Has anybody from the USA got a tourist visa to Russia recently?

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I know it is possible currently for US passport holders to apply for a tourist visa to Russia and it is actually much easier than ever before, at least the past 6+ years I have been applying for them. It is all done through the mail now and requires no interviews anymore which really simplifies things.

Russian consulates will not help you at all with tourist visas (or any visas for that matter) because Russian consulates are only for Russian citizens. I have learned this the hard way too and its very confusing. You have to submit your visa application to a service company (ILS visa agency) that submits it to the Russian consulate for you. The Russian consulate will never deal with you directly unless you hold Russian citizenship.

My advice is to contact ILS USA, who handles the visa processing for them. You should contact their call center at +1-202-436-4555 or email them [email protected] to find out your best options while overseas.

Their website states they process tourist visas within 4-10 business days. If you are a US passport holder this is your best option that I am aware of.

Visa Processing

The Russian Embassy or Consulate General reviews your visa application and decides whether to issue you a visa within a period of 4 to 10 calendar days, after having received all the necessary documents and received payment in full.

One may not apply for a visa more than six months prior to the intended date of entry into the Russian Federation. Under certain circumstances, this period may be altered at the discretion of the Consulates.

In extreme emergencies, which require urgent passage to the Russian Federation, the applicant may petition the Consulate to review his materials in an expedited manner, thus reducing the processing time substantially to 3 business days or less. In such situations, the decision to issue an emergency visa is made either by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation, and either the Ambassador or the Consul General of the Russian Federation.

Likewise, in special circumstances the consulate has the right to review submitted documents for up to 30 days.

They also have a $45 fee for international shipping mentioned in their mail service instructions which implies you can submit your application from overseas.

ILS will require holding your passport a few days when you send your application, and they advise to call them prior to any lodging of the application. I also know you will not be able to get a visa immediately or overnight unless there is some type of emergency, and it's still at their discretion to allow expedited applications because they have to involve diplomats and bump you to the front of the queue for "special" consideration. I would not advise it unless you absolutely need to.

Currently New York City and Washington DC ILS processing centers are the only centers operating. I am unsure if the Houston office is open or not.

I am no longer eligible for a "tourist" visa to Russia because I married a Russian citizen so I have to get a private visa instead. Our daughter, a US citizen born in the USA, is getting her Russian citizenship currently in Houston. I have had 3 tourist visas to Russia, although I currently do not have one (they have expired). Good luck and do not worry about the Russian consulate, they are usually unpleasant.

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