2.  An original passport and a photo-copy of it's vital pages with personal data of the bearer (including the amendments at p.24: passport validity extension, the bearer's name change, etc. ("GREEN CARDS" i.e. "RESIDENT ALIEN CARDS" are not valid for entry into Russia). Diplomatic passport holders should submit their passports in original.

 

3.  One (1) recent professional  passport size picture of an applicant.  Pictures can be black-and-white or color, preferably on mat paper. Please, cut a xerox-copy of vital passport pages to its original size and staple them to an upper-left corner of the application form. The pictureshould be stamped to a specially marked place.  4.  A copy of the confirmation and voucher from a receiving travel agency in Russia. The receiving organization must be duly registered as a tourist company at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Moscow, and must be assigned with a special index. This index and a tour reference number must be indicated in the confirmation. View an example of the invitation letter.

In tourist visa activities The Consulate General of the Russian Federation cooperates with the travel agencies mentioned below : 
 

TravelFlex  Address: 2001 6th Ave, Suite # 1705, Seattle, WA 98121 Email: tatianatravel@comcast.net Website: http://thetraveljournal.net/travelflex/ Tel: 1(888)-563-1115, 206-441-1106, 206-605-0163, FAX 206-441-1164	East West Tours Address:  18518 Bothell Way NE, Suite B, Bothell, WA 98011 Tel:  425-487-2835, 1-800-776-3341, FAX: 425-488-0979 Email: info@east-west-tours.com Website: www.east-west-tours.com
Info Travel Inc.  Train tickets  in Russia  Address: 387 Harvard st. Brookline, MA 02446 Email: Infostudy@aol.com Tel: 617-566-2197, FAX 617-734-8802 Website: www.infortravel.com	Red Star Travel Address: 123 Queen Anne Avenue North, Suite 102,   Seattle, WA 98109 Email: travel@travel2russia.com Website: www.travel2russia.com Tel: 206-522-5995, 800-215-4378, FAX 206-522-6295
Russian Travel   Address: 14409 69 Ave., Ct.E, Puyallup, WA 98375 Tel: 253-531-3343, FAX 253-531-8994 Olga's Cell: 253-226-68-22 Email: rutravel_o@yahoo.com	Mission Valley Travel, Inc. Address: 112 Cooperative Way, Kalispell, MT 59901 (main office) 11082 Coloma Rd., Suite 5, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670 (Branch office) Main office - Tel: 406-758-4848, 888-887-3060, FAX: 406-758-4828 CA office - Tel: 916-635-1010, 888 887-3114, FAX: 916 635-2535 E-mail: info@mvti.us Web site: www.mvti.com
Rainier World Travel Inc.  Specializing in Adoption travel, leisure travel, group & individual travel with a friendly professional touch Address: 22525 SE 64th Place, Suite 247, Issaquah WA 98027 Mailing address: PO Box 1321, Issaquah WA 98027 Email: russia@rwti.com Website: www.rwti.com Tel: 425-392-9970, 800-432-4456, FAX 866-210-3379	Sokol Tours - Custom Travel for Groups and Individuals Trans-Siberia-Mongolia Rail Tickets and Packages; Honeymoons; Heritage Tours Email: artour@sokoltours.com,  info@sokoltours.com Website: www.sokoltours.com Address: 27 Meetinghouse Lane, Bradfordwoods, PA, 15015, USA Tel: 724-935-5373, Toll free: 1-877-657-6565(USA & Canada), FAX +(724)-935-5373 (USA office)
Travel Leaders 5611 196th Street SW Lynnwood, WA 98036 Phone: 425-787-6388, Fax 425-742-2638, Toll free 800-596-2297 Email visas@travelmeet.com Website www.travelleadersnw.com	Travisa Visa Service, Inc. Tel:(800) 222-2589 www.travisarussia.com

Please, note that the Consulate General does not issue visas to any of the former USSR republics, except for Tajikistan. Please, apply to their respective Embassies/Consulates in the USA. If you are going to Tajikistan an invitation must be cleared through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan. 

