Russia has a very restricted visa regime, which includes requirement of sponsorship, visas for entry and exit, migration cards, and registration. You may obtain the visa from the Russian Consulate in your home country or the country of your temporary stay (e.g. the country in which you currently work or reside).

Sponsorship

Under Russian visa requirements, every foreign traveler must have a Russian-based sponsor (for instance, a hotel, tour company, relative, or employer). The official sponsor is always listed on the visa. In fact, sponsorship defines visa type. Visas sponsored by Russian individuals are guest or homestay visas, visas sponsored by tour agencies or hotels are tourist visas, visas sponsored by Russian employers or organizations are business visas.

All visas are only valid for specific purposes and dates. Travelers should ensure that they apply for and receive the correct visa that reflects their intended purpose or action in Russia ( business, tourism, private visit or education). Foreigners can be departed for engaging in activities inconsistent with their visa purposes. For instance, travelers who enter Russia on tourist visas, but who then reside with Russian individuals, may encounter difficulty registering their visas and migration cards and may be required by Russian authorities to depart Russia.

Russian visa requirements
Tourist visa
1. Valid/signed original passport (valid for 3 months beyond stay; with at least two blank visa pages)

2. Russian visa application forms completed and signed and a Cover Letter, which states your travel purposes. Application forms can be obtained from the Russian Consulate in your country, travel agencies or online. There is a difference between application form for US citizens and non-US citizens. All entries must be typed or printed in block letters.

3. 2 passport-type photographs.

4. 2 copies of letter of confirmation (invitation) and a Tourist Voucher from the receiving Russian Travel Agency, Russian Hotel or Russian Joint Venture (sponsor). The sponsor should be registered as a tourist company at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and assigned a special index. This index and a corresponding reference number should be indicated on the confirmation.

Tourist Voucher is the document, where the tourist services such as airport transfer, hotel accommodation, museum excursions etc. are listed

5. Original Aids Certificate proving negative is required for stay of more than 3 months.

Tourist visa is valid up to a maximum of 30 days for both single and double entry, based on dates indicated in your invitation.

Business visa

1. Valid/signed original passport (valid for 3 months beyond stay; with at least two blank visa pages).
2. 2 visa application forms completed and signed.
3. 2 passport-type photographs.
4. 2 copies of official invitation from Russian organization (Ministry of Interior approval required).
5. AIDS test is required for multiple entry business visa applicants only. Original Aids Certificate proving negative is required for stay of more than 3 months.

Business visa is valid according to entry and exit dates fixed in your invitation.

Homestay visa
1.
Valid/signed original passport (valid for 3 months beyond stay; with at least one blank visa page).
2. 2 visa application forms completed and signed.
3. 2 passport-type photographs.
4. Official invitation from OVIR (Russian Visa and Passport Office)(original).
5. Original Aids Certificate proving negative is required for stay of more than 3 months.

Homestay Visa validity is based on your invitation terms.

Registration is necessary

All travelers staying in Russia over 3 days must register their visa through a hotel or their sponsor. Visitors, who ignore to register, may be prevented from leaving and/or pay late registration fine at the customs when leaving Russia.

Some reliable travel agencies also offer registration with the US embassy or consulate in Russia for US citizens prior to your travel, while you are in your own country. This is the registration of your passport and contacts (local, foreign and emergency contacts) during your trip, which allows the US government official to notify you of any life threatening situation in Russia, contact your family in case of emergency, contact you in case of emergency at home and support you if your passport is stolen or lost.

The list of Russian Embassies and Consulates in the US, UK, Australia and Canada

United States of America


Embassy of Russia in the United States
2650 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.
Washington DC 20007
Tel: (202) 298-5700, 298-5772
Fax: (202) 298-5735

Visa Department
2641 Tunlaw Road, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20007
Tel: (202) 939-8907, 939-8913
Fax: (202) 483-7579
Web: www.russianembassy.org


Consulate General in New York
9 East 91 St.
New York, NY 10128
Tel: (212) 348-0926
Fax: (212) 831-9162
Web: www.ruscon.org


Consulate General in San Francisco
2790 Green St.
San Francisco, CA 94123
Tel: (415) 928-6878
Fax: (415) 929-0306
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Web: www.consulrussia.org


Consulate General in Seattle
2323 Westin Building
2001 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121-2617
Tel: (206) 728-1910
Fax: (206) 728-1871
Emai: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Web: www.netconsul.org

United Kingdom

Embassy of Russia in the United Kingdom
13, Kensington Palace Gardens
London W8 4QX
Tel: (0207) 229 2666, (0207) 229 7281
Fax: (0207) 229 5804
Web: www.great-britain.mid.ru

Consulate General
5, Kensington Palace Gardens
London W8 4QS
Tel: (0207) 229 8027
Fax: (0207) 229 3215
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Web: www.rusemblon.org

Consulate General in Edinburgh
58 Melville Street
Edinburgh EH3 7HL
Tel: (0131) 225 7098
Fax: (0131) 225 9587

Australia

Embassy of Russia in Australia
78 Canberra Avenue, Griffith ACT 2603
Tel: (02) 6281 2716
Fax: (02) 6285 2396
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Visa Department
Tel: (02) 6295 9474
Fax: (02) 6295 1001
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Web: www.australia.mid.ru


Consulate General in Sydney
7-9 Fullerton
St. Woollahra NSW 2025
Tel: (02) 9326 1866
Fax: (02) 9327 5065
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Web: www.sydneyrussiancosulate.com


Canada

Embassy of Russia in Canada
285 Charlotte St.
Ottawa, Ontario K1N 8L5
Tel: (613) 235 4341
Fax: (613) 236 6342
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Visa Department
52 Range Road
Ottawa, Ontario K1N 8J5
Tel: (613) 236 7220, (613) 236 6215
Fax: (613) 238 6158
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Web: www.rusembcanada.mid.ru

Consulate General in Montreal
3655 Ave Du Musee
Montreal, Quebec H3G 2EI
Tel: (514) 843-5901, 842-5343
Fax: (514) 842-2012


Consulate General in Toronto
130 Bloor St. West Suite 700
Toronto, Ontario M5S 1N5
Tel: (416) 962 9911
Fax: (416) 962 6611
Web: www.toronto.mid.ru