Tourist invitation | Introduction | Types of Visa | How to Apply | Registration | Russian Consulates

Russian Private Visa requirements:
1. Two photocopies of your valid passport (copy all the most important pages of the passport -- showing your name, birth date, photo, passport number, expiration date). Sometimes it may be required to present the passport.
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) from the local OVIR office (immigration officials) in Russia. 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.

We strongly recommend you to obtain the appropriate invitation 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. 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 yourself physically (going to the consulate), by post (this is convenient, because you can send your papers from any country -- only a few consulates allow this: some consulates in the US and the consulate in London, UK), 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 a Russian Visa:
The price of the visa depends on its type (tourist, business, amount of entries), on the speed of processing (1 to 14 days) and (unfortunately) your nationality. It's clear that 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. But why different prices for different nationalities? It has nothing to do with racial discrimination. It's done because Russian officials want to keep a special "paritet" on visa prices. 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.
I personally think it's a bit like 'price war' between countries and all this is crap, but that's the way they do politics nowadays...
So, to give some examples of visa processing fees: Americans are charged the most: $70 US for single-entry tourist visa (the visa is ready in 14 days), $120 for double-entry business visa, $200 for multiple entry business visa (1 year), Canadians are charged $50 US (the visa is ready in 14 days), Europeans, Asians, Australians and New-Zealanders are charged the least about 60 Euros (and the visa is ready in about 7 days). German citizens are charged 75DM (45 euro) if the visa is ready in 14 days, and 175DM (95 euro), if the visa is ready in 1 day. British citizens are charged 30 pounds ($45 US) for single entry tourist visa and it's ready in 7 days, and 80 pounds ($110 US) if the visa is ready in 1 day. The price of business visa processing for European citizens is around $100-$120 US (the slowest), and is around $150-$200 (the slowest) for American citizens.


Where to Apply for a Russian Visa:
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.

What If the Russian Visa is Going to Expire?
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.
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...

Russian Consulates Insider's Info.
You can find the address of a Russian consulate at any country in the world in the Russian Consulates section.
Below we present the facts about Russian consulates in different countries. If you have something to add, please, leave us a note at the end of this page.

The United States: They say that the best Russian consulate is in San Francisco (they piss off the least) and the worst is in Washington (there are beasts working there). You can apply for a visa by post.

Germany: The German nationals who don't have a permit of staying in another country has to go back to Germany to apply for a Russian visa. The Russian consulate in Bonn requires originals of the invitations for multiple entry visas. The tourist visas obtained in Berlin become valid only two days after they were issued.

The Netherlands & Belgium: The Russian consulates requires originals of business invitations (or telex). Copies of tourist invitations are ok). Tourist visas are processed in five days minimum.

France & Italy: The Russian consulates require originals of business invitations (or telex), but some Russian travel agencies have representatives in France, who are able to submit a copy to the embassy as well (the agency we work with does).
In France, the consulate in Paris has long queues, but the consulate in Marseilles does not. Also, it can be easier to negotiate some stuff in Marseilles, than in Paris.

Great Britain: The Russian consulate in London have long queues, so it's better to submit the documents by post. If you submit all the documents by post, most likely the visa will be ready very quickly, in fact, Russian consulate in London works really well, when it's all done by post. See their address, email, and web site in Russian Consulates section.
Also, they require originals of business invitations (or a telex).
The consulate in Edinburgh loses telexes of business invitation sometimes.

The Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania): Originals of business invitations (or telex) are required. Of the three countries, the easiest consulate to deal with is said to be in Estonia.

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...

Your Comments and Additions
If you had an interesting experience getting a Russian visa or would like to share some information with the other travelers, please send us your feedback. We'll appreciate it very very much!

