How to apply for a Russian visa in the USA
How do I apply for a Russian visa in the USA?
- You can apply through the Russian Consulate, an official visa center or through a travel agency
- You can apply in person or by mail to the VFS Global Visa Center
- Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the proposed visa expiration date and it must have at least 2 blank pages facing one another
First step - selecting your visa type and reviewing the list of requested documents
Your first step in applying for a Russian visa in the USA is to select the category of visa that you will apply for and review the list of documents requested by the Consulate. For example, to apply for a tourist visa, the following documents are required:
1. Visa invitation. Visa invitations can be obtained from your hotel, a travel agency or you can order one on our website using the following link.
2. Passport with no less than 2 empty pages for visas facing one another, valid for 6 months from the proposed visa expiration date.
3. Electronic Visa Application Form filled out on the official website of the Consular Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry. You can find a more detailed instruction on filling in this application form in our instruction.
4. One passport size (3.5 x 4.5 cm) photo
5. Copy of the data page of the passport
Second step - deciding where to apply for visa
Applying for Visa at the Consulate
The next step is to decide where you would like to apply for the visa. Travelers from the USA can apply for a Russian visa directly through a Consulate or through a visa center. There are 3 Russian Consulates in the USA:
You should decide in advance where to apply for your visa and choose the correct option while filling in the Electronic Visa Application Form on the official website of the Consular Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry:
If you prefer to apply through the Russian Consulate directly, you can schedule an appointment online using the links below:
- Schedule an appointment in Washington
- Schedule an appointment in New York
- Schedule an appointment in Houston
Please note that if you a traveling with family or friends, each person should schedule an appointment individually. The Consulate does not accept cash, credit or debit cards, personal or company checks, visa services can only be paid though a money-order or cashier’s checks payable to Consulate General of Russia.
Applying for Visa through VFS Global
Unlike the Consulate, VFS Global does not require scheduling an appointment and accepts debit and credit cards, cash and money orders to VFS Services (USA) Inc. You can check the consular fees and service fees charged by VFS Global service here.
Using Full Visa Service
Alternatively, you can use our company’s Full Visa Service and we will take care of all contact with the Consulate. In this case, you send your passport and documentation to our processing centre and we take care of the rest.