencies charge additional fees for telex,
some don't.
The
price of the visa depends on its type (tourist, business, amount
of entries), on the speed of processing (1 to 14 days),
nationality, and the country where you apply. The more flexible
conditions the visa provides (e.g. valid 12 months, multi-entry)
or the
faster it is processed (min 1 day), the more expensive it will
be. Generally,
the price of a Russian visa for a national of some country will
be the same as the price of the visa in this country for a Russian
national. For example, a British visa for Russians costs about
$50 US, so they charge British the same price for a Russian visa.
The most expensive visa for Russians is a visa to the United
States,
so the citizens of the US are charged the most, usually.
The price of a Russian visa can also vary depending on which
country you are applying in. For example, if an American citizen
applies for a business visa in Finland, it may cost more than
$200, however, in Romania it will cost $80. So, if you are planning to get your visa somewhere in Europe it is worth calling a few Russian consulates to search for the best bargain.
Here's a breakdown of visa application fees by country (valid
as of August 2004):
Visa Prices in the Russian consulate in USA for USA citizens:
For single entry
visas:
$100 for not less than six business days processing;
$150 for not less than three business day processing;
$200 for next business day processing or two business day processing;
$300 for same day processing;
For double entry visas:
$100 for not less than six business days processing;
$200 for not less than three business day processing;
$250 for next business day processing or two business day processing;
$350 for same day processing;
For multiple entry visas:
$100 for not less than six business days processing;
$300 for not less than three business day processing;
$350 for next business day processing or two business day processing;
$450 for same day processing;
Visa
Prices in the Russian consulate in UK for UK citizens:
£30 - for not
less than 8 working days processing
£40 - for 6 working days processing (£100-multiple entry visa)
£60 - for 3-5 working days processing
£80 - for next day processing (£130-multiple entry visa)
£90 - for the same day processing (£150-multiple entry visa)
£120 - for express visa
Additional charge for double-entry visas is £10.
£30 - any correction in visa or visa duplicate.
The citizens of other
countries pay an additional £18 consular fee on top of the price for a business,
tourist, or transit visa, or additional £84 for a multiple entry visa.
Visa Prices in the Russian consulate in France for French citizens:
Single-entry or multiple-entry tourist, business, or private visa:
54EUR - 5-7 working days processing
Transit visa (or any visa valid for 3 days or less):
28EUR - 5-7 working days processing
Normally,
you can apply for a Russian visa at the country where you live.
But if you're traveling at the moment, for example, you can apply
anywhere else in the world, unless, you're from Germany
or some Asian countries (except Japan). The nationals of Germany
and of some Asian countries (except Japan) can only apply for
a Russian visa in their own country. Also, the nationals of other
countries (the US, European countries, Australia, New Zealand)
can not apply for a Russian visa in Germany unless they have a
permit of stay in Germany that exceeds the period covered by the
Russian visa. Those measures might seem strange, but it's done
because German officials issue German visas to Russians only inside
Russia (and not in the other countries). So, it's sort
of what they call "diplomatic" reciprocation
and it's sad it's still happening, because it restricts
the travel...
Anyway, there is a way round all this red tape stuff: either you
can send all your docs by post, or (if it's not possible) make
a special trick.
Imagine, you're in Germany, but you're a national of some other
country. How would you get a Russian visa? You need to do three
simple things. First, you should register in a place you stay
in (ask a hostel, for example), the hostel will give you a special
paper saying you have a registration in this hostel. Make sure
this registration is valid for longer than your Russian visa (i.e.
if you want a visa from 1 July to 20 July you should have your
registration from, say, 20 June to 20 August). Second, (after
you're registred) go to the government office (e.g. a townhall)
to get the special permission to live in this country. You can
say that you're a student, who's looking for education opportunities
in their country, or that you'll stay more than 3 months, etc.
This permission is a stamp in your passport and generally doesn't
mean anything and it's only for some period of time (3 months).
Third, after you have this stamp, you can go to the Russian consulate,
show them the stamp, and they'll have to make a visa for you.
It works and you can try it in any other country as well.
We strongly recommend you not to try to prolong it, because this
process is a real pain and expensive too. The best thing to do
is to leave to one of the Baltic States countries (Estonia, Latvia
or Lithuania) before your Russian visa is expired. The Baltic
States are the closest to Russia and you most likely don't need
a visa to get there (but check it in the country's consulate first
- see their addresses in Moscow
or St. Petersburg).
Before you leave Russia, apply for the invitation you need (tourist
or business) and then, when you come to one of the Baltic State
countries, you can directly apply for a new Russian visa in the
Russian consulate there. Besides, the Baltic States is a beautiful
place to visit...
Disclaimer: We attempted to make all the information
presented in the Russian Visa section of this site as accurate
and up-to-date to possible, a a lot of work was done, but visa
rules and regulations change so often that we can't guarantee
anything. So, we are not liable or responsible for anything,
ok?
For example, we said you can send all the documents by post
and you'll do it, but the crazy people in a consulate may issue
a
special regulation that all the documents received should be
destroyed
because of a possible anthrax attack... Or when we say that there
are beasts working in the Washington consulate (based on previous
experience), well, maybe they fired all their staff recently
and
now there are just nice people there... How can we be responsible
for that? Hope you understand...
Discussions: Your Comments and Additions
Please, post your comments and questions in
the "Russian
Visa" section of WayToRussia.Net
Talk Lounge Russia Forums. Here are the last 15 posts
from the forum:
Articles You May Be Interested In:
• Getting
a Russian Visa Step-by-Step Guide
• Russian Consulates Addresses Worldwide
• Russian Visa Insider's
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