How To Get A Tourist Visa For Russia?
There are plenty of well-known landmarks in Russia including enchanting Red Square, Breathtaking Caucasus Mountain Range, lavish imperial places, and St. Basil’s that attract tourists from all over the world. If you plan to visit Russia, you might need a Russian tourist visa (depending upon your country) to visit Russia.
Getting a tourist visa for Russia is not difficult. It is the cheapest and easiest to get. The tourist visa allows you to enter Russia not only for tourism purposes but to participate in business negotiations as well.
You can also visit your relatives and friends in Russia. However, the purpose of the visit should be tourism. This article will tell you how to apply for a Russian Tourist Visa and how to get Russian visa.
Requirements For Russian Tourist Visa
You need the following documents and submit them to the Russian consulate or embassy to get the Russian tourist visa.
- Russian Visa Invitation Letter: Tourist voucher or Russian Visa Support is the mandatory visa requirement. You can acquire the Russian invitation letter by using quick online service from authorized Russian tour operators.
- Passport: You must have an original passport that must be valid for at least six months after the planned departure date from Russia and two blanks (at least) visa-designated pages.
- Visa Application Form: Two copies of the completed and signed visa application form. You have to include the arrival and departure dates of your visit. This means you have to decide dates before you apply for a Russian visa.
You have to mention the cities you are planning to visit on your Russian visa application form and mention the number of entries you are going to make. In short, make clear about the places you want to go to and to enter and exit dates as well.
Travelers who intend to stay in Russia for more than three months must enclose a copy of the HIV certificate and the application form.
- Photographs: Two passport-size photos on white background. Photographs must be signed on the back and should not be larger than the frame on the application form.
- For Cruise Passenger or Tour Group: Letter from the cruise line or tour company confirming the itinerary and include the confirmation from the travel company authorized by the Russian government. It shows the confirmation number and reference number for the visa.
- For Individual Travel: Individual tourists visiting Russia need to show hotel arrangement confirmation from Russian hotel or any authorized travel company of Russia, showing confirmation number and reference number for the Russian visa.
In many countries, tourists do not need to buy an airplane or train tickets as a visa to Russia requirement. For some countries, transportation tickets are mandatory. Check your country requirements.
Russian Visa Cost
For the processing of a Russian tourist visa, the cost includes:
- Consular Fees: This is the actual processing fee and varies from country to country.
- Administrative Fees: It is the additional cost that you have to add at the Russian Visa application center.
In addition to the Russian visa cost, the applicant also has to add:
- Travel Insurance: It is compulsory in European countries and is about $10 for a 1-week trip.
- Visa Support or Russian visa invitation Cost: Russian visa tourist voucher is a must requirement and starts from around $40. Get a Russian tourist visa invitation
When to Start Applying for the Russian Visa?
On average, a Russian visa application is issued in 10 days. You can apply anytime up to 90 days before the travel date. The Russian Embassy recommends you to apply at least 3 to 4 weeks before the travel date in case of unforeseen processing delays.
Special-aim Tourism: This is a special type of tourist visa and is also known as EXPO-VISA. It is applied for short business trips such as participation in auctions, exhibitions, and other commercial matters. It is also used for short medical consultations and examinations. The validity of this visa is 7-days.
Remember
- You need to renew your passport if it represents any kind of deterioration, such as stained, torn, or broken pages. In any such case, renew your passport before applying for the visa, as the Russian consulate is very strict, and they may reject the Russian visa if your passport is damaged.
- Children who are traveling on their own passports have to apply for separate visas. They need confirmation of non-traveling parents in the affidavit, which shows their child’s consent. If the child’s surname differs from that of parents, then enclose the copy birth certificate of the child along with the form.
You can only make one entry with a Russian tourist visa. Russian double-entry visa can be granted as an exception in case:
- You travel from Russia to its neighboring countries and back, such as the Baltic States.
- Returning from the country’s trip through the Russian territory (e.g., Mongolia and China).
- The Russian tourist visa extends only in exceptional cases like a serious illness. It is strongly recommended to remember the visa expiry date to avoid any problem upon your departure from Russia.
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