Non-US Citizens: Get your Russia Business visa with the TDS San Francisco 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 one recent professional passport-type photograph for single and double entry. Multiple Entry Visa requires TWO passport photos.
The photograph(s) must have been taken within the last six months.
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).

An Official Letter of Invitation from Russia, issued by the Federal Migration Service or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Russia is required to apply for a Russian business visa. A letter of invitation is considered to be the first step in applying for a business visa to Russia.

Effective August 17th 2015: The Russian Government has began a Pilot E-Invitation Program, this program is designed to replace the requirement to submit an original hard copy invite. Using the new E-Invitation Program means the original invitation will not be required and your invitation will be sent to you via email. TDS recommends requesting your invitation using the E-Invitation method. Below is a sample of the old original invitation (Sample One) and the new E - Invitation (Sample Two).

Original Invitation: Sample One

E-Invitation: Sample Two

LETTER OF INVITATION

Official letter of invitation issued by the Federal Migration Service or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Russia, arranged for by your host organization in Russia. If your invitation was issued using method One you must send Traveldocs the original invitation as part of your visa application documents. If method Two you can send a copy of the emailed invitation to Traveldocs as part of your visa application documents. If the official Russian visa invitation was submitted directly to the Embassy of Russia or Russian Consulate by "Telex", provide a record of the telex visa invitation number.

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 Russia visa application form.

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

TDS is able to obtain an original Official Letter of Invitation for you. Since it is required to obtain your Russian Business Visa, Complete our simple online order form first.

Complete and Sign One Online Russian Visa Application Form.
This application is hosted by the Russian Foreign Ministry. We recommend allowing up to an hour to complete as the website and application form can be difficult to use.

. Send your Application ID and Password to TDS in case of corrections.

. The application must be printed on THREE or FOUR sheets of paper, back to back forms are NOT accepted.

For a guide to completing the Online Russian Application please Click Here

 Common Errors 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.

Question 10: Date of Entry and Date of Departure from Russia - the dates on your visa application MUST match the dates on your Letter of Invitation. (If your invitation date of entry has already passed please call traveldocs for assistance in answering this question. 

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.

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.

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.