Collect and Send the Following Documents to BCV For Russian Business Visa.

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1. Passport requirement: You must send your actual passport, not a copy of it.

• Your passport must be signed and be valid for at least 6 months beyond the validity of your requested visa, and have at least two blank visa pages (amendments and endorsement pages cannot be used for a visa ). Passports must also be in good condition and not altered in any way.

• To be eligible for a 3 Year Visa, your passport must be valid for 3 and half years from the date of your first entry into Russia.

• If your passport does not meet these requirements, please contact BCV for further instructions.

• Non-US citizens must present proof of legal residency, such as a photocopy of either a green card, or valid visa issued by the United States government.

2. Official Invitation Letter from Russia

• An Original Official Invitation, issued by the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation; or

• Decision to issue a visa from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs based on a Telex; or A written statement from the sponsoring organization, written in Russian (in the case of 3 Year Multi-entry visas)

• In order to apply for a 3-year multiple-entry *Humanitarian* visa, please indicate the full three year period as the length of stay in the Russian Federation when filling out the visa application(ex. Date of Entry 25/10/2016 until Date of Departure 24/10/2019-minus one day.

3. Visa Application Form

The Russian Consulate requires a visa application completed the form online. Click here to complete the application form online.

• When you start your application form online, It's very important to keep ID number (located top of web-page) and Password for your record. Your visa request cannot be processed if you do not complete the application form online. Your completed application must:

• Provide answers for all fields (handwritten changes are not accepted). If a question is not applicable to the applicant, he/she should put "N/A";.

• Display an original signature inside the box found directly below the section where we will attach your photograph

• Be accompanied by a copy of your Application ID and password.

• Notice: Last question on application form: "Select the location where you will apply for your visa": VFS (Houston)

4. Passport-type Photo

You must provide two color, 2x2 passport-type photos that be taken within the last three months against an all-white background and printed on high-quality photo paper.

DO NOT affix the photo to the application or trim the photo to fit the box on the application. Please leave it loose in your package and we will handle the rest. Photos printed on regular papers are not accepted.

5. BCV order Form

Complete BCV Visa Order Form. This online form is essential for us to know your application is coming and your shipping address and contact information

Additional Requirements that may apply to you

• EU (European Union) Citizens are required to provide a copy of their health insurance policy card, along with their policy documents that is valid in the Russian Federation for the visa period, except for countries covered by bilateral agreements. If you are not EU citizens, then please ask visa center operators whether you require medical insurance. Your policy must include information about clinics covered in Russia.

• Citizens of the Ireland and Iran are required to furnish proof of medical insurance that is valid for their entire visa period in the Russian Federation.

• US CITIZENS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR A VISA.

• NON-US CITIZENS must provide a copy of their legal status in the US: Green Card. Long-term US Visa, tourist visas not accepted.

• US citizens with a second passport must apply for a visa using only their US passport and the invitations letter must be filled out according to the US passport.

• Take Note! The Russian Consulate has the right to ask for additional documentation in order to process your visa application, or ask you to come in for an interview, or extend the visa processing time of your application.

• Attention! If you are not a citizen of the United States, you must provide the following in addition to your documents:

  • Permission for uninterrupted stay in the United States for more than 90 days for citizens of the following countries: Albania, Bahrein, Venezuela, Haiti, Egypt, Ireland, Lesotho, Libya, Macedonia, Male, Mexico, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Oman, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom and North Ireland, Sierra-Leone, Equatorial Guinea, South Africa, and Japan.

  • In accordance with national laws, documentary evidence allowing uninterrupted stay in United States for more than 90 days may be a Student or Work visa, work permit, permanent residency (Green Card).

  • Permanent residency status in United States or a similar document for citizens of the following countries: Algeria, Angola, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Georgia, India, Iraq, Iran, China, DPRK, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Syria, Somalia, Chad, Sri-Lanka, Ethiopia.

• Additional Requirements for Humanitarian Visas:

• Notarized non-objection letter (if you applying on behalf of another person) (a template may be found here);

• Letter from company/organization (If a company/organization representative is submitting documents on behalf of their employees) (a template may be found here).

• Former citizens of the USSR: When applying for a visa it is necessary to provide documentation that you no longer possess Russian citizenship, such as:

  • Copy of USSR passport with a stamp stating you left for “permanent residence abroad”, dated prior to February 6, 1992;

  • Or a copy of a “Visa to Israel” issued prior to February 6, 1992;

  • Or a copy of a Certificate of Naturalization issued prior to 1996;

  • Or a document confirming the renunciation of your Russian citizenship;

  • Or a copy of the main pages of a passport of a former USSR state, issued after February 1992;

  • Or a written statement of explanation, in the case that you have no documentation (at discretion of the Consulate).

• In accordance with Russian law, visas cannot be issued to Russian citizens with expired passports. We remind you that in accordance to Article 12 of Russian Law "On citizenship of the Russian Federation", children born to two parents who are Russian citizens, automatically gain Russian citizenship, regardless of the place of birth. In this case visas are not issued, and they must apply for Russian citizenship, or have their information written into the passport of one of their parents, or obtain a Russian passport.

• Australian citizens must provide a detailed autobiography either in Russian.

• If applying for a minor, please provide a copy of their Birth Certificate, in which it is evident that at least of the parents is not a citizen of the Russian Federation.

• Former Soviet and Ukrainian Citizens:  Click here for additional Requirement for former USSR country citizen and their children.

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6. Total Cost: 

Visa fee: $245.00

BCV service: $199.00

Return shipping fee: $45.00

Make one cash check or money order payable to BCV Visa and Passport Services. Only visa and master credit cards are accepted with 3% surcharge.

Shipping Address:

BCV Visa and Passport Service

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