At Guide For You we are happy to provide our guests with the documents required for a Tourist Visa free of charge. The invitation (or visa support) is a special document issued by the company that invites you to Russia. The invitation is required by a Russian consulate in order to process your visa.
If you plan to visit Russia you need to have:
- a valid Passport;
- a valid Russian visa (cruise passengers can instead use a Tour Ticket provided by a tour company when staying in Russia for less than 72 hours);
- a Russian migration card, which you will receive and fill in when entering the country. Make sure you keep it throughout your trip (it will be required at the cuscoms when you leave the country).
If you need visa support, please contact us in advance.
There are a number of different types of Russian visa. When making the choice about which visa you want to apply for, you should consider its convenience in terms of the price of the visa, its speed of processing, the period of stay, and the number of entries the visa allows. There is a different type of invitation for each type of visa (tourist, business, work, private, student). Generally speaking, the most convenient visas in terms of price, processing speed and flexibility are tourist visas and business visas. If you plan to stay in Russia for no longer than 30 days and only need a single-entry visa, then it's better to get a tourist visa. A business visa is a better choice if you plan to stay in Russia for longer than one month, or if you need a multiple-entry visa.
The types of visa are
- Tourist Visa
- Short-term Visa
- Personal Visa
- Student Visa
- Business Visa
- Work Visa
- Transit Visa
If you have any questions about the visa process, feel free to contact us, and we will be glad to help!
According to Russian Federal Law, registration is necessary for every foreigner one who stays longer on the territory of the Russian Federation for longer than 3 working days. If you stay at a hotel or hostel, you may be asked to pay a small fee for registration.
Information for Getting a Visa
- Each applicant must submit a separate invitation form to the Consulate.
- The photo given to the consulate for the visa should have been taken within the last 6 months.
- Additional documents for former citizens of the Russian Federation: Former citizens of the USSR or the Russian Federation who apply for a visa must submit a document that confirms that they are no longer citizens of the Russian Federation (a stamp in their passport saying that they left for “permanent residence abroad” before the 6th of February, 1992, or an official document certifying that their Russian citizenship was renounced). If this is not provided your application will not be accepted.
- Additional documents for residents of the USA who are not US citizens: A copy of your Green Card (both sides) or a copy of your visa along with an I-94 form.
- Additional documents for Schengen-area citizens: Citizens of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland must submit a national medical coverage certificate valid for Russia or a guarantee of medical coverage from a Russian hosting organization for the entire period of their stay.
- Additional documents for children under 18 years old: A copy of child’s birth certificate and copies of both parents’ passports (specifically the first page). If the child’s mother has changed her maiden name then a marriage certificate must also be submitted.
- Additional documents for work and student visas: You must submit a certificate proving a recent HIV test.
