How to get a private visa to visit relatives or friends in Russia

If you are going to visit friends or relatives in Russia you can apply for what is called a private visa, which is issued to foreign citizens visiting the country as private guests of Russian citizens or foreigners with legal residence in Russia. In this article I’ll explain the procedure for requesting this type of visa.

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Introduction

I often receive questions from people who want to travel to Russia to visit their Russian relatives or friends and who don’t know what steps they should take to apply for a visa. The truth is that the information offered by the Russian Consulates on their websites is not very detailed, which is why many doubts arise.

In this article I’ll explain what is the procedure to follow and in which cases it is worth applying for a private visa and in which it is worth requesting another type of visa.

1. Preliminary issues

Before explaining how to apply for a private visa, it is necessary to explain some preliminary matters.

1.1. What is a private Russian visa?

The Russian visa for private travel is issued to foreign citizens visiting Russia as private guests of relatives or friends based on a request from a Russian citizen or a foreign citizen with legal residence in Russia.

1.2. How long are you allowed to stay?

The normal length of stay allowed with a private visa is a maximum of 90 days and may be single or double entry.

1.3. Where do you apply for a private visa?

You may apply for a private visa:

At Russian consulates. The advantage is that it is a little cheaper: you save the visa center management fees and only pay the consular fees. The disadvantage is that the application can only be made in person, you must have a prior appointment and the operating hours are shorter.
At the Russian Visa Application Center, an agency authorized by the Consulate, where you can complete this process in person or remotely by courier. They have longer opening hours. The disadvantage is that they apply management fees that are added to the consular fees.

1.4. When to start the process?

I recommend starting the application process for the private visa at least 2 or 3 months in advance, since the process is generally slower than the process for the tourist visa.

2. The application process for the private visa

The application process is very similar to applying for a tourist visa. The following documents are required when applying for a private visa:

Original passport with at least 2 blank pages, valid for at least 6 months after the expiry date of the visa.
Fill out the Visa Application Form, to be printed, signed and with a photo affixed. IMPORTANT: on the form you must indicate that it is a private visa:

Travel assistance insurance with coverage in Russia (you can get it online with Cherehapa). Note: Insurance is compulsory for European citizens only, but not for US, Canadian, UK or Australian citizens (although it is highly recommended).
Private visa invitation letter issued by the General Administration for Immigration Issues of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation or by a Russian resident addressed to the Consular Section.

As you can see, the documents are basically the same as for the tourist visa application, but with one exception: instead of a tourist visa invitation letter, you will need a private visa invitation letter from your relative or friend. Although you can get a tourist invitation letter online in 5 minutes, getting an invitation letter from your friend or relative takes more time.

Next, I’ll explain how to get the invitation letter from your relative or friend. You may have 3 different scenarios:

A Russian relative or friend who lives in Russia invites you to their house
You are traveling to Russia (from overseas) accompanied by your Russian spouse or parents
A (non- Russian) relative who resides legally in Russia invites you to their house

A warning beforehand: the list of documents to be submitted at each Consulate may differ depending on the country, so it is best to contact each Consulate directly.

Case No.1: You are invited by a relative or Russian friend living in Russia

The most common case is when a Russian relative or friend who resides in Russia, invites you as a guest to their home. Applying for this type of visa requires the same documents as for a tourist visa, except that the invitation letter must be processed in Russia by your friend or relative through the General Administration for Immigration Issues of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation (GUVM, formerly known as FMS).

This application can be submitted by your friend:

In person through one of the GUVM offices.
Electronically via the website of the Russian Government at the following link: https://www.gosuslugi.ru/16436/.

The process to obtain the invitation costs 800 rubles and once the application is submitted, the invitation takes about 20 business days. Although the law allows the invitation to be sent directly to the Consulate electronically, this document is usually issued in paper form, so you have to go and pick it up. After obtaining it, your relative or friend has to send the invitation by mail to your home address (the postage cost may be at least about 2,000 rubles).

To apply for this invitation, your relative or friend will need a copy of your passport, as well as their Russian passport. They must also prove, with their pay slip or bank statement, that they have the financial means to be able to invite you to their home.

Your friend has to fill out different forms, which you can download at these links:

Here’s a sample of a private invitation letter:

Advantages

If you are going to stay with relatives or friends this is the visa that best suits your circumstances
The private visa allows up to a 90-day stay, while the tourist visa allows a maximum of 30 days.

Disadvantages

Your relative or friend has to take the trouble to apply, pay for, collect and mail you the invitation letter.
The process for obtaining the invitation is slow (20 business days). You also have to add the time it takes for the mailed invitation to get to you from Russia. A tourist invitation letter can be obtained ready to print in 5 minutes.
It costs 800 rubles to process the application, plus postage costs, which can amount to at least about 2,000 rubles.

Conclusion

US citizens: from 2012 US citizens are able to obtain either a 3-year Multi-Entry Tourist visa upon request which exceed the 30 day stay limit. So, it is much more practical to apply for a 3-year Multi-Entry Tourist visa. Once you have obtained a tourist visa, you can enter Russia and stay at the home of your Russian family or friend.
Citizens from other countries
- If you are staying with friends or family for less than 30 days, it is much more practical to apply for a tourist visa (allowing stays of up to 30 days). The most common practice is to obtain a tourism invitation letter online for about 1,200 rubles, which you can print at home. In this case, both in the invitation letter and on the visa application form you must indicate that you will stay in hotels or apartments, whether Airbnb or other platforms. You can include a random hotel or apartment in the city where you will be staying, even if you do not stay there. Once you have obtained a tourist visa, you can enter Russia and stay at the home of your Russian family or friend.
- If you are staying more than 30 days, then you can apply for a private visa, although if you want to speed up the process, you can consider the option of applying for a business visa which allows a 90-day stay every 180 days (for this you can also obtain a business invitation letter electronically).

To bear in mind: A very common mistake is to obtain a tourist invitation letter from a Russian tourist agency and then indicate on the form that you are applying for a private visa and that you are going to stay at the home of friends or relatives. This is something you should never do because it is one reason for the visa being denied. If you have a tourist invitation letter you must apply for a tourist visa (even if you end up staying at your friend’s or family’s house), whereas if your invitation letter is private then you must apply for a private visa.

Case No.2: Travelling to Russia (from overseas) accompanied by your spouse or Russian mother / father

The case is different for foreign citizens who are the spouses or children of Russian citizens who live abroad and are traveling together to Russia.

In this case you must also provide the same documents as for the tourist visa application, but instead of the invitation letter you must provide the following documents:

Application by your Russian relative addressed to the Consul General, for the visa to be issued, indicating the degree of kinship and the place where you will be staying in the Russian Federation.