Comment (received 2/07/02): "Would you please refrain from stupidities like the following: "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." As a EU-citizens, I have had to answer enough funny and strange questions and be interrogated by paranoid us-custom officers, and it is exactly the same thing the us is doing to people of arabic origin now adays"


Comment (received 7/10/02): "I have had so many problems trying to organize visas, trains, timetables etc. from Brussells to Moscow, and yours is the only site I have found that states everything simply and sensibly and covers such a wide range of queries. I now know everything I need to know, and am indebted, thanx. P.s, altho I have to agree with the chap who complained about the 'paranoid officials of moscow' comment. I have travelled the world, and to the east coast to visit friends many times, but even before sept 11th, never have I experienced such pompous, unwelcoming, nazi style behaviour as i have from u.s. customs officials. Andrew, Manchester England."


Comment (received 6/01/03): I have a technical question concerning how to study in Russia for a period of 12 months at 2 different universities. I want to study at Vladimir STate Univerity during July August then Volgograd ST. Uni. the remaining ten months(sept to June 2004) Do I need an invitation from both universities..and then submit them with my visa application for a 12 month business visa, or will I have to leave the country for Latvia at some point in my studies to get a new visa.?
Answer: It's better to ask these two universities if they can arrange that your old visa smoothly transits into the new one. In fact, everything is possible with student visas, but it depends on the universities. You should not apply for a business visa, because you're going for studies, if you do submit an application form for a business or a tourist visa, you'll be refused. I think in case you can't get the long visa for both universities, you should get a short one for the first Vladimir State University, then leave to Latvia (or Estonia), and get a new visa for the other university.


Comment (received 20/02/03): "Regarding "American male citizens also need to fill in a very strange paper": this is done in responce to the same action by US officials."
Answer: "Yes, I believe this is called something like "diplomatic parity".


Comment (received 3/03/03): "Your site says (for tourist visa) submit 2 photocopies of passport and 3 photographs. The San Francisco Russian Consulate site says submit the original passport and 1 photograph. Who's right?"
Answer: If it is an official site of the consulate, then they're right, as they have the most up-to-date information. We give information taking into account that it's better to give more than less. :-)

Comment (received 4/03/03): " I am going to apply for a Tourist Visa in Paris. Do you know if they accept a faxed copy of the invitation letter."
Answer: For this information, you should better contact the Russian consualte in Paris directly, preferably by phone. See Russian Consulates page.

Comment (received 22/03/03): "Applying for a visa IN PERSON at the Embassy in LONDON. If you find yourself having to apply for a visa in person at the consulate, be advised that they admit people in groups of about 20 at 9.30 and 11.30 in the morning. In order to make the 9.30 intake, you should definitely be waiting outside the gate by 7am (earlier in the summer when the demand is greater). There is, however, a little publicised afternoon session, when applicants are admitted at 3pm. If you pay the emergency processing fee, you can have your visa by 5. Visa couriers who are 'in the know' will tell you that you should wait outside the gate if you are not admitted before 12, and want to have any hope of making the 3pm session. In fact, I went away for lunch, and came back at 2.30 and had no problem being allowed into the inner sanctuary that is the consulate visa section! Good luck, and above all BE POLITE - one of the perks of any immigration officials' job is to be able to slam the little service window shut and refuse point-blank to deal with you, or anyone else... "

Question (received 13/05/03): "Hello, first of all my best compliments for your site!
I'd like to come to Russia in August. I've been already there twice, but this time I would not book the hotel through an Italian travel agency, thus I need an invitation for Visa and I'm planning on asking it to you.
Please note my questions:
- checking with Russian consulates in Italy, I heard that for Schengen citizens they require a Medical Insurance Policy to be submitted along with the invitation. Is it an usual procedure? How can I get such policy? Do you provide such service?
thank you very much in advance for your help
Franca (from Italy)"
Answer: You may need to get insurance if you are a Schengen citizens, only UK citizens don't need additional insurance, because their standard insurance covers Russia as well (UK & Russia has an agreement on this).
We can refer you to the leading Russian insurance company - IngosStrakh, otherwise you can find insurance companies in Italy and tell them what you need (or try searching Google).