Not only is it an entertaining place to visit; Russia has a lot of history connected with it. Along with being America's rival for years, it is a country that is more docile and historic with buildings and churches going back centuries. Many people are just now starting to take trips to Russia where once it was shunned, though it is not as super popular as some other tourist areas. It can be easy with the correct knowledge and preparation to get a visa, though without the right knowledge, things can be a real headache.

Going to a United States Russian consulate is a good way to start getting a visa for travel. There are consulates within other countries that can provide the same services, so if a person is already traveling, it is not considerably more difficult. These people will frequently give the person a list of needs and steps to follow, but they often overlook or miscommunicate tiny details that can cause the process to become a pain.

The first items that are needed are valid US passports. Passports must be had at departure plus six months after scheduled return. There must also be at least two extra pages for the visas. This must be looked into far in advance of leaving, because a request of extra pages or a renewal for one or two United States passports takes up a lot of time and must be done before Russian visas are submitted for.

A photo must also be submitted so the person's photo can correspond to the visa. Sometimes there are requirements with how these have to be taken, so doing a little research can avoid a huge headache in the future.

The requirement which could give the most difficulty is receiving a sponsorship or invitation for the visa application. The trip's goal determines the type of document needed for the application. A Russian citizen must officially €endorse€ someone in writing by way of an invitation. Temporary residency or an extended stay demands a sponsorship. If neither of those are held by the traveler, they must visit their Russian consulate before any extra steps are taken to make sure it is even possible to go to Russia. There are often workarounds for this kind of issue, but these are based mostly on the relations between the countries the person is traveling to and from.

Paying a handling fee and supplying additional documentation is often necessary too. Depending on the circumstances, it can be nearly five hundred per person or as low as one hundred fifty. There are also certain requirements for the documents travelers are required to show, so talking to the consulate to find out what those will be for the United States is a good idea. In order to deal with time required for additional things that might appear, starting as early as possible is always the smartest idea.