Original and photocopy of your Russian relative’s internal passport.
Documentary proof of the degree of kinship: applicant’s marriage or birth certificate.
Residence permit of your Russian relative, in the country where you are going to apply for the visa.

Conclusion: if you are traveling to Russia with your spouse or Russian parents this is the visa that best suits your circumstances. In this case you will save the cost of the invitation and the entire process is completed from the country of origin and not in Russia.

Caso No. 3: Invited by a (non-Russian) relative living legally in Russia

The last case is when you are invited by a (non-Russian) foreign citizen who is a legal resident in Russia and is your close relative: spouse, child, parents, grandparents or grandchildren. In this case, instead of an invitation letter you need to provide:

A written, notarized application by your relative.
Proof of your relative’s legal residence in Russia (temporary residence permit, study permit, work permit, etc.).
Registration certificate as evidence of the degree of kinship.

The cost of notarial services may amount to around 700 rubles plus the cost of sending the documents, which can be at least approximately 2,000 rubles.

Conclusion: if your stay is less than 30 days it is easier and cheaper to obtain a tourist visa. If your stay is longer than 30 days, you can also opt for a business visa (or a 3-year Multi-Entry Tourist visa for US citizens).

I hope this article has been useful for you. If so, I would appreciate it if you share it on your social networks. Below you can tell your experience about the private visa so that it can be useful to other travelers. Thank you

Russian Private Visa. Requirements, Cost

Those foreign citizens who are planning to visit their friends or acquaintances living in Russia, can apply for a private visa to enter Russia. For this purpose, they need to receive a letter of invitation to Russia. An invitation letter, a completed visa application form, and other necessary documents must be submitted to the Russian Consulate and a consular fee must be paid. Private (homestay) visa (or a letter of refusal to issue the visa) will be issued within the statutory period. Both an individual and an organization registered at the FMS can arrange an invitation for a private visa.

What is a Rusiian private visa?

Private visa is a document that allows a foreign citizen or stateless person to enter Russia and stay on its territory with the purpose of visiting relatives. In order to apply for this type of visa, it is necessary that an individual should arrange an invitation.

All information in one article in all languages!

Russian private (homestay) visa – Quick overview:

Validity period:	30-90 days
Number of entries:	Single or double entry
Invitation price:	Call or Get invitation online!

Please, read our guides:

Arranging an invitation by an individual

How can a foreign citizen be invited to the Russian Federation?

A person who is at least 18 years old and has a permanent registration in the Russian Federation can execute an official invitation for a foreign citizen. To do this, an individual must apply to the Department of the Federal Migration Service at the place of residence and submit the following documents:

his/her internal passport (passport of the citizen of the Russian Federation)
copy of the foreigner’s passport
certificate of his/her income
certificate of payment of the State fee
letter of guarantee for the invitation following the form, stating that a citizen of Russia, who invites a citizen of another country undertakes an obligation to provide him/her with housing and medical care (if necessary), and agrees to pay the deportation of a foreign citizen from the country in case he/she voilates the law.

If a citizen of the Russian Federation invites a person who is a national of a high migration risk country, he/she will be interviewed by a Federal Migration Service official. Private visa invitation processing time may vary depending on the FMS office. However, according to the law, it cannot exceed 30 days since the day the documents for private visa have been submitted.

Please note! We do not advise using a private visa to travel to Russia! Why?
Read more: Why is it not recommended to use a private visa to visit Russia?

Arranging an invitation by a legal entity

If relatives or friends of the foreign citizen do not have the time or possibility to arrange a private invitation (if they are not citizens of the Russian Federation as well, for example), a legal entity can execute the invitation.
In this case, all the necessary documents should be submitted by its representative to the Department of the Federal Migration Service at the place of registration of the legal entity. In this case, the regular processing will take 18 working days, while the expedited processing is completed in 9 days.
To arrange an invitation for a private visa, the following documents are required:

completed visa invitation application form
copy of the foreigner’s passport
copy of a previous Russian visa, issued to the foreign citizen

Need help in obtaining private invitations?

We do not issue private invitations. It should be done at the FMS by a person who invites you or you can order a tourist or business invitation on our site.

Features of the private visa

Obtaining a private (homestay) visa is complicated due to the necessity to have an invitation executed by the party located in Russia. Such an invitation is issued on the FMS letterhead in the territorial department of the Federal Migration Service on the basis of a private visa invitation application and other necessary documents which must be submitted by the inviting party. A positive, as well as negative decision can be made based on the results of consideration of these documents. If the visa invitation issuance is refused, all the reasons will be given in a written form.

Please note! We do not recommend to use private visa! Why?
Read more: Why shouldn’t you use a private visa?

The sample of the visa invitation application you can find in the private visa help section

In case of a positive solution the invitation is issued on a special letterhead which then should be sent to the foreign citizen. It is necessary to make sure the foreigner’s passport will be valid for at least 6 months after his visitor visa expires.
Private visa can be issued for 30 or 90 days and be valid for a single or double entry. Private visa does not imply the foreign citizen intends to travel outside the region where the person who invited him resides. In addition, the citizen of Russia must register the foreigner with the migration authorities in due course. If the rules of the migration registration are violated a fine shall be imposed on both the Russian and the foreign citizen.

Since preparing an invitation for the private visa takes a lot of time, foreigners often choose a tourist visa if they plan to spend up to 1 month at their relatives in Russia or a business visa if they would like to stay in Russia from 30 to 90 days. It means that the tourist and business visas are a decent alternative to a private visa.

How to prolong Russian private (homestay) visa?

Unfortunately, it is impossible to prolong a private visa.. However, in some exceptional cases, such as emergency treatment or other force majeure situations, it is possible to extend a visa.

Read more about the general principle of extending a Russian visa: What is Russian visa? > How to renew Russian visa?

Private visa

Private visa is issued to foreign citizens entering Russian Federation to visit relatives or friends.

Please note, you can only apply for visa maximum three months in advance.

A Standard private visa issued to citizens of the Netherlands, other countries or stateless persons entering the Russian Federation as guests on the basis of an invitation completed in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, following an application by a citizen of the Russian Federation or a foreign national who has obtained residency in the Russian Federation, or a legal entity.

An invitation to enter the Russian Federation issued by the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation, following an application by a citizen of the Russian Federation or a foreign national who has obtained residency in the Russian Federation, or a legal entity;
A written application from a citizen of the Russian Federation made out to the director of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Netherlands regarding their joint entry into the Russian Federation with members of his family, who are minors or foreign nationals;
A written notarised application from a citizen of the European Union who lives legally in the Russian Federation and invites their next of kin.

