How to get a Visa to the Russian Federation

Every foreigner or stateless person must obtain a visa before traveling to Russia. Children under the age of 16 may travel without visas with their names appearing on the visas of their accompanying parents or guardians. Citizens of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) can travel to Russia without visas.

Russian business and private visit visas (made on a separate sheet of bluish paper) or tourist visas (yellowish paper) are usually issued for a single trip with the specified dates of entry and exit and the names of the cities to be visited.

double entry/exit visas require a special request to this effect from a Russian host organization (all entry and exit dates must be mentioned).
Multiple entry/exit visas are issued only upon prior authorization by the Russian Foreign Ministry and are sent out the same day as the application papers are received. More information on multiple entry visas can be provided on request.

Visas to Tajikistan can be issued only upon authorization by this country's Foreign Ministry, visas to all other CIS member countries are issued by their respective embassies in Washington, D.C.

Application for a visa can be carried out in person or by mail. When mailing, please enclose a self- addressed and pre-paid envelope or an air bill. Otherwise, the visa will be sent back by certified mail.

Travelers intending to stay in Russia for over 90 days and all those going to the city of Magadan must carry a fresh HIV test certificate.

Any applicant can be invited to the Consulate for an interview.

NECESSARY DOCUMENTS

All applicants for visas to the Russian Federation are required to submit the following documents, regardless of the type of visa requested:

1) Valid passport or legible copies of the identification pages thereof. 2) Signed and dated standard application filled out in English or Russian. 3) Three identical color or black & white passport size photos signed on the back. 4) Visa processing fee payable to the Russian Consulate General by money order, cashier's check or company check (for rates, see below).

In addition, each type of visa has its own specific requirements:
TOURIST VISA: 1) Cover letter by an applicant or by a US travel agent mentioning dates of entry and exit and cities to be visited in Russia. 2) Russian travel agency voucher or confirmation, including its reference number, or confirmation of hotel reservations in Russia.
BUSINESS VISA: 1) Cover letter by an applicant or by a US business or organization. 2) Official invitation from a Russian host organization or business made on its letterhead stationary, quoting traveler's full name, date of birth, passport number, dates of travel and cities to visit, or made on a special form obtainable from the Russian Foreign Ministry Consular Department, the Ministry's offices in other cities or local immigration offices (OVIR). Invitations must be signed by an executive officer and bear circular official stamp, proper dates and references. Effective October 15, 1996, all invitations from Russian host organizations or businesses located in Moscow or the Moscow area (oblast), with the exception of federal government agencies and authorized educational institutions, must be made on special forms. For the time being, faxed copies of such invitations are also accepted.

PRIVATE VISA: 1) Cover letter by an applicant. 2) The original of an invitation, called izveschenie, obtained by Russian relatives or friends in Russia from an OVIR office.
Private visas are granted only for single trips to Russia and only to the city where an izveschenie has been issued.

TRANSIT VISA: 1) Cover letter by an applicant. 2) Visa to the country of destination and a copy of the air or railway ticket.

A Russian transit visa is not necessary if an entry-exit visa was issued by the Armenian, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan or Uzbekistan consular office. Such an entry/exit visa is valid for up to a 72 hour stay while in transit in Russia.

Charges for a single entry visa:(depending on business days processing period excluding time in mail):

7-8 days - $40.00; 5-6 days $50.00; 3-4 days - $80.00; same or next day - $120.00;
The flat fee for a multiple entry visa is $170.00.
A double entry requires a fee of $20.00 added to a basic single entry charge.
Visas lost in the mail can be replaced for a charge of $20.00. The charge for returned checks is $20.00.

The fee for an extension of visas or for the correction of errors made through no fault of the Consulate is $20.00

The visa processing fee is not refundable.
The Consulate cannot be held responsible for any errors in the visas which were not brought to its attention before departure from the U.S.A.


This information was provided by the Consulate General of the Russian Federation, 2790 Green Street, San Francisco, CA 94123 General information: (415) 202-9800; Visa Section: (415) 929-0862 Passport Section: (415) 775-6327; fax: (415) 929-0306

Other Russian Consulates are located in New York (9 E. 91st St., New York, New York 10128, tel: 212/ 348-0926, fax: 212/831-9162) and in Washington, D.C. (1825 Phelps Place NW, Washington, D.C. 20008, tel: 202/232-6020, fax:202/483-7579, visa inquiries: 202/939-8918)