Non-US Citizens: Get your Russia Tourist visa with the TDS Houston Office

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. Foreign Embassies cannot issue a visa on a page not labeled as a Visa page. Amendment and Endorsement pages in the back of the passport cannot be used for issuance of a visa.
A visa cannot be stamped on a page even if only one Small Stamp is on the visa page. 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 2 recent professional passport-type photographs.
The photographs must have been taken within the last six months.
Digital and non-passport photographs are not acceptable.
Passport Photo Guide - Click Here

Please do not attach the Photo to the visa application, TDS will do this for you.

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

Complete and Sign One Online Application Form, plus one copy.

Please Note: The application must be printed on THREE sheets of paper, the Embassy/Consulate will NOT except applications printed on single sheet of paper back to back.

The online Russian Application functions only with Internet Explorer Versions 7.0 and above and Mozilla Firefox Versions 3.6 and above. Browsers such as Chrome and Safari are not compatible with the online Russian Application.

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 your Application ID and Password along with your completed and signed Russian visa application to Travel Document Systems.****

A Common Error to Avoid

The very first question on the electronic application site asks “Country (select the country where you will be applying for your visa)”. Be sure that you select “UNITED STATES" from the dropdown menu.

If you select the city without "Russia Visa Center" the application will not be accepted.

For a guide to completing the Russian Application please Click Here

NON-U.S. CITIZENS: Submit proof of medical insurance which provides coverage for your entire stay in Russia. A copy of your medical card is acceptable.

If you are a European Union passport holder, in addition to a copy of your insurance card submit a list (Sample) of hospitals and or clinics with their Full Name, Address and Phone Number you could visit if needed in each city covered under your medical insurance plan.

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.

An official Tourist Confirmation and Voucher from Russia is required to apply for a Russian tourist visa, this is considered to be the first step in applying for a visa to visit Russia as a Tourist staying in a Hotel, Cruise Ship Passengers, Tour Groups, Hostel Stays, Rented Apartment, etc.

Click here for a Sample Confirmation and Voucher. (Issued by traveldocs)

Please send a copy of a standard Tourist Confirmation and Voucher from your authorized Russian travel agency or hotel registered with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The confirmation MUST have an Official Russian Company Registration Number and confirmation number on it. A Confirmation and Voucher from a hotel or travel agency in Russia is required for all tourist visas.

You must have the Confirmation and Voucher before you complete the Russian visa application form (below), information from this document must be included on your visa application form such as city(s) to be visited, dates of stay in Russia, inviting organization name, address, registration number and confirmation number, you MUST have this information before you can complete your visa application form.  

Traveldocs can assist with the Confirmation and Voucher process, please click on the banner below for more information or the order form link to get started.

TDS is able to obtain the Confirmation and Voucher documents for you. we will email you the required information detailed above, since it is required to obtain your Russian Tourist Visa, complete our simple online order form first.

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.

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, dated prior to February 6th 1992.

Copy of a Visa to Israel issued prior to February 6th 1992.

Copy of a Certificate of Naturalization issued prior to 1996

Document confirming the renunciation of your Russian citizenship.

Copy of the main pages of a passport of a former USSR state, issued after February 1992.

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.

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.