Foreign nationals may be issued also with a standard private visa due to the need to enter the Russian Federation because of urgent treatment, or following the serious illness or death of a close relative and provided a written confirmation of the need to provide urgent medical assistance or of the serious illness or the death of a near relative. Private visas are issued for a period of up to 90 days and may be either single-entry or double-entry.

Special cases

Individuals attending military or civil funerals must provide the following documents (In accordance with the Agreement between the Russian Federation and the European Union on simplifying the process of issuing visas to citizens of the Russian Federation and the EU):

The original or a notarised copy of the document confirming that the funeral is taking place. The document must have been issued by the Russian authorities or by the Red Cross;
The original or a copy of the document confirming that the applicant and the deceased are related (next-of-kin*). *Next-of-kin shall be understood to mean parents, children, grandchildren, spouses, grandmothers, grandfathers and siblings.
Individuals attending military or civil funerals are, as a general rule, issued with short-term private visas valid for 14 days.

For urgent treatment, or following the serious illness or death of a close relative, due to the need to enter the Russian Federation, foreign nationals may be issued with an standard private visa based on the decision of the Ambassador of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Netherlands upon written application by the foreign national.

The application must have the following attached to it:

written confirmation from the Russian medical institution, on the institution’s official headed paper (stamped with its seal) of the need to provide urgent medical assistance, emergency hospital treatment or an emergency examination, or of the serious illness of the individual they are visiting, requiring constant care or;
the death certificate of the person to whom the applicant is next-of-kin (next-of-kin shall be understood to mean spouses, children, parents, including parents-in-law if one half of a married couple is being accompanied, and siblings or;
an international telegram confirming the death of a citizen, stamped by an authorized individual from the communications’ authorities or;
a document confirming the next-of-kin relationship between the applicant and the individual they are visiting, or the close relationship between the applicant and the deceased.

Please note that while applying for a Russian visa you will be requested to leave your passport for the whole period of the application process.

In order to apply for a private visa the applicant is required to provide 6 main documents which are mentioned below. Please note that depending on the provided invitation, extra documents will be requested as well. This information is mentioned after the list of main document.

Please note, that starting from November 9, 2022 all non-Dutch citizens residing in the Netherlands should provide a confirmation for continuous stay to apply for a visa to Russia in the Netherlands: residence permit, or an extract from the BPR (Municipal Personal Records Database) as proof of permanent residency.

In order to apply for standard single-entry or double-entry private visas, you must provide the following 6 main documents:

Please find below three different options:
1. An invitation to enter the Russian Federation issued by the Ministry of Interior of the Russian Federation (MVD of Russia), following an application by a citizen of the Russian Federation or a foreign national who has obtained residency in the Russian Federation, or a legal entity;
2. A written application from a citizen of the Russian Federation made out to the Ambassador of the Russian Federation in the Netherlands regarding their joint entry into the Russian Federation with members of his family, who are minors or foreign nationals. Please download the form here;
3. A notarised application from a citizen of the European Union, who lives legally in the Russian Federation and invites his close relatives – close relatives shall be understood to mean parents, children, grandchildren, spouses, grandmothers, grandfathers and siblings. The copies of the documents confirming his legal residence must be attached to his application: residence permit, temporary residence permit, student or work visa;

The copies of the certificates issued by the civil registry office or the similar documents issued by the appropriate authority abroad. In the case of the applications from grandparents or grandchildren there must be copies of two certificates of the civil registry office, or of the similar documents that are issued by the appropriate authority abroad. These documents must prove the kinship of the mentioned persons.

Original passport containing at least 2 blank pages in a page opening, valid for a period of 6 months after the visa expires;
Online application form completed on the website kdmid.ru, printed and signed in person by the applicant;

When selecting the location where you are going to submit your documents, you must state the visa centre where you intend to submit your documents and not “The Embassy”.

Colour Photograph – please see Photo Specifications page. The photo must be glued (not stapled!) on the visa application form.
Personal medical insurance policy document, valid in the territory of the Russian Federation.

It is allowed to provide either health or travel insurance. Please note that plastic insurance card issued by the insurance company is not enough and, therefore, is not accepted.

The insurance document must contain the date when the agreement was signed, the policy number, full name and full details of insured person as well as the signature of the insurer. The policy must cover the entire period of stay in Russia for single-, double-entry visas, and the duration of the first entry for multiple-entry visas. It has to be clearly stated in the policy that the cover territory is worldwide or the Russian Federation, or Europe, including Russia. The insurance coverage amount must not be less than 30.000 Euros.

Citizens of the following countries have to provide insurance: EU, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Switzerland, Ireland, Israel, Monaco and Iran.

Insurance policies and confirmation letters which do not contain the information above and standard forms stamped by the insurer will not be accepted. Guarantee letters from the employer are not accepted as insurance as well.

Valid Dutch residence permit (not required if the applicant is a citizen of the EU or the USA). If the applicant is not a citizen of EU or the USA, please contact our call-centre for more detailed information.

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Attention for citizens holding UK, Irish, Danish and Norwegian passports:

It is requested to provide an official document proving an official registered residence in the territory of The Netherlands (“Uittreksel uit de basisregistratie personen”) or an official residence permit in case it was applied for.

Extra additional documents for those applicants who have chosen the second type of the invitation (a written application from a citizen of the Russian Federation made out to the director of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in The Netherlands):

Valid Russian Foreign Passport of the applicant-Russian citizen + copy
Document confirming legal residency of the applicant-Russian citizen in the Netherlands (visa, residence permit, passport) + copy
Documents proving the relationship to the applicant-Russian citizen (marriage certificate, birth certificate) + copy
Copy of the first main page of the applicant’s passport
All other 6 main above-mentioned documents;

It is required to provide original documents while applying for a private visa with an invitation made out to the director of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in The Netherlands.

Appearance in person:

When applying for a private visa with an invitation made out to the director of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in The Netherlands, the documents have to be submitted to the Russian Visa Application Centre in person by a citizen of the Russian Federation (by the inviting person).

Appearance in person of the inviting person- citizen of the Russian Federation: is mandatory;

Appearance in person of the relatives (children and / or spouse): not required.

This type of invitation submitted by applicants being in a partnership is not accepted.

Private visas under this procedure can only be received by the following categories of close relatives: spouses, minor children and disabled children of the applicant, a citizen of the Russian Federation.

The standard maximum validity period of a single-entry or a double-entry private visa is 90 days.

