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 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.

Please send one recent professional passport-type photograph for single and double entry. Multiple Entry Visa requires TWO passport photos.
Digital and non-passport photographs are not acceptable.
Passport Photo Guide - Click Here

The photo must not be smaller than 1 3/4" x 1 3/4". The photo must have a white or gray background only.

Photocopy of Alien Registration Card (Green Card) -or- evidence of legal status in USA (valid visa plus I-94 in passport).

NON-U.S. CITIZENS: MUST submit a copy of policy showing insurance coverage while in Russia.

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.

One copy  of an official letter of invitation issued by the Russian Ministry of the Interior, arranged for by your hosting organization in Russia. If the official Russian visa invitation was submitted directly to the Embassy of Russia or Russian Consulate, provide a record of the telex visa invitation number.
A scan or legible copy of your official letter of invitation is required. Please note that the Embassy reserves the right to request the original invitation at any point of your visa processing time.
Information from the invitation is needed to complete the Russian Visa Application Form. You must have the invitation, or have the information from your host, before you can fill out the new Russia visa application form.
Note: If you are applying for a Multiple Entry Visa the ORIGINAL Letter of Invitation is required.

LET TDS HELP

TDS can assist in obtaining your letter of invitation in a timely fashion. To request this service, please print and complete the following Invitation Order Form .  Once complete please contact a TDS representative for instructions to email or fax the Invitation Order Form so we can start the process immediately. Your visa application processing cannot start until the invitation has been issued.
Once completed you will receive an email/phone call of the telex number and official business invitation information including the inviting organization name and address needed to complete your Russian visa application.
If TDS provides a Letter of Invitation, applicants passport must be valid for 6 months beyond departure date from Russia.
Please include a (copy) of the order form, along with your completed visa documents.

(This Confirmation Service does not apply to all Nationalities, Please call TDS to confirm this service)

Note: Information from the invitation is needed to complete the Russian Visa Application Form. You must have the invitation, or have the information from your host, before you can fill out the new Russia visa application form.

NOTE: Applicants MUST provide a scanned color copy of their passport information page.

Note: A copy of the Letter of Invitation should be carried with your passport and visa.

Note: If you are applying for a Multiple Entry Visa the ORIGINAL Letter of Invitation is required.

For religious visa requests, the letter of invitation can only be issued through the Russian Religion Foreign Ministry by way of your inviting organization in Russia.

For Humanitarian Visa requests, a Letter of Invitation from the Russian Foreign Ministry is required, arranged for by your inviting organization in Russia.

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

(The above consular fees DO NOT apply to citizens of Denmark, Ireland and Great Britain. See fees below)


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

A money order is required by the Embassy of Russia. The money order will be obtained by TDS, the consular fee above includes a $5 money order fee.

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.

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

A money order is required by the Embassy of Russia. The money order will be obtained by TDS, the consular fee above includes a $5 money order fee.

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.

Complete and Sign ONE application form.

As part of the visa application process you will be asked to create a Application ID and answer a Security Question, you MUST save the Application ID and Security Question as you will need it should you need to access your application again online to make any changes or corrections your online visa application.

Please print and send the Application ID and Security Question Answer and your completed and signed Russian visa application to Travel Document Systems.

If you are applying for a Multiple Entry visa please include a copy of the application form along with the original.

 Common Errors to Avoid

Question 10: Date of Departure from Russia - the date on your visa application MUST match the date on your Letter of Invitation.

At the end of the online Russian visa application, you will be asked to select the visa issuing office. You MUST select "ILS WASHINGTON", "ILS NEW YORK", ILS SAN FRANCISCO", or "ILS HOUSTON" depending on which Travel Document Systems location will process your visa. If you select the city without "ILS" the application will not be accepted.

 Q. 27 The Russian consulate requires at least one previous employer be listed. If you have NO previous employment history your current employment should be entered for both questions 27. and 40.

Question 34: If applicant is applying for a Business/Humanitarian visa the applicant MUST state the hotel and full address where applicant is going to stay. If the applicant states that he/she is staying in a private residence he/she MUST include an agreement of rent. If applicant hasn't decided yet about a place to stay he/she should write the address and name of the inviting organization in Question 34.

If Retired, Question 40 should reflect "Currently Retired". Question 27. must reflect your previous employer.
If Homemaker, Question 40 should reflect "Homemaker" present address and phone number included. The same information should be entered in Question 27.

You must complete the Online Order Form.

The order form gives TDS your name, address, shipping information and payment method. Multiple applicants can be entered using one order form. You only need to complete one TDS order form per request. Please print two copies of the confirmation page. Include one copy with the documents you ship to TDS and keep one copy for your records.

While completing the online order form in this step, you will be asked how you want to pay TDS fees. You may pay our fees online with a credit card or enclose a personal or business check or money order.

Please forward the completed requirements detailed above to:

TRAVEL DOCUMENT SYSTEMS, INC.,
3 Embarcadero Center
Lobby Level, Suite 2
San Francisco, Ca 94111

Urgent applications should be shipped to TDS using only the FedEx Company.
Please use FedEx Priority Overnight. Do NOT ship "First Overnight." This will delay the delivery of your package.

Your Hosting company or organization in Russian must request your letter of invitation through the Russian Ministry of Interior or Authorized Russian issuing agency appointed by the Russian Government.
Your visa will reflect the dates as well as number of entries specified on your letter of invitation.
The invitation must bear an official signed seal of the authorized issuing Ministry of the Russian Government.

The invitation must be from a Russian company or organization and not from a representation office of a foreign company there. Please make sure that your inviting company is duly registered in Russia and is not a 100% foreign investment company. Travelers name and the name of the inviting organization must be clearly stated on the invitation as well as the dates of your visit and cities to be visited. Handwritten invitations or those which appear to have been altered in any way are not accepted.

If the visa support/invitation has been sent by the Ministry of Interior   directly to the Russian Consular office in San Francisco CA by Telex, please note that no processing begins on the application until the Consulate confirms receipt.

It is recommended that you carry copies of your visa support with you to Russia.

You must register your visa at a local OVIR or Police Station within 72 hours of arrival in Russia.

Embassy requirements and fees are subject to change without prior notice.