Traveling to Russia is a dream of many. The country offers various tourist attractions so it is definitely a great pleasure to visit even some of them. From the warm and luxurious Sochi and big and extraordinary cities such as Moscow and Saint Petersburg to the biggest lakes in the world and extremely cold Siberia, you can see and explore unforgettable locations in this country.
Millions of tourists indeed manage to come to Russia on a yearly basis, and that's a really remarkable figure of visitors. However, the situation has drastically changed in the last year or two because of the problematic situation with the Covid 19. The virus killed so many people so it is a real danger to many. That's why many countries closed their borders while preventing their citizens from traveling abroad. The foreign visitors are also not allowed by the measure to come in so they are forced to stay at home and wait for the solution.
Russia has not, however, followed the approach of many countries that closed their gates, and they left their borders open. Those who want to come and visit the destination are still allowed by the law to do so in a legal way, but the government is definitely trying to discourage travelers of this kind. It is usually going through different official announcements where the authorities explain the negativity and bad sides of the situation. They usually recommend all to avoid physical contact with others in order to protect their health. However, they give the chance to citizens and visitors to decide on their own so it is just a form of suggestion so you are free to accept or reject it.
Easy to Get Visa
Fortunately, a tourist visa is quite simple to get if you are living in the United States or many other countries, and the situation did not change even during the crisis. The procedure is generally as usual with a few possible limitations. You will maybe need to provide more materials in an online form in order to avoid direct contact as much as possible. Still, it might depend on a particular embassy where you are planning to apply for the visa, and you can always check the situation through communication with the officials. Sometimes, valuable details are available on the internet as well so you should consider checking the appropriate website too. The address is usually simple to find by asking the Google search engine. Visit Visa Express for visa to Russia.
Prepare Documents
Russian authorities are not too demanding when it comes to the application, and you just have to prepare a few pieces of materials for the purpose. A valid passport is, of course, the most important one. It is best when the expiration date is placed in the distant future because you can get a visa with a longer validity in that way. If your travel document is about to expire, your application might be rejected and you might be forbidden entrance on the border. That's definitely a situation you want to avoid so you should extend the validity of your passport if it is necessary.
Next to the passport, you will have to make two new photos of yourself. The officials will provide you with details on the necessary sizes so you will have no problem providing appropriate photographs. Those are going together with the application forms, and these are provided directly by the embassy. You must fill the papers entering your personal details and the answers have to be truthful and correct. It is good to know the embassy staff might check your details through different channels so it is important to avoid lying.
The authorities might also ask you for your old Russian visa if you have any. The invitation letter is also a good and useful document so you may get the visa faster in case you can provide one of those. It means someone in Russia is actually guaranteeing your stay, and that's good when it comes to the application for a visa. The authorities might also ask you for any additional documents, but it depends on your individual case.
If there is any problem or you are simply confused by the procedure, you can always contact a travel agency for additional help. Those firms are usually available everywhere, and they can help you with the paperwork. They know the laws and procedures so they can easily guide you through the procedure.