For citizens holding German, Swiss, Spanish, Hungarian and Japanese passports:

It is possible to apply for multiple-entry private visas only for above mentioned citizens on the basis of bilateral agreements of the Russian Federation with these countries. In order to apply for multiple-entry private visas, it is required to provide the same above-mentioned documents.

The validity period of a multiple-entry private visa issued:

On the basis of bilateral agreements of the Russian Federation with Germany, Swiss and Spain is up to 6 months (the authorized stay is 90 days at one trip or in total),
On the basis of bilateral agreements of the Russian Federation with Hungary and Japan is up to 1 year (the authorized stay is not more than 90 days in any 180-day period).

Attention for citizens holding UK, Irish and Norwegian passports:

The Embassy of the Russian Federation in The Netherlands may require additional documents before issuing a visa, or invite you to an interview or extend the time required for consideration of your visa application.

Payment of the consular and service charges may be made at the Visa Centre.

Please provide one recent photograph (not more than 6 months old) of yourself. The photographs should be:

3,5 x 4,5 cm taken against a light background (white or off-white) so that features are distinguishable and contrast against the background.
Clear share quality and with the face in focus.
Printed on normal photographic paper (camera print).
Full face, non-smiling (without sunglasses, a hat/cap or other head covering, unless the applicant wears such items because of their religious belief or ethnic background).
Please stick the Photograph on the visa application form.

Note: Please follow these instructions carefully. If photographs presented do not meet these requirements your application will be considered incomplete.

Please note that while applying for a Russian visa you will be requested to leave your passport for the whole period of the application process.

The Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Netherlands process visa applications and decide whether or not to issue a visa within the processing times service standards of up to 30 working days. This is subject to a complete set of documents being provided and consular fees paid.

The standard maximum validity period of a single-entry or a double-entry private visa is 90 days.

The validity period of a multiple-entry private visa issued:

on the basis of bilateral agreements of the Russian Federation with Germany, Swiss and Spain is up to 6 months (the authorized stay is 90 days at one trip or in total),
on the basis of bilateral agreements of the Russian Federation with Hungary and Japan is up to 1 year (the authorized stay is not more than 90 days in any 180-day period).

Processing times vary from application to application and are at the sole discretion of the Russian Consulate. Please note that for some nationals the visa processing time may take up to 30 days, and is solely at the Embassies discretion.

The processing times may vary according to the decision of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Netherlands.

For citizens holding European passports and all other countries:

Normal applications will take minimum 7 calendar days.

For the citizens of Australia:

The visa processing time will take minimum 14 calendar days.

For the citizens of United Kingdom and New Zealand:

The visa processing time will take minimum 7 calendar days.

For travellers to Dagestan, Chechen Republic, North Ossetia, Alany, Ingushetia:

The visa processing time will take minimum 10 calendar days, in case if they have MVD invitation.

The processing of your application is subject to the procedures and timescales of the Russian Federation, over which we have no control.

Please note that there is no urgent procedure for a private visa in The Hague.

According to the Russia-EU visa facilitation agreement for citizens of the European Union (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Germany, Finland, France, Czech Republic, Sweden, Estonia) and in accordance with the bilateral agreements for citizens of Norway, Denmark, Iceland State, Liechtenstein and Swiss

PROCESSING TIME	CONSULAR FEE	SERVICE FEE (INCL. VAT)
ORDINARY PRIVATE VISA SINGLE-ENTRY/ DOUBLE- ENTRY VISA WITH A TOTAL PERIOD OF STAY IN RUSSIA NO MORE THAN 90 DAYS PER PERIOD OF 180 DAYS
7 calendar days	35 EUR	30 EUR

VISA FOR TEMPORARY RESIDENCE IN RUSSIA
42.30 EUR	30 EUR
CONSULAR FEE	SERVICE FEE (INCL. VAT)
RENEWAL AND TRANSFER OF VISA
33.80 EUR	30 EUR

For citizens of other countries and stateless persons

PROCESSING TIME	CONSULAR FEE	SERVICE FEE (INCL. VAT)
ORDINARY PRIVATE VISA SINGLE-ENTRY/ DOUBLE-ENTRY VISA
7 calendar days	75.2/ 120.3 EUR	30 EUR
3 working days	150.4/ 240.6 EUR	30 EUR

VISA FOR TEMPORARY RESIDENCE IN RUSSIA
42.30 EUR	30 EUR
CONSULAR FEE	SERVICE FEE (INCL. VAT)
RENEWAL AND TRANSFER OF VISA
33.80 EUR	30 EUR

For citizens of Angola, Vietnam:

Russian Private Visa. Price 2022

What is the Russian private (homestay) visa?

Private visa to Russia is a document required to enter Russia to visit your relatives or friends permanently residing in the Russian Federation. Also you may need a private visa, if you want to visit graves of relatives buried in Russia or get an emergency treatment.

In order to obtain a private visa you need a private invitation from a person living in Russia. However in some cases the private visa to Russia can be issued under a decision of a Consul without any invitations.

Information on this website is available in the following languages:
Russian, English.

Brief description of the private visa:

Validity:	from 1 to 90 days *
Average price:	≈111$ (≈98€) *
Multiplicity:	Single, double
Processing term:	from 1 to 10 calendar days **

* – For the EU nationals. It is 180$ (≈160€) for the rest (What does it consist of?)

** – For the EU nationals. It is from 1 to 20 business days for others

Don’t you want to delve into details? This simple step-by-step guide will help you:

With the help of this guide you can prepare all the necessary documents in 1 hour and you will only have to wait an issuance of a visa. So, what do you need?

Bear a valid passport
Get the Russian Private Visa Invitation
Get a medical insurance
Complete a visa application form on visa.kdmid.ru and print it
Glue a photo 3,5х4,5 cm to your application form
Pay the consular (visa application) fee
Submit or send documents to the Russian Consular Office (passport, invitation, insurance, application form, receipt)
Wait from 1 to 10 calendar days * and obtain your passport with a visa

* — For the EU nationals. It is from 1 to 20 business days for others

Кстати. Сайт доступен на разных языках. Вам вообще незачем это все читать, просто посоветуйте сайт вашему иностранному гостю.
Список доступных языков – Английский, Немецкий, Французский, Испанский, Итальянский

Detailed information about the private (homestay) visa to Russia:

Introduction
Period of validity
Average cost
How to get a visa?
- Which documents are required?
- Where to get an invitation?
- Where to get an insurance?
- Where submit documents to?
- Visa processing time
Visa multiplicity
How does a visa look like?
Special topics
- How to get a visa for free?
- Getting a visa under a burial certificate
- Getting a visa for a funeral
- Separate family
Summary
Legislation
Q&A

Introduction

Many people confuse a private visa with tourist and do not understand the meaning of the “private”. “Private” in this case don’t refer to a foreign citizen but to an inviting person. In most cases foreing citizens need a tourist visa, not a private. Read this article and you’ll understand the reasons of it.

