According to the Russian Federation regulation, foreign citizens going to visit the territory of Russia must have a travel document – a visa. This does not apply to the citizens of those countries with which the Russian Federation has an agreement on visa-free regime. The visa allows one to move freely across Russia during the period of visa`s validity.

Many foreign citizens planning to come to Russia for a couple of weeks want not only to see the sights, but also to visit their relatives, friends or significant ones. For such occasions, one of the options may be to issue a private or guest visa. However, not everyone knows that this is a long and complex process.

A citizen of the Russian Federation must apply to the Federal Migration Service (FMS) at the place of registration with a request to issue an invitation for a foreign citizen to enter the Russian Federation with a private visa. They must also provide proof of their financial status and pay a fee. The process can last for a whole month and not always be decided in favor of a foreign guest.

However, there is an alternative and much easier way to visit Russia – get a tourist visa. It is intended for short trips for the purpose of tourism and allows a foreign citizen to stay in Russia for up to 30 days, with a single or double entry. Its obtaining does not require any complex manipulations or steps.

The main document for obtaining this visa will be a tourist invitation. It consists of a voucher and confirmation of the reception of a foreign tourist. Any travel company that is officially licensed and registered in the Unified Register of Tour Operators, can issue it. The process does not take much time. One needs to fill out the application form and indicate all the necessary information. Usually it is citizenship, name, date of birth, and data about the future trip – dates of entry and exit, cities to visit and address to stay. After filling out the application, the ready document is sent automatically to one`s email address.

In addition to a tourist invitation to apply to the Consulate for a visa, one will need:

• a passport,

• recent color photos 3,5x4,5,

• medical insurance,

• and a completed visa application form.

For any additional documents that may be asked for, it is better to clarify at the Consulate in advance.

Usually it takes no more than 14 days for the Consulate to issue a tourist visa.