 5.  Please note that tourist visa can be issued for not more than 30 days (no exceptions).

 6.  (!) Applicants who used to be citizens of the USSR or of the Russian Federation and then emigrated from the USSR or from Russia MUST submit one of the documents which confirms that they are no longer citizens of the Russian Federation (so called "Visa to Israel" or stamp in their passport saying that they left for "permanent residence abroad" before the 6th of February, 1992 or official document certifying that their Russian citizenship was abrogated).

Обращаем внимание на то, что согласно положениям статьи 6 Закона Российской Федерации "О гражданстве Российской Федерации" за лицом, состоящим в российском гражданстве, не признается принадлежность к гражданству другого государства, если иное не предусмотрено международным договором Российской Федерации. Поэтому указанные лица рассматриваются только в качестве российских граждан и должны въезжать в Россию и выезжать из нее только по действительным российским паспортам.
Органы пограничного контроля ФПС России проверку наличия виз иностранных государств или иных разрешений на въезд в иностранное государство при пропуске через государственную границу Российской Федерации российских граждан, выезжающих за ее пределы, не осуществляют. В соответствии с положениями статьи 6 Федерального закона "О порядке выезда из Российской Федерации и въезда в Российскую Федерацию" обязанность по контролю за наличием таких виз или разрешений возлагается на транспортную компанию (перевозчика пассажиров), если иное не предусмотрено международными договорами Российской Федерации.

 7.  Att: non-American citizens - On the basis of reciprocity mandatory medical insurance (see the list of appropriate licensed insurers) or written guarantee of medical coverage from a Russian hosting organization for all period of stay is required for the citizens Austria, Belgium, Estonia, France, Finland, Germany, Csech Republic, Greece, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain (except for those who bear a US Permanent resident or US resident Alien status (green card)) 
On the basis of reciprocity German citizens may apply for Russian visa at the Russian Consular Mission in the US only if they have a US Permanent resident or US resident Alien status (green card). In all other cases they have to apply for Russian visa at the at the Russian Consular Mission in Germany. 

 8.  A cover letter from your travel agency or from you with the following information: 
applicant's name or alphabetical list of the group of participants; 
passport number and its expiration date; 
dates and points of arrival in and departure from Russia as well as means of transportation (cruise, voyage, etc.); 
cities to be visited in Russia; 
a tourist company index and a tour reference number. 

 9.  To apply for a visa by mail, you must attach a return self-addressed stamped envelope or a prepaid air-bill of an overnight mail delivery company you choose to have the visa sent back to you. A pick-up slip should be got then at the time of application. The slip should be presented to pick up the visa when it is ready or referred to if any question arises about the visa status.
To avoid your correspondence being lost in mail we recommend to use USPS Registered, USPS Certified, USPS Express or FedEx, DHL, Airborne and similar services (so, that the envelopes bear a tracking number). Visa Desk is not responsible for any loss or mishandling of the mail 

 10.  A money order , company check or a cashier's check payable to Russian Consulate for visa processing. The following fees will apply:
 

Processing time	Single entry visa	Double entry visa	Multiple entry visa
6 working days	$131.00 ($140.00*)	$131.00 ($140.00*)	$150.00
3 working days (not including the day of application)	$250.00	$250.00	$450.00

* Effective June 14, 2010 visa processing fee will be $140.00 for these types of visas

Please, also note that 10 working days are required to issue visas for a stateless person.

Consulate reserves the right to extend the processing time without giving any explanation. Exact visa processing time depends on how busy the Consulate is.

The same day processing applies only to the applications which are delivered to the Consulate General before 2.30 p.m. and picked up at 4.30 p.m. If one applies by mail, one extra day is added to the visa processing time.

Visa processing fees are not refundable.

Documents which are submitted in the way different from the above mentioned will not be accepted.

After visa is received, please, check it and if you find any mistakes return it to the Consulate General for correction.  We charge $40.00 for correction of the mistakes which are not the Consulate's General fault. The Consulate General will not be responsible for the mistakes which are not brought to its attention before departure from the USA.

Please, note that the above mentioned requirements are general. If you need more information, please, email us: consul@seanet.com or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to get answers to your exact personal questions.

The instructions can not be faxed.

The visa section is open for visitors Monday through Friday  2 p.m. - 4.30 p.m. ONLY, Visa pick-up 2p.m. - 3 pm ONLY 

Processing time, requirements and fees are subject to change without notice.