Russia

VISA REQUIRED FOR U.S. CITIZENS

PLEASE NOTE: Russian authorities will not allow U.S. citizens to depart the country if their visa has expired. Travelers must wait until a new visa is approved, which may take up to 20 days. Please verify the expiration date of your Russian visa, and leave the country before your visa expires! A U.S. citizen who does not comply with Russian immigration laws can be subject to arrest, fines, and/or deportation.

VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR TOURIST TRAVEL

1. Valid Passport

Applicant must submit a valid passport (original only). The passport must be valid for a minimum of 6 months past the date of entry into Russia and must have two (2) blank visa pages available.

2. Visa Application Form

Note: You will be asked to create an application password and will be provided with an application ID number. Please write down both numbers below. Both numbers must be submitted to Smart Visas along with the application.

Application Password: _______________________

Application ID Number: ______________________

Please also note: when you are asked to select where to apply for your visa, choose Visa Application Center ILS (New York).

The application must be completed using an online wizard provided by the Russian government. Click here for the application. This policy was implemented and mandated as of July 1, 2011. Once completed, print and sign the application.

3. Passport Photo

Two recent 2″ x 2″ passport photos of the applicant is required: Please click here for photos guidelines or to take a photo using your smartphone and submit it online.

4. Proof of Travel

Applicant must submit a computer-generated itinerary from a travel agency or a printed online booking receipt that specifies departure from the U.S. and arrival/departure to and from Russia.

5. Official Invitation

Applicant must submit a certified Russian Invitation Voucher. These can often be obtained from hotels or tour companies. Russian visas are issued for the duration of time stated on the invitation. If applying for a three year, multiple entry visa, select a single entry invitation. This is all that is required to apply for the three-year visa. Please note that three-year visa requests can take up to one month to process.

We can obtain the Voucher and Invitation Letter for you. Click here for the Voucher and Invitation letter.

Voucher and Invitation Letter – $50.00

Consular Fee: $198.00 Consular Processing Fee – ILS – $100.00 Total $298.00

Smart Visas Service Fee – Regular Process $99.00 Rush Process $149.00[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Russian Visa Support – Tourist Voucher, Business Invitation

The type of invitation needed to apply for a Russian visa will depend on the purpose of travel to Russia. The invitation must be obtained before you can apply for a Russian visa. In fact, you need to have your invitation, (or at least the information from the invitation), before you can even correctly complete a Russian visa application form.

Smart Visas & Passport Services can obtain the voucher and/or the invitation (visa support letter) for you for a fee;

Voucher and Invitation Letter – $50.00

Travel to Russia as a Tourist

The visa invitation to support a tourist visa is called a “tourist voucher and confirmation” or “hotel voucher and confirmation”. This is not the same thing as confirmation of a hotel booking or reservation. It is two legal documents, (though in some cases the voucher and confirmation are printed side by side on one page), including the applicant’s passport information and travel information. Smart Visas can obtain the tourist voucher and confirmation to support your Russian tourist visa application. Simply submit our Online Voucher Application Form and Smart Visas Service will obtain the voucher and confirmation from our sponsor in Russia.

Voucher and Invitation Letter – We do provide letter of invitation for a fee.

6. Visa Requirements for Minors (under 18 years of age)

Even if the applicant is submitting documents jointly with other family members, applications are expedited individually at respective consulates and embassies. If the applicant is under 18 years of age, the following is required:

Color copies of parents valid passports. If either, or both, parents do not have valid passports, include color copies of driver’s license or other state-issued ID. If either, or both, parents are not US citizens, include copies of ID and copies of US visa or permanent resident card (Green card).
Letter authorizing the child to obtain a visa and travel.

Attention! If you are not a citizen of the United States, you must provide the following in addition to your documents:

Permission for uninterrupted stay in the United States for more than 90 days for citizens of the following countries: Albania, Bahrein, Venezuela, Haiti, Egypt, Ireland, Lesotho, Libya, Macedonia, Male, Mexico, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Oman, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom and North Ireland, Sierra-Leone, Equatorial Guinea, South Africa, and Japan.
In accordance with national laws, documentary evidence allowing an uninterrupted stay in the United States for more than 90 days may be a Student or Work visa, work permit, permanent residency (Green Card).
Permanent residency status in the United States or a similar document for citizens of the following countries: Algeria, Angola, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Georgia, India, Iraq, Iran, China, DPRK, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Syria, Somalia, Chad, Sri-Lanka, Ethiopia.
Additional Requirements for Tourist Visas:

Proof of Health Insurance valid in Russia for at least the period of stay.

