Please send TDS your current valid and SIGNED passport. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the expiration of the visa you are applying for, and MUST have at least TWO blank pages that are listed as VISA pages. If you do not have any blank visa pages in your passport, TDS can assist you in applying for additional pages. If your passport is NOT valid for at least 6 months beyond of the expiration date of your visa, you must renew your passport and then we will secure your visa with the new passport. If travel Document Systems assists you in applying for a New, Renewal or Second Limited passport as part of this order, the passport will need to be returned to you for a signature before your visa application can be processed. Extra FedEx fees will apply in this case.

If you are applying for a 3 year multiple entry visa your passport MUST be valid 6 months beyond the expiration of the visa.

 

Please send 1 recent professional passport-type photograph.
Digital and non-passport photographs are not acceptable.
Passport Photo Guide - Click Here

 

 

Please send a copy of your round trip airline tickets, or itinerary or e-ticket, or letter of confirmation from a travel agent. The itinerary must show the applicant's name, date of arrival and departure from the country, and flight information. The Embassy does not recommend purchasing your ticket prior to a visa being issued.

 

 

OPTION ONE:

Original letter of invitation.

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).

Please 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.
(The cost of OVIR application is about USD35. Allow 4-6 weeks for OVIR's approval).

OPTION TWO: New Effective 9/7/2012

** If you select this option as your Letter of Invitation, ONLY Regular processing (8-15 Business Days) will be available. Rush or Emergency processing are not available to you.

**This option is only for 3 Year Multiple entry visas. If you wish to apply for a Single, Double or 1 year Multiple entry visa you cannot use this option of invitation.

 

A NOTARIZED Letter of Invitation from the hosting individual is required, the letter should state the following:
* First name, surname and patronymic name if applicable.
*Date of birth.
*Citizenship.
*Gender.
*Passport number.
*Address of registration.
*Actual residence of the hosting individual.

Notarized Letter of Invitation must also include:
*Applicant's First name, surname and any other given names.
*Date of birth.
*Citizenship.
*Gender.
*Passport number.
*Multiplicity of the visa.
*Purpose of travel.
*Requested period of entry.
*Location of intended residence of the visa applicant.
*Cities to be visited.


The host individual could be either a Russian citizen registered on the territory of the Russian Federation or a US Citizen who has the permit to stay on the territory of Russian Federation for more than 90 days (i.e. work permit, common student multiple visa, diplomatic visa of the employee of the USA diplomatic missions or consulates on the territory of the Russian Federation.

 

 

Completed Cover Letter form (This form prints in ADOBE PDF format, on TDS letterhead and addressed to the "Embassy of the Russian Federation).

 

 

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.

 

 

You must provide a cover letter stating the date that you renounced your Russian citizenship. The consulate will not issue a visa to former Russian nationals who do not supply this cover letter..

 

 

If you were born in a state of the former Soviet Republic or Ukraine you must supply a copy of your Soviet or Ukrainian passport along with a letter stating when you immigrated to the US.

 

 

Type	Price	Processing Time
Regular	$65.00	10-12 Business Days
Rush	$115.00	4-5 Business Days
*Emergency	$200.00	Same Day/Next Day

 *Please call to discuss details with a TDS representative before sending your documents.

Type	Entry	Price	Period of stay	Validity	Processing Time
Regular	Single	$175.00	Up to 30 Days	Up to 90 Days	10-12 Business Days
Regular	Double	$175.00	Up to 30 Days	Up to 90 Days	10-12 Business Days
Regular	Multiple	$185.00	Up to 30 Days	Up to 1 Year	10-12 Business Days
**Regular	Multiple	$225.00	Up to 6 Months	Up to 3 Years	10-12 Business Days
Rush	Single	$285.00	Up to 30 Days	Up to 90 Days	4-5 Business Days
Rush	Double	$285.00	Up to 30 Days	Up to 90 Days	4-5 Business Days
Rush	Multiple	$285.00	Up to 30 Days	Up to 1 Year	4-5 Business Days
Rush	Multiple	$285.00	Up to 6 Months	Up to 3 Years	4-5 Business Days
Emergency	Single	$285.00	Up to 30 Days	Up to 90 Days	Same Day/Next Day
Emergency	Double	$285.00	Up to 30 Days	Up to 90 Days	Same Day/Next Day
Emergency	Multiple	$485.00	Up to 30 Days	Up to 1 Year	Same Day/Next Day
Emergency	Multiple	$485.00	Up to 6 Months	Up to 3 Years	Same Day/Next Day

Note: All consular fees above include a $5 check writing fee.

Note: The processing times above are estimates only and may be extended by the Embassy without notice during busy periods.

As of 5/25/2012. The Russian Embassy and Consulates are currently experiencing delays in visa processing. Processing times above are based on information provided by the Russian Embassy and Consulates web sites, currently we are seeing processing times extended by several days in most cases. Please apply as early as possible to avoid disappointment. Travel Document Systems is not responsible for these delays.

As of 6/13/2012.
Note from Dean Orbell, President of Traveldocs.
It has been the policy of Travel Documents to submit all client applications received by the TDS office the same day that they are received. Due to major changes recently made by the Russian government in processing guidelines, requirements and submission times, it has become a challenge to do this in the timely manner we are accustomed to. Our goal continues to be submitting Russian applications same day, but please note that we cannot guarantee this at the time. For the immediate future we will require one full business day for submission until we receive further correspondence from the Russian Consulate. All documents must be in order. If you have questions or need assistance in completing your applications please call one of your TDS locations, we will be happy to help.