Russian visa is a permit to enter the country. It is required for the citizens of those states, which don’t have a treaty on visa-free regime with Russia. There are several types of visas: diplomatic, service, transit, common, temporary resident visa. According to the “Visit purposes” list [3] used while issuing invitations to Russia, common private visa is intended for the following visit purposes:

private (issued for the foreigners going to Russia on private matter under invitations from private persons, issued by territorial offices of the Ministry of Internal Affairs);
guest (issued for the foreigners under an invitation from a legal entities);
separate family (issued to the closest relatives of Russian citizens, if there are appropriate agreements between states);
visiting the graves (issued to citizens of those countries, which have an agreement with Russia on visiting the burial of relatives;
frontier exchange (issued to foreigners entering Russia under a frontier exchange to visit a certain region);
special cases (issued to foreigners entering Russia for emergency treatment or due to a death of a next-of-kin).

Period of validity of the Russian Private Visa

Common private visa is issued for a period up to 3 months [1] . Visa can be single and double-entry.

Average cost of a Russian Private Visa

Typical private visa to Russia for a citizen of the European Union costs from ≈68$ to ≈191$ (from ≈60€ to ≈170€). The price for other countries is a little higher. Visa price consists of a paperwork cost, fees and services required to obtain a visa.

Sample calculation of a single-entry private visa to Russia for 14 days (2 weeks) for a citizen of the European Union:

Invitation to Russia	13$ (≈11€)
Insurance for a visa	≈1.5$ per day * 14 days ≈ 21$ (≈19€)
Photo 3,5х4,5 cm	≈8$ (≈7€)
Consular fee	40$ (≈35€)
Post services (optional)	5$ (≈4€)
Total:	87$ (≈75€) *

* — For the European Union nationals. For other countries price may be higher.

Price of the private visa to Russia consist of:

Price of a Russian Private Visa Invitation

Invitation to Russia costs 13$ (≈11€). Price doesn’t depend on multiplicity or the duration of an invitation. It means that single and double-entry invitation cost the same as well as 1-day and 90-day invitations.

Attention! You need to wait 20 business days!

Price of a insurance for a visa

Insurance for the private visa costs 1.5$ (≈1€) per day. Insurance pricing is complicated and depends on your age. Price range is from 1.5$ to 8$ (from ≈1€ to ≈7€) per day.

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So, depending on a duration of stay (from 1 to 90 days), an insurance will cost from 1.5$ to 115$ for an ordinary adult.

Price of a photo for a private visa

Professional photo costs ≈

Consular fee amount for the private visa
(bulk of the cost)

Consular fee has a fixed value and depends on a multiplicity of a visa.

Consular fee amount due to a multiplicity of a visa to Russia:

These are prices of 2019 and 2022 for the standard visa processing

Single	Double
EU countries	40$ (35€)	40$ (35€)
USA	160$ (140€)	160$ (140€)
Other countries	80$ (70€)	128$ (115€)

Fee doubles in case of expedited processing (except the USA, there is the common tariff):

These are prices of 2019 and 2022 for the expedited visa processing

Single	Double
EU countries	80$ (70€)	80$ (70€)
USA	160$ (140€)	160$ (140€)
Other countries	160$ (140€)	256$ (228€)

Due to a reciprocity consular fee amount may decrease or increase. For example, there is the Treaty on facilitation of visa regime between Russian and the European Union.

Precise amount of a consular fee you can find out on the website of a Consulate or by phone.

Post services (optional)

If you go to a Consulate by yourself, there will be no additional costs. If the Consulate is far away, you don’t have to go there in person. It will be enough to send documents by post. In this case there will be extra costs an amount of 10$ to 20$ (from ≈10€ to ≈20€) (it depends on a country).

In some cases, if you are from a migration risk country, you may be required the original private invitation. In that situation there will be extra expenses of obtaining such an invitation from an inviting party by a delivery service. Courier services may cost from 70$ to 100$ (from ≈62€ to ≈89€) depending on a country.

As you can see, it is not so difficult!

How to get a Russian Private Visa?

Private visa is issued under a pack of documents, among which must be a document proving your purpose of visit to Russia. It can be a homestay invitation from your close person residing in Russia, confirmation that your relative is on the deathbed and also some other documents.

Which documents are required for a Russian Visa?

In order to obtain a private visa to Russia you need:

private invitation from a Russian citizen
international passport
visa application form with a photo
medical insurance policy

Passport must have at least 2 empty pages for visas. It must be valid for at least 6 month after date of expiry of a visa to Russia. However there are exceptions [2] : if you obtain a private visa to get an emergency treatment or because of serious illness or death of your next-to-kin, then validity of your passport must expire not before the expiry date of a visa.

Where to get a Russian Private Visa Invitation?

Basis of the issuance of a visa to Russia is an invitation to enter the Russian Federation [1] . Homestay invitation can be issued under a request of an interested in your visit to Russia person who is a citizen or permanent resident of the Russian Federation.

In order to obtain a private invitation, an individual wanting to invite you need to apply to a territorial section of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and make a request to issue an invitation submitting a pack of documents (copy of an applicant’s passport, copy of foreigner’s passport, guarantee letter, income certificate) and also pay the state fee. Optionally it is possible to make a request online on Public Services Portal of the Russian Federation, in this case an invitation will be issued electronically, if there is no reasons for a refusal.

It may take about 20 business days to issue such an invitation, that’s why private visas are considered as impractical to use because it is much better to order a tourist invitation. If an inviting party has documents proving that a foreign citizen need to visit Russia immediately, then such an invitation will be issued in 5 business days according to the law. That is a lot in comparison with a period of issuing a contract of providing tourist services, which is 1 hour. That is exactly why you need to think twice when you want to visit Russia due to an urgent matter (such as funeral or a serious health condition of your next-to-kin) under a private visa.

Where to get an insurance for the Russian Private Visa?

An insurance, which is required to obtain a private visa, can be obtained at an insurance company.

Price of an insurance depends of your age, insurance program, insurance covering amount, fame of an insurance company. Such insurance usually costs up to 1 euro per day.

Important: Minimum insurance amounts of coverage are determined due to a reciprocity. For example, if some state demands Russian citizens to get an insurance with 30 thousands euro coverage, then citizens of that state will be demanded the same amount of coverage in order to visit Russia. Contact a Consulate of your country to know the minimum coverage amount.

Where submit documents for a visa to?