NOTE:

Former USSR or Russian Nationals

If the applicant was born in USSR or Russia, the applicant MUST submit one or more of the following documents:

Copy of USSR passport with a stamp stating you left for “permanent residence abroad”, dated prior to February 6, 1992;
Or a copy of a “Visa to Israel” issued prior to February 6, 1992;
Or a copy of a Certificate of Naturalization issued prior to 1996;
Or a document confirming the renunciation of your Russian citizenship;
Or a copy of the main pages of a passport of a former USSR state, issued after February 1992;
Or a written statement of explanation, in the case that you have no documentation.

In accordance with Russian law, visas cannot be issued to Russian citizens with expired passports. In accordance with Article 12 of Russian Law “On citizenship of the Russian Federation”, children born to two parents who are Russian citizens, automatically gain Russian citizenship, regardless of the place of birth. In this case, visas are not issued, and they must apply for Russian citizenship, or have their information written into the passport of one of their parents, or obtain a Russian passport. If applying for a minor, please provide a copy of their Birth Certificate, in which it is evident that at least of the parents is not a citizen of the Russian Federation.

If applying for a minor, please provide a copy of their Birth Certificate, in which it is evident that at least of the parents, is not a citizen of the Russian Federation.

The embassy may request additional documents and a personal interview at their discretion.

*Regular Processing Time is 10 Calendar Days, from the day the documents are submitted to the Russian Consulate for review.

**Expedited Processing Time is 3 Business Days, from the day the documents are submitted to the Russian Consulate for review.

Payment is accepted in the form of a Money Order or Cashier’s Check made payable to «Invisa Logistic Services, LLC», for those applying in person, cash is also accepted.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR BUSINESS TRAVEL

1. Valid Passport

Applicant must submit a valid passport (original only). The passport must be valid for a minimum of 6 months past the date of entry into Russia and must have two (2) blank visa pages available.

2. Visa Application Form

Note: You will be asked to create an application password and will be provided with an application ID number. Please write down both numbers below. Both numbers must be submitted to Smart Visas along with the application.

Application Password: _______________________

Application ID Number: ______________________

Please also note: when you are asked to select where to apply for your visa, choose Visa Application Center ILS (New York).

3. Passport Photos

Two recent 2″ x 2″ passport photos of the applicant is required: Please click here for photos guidelines or to take a photo using your smartphone and submit it online.

4. Proof of Travel

Applicant must submit a computer-generated itinerary from a travel agency or a printed online booking receipt that specifies departure from the U.S. and arrival/departure to and from Russia.

5. Business Cover Letter

Applicant must submit a Business Cover Letter (BCL) from a U.S. company. The BCL must be an original signed document on company letterhead indicating the date, duration, and purpose of travel to Russia, listing contact and address at the host company and stating moral and financial responsibility for the applicant.

6. Official Invitation

Applicant must submit a certified Russian Invitation Voucher. These can often be obtained from the inviting party in Russia. Please note that Invitation Vouchers can take several weeks to issue. When asked about the processing location, select the USA for Country and New York for the city.

When ordering business invitations, an uploaded scan of the information page from the applicant’s passport is required.

If the applicant is submitting their own paper invitation, the original is required. Copies are not accepted.

Russian visas are issued for the duration of time stated on the invitation.
If applying for a three-year, multiple entry visa, the applicant must provide an original invitation. Also, note that three-year visa requests can take up to one month or more to process.

Attention! If you are not a citizen of the United States, you must provide the following in addition to your documents:

Proof of Health Insurance valid in Russia for at least the period of stay.

NOTE:

Former USSR or Russian Nationals

If the applicant was born in USSR or Russia, the applicant MUST submit one or more of the following documents:

Copy of USSR passport with a stamp stating you left for “permanent residence abroad”, dated prior to February 6, 1992;
Or a copy of a “Visa to Israel” issued prior to February 6, 1992;
Or a copy of a Certificate of Naturalization issued prior to 1996;
Or a document confirming the renunciation of your Russian citizenship;
Or a copy of the main pages of a passport of a former USSR state, issued after February 1992;
Or a written statement of explanation, in the case that you have no documentation.

Changes to Consular Fees

On 14 December 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation has issued decree № 23359, which outlines the implementation of a uniform method of calculating the consular fee, which includes the actual expenses involved in the process of issuing a visa, incurred by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The decree regulates the procedure for assessing the fee due from foreign nationals applying for a visa, as of the 28th of January, 2017 (The date on which the decree came into effect).

We ask that you acquaint yourself with the updated consular fees required to obtain a Russian visa, effective as of 28th January 2017.

Consular Fee: $198.00 Consular Processing Fee – ILS – $100.00 Total $298.00

Smart Visas Service Fee – Regular Process $99.00 Rush Process $149.00

Ship Documents to Smart Visas and Passport Service with a pre-paid return shipping envelop, via FedEx or UPS only to:

Smart Visas and Passport Services
250 Park Avenue, Suite 7028
New York, NY, 10177
(917) 473-1806
contact@smartvisaservices.com