How to Get a Visa to Travel to Russia

Russia is one of the most amazing countries in the whole world. It has the largest surface and it stretches on two different continents. The cultural diversity here is truly stunning and the country has something to offer to anybody. The true beauty of Russia can be seen in the great cities and in the nature. This country has the largest forest in the world, so it is also suitable for the nature enthusiasts. The history of this place begins more than 1000 years ago so you will have plenty of museums and historical landmarks to visit. But many people tend to avoid visiting Russia because they are afraid that the visa process would take too long. We have listed the main steps in getting a travel visa to Russia to help you see this truly amazing country.

Check If You Need One

First, make sure that you need a visa at all. There is a list of countries that don’t require a visa and have a partnership with the Russian embassy for that. The complete list can be found on the website of the Ministry of Affairs in Russia and it is not a very short list at all. Russia is not a closed and secluded country that is not curious to receive tourists, and therefore these partnerships exist.

Gather Your Documents

The main documents you are going to need at the beginning of the process are: a passport, a form that you are going to fill with your information and a passport size photo that should not be older than 6 months. Make sure that your passport will not expire while you are on the Russian territory because this may lead to you being banned from getting another visa in the future years. They are very strict with this rule because they are also struggling to prevent illegal immigration. The travel visa can be for different periods and you should check more about the terms on their website. Also, to get it you will have to send all the papers to the nearest Russian Consulate in your country. Based on your citizenship, they may ask for additional papers.

Have the Money

Be prepared to pay for your visa. The consulate fee varies very much in every country and there are places where you don’t pay anything. In the US for example the consulate fee is around 150 $. This tax is for the whole document management. The time necessary to get the visa may vary from 2 days to a few weeks but in general there are not many people that get denied.

Use an Agency

Another way to speed up the process is to get an invitation from the travel agency and annex it with the documents to show the date in which you are traveling and to avoid this way any necessary interviews and additional accommodation papers that may be otherwise required at the consulate.

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