In order to obtain a private visa you must apply to the Consulate of the Russian Federation situated in your country of residence. It is impossible to obtain the visa in Russia! At first you need to find out which documents are required to obtain a private visa. Then you should collect a pack of necessary documents and complete a visa application form. Thereafter submit all the documents to a Consular section in person or by post.

Private visa processing time

Standard visa processing depends on a workload of a certain consular office and cannot exceed 20 business days by the law. However, if there is a visa facilitation agreement, this period can be shorter. For example, it is just 10 calendar days for the EU citizens [5] from a date of admission of the documents with 35 euro consular fee and just 3 days for 70 euro.

Multiplicity of the Russian Private Visa

Common private visas can be only single and double-entry.

How does the private visa look like?

Private visa to Russia look like a coupon 120×80 mm pasted into your passport. It contains the following information:

multiplicity of a visa (однократная «1» or двукратная «2»);
ОЧ (which means common private visa);
date of issue;
dates of visa validity;
amount of days, during which visa is valid;
citizenship;
alphanumeric code indication place of issuance and serial number;
name and surname in Latin and Cyrillic;
passport number;
date of birth;
sex;
code of an institution which issued an invitation and invitation number (if it has);
visit purpose;
name of an inviting organization or full name of an inviting person;
additional information.

Special topics

Private visa are required for the foreign citizens, which plan a a trip to Russia to visit their close persons and in some other cases. You can’t really save your money issuing a private visa or significantly accelerate an issuance. При оформлении частной визы не получится сильно сэкономить или существенно ускорить ее выдачу. Let’s consider these situations.

How to get the Private Russian Visa for free?

You can’t obtain the private visa to Russia for free because you need to pay the consular fee and buy a medical insurance in any case. Private invitation, which is issued by an inviting party and send it to you also has a price (state fee is charged). If a decision to issue a visa comes from a Head of diplomatic representative or consular office, it may save your money for issuing a private invitation. However such decisions are made only in emergency cases, each of them is considered individually.

Getting a private visa under a burial certificate

In a case when you want to enter Russia to visit a grave of a next-to-kin, private visa can be issued without an invitation. In order to do it, you need to present a burial certificate at the admission (issued by Russian competent authorities or the International Red Cross movement) along with documents proving your kinship with a person buried in Russia. In order to visit graveyard private visas are issued for a period up to 14 days.

Getting a Russian Visa to visit funeral

If you need to immediately enter Russia to visit funeral of your relative, you should make a request to the Consular section of the Russian Federation and submit a document proving your kinship with a deceased person, certificate of death or international telegraphy of death подтверждающий родство с умершим человеком, свидетельство о смерти или международную телеграмму о смерти, certified by an official of a communication institution. If there is no circumstances preventing visa issuance (such as prohibition to enter Russia), private visa can be issued expedited on a decision of the Consul.

Getting a Russian Visa for a separate family

Private visa can be issued to a foreign citizen on a decision of the Head of consular section, if a citizen of Russia makes a request to a joint entry to Russia with a family member (husband or wife, minor child), who is a citizen of foreign country. [2]

Summary

As can be concluded from above, private visa is suitable for citizens of foreign countries, who plan to enter Russia for private meetings, visiting burial places or accompanying a close relative, who is a citizen of Russia. In order to obtain such a visa you need a document proving your visit purpose, which may look like duly executed and protected from forgery form and electronic document or certificate issued by the authorized bodies.

We have considered all the pros and cons of such a visa. I believe that in practice the use of private visas, especially by Europeans, is meaningless, expensive and inconvenient.

Remember, that private visa is called so not because you are a private person but because such is the inviting person.

Legislation

There are legal acts, which have been used to write this article:

If you have questions, ask them on the forum. I will try to answer them all.

Private visa to Russia

Private visits to Russia can serve the purpose of visiting friends or relatives. For such purpose a foreign citizen needs to get a private visa a.k.a. guest visa. The mandatory condition for an application for such visa is an invitation from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs issued upon request of your Russian host or, in special cases, upon request of the receiving organization.

What is a private visa to Russia?

Russian private visa for foreign citizens allows them to enter Russia lawfully and stay in the country for the whole period of visa validity. This visa has a determined purpose, which is a private visit to relatives or friends living in Russia.

Pay attention! The issuance of a private visa to Russia implies the presence of the receiving party who undertakes the responsibility connected with the invitation to Russia.

Private visa to Russia has a particular purpose and can’t be used for other purposes (for example, in order to work for a Russian company). A private visa cannot be changed into any other visa type or extended on the territory of Russia.

Documents for private visa aplication

A private visa is issued only after the application to the Russian consular authority or to the Russian Visa Center in a foreign state where a foreigner legally resides. In order to do it, you have to present the following documents:

Filled application form with the indication of purposes of a trip, duration, and timing of the visit. It’s completed only at visa.kdmid.ru then printed out on both sides of the paper, signed and dated
Invitation issued by the MIA of Russia upon request from the Russian host party
Medical travel insurance valid for the whole period of the trip
Color photos 35mm x 45mm
Valid passport of foreign citizens
Receipt confirming the payment of a consular fee/service fee (each state has its own tariffs for visa procedures, please check them on the website of the Russian consulate in your country)

Since the issuance of a Russian guest visa is made on the basis of an invitation, this document should contain particular information

Personal data of the foreigner
Duration of the visa you apply for
Visit relatives indicated as a purpose of a trip

The document will be issued by the migration service of the MIA on the ground of the request from the receiving party. The issued invitation gives a foreigner an opportunity to apply for a Russian private visa.

Please, contact your Russian host in advance to ask for the required invitation as the MIA prepares it within 20 working days since the submission of the request. A request for the service of invitation can also be made through the Russian multifunctional portal of gosuslugi.

The order and duration of private visa application process

How to obtain a guest visa to Russia if the invitation has already been received by a foreigner? He/she has to apply to the consular authority in the country where he/she lives. The reception days and hours can be clarified on the website of the particular consulate or in the appropriate section on our web .

Pay attention! If the mistake was made during the filing of the application, you may get a rejection. In this case, you will have to reapply and provide the same set of documents again.

How to apply for a private visa to Russia if the invitation was issued with mistakes? In this case, the receiving party has to obtain the invitation again and send it to a foreign national.

When applying at the consulate, you have to pay a consular fee. The size of it depends on the urgency of the issuance. If the issuance is carried out under a standard procedure, it may last up to 20 days. In some cases, the express issuance is available, which means that the document will be issued within one- three working days.

