visitor's visas for immediate family of Russian citizens residing in the US

Currently Russian citizens who reside in the US can request visitor's (homestay) visas for their immediate family members (spouses, minor children or disabled children of any age) without official letters of invitation under the condition that they travel together at all times. In order to obtain such visas instead of the official letter of invitation the following request form has to be filled out by the Russian citizen. Also the proof of kinship (respective marriage or birth certificates) and valid Russian passport have to be provided (both originals and their copies). All originals will be returned to applicants after necessary verifications.

Such visas can be single- or double-entry and they can be issued up to 90 days. The processing usually takes no less than 6 business days, so no rush services can be provided.

To get such a visa please submit the following paperwork to the Consulate General:

• The request form filled out and signed by the Russian citizen.
  Click here to download the form:
  

• Respective birth or marriage certificates (both originals and their copies).

• Valid international travel passport of the Russian citizen who request visas for his/her family (both original and its copy).

• A completed visa application form, one per person.

  Click here to download the form for citizens of the United State, Great Britain and Georgia:	Click here to download the form for other foreign nationals:

  (ATTENTION! Effective from December 12, 2008 a new visa application form has been put into use both for U.S. citizens (click here for instructions) and for other foreign nationals (click here for instructions). Please note that application forms differing from the above are no longer accepted for processing.).

• A valid passport which should have at least two clear visa pages. Your passport must be valid for no less than six months after the date of your departure from Russia.

• One copy of the passport pages that contain personal data of the bearer.

• One passport quality photo of the applicant 3 cm by 4 cm (1 3/8’’ by 1 3/4’’), which should be glued to the marked space on the application form.

• A cover letter from the applicant with the basic personal information, destination, terms and purpose of the trip.

• A money order or cashier’s check for visa processing payable to the Consulate General of Russia. Please, note that we do not accept cash, company or personal checks.
  
  - The visa processing fee for US citizen is $140;
  
  - The visa processing fee for citizens of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden is $50;
  
  - Visa processing fees for all other nationals must be verified in advance. Please contact the Visa Desk for a quote.

Visa processing fee is nonrefundable. Please, note that the drop off day is not counted as a business day. Visa processing starts only after we have collected all the necessary documents.

Additional paperwork might be required for non-US citizens:

·        In order to apply for a Russian visa most non-US citizens will need to submit a proof of their legal status in the USA (copy of Green Card, student or business visa, work permit, etc.).

·        Mandatory medical insurance on the basis of reciprocity is required for the citizens of Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Any visa applicant may be interviewed by a consular officer if deemed necessary.

When you receive your visa please check it for any mistakes (passport number, date of birth, validity) and, if necessary, return it to the Consulate General for corrections. The Consulate General will not be responsible for any mistakes in the visas, which were not brought to our attention prior to your departure from the United States.

Please, note that the visas cannot be adjusted or extended. If your travel plans change after the visa issuance you have to reapply for a new visa.

Processing time, requirements and fees are subject to change without notice.

For additional information contact the Visa Desk.