Required Documents
Please click on the following requirements for further information:
Passport
U.S. Passport, which must be valid and signed, and have to be valid at least 6 months beyond intended stay and must have at least one blank visa page.
World Visa Travel can also assist you in requesting for Additional Visa Pages and applying for U.S. Passport Renewal.
Photo
One recent professional passport-type photograph. Do NOT glue or staple the photo to the application.
Quality Requirements for Passport Book & Passport Card Photographs
Letter of Invitation
An Official Letter of Invitation, issued by the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation
Your relatives or friends (Russian citizens) should provide you with an official letter of invitation bearing your personal data and registered with a local office of the Russian Interior Ministry (OVIR office). The Visa entitlement invitation (IZVESHENIYE) from the local OVIR in Russia. Your host must obtain this certificate for you and send the original invitation to you.
If a Double Entry Visa is required, be sure to ask your relatives/friends to apply for a invitation good for a double entry.
If you wish to visit your friends or relatives (foreign citizens) currently working or studying in Russia, they should obtain an official letter of invitation from the Russian hosting organization (see Business Visa instructions).
Note: If for some reason you would like to obtain a Double Entry Private Visa (even if having your official invitation issued as a Single Entry), you should submit a more detailed cover letter showing such a necessity.
Your host will need to know all of the following:
- Your Full Name
- Address
- Nationality
- Passport Number and Date of Birth
- Your Date of Arrival/Departure in Russia
Allow 4-6 weeks for OVIR’s approval.
Medical Insurance
Evidence of medical insurance which provides coverage for your entire stay in Russia.
A copy of medical card is acceptable.
If you are an EU Passport holder, in addition to the insurance card, submit a list of hospitals and/or clinics with their names, addresses, and phone numbers that you could visit while you are in Russia, covered under your medical insurance plan.
Minors
Any minor traveling to Russia must have a letter of consent signed by both of the child’s parents or legal guardians. If the minor is traveling with a parent or guardian who is not applying for a visa at the same time a copy of the parent or guardian’s Russian visa or certificate of Russian citizenship must be submitted along with the minor’s application.
Former Russian Nationals
When applying for a visa it is necessary to provide documentation that you no longer possess Russian Citizenship, such as:
- Copy of USSR passport with a stamp stating you left for permanent residence abroad
- Copy of a Visa to Israel issued
- Copy of a Certificate of Naturalization
- Document confirming the renunciation of your Russian citizenship
- Copy of the main pages of a passport of a former USSR state
- Written statement of explanation in the case that you have no documentation
In accordance with Russian Law, Visas can not be issued to Russian citizens with expired passports. We remind you that in accordance to 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.
Former Soviet and Ukrainian Nationals
A copy of your Soviet or Ukrainian Passport.
A letter stating when you immigrated to the United States.
Additional Documents
The Russian Embassy has the right to request, if needed, additional documents/evidence which shows the purpose and length of the applicant’s planned trip, the applicant’s financial means sufficient for a stay in Russia and the applicant’s intent to depart the Russian Federation after the trip, documents/evidence may include:
- A Bank Statement from the applicant
- A statement from the employer regarding the applicant’s wages for the preceding year, half year or month
- Medical insurance valid in the country to be visited and fully covering the period of the first trip
- Documents regarding the applicant’s ownership of property in the country of his/her citizenship
- A certificate on the makeup of the applicant’s family
The Russian Embassy also have the right to request additional information and/or documents and may request a personal interview from applicants as may be needed in particular cases.
Proof of Departure
A copy of your round trip airline tickets, or itinerary, or letter of confirmation from a travel agent.
Application Form
The Russia Visa Online Application is known to be a long and tedious process.
Almost all of our customers requested our White Glove Service to process Russia Visa Application.
WVT can help you complete the Russia Visa Online Application through our White Glove Service (ONLY $55.00).
Please call for further assistance.
One completed Visa application, MUST be printed and signed.
Note: The application has to be printed in separate papers, not back-to-back.
If you are filling out the application by yourself, please remember to take down the Application ID and Password, and include them when you mail the documents to us.
At the end of the application, you will be asked for the Visa Issuing Office location. Please select “Visa Application Center ILS (Washington)”.
Additional Information
- We recommend that you carry copies of your Visa Support with you to Russia
- You MUST register your Visa at local OVIR or Police Station within 72 hours of arrival in Russia
WVT Work Order
You must fill in the WVT Work Order Form. Download here
The order form gives WVT your name, address, shipping information and payment method. Multiple applicants can be entered using one work order form. You only need to complete one WVT work order form per request. Please print two copies of the confirmation page. Include one copy with the documents you ship to WVT and keep one copy for your records.
You may pay our fees with a credit card or enclose a company/cashier check or money order.
Mail Your Documents
Please mail the completed requirements to:
World Visa Travel, Inc.
1413 K Street, N.W.
9th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20005
Telephone: (202) 289-6251
Urgent applications should be shipped to WVT using only the FedEx Company.
Please use FedEx Priority Overnight. If you are going to use FedEx First Overnight, please let us know. Otherwise, this delivery method will delay the process.
Russia Tourist Visa Support Fees
These are the fees charged by the Russian Host for issuing a Russia Tourist Invitation/Voucher. Fees are per person per Visa Support.
Entry | Price | Validity | Processing Time |
Single/Double | $50.00 | 1 Month | 24 Hours |
Consular Fees (EU Nationalities)
Type | Entry | Price | Processing Time | Maximum Stay | Valid |
Regular | Single/ Double/ Multiple |
$93.00 | 7-9 Business Days | Up to 30 days | – |
Rush | Single/ Double/ Multiple |
$173.00 | 3-5 Business Days | Up to 30 days | – |
Emergency | Single/ Double/ Multiple |
$238.00 | 1-2 Business Days | Up to 30 days | – |
The fees above include a $5.00 check writing fee.
The Processing Time are estimates and may be prolonged during busy periods.
Consular fees are subject to change without notice.
If there is any uncertainty, please give us a call to verify.
Maximum Stay and Validity of Visa is dependent on the Embassy’s discretion.
Citizens of Denmark, Ireland and Great Britain follow the fees below.
Consular Fees (Other Nationalities)
Type | Entry | Price | Processing Time | Maximum Stay | Valid |
Regular | Single/ Double/ Multiple |
$133.00/ $187.00/ $313.00 |
7-9 Business Days | Up to 30 days | – |
Rush | Single/ Double/ Multiple |
$253.00/ $361.00/ $613.00 |
3-5 Business Days | Up to 30 days | – |
Emergency | Single/ Double/ Multiple |
$313.00/ $421.00/ $673.00 |
1-2 Business Days | Up to 30 days | – |
The fees above include a $5.00 check writing fee.
The Processing Time are estimates and may be prolonged during busy periods.
Consular fees are subject to change without notice.
If there is any uncertainty, please give us a call to verify.
Maximum Stay and Validity of Visa is dependent on the Embassy’s discretion.
World Visa Travel Service Fees
Type | Price | Processing Time |
Regular | $85.00 | 7-9 Business Days |
Rush | $160.00 | 3-5 Business Days |
Emergency | $200.00 | 1-2 Business Days |
Return Shipping Fees
FedEx Overnight | Price |
Less than 3 passports | $36.00 |
4 or more passports | $39.00 | Saturday Delivery | $41.00 |