Validity

The validity of a private visa to Russia is determined by the employees of the consular authority. It can be issued for:

up to 30 days
up to 90 days

A foreign national has the right to indicate the desired validity period of a private visa but he can’t insist on the maximum duration.

Pay attention! A foreign national has to follow the Russian registration regulations and get registered for the whole period of a trip with the office of MIA (the owner of the apartment should apply for your registration to the local MIA office) or in a hotel. Also, you cannot carry out any other activities apart from those corrsponding to the private visa type (e.g. you will not be able to work or study under a private visa) .

If upon the expiration of your visa you want to get another one, you have to first leave Russia (make sure you leave before your visa expires and not violate any rules) and apply for a new private visa following the same procedure at the Russian consulate in your country of residence. Please note, a private visa cannot be prolonged on the territory of Russia (unless in very extreme conditions like the closure of borders because of the pandemic outburst upon which a special presidential decree is issued and a public announcement is made on a national level).

If you have any troubles while applying for a private visa, contact our specialists/fill in the feedback form on our web. We will consult you on any issues connected with a Russian private visa.

Advantages and disadvantages of guest visa registration

Everyone knows thаt any trіp shоuld be prepared іn аdvance. At first, іt іs important tо pack your bags, then tо book tickets. Аt last, yоu neеd tо prepare thе nеcessаry pаckagе оf dоcumеnts.

Where tо begin? One step at а time, the essential document for a trip tо many cоuntries іs thе vіsа.

Types of vіsа fоr trаvеllіng tо thе Russіаn Federation

There are six basic types оf thе vіsa that allow foreigners tо enter the Russian Federation. Let´s describe briefly each of them:
1. Tourist visa is the most popular typе оf thе visа which is valid no more than 30 days. Such kind of visa is issued for visiting cultural events, exhibitions, excursions etc. Thе registration оf this type of visa takes no more than two weeks, but sometimes it takes only 1-2 days! Besides, if you want to travel with a help of thе tоurist vіsa, yоu wіll need a tоurist vоuchеr.

2. Busіness vіsa can bе іssuеd оn the bаsis оf the іnvitаtion fоr those fоreign cіtizеns whо hаve business visits, meetings or business negotiations with foreign partners. Thе pеriod оf vаlidity оf this visa can be different: 30, 90, 180 and even 365 days. But it is important tо tаke intо cоnsidеratiоn thе fact thаt thе pеriod оf stаy in a country can’t be more thаn 90 dаys for one half-year.

Remember that this rule applies to many types of visa. You can stay іn thе tеrritory оf thе Russіan Fеderation no more than 90 days for six months. If you have a visa with a twofold visit, you can return to Russia at the beginning of a new half-year.

3. Working visa is similar to business visa, but the difference іs thаt thе invitаtion іs іssued from the part of the organization. This means that the foreign citizen has thе rіght tо stаy іn Russiа for more than 30 days. But the person who comes to Russia using this type of visa is obliged to work. This is one of the most important conditions for a long stay.

4. Educational visа іs іssued tо those foreign citizens who study or practice at one of the higher educational institutions of the Russіan Fеderation.

5. Transit visa is intended fоr tеmporary stаy іn Russiа fоr a period which is not exceeding 72 hours from the moment of entry.

6. The last type of visa is a private (guest) visa. It іs іssuеd оn thе basіs of a guest invitation from a resident of the Russiаn Fеderation. This type оf vіsa is issued for visiting relatives or friends who live in Russia.

It is true that each type of visa has its own characteristics and difficult moments of execution. In this article, we will focus on a private (guest) visa in order to understand better its advantages and disadvantages.

General іnformatiоn аbоut private visa

The private visa is а document іssued tо а foreign cіtizen for the possibility оf еnterіng Russiа by а specific invitation.

Thе validity оf thе private visa is 30-90 days аnd thе vаlidity pеriod of this visa can vary from 1 to 2 times.

This type of visa is suitable for those people who plan visit relatives or friends registered in Russia. Іn аddition tо thіs, the forеign оrganization or enterprise may give a guest visa too. The main thing is to get an official invitation from a private individual or a legal entity.

The extension of the private visa is impossible, except emergent cases when a foreign representative needs treatment, etc.

How to make an іnvitаtiоn tо thе Russіan Fеderаtіon

The person who lives оn thе territоry оf Russia can arrange such an invitation. The documents for this are following:

Passport of the citizen of the Russian Federation
Copy оf thе passport оf foreign cіtizеn
Certificate of income of the Russian resident
Document about payment оf thе fee (stamp duty)
Letter of guarantee, in which the receiving party undertakes to provide аccommodatiоn fоr thе fоreign guest, to help him or her with medical assistance in case of emergency, etc.

Arrangement of the invitation by the legal entity

If the foreign person is required to issue a private visа duе tо sоmе cіrcumstаnces, but relatives or friends can’t invite him or her, there is an opportunity to issue an invitation on behalf the organization (legal entity). For this purpose, thе іnvitіng pаrty shоuld contact the FMS (Federal migration service) and provide the following package of documents:

Аpplication form;
Cоpy оf the pаssport of the foreign citizen;
Document confirming payment of state duty;
Copy of the previous visa (if the foreign citizen has already made trip to the Russian Federation).

The registration from a part of the legal entity will last no more than 12 days. Further, the foreign person must apply to the consular agency with his or her passport and ready invitation. It is important tо pаy thе consulаr fее for visa and after receiving it, it will be necessary to begin the migration registration (within 7 working days).

Mіgratiоn registration of foreign cіtizen in Russia

The migration registration (or temporary rеgistratiоn оf foreign cіtizеns) іs а prоcedurе thаt іs necessary for visiting Russia, and is necessary for all foreign citizens, regardless of the visa regime.

In order to resolve this issue, the receiving party can apply several instances:

Tеrritorial mіgration аuthorities (Main Directorate for Migration Affairs)
Multi Service center
Through email

After the arrival in Russia, the foreign citizen receives а mіgration cаrd. It is a document containing іnformation аbout thе entry of the foreign person into the territory of the country, which gives the right to stay legally оn thе tеrritоry оf Russiаn Fеderatіon.

After the migration registration, filling in some documents, the data about the stay of the foreign citizen is entered into the database.

You do not need to go through the repeated procedure when you are removed from the register, because the database will automatically receive information that the foreign representative has left Russia.

Package of documents for the registration of the guest visa

After receiving an official іnvitation, а foreіgn cіtіzen must collect the following package of documents:

Copy of valid foreign passport

Vіsa application form

Two photos (size 3,5×4,5cm)

Document that confirms the payment of the consular fee

Original invitation from the receiving party

If you are planning to issue a private visa to Russia, at first read all pros and cons.

