All travelers who wish to
enter Russia will need a Russian Visa issued
by the Russian Government, the Russian Consulate
in the US or the Russian Consulate in your
respective country. To obtain your Russian
Visa you will need a Passport valid for
a minimum of 6 months past the anticipated
date of entry to the Russia. A Russian Visa
application should be completed in full
and accompanied by an official Russian Visa
support or invitation letter supplied by
a travel company authorized by the Russian
Ministries of Internal and Foreign Affairs.
An entry visa for Russia may not be obtained
on the border prior to entry. Passports & Visas Back
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Though the same general process will exist
from one western nation to another, this
instructional pertains directly to Americans
traveling to and/or through Russia. All
Americans traveling to or through Russia
must have a valid passport and travel visa.
The Russian visa, unlike that of most other
countries, is considered both an entry visa
and an exit visa. Travelers who arrive in
Russia without a passport or entry visa
may be subject to heavy fines, days of processing
requirements imposed by Russian officials
and the possibility of immediate forced
departure by route of entry at the traveler's
expense. Do I Need A Sponsor? Back
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Visas, other than for transit purposes,
are issued based on support from a Russian
individual or organization, i.e., a sponsor.
It is very important to know who the sponsor
is (usually a tour agency or hotel) and
how to contact them. Russian law allows
only the sponsor to apply for replacement,
extension or changes to your visa. The U.S.
Embassy cannot act as a sponsor. Travelers
should verify their sponsor before departure
from the United States. What's An Exit Visa? Back
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All foreigners must have an exit visa to
depart Russia. For short stays, the exit
visa is issued along with the entry visa
and is only valid until the date listed
on the visa. All travelers who spend more
than three days in Russia must register
their visa through their hotel or sponsor.
Visitors who overstay their visa's validity,
even for one day, or who neglect to register
their visa, may be prevented from leaving.
Errors in dates or other information on
the visa can occur, and it is helpful to
have someone who reads Russian check the
visa before departing the U.S. How Long Can I Stay? Back
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Any person applying for a visa for a stay
of more than three months must present a
certificate showing that the individual
is HIV-negative. The certificate must contain
the applicant's passport data, proposed
length of stay in Russia, blood test results
for HIV infection, including date of the
test, signature of the doctor conducting
the test, medical examination results, diagnostic
series and the seal of the hospital/medical
organization. The certificate must be written
in both Russian and English and must be
valid for three months from the date of
medical examination and blood test. Must I Know My "Exact" Itinerary? Back
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It is not necessary for travelers to have
either entry or itinerary points in the
Russian Federation printed on their visas.
All travelers must continue to list on the
visa application all areas to be visited
and subsequently register with authorities
at each destination. If travelers in Russia
experience entry and exit visa problems
they and/or their sponsor must contact the
nearest Russian visa and passport office
(OVIR) for assistance. Due to the possibility
of random document checks by Russian police,
U.S. citizens should carry their passports
and registered visas or photocopies thereof
at all times while traveling to or through
Russia. Failure to provide proper documentation
can result in detention and/or heavy fines.
Any "Off-Limits" Destinations
In Russia? Back
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There are a number of closed cities throughout
Russia. Travelers who attempt to enter these
cities without prior authorization are subject
to fines, court hearings and/or deportation.
Travelers should check with their sponsor,
hotel or the nearest Russian visa and passport
office (OVIR) before traveling to unfamiliar
cities and towns. Passport Photos Back
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2 photos are required and must be:
• 2x2
inches in size • Identical
• Taken
within the past 6 months, showing current
appearance • Color
or black and white • Full
face, front view with a plain white or off-white
background • Between
1 inch and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom
of the chin to the top of the head • Taken
in normal street attire
NOTE: Although vending machine photos are
not generally recommended, as long as photos
comply with the above specifications, this
may be a viable option. Passport & Visa FAQ Back
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A passport is a travel document that serves
as the ultimate form of proof for a person's
citizenship. Passports are issued by the
appropriate authoritative power of a country's
government. U.S. passports are issued by
the U.S. Passport Agency. How do I obtain a visa? Back
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In the U.S., U.S. passports are issued by
the U.S. Passport Agency which has various
locations. Outside the U.S., passports are
issued by U.S. Embassies and Consulates.
Visa4you.net provides passport services
for U.S. passports by submitting proper
documentation on the travelers' behalf to
the U.S. Passport Agency. This eliminates
the need for travelers to visit, communicate
and correspond directly with the U.S. Passport
Agency.
Yes, for the majority of countries, a visa
is stamped on a visa page inside your passport.
How can I get a certified copy of my
birth certificate? Back
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For U.S.-boen individuals, your birth is
registered with the state civil authorities
where you were born, therefore you may contact
your local state officials for details.
You may also contact the National Center
for Health Statistics (NCHS) at National
Division of Data Services, Hyattsville,
MD 20782-2003, Phone: (301) 458-4636, website:
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/howto/w2w/w2welcom.htm
For how long is my U.S. passport valid? Back
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If your passport was issued when you were
16 years of age or older, your passport
is valid for 10 years. If your passport
was issued when you were younger than 16
years of age, your passport is valid for
5 years.
How long must my passport be valid for
my travel abroad? Back
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Most countries require that your passport
be valid for at least six months beyond
the completion of your trip. If your passport
expires before the required validity, you
must apply for a passport renewal.
