Russian Visas

Russian Visa Invitation

Citizens of most countries need visa to enter Russia. The major document which is required to apply for visa at your local Russian Consulate is Russian Visa Invitation (sometimes called a Russian visa voucher or Russian visa support). Russian tourist visa invitations are not issued directly by the Russian government but are rather issued by a qualified Russian tour operator that arranges tour programs and hotel accommodations in Russia.

Our Russian partner OOO Express is registered as a Russian tour operator and is officially authorized to issue Russian visa invitations.

Ordering Russian Visa Invitation

In case you book a cruise with us we will provide Russian Visa Invitation for free. To order Russian Visa Invitation for your cruise dates, please contact the reservation specialist who is in charge of your order. If you would like to stay in Russia longer, we can issue Russian Visa Invitation covering your entire stay for an extra fee. You can order it here.

Visa Invitation Delivery

All tourist visa invitations are sent to you by email. Some Russian Consulates will request the original of the visa invitation instead of a copy (especially if you apply for visa at a Consulate that is not in the country of your citizenship). If you discover that the original invitation or voucher is required by the Russian Consulate, please tell us and we will send it to you by express post. We require that express postage be paid by the customer.

Applying for Russian Visa

  •   Step 1

    Order Russian Visa Invitation

    Express to Russia is a non-Government based service that is officially registered as a Russian tour operator and is officially authorized to issue Russian visa invitations (sometimes called a Russian visa voucher or Russian visa support), the document necessary for foreign travelers to apply for a Russian visa at their local Russian Consulate. It is impossible to apply for a Russian tourist visa without this document. You can order visa invitation here.

  •   Step 2

    Find the Nearest Russian Consulate

    After receiving your visa invitation or voucher, you should visit the website or contact the Russian Consulate in your country to learn how to submit your documents and apply for a Russian visa. You can find contact details all Russian Consulates worldwide at the official website of Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

  •   Step 3

    Learn the Consulate Requirements

    Usual requirements are: Visa Invitation; Original Passport valid for at least 6 months after the visa expiry date with at least 2 clean pages; Russian visa application form; 1-2 passport size photos; Travel Insurance (not required for US citizens); Consular Visa Processing Fee

    Different countries have different rules - please see the Consulate website for more details.  Some Russian Consulates will request the original of the visa invitation instead of a copy. This is frequently the practice for business visas, however often business visas invitation can be sent electronically directly to the Russian Consulate. If you discover that the original invitation or voucher is required by the Russian Consulate, please tell us and we will send it to you by express post. We require that express postage be paid by the customer.

  •   Step 4

    Fill in Visa Application Form

    Applicants should fill in visa application on-line and print it out. Please note that any other application forms are not acceptable.

  •   Step 5

    Apply for Visa at the Consulate or Use Full Visa Service

    Russian visas can be applied for directly with the Russian Consulate. Express to Russia also acts as an expeditor and agent between our customers and the Russian Consulates in the US, UK and Canada, delivering visa applications to the Russian Consulate on behalf of our clients - please see our full visa support service for more information. This can save our customers time and money by alleviating the necessity for our customers to travel to the Russian Consulate themselves and to wait in long lines to apply.

    IMPORTANT! A foreign citizen (and non US citizen) can obtain a visa to Russia ONLY in the country of his/her citizenship. Exceptions include those who have a residence permit for a foreign country for the period more than 90 days. US citizens can apply for Russian visa in any Russian Consulate in any country.