Disadvantages of using the private visa

The recipient party completes the invitation single-handedly. This process is lengthy, because it requires the collection of a large package of documents.
As it was said above, this process sometimes lasts up to 30 dаys, whеreas thе tourist visa іs іssued much fаster and does not require an invitation from the person living in Russia.
The visa fee is higher, compared to other types of visas. For example, the fee for the guest visa is 2700 RUB, whereas the fee for the tourist visa is 1000 RUB.
After the arrival in Russia, the fоreign cіtizеn must be registered at the place of residence of the іnvitіng pаrty. Іf thе fоreign guеst resіdеs with the recipient person, but this is not legally formalized, the wite will be imposed. By the way, this wite is imposed on the citizen of the Russian Federation and on the foreign guest too (from 2500 to 5000 rubles).
If the foreign citizen uses the private visa, he or she can travel only within the region to which he or she was invited. So, it is difficult to get acquainted with all the beauties of the country.

Benefits of using the private visa

1. The significant advantage of using a guest visa is that it is issued for a longer period, compared to a tourist visa.

2. A person who has not reached adulthood may receive a private visa. The maintenance of the adolescent is not obligate.

Reasons for refusing a visa

Use of forged documents, false information
Outstanding conviction
Evasion of taxes
Previous violations in the Russian Federation (for example, administrative violations etc.)
Representing of the threat to life, health, safety to the inhabitants of the Russian Federation.

Several alternative solutions in choosing the visa

Depending on the specific purpose of your visit to Russia, you can choose the following options:

– Tourist visa is very popular nowadays. Foreign cіtizens whо hаve friеnds or relatives in Russia choose this type of visa. This will allow them to visit their friends, as well as travel around the country without any restrictions.

– A humаnitariаn vіsa іs a dоcumеnt that allows you to visit the country for a cultural visit, pilgrimage or charitable mission for up to 90 days.

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Особенности отдыха в Загребе

– Multivisa means a subtype of a business visa, which allows you to vіsit thе tеrritory оf thе Russiаn Fеderatiоn for several times. In addition, an important advantage is that if you go to Russia with a relative who has a business visit, you also have the right to go with him, as an accompanying party.

In fact, there are many solutions. It is important to understand the goal of your visit to another country.

Conclusions

Before preparing the documents for a visa, read the information about all types of visa. The private visa, which we examine in detail in this article, requires an invitation from a Russian citizen. But this is longer and more difficult procedure. If you are planning a short visit, we recommend you to arrange a tourist visa. It will cost you less and the visa will be ready in a shorter time.

In addition, if you are in Russia with a guest visa, you cannot travel outside the region in which you are registered. But even if you do not have relatives or friends in Russia, but your visit to the country takes more than a month, an invitation can be given by a legal entity registered in the Russian Federation.

Tourist and businеss vіsas аre mоre pоpular than a private (guest) visa. Therefore, we advise you to study carefully all the pros and cons of such type of the visa, to collect all the necessary documents and to pass successfully the procedure of issuing the visa.

Russian visa for American citizens

Do Americans need a visa to visit Russia? The answer is yes, due to the existence of a visa regime between the USA and the Russian Federation.

A requirement for any type of a Russian visa (tourist, business, working and others) for a citizen of the USA is an invitation. Our company provides official issuing of invitations and assistance in visa support for citizens of the USA. Below we describe in detail how to get a Russian visa if you are a citizen of the USA.

How to get a Russian visa if you are a citizen of the USA

Step 1. Determine what type of visa you will need for your trip.

1.1. Tourist visa to Russia for Americans:

the purpose of your trip is to visit the Russian Federation as a tourist;
the actual stay on the territory of the Russian Federation will not exceed 30 days.

1.2. Business visa to Russia for Americans:

the purpose of your trip is business or commercial;
you need a visa for a long stay from 1 month to 1 year;
you need a multiple entry visa.

1.3. Work visa to Russia for Americans:

if you plan to officially work in the territory of the Russian Federation.

1.4. Private visa to Russia for Americans:

to visit relatives;
if you are planning to live in a private apartment or a house;
if you are planning to enter the country once and stay for up to 3 months.

Step 2. Get an invitation.

To do this, you must fill out a form and send it along with a copy of the passport of the American citizen.

The cost of tourist invitations for citizens of the USA

Tourist voucher and invitation to Russia	Time	Cost
For citizens of countries with low immigration risk

Get a tourist invitation

The cost of business invitations for citizens of the USA

Telex MIA	URGENT Telex MIA
Single or Double entry
1 month	17-20 business days	8-9 business days
3 months	17-20 business days	8-9 business days
Multiple entry
6 months	17-20 business days	13-14 business days
1 year	17-20 business days	13-14 business days

Business visa application

Step 3. Prepare the documents.

Standard package includes:

passport;
invitation;
application form;
photo;
insurance.

With these documents, you have to apply to one of the consular offices of the Russian Federation in the USA:

Consular department of the Russian Embassy in the USA, Washington DC
address: 2641 Tunlaw Road, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20007,
tel.: (202) 939-8907, 939-8913, (working days 9:00 – 12:00; 14:00 – 17:30).
opening hours: Monday – Friday 09:00 – 13:00; 14:00 – 18:00 (with the exception of the Russian state holidays);
Consulate General of the Russian Federation in New-York
address: 9 East 91 Street, New York, NY 10128,
tel.: (212) 534-3782, (212) 348-0750.
opening hours: Monday-Thursday 9:00 – 13:00; 14:00 – 18:00, Friday 9:00 – 13:00; 14:00 – 17:00;
Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Houston
address: 1333 West Loop South, Ste.1300, Houston, TX 77027,
tel.: +1(713) 213-84-84.
opening hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 – 12:30; 14:30 – 18:00.

Foreign citizens do not have to apply directly to the consular office, instead they can use the services of one of the visa centres, which are open to improve the quality of service for the citizens of the USA, other states and stateless persons who wish to receive a visa to the Russian Federation. Detailed information on applying for a visa through the Visa Application Centre is available at ils-usa.com

In the consulate, you will be offered a choice of several rates for a visa:

regular (issuing time 4-20 business days);
urgent (1-3 business days).

A visa fee Russia will range from 90 to 540 USD, depending on the selected tariff. More accurate information on tariffs can be found on the official website of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the USA.

Step 4. Register upon arrival on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Remember, that registration is compulsory if your stay is longer than 7 working days, excluding the day of entry. Registration should be done at the place of the actual residence of the guest. If you or your guests, citizens of the USA, have any difficulties in this matter, Travelmart is ready to assist in solving the issue of migration registration.