Do children under the age of 16 require
passports? Back
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Yes. Each individual U.S. citizen must possess
his or her own passport. Family members
are not allowed to represent other members
of the family inside their passport. Infants
must possess their own passport.
How long will it take to process my passport? Back
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This will vary depending upon the process
you have chosen. Click here and look under
the Passport Services section to determine
processing times. Can hats or religious
headgear be worn for the passport photo?
BACK TO TOP Unless worn daily for religious
reasons, all hats or headgear should be
removed for the photo. In all cases, no
item or attire should cover or otherwise
obscure any part of the face.
Can work uniforms be worn for the passport
photo? Back
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Uniforms should not be worn in photographs
except in the case of religious attire that
is worn daily. Otherwise, normal street
attire should be worn.
Can eyeglasses be worn for the passport
photo? Back
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Eyeglasses worn on a daily basis can be
worn for the photo. However, there should
be no reflections from the eyeglasses that
obscures the eyes.
Can sunglasses or tinted glasses be worn
for the passport photo? Back
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Dark glasses or nonprescription glasses
with tinted lenses are not acceptable unless
you need them for medical reasons. A medical
certificate may be required.
Can a parent or guardian appear in the
passport photo of a minor child? Back
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No, the minor child must be the only subject
in the photo. Nothing used to support the
minor child, whether by mechanical or human
means, should be in the camera's frame.
Are copied driver license photos or other
photo copies OK? Back
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No, only original photographs are acceptable.
Copied or digitally scanned photos of photos
will not be accepted. In addition, photos
must not be retouched to alter the customer's
appearance in any way.
May photos be taken with a digital camera? Back
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If the digital camera has sufficient resolution
capable of capturing and storing images
with 1 million pixels (megapixels) or more
it can be used to take the photos. However,
printing of digital images is best done
by professional photography processing labs
because many off-the-shelf digital printers
cannot achieve the image-quality required
for passport and visa photographs. In any
case, the image-quality criteria, described
on this website, must be met in the submitted
conventional film photo and/or the digital
image printed photo. What is a Russian Visa?
BACK TO TOP A Russian visa is a stamp or
endorsement placed by officials of a Russia
on a passport that allows the bearer to
visit Russia. Russian visas are obtained
by a visa service from the local Russian
Consulate for the purpose of the visit.
"Visit" is further defined as
the reason for entry, usually business,
tourist or transitory. There are over 270
countries that offer visas and literally
thousands of different types of visas available
based upon country, type of visit, and length
of visit.
What is the difference between a passport
and a Russian visa? Back
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A passport is an official government document
that certifies one's identity and citizenship.
The passport serves two purposes: to regain
entry to the country of citizenship (i.e.
the United States) and is a requirement
by many countries to gain entry to the country
you are visiting.
A visa is an official government document
that temporarily authorizes you to be in
the country you are visiting. Many countries
require a visa to gain entry. The visa usually
is in the form of a stamp IN the passport
(Russia is the exception and issues a separate
document) and is obtained from the country
you are visiting.
If you are traveling to Russia, whether
for business or tourism, you require a visa
to be obtained from a consulate in advance
of your trip. In order to get one, travelers
need an invitation from a Russian citizen
or a company, which is then taken to a Russian
embassy or consulate, where the actual visa
is issued. Within three business days of
arrival in Russia, the visa needs to be
registered by the person/organization that
issued the invitation.
What is the difference between the Russian
visas? Back
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Tourist Visas BACK
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Tourist visas are best for short visits.
In theory you to have a hotel and an itinerary
planned for each night of your stay in order
to get a tourist visa, but this rule is
broken more often than it's followed. If
you need a visa invitation, we can obtain
this for you so you don't have to worry
about obtaining it separately.
Business Visas
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Business visas aren't just for foreigners
working in Russia. Far more flexible than
tourist visas, they are often the best choice
for tourists who are visiting friends and
don't need a hotel, or who are looking to
spend an extended period of time in Russia,
especially those who want to travel independently
or extensively. In order to get a business
visa you need an invitation from a Russian
firm. If you need an invitation, we can
obtain this for you so you don't have to
worry about obtaining it separately. Types
of business visas available include the
single-entry, double-entry and the multiple
entry visa.
Homestay Visas
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Homestay visas are your best bet when you
have friends or relatives in Russia who
plan to host you during your trip there.
Homestay visas are issued for up to 3 months,
and, therefore, are more flexible then regular
tourist visas. Whats not very flexible about
them though is the invitation your Russian
hosts will have to get for you it takes
sometimes up to 2 months for local offices
to process their request and then an original
has to be sent to the Russian consulate
abroad for processing.
How long does it take to obtain a visa? Back
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The answer varies depending upon the service
you choose. The consulate fee included in
your application indicates to the Consulate
the level of expediency you are requesting.
The Russian Consulate processes visas as
quickly as a same-day basis (work load permitting)
to a slower paced 2 week processing.
A Russian visa is valid for the exact period
of stay your invitation dictates, with the
exception of the Homestay visa which is
valid for up to 3 months. How do I obtain an invitation to Russia? Back
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All Russian visas require an accompanying
invitation from a Russian entity. You can
have your host, business partner, or friend
obtain it for you from within Russia. This
can be a tedious and lengthy process. However,
you may obtain an invitation letter and
any other needed visa support by clicking
here.
