今天是大年夜，打开信箱，拿到了俄罗斯签证。毕竟是两个多星期一直有点担心的事，心里预想过各种可能，一旦真拿到了，还是比较高兴。
俄罗斯签证的申请真的有点烦，办的时候好几次想，早知道有这么麻烦，可能就先去别的地方了。俄罗斯之前对我来说最麻烦的是中国签证，但因为对那个程序很熟悉，就没觉得太头痛。
这里好几个人都说过他们的俄罗斯签证经验，我刚办完，有些手续有改变，就与大家分享一下吧。
１。邀请信。我推荐http://www.expresstorussia.com/russian_visas.html。这也是LP与DK推荐的俄国签证邀请信办理网站。价格每人$18，一家四口就要四份邀请信。这网站的好处是有美国的联系电话，打上去有人接，能解答一些签证方面的问题，态度不错。我把女儿的生日填错了，拿到邀请信才看到，给他们发了邮件很快就给我改过寄了回来。后来又看到他们把我儿子的名与姓弄倒了（都是俄文，还不容易发现这么个错误），提出后很快就给我重寄了份。
２。签证申请。去俄领馆、使馆的网站你会发现他们已不再接收邮寄申请了，只有http://www.expresstorussia.com/在给我邀请信的邮件里提到西雅图俄领馆还接收邮寄申请（见下面英文部分），我去西雅图俄领馆网站都看不到这条信息。如果自己去纽约领馆申请，则要跑两次，一次递申请，一次取护照。取护照可以让别人去，但也够麻烦人的。我因为时间还多，决定赌一把，如果西雅图俄领馆不肯受理邮寄再跑纽约去签证。当然寄来寄去还是有一点点风险，这还是我第一次让护照飞呢。
３。申请过程。俄领馆、使馆的网站，各代办机构包括http://www.expresstorussia.com/所说的需要递交的材料都略有不同，我老老实实地取了个最大值（http://www.expresstorussia.com/所说的差不多就是最大值）。有代办机构说申请应该在出发的四十五天之前寄出，因为俄领馆发出的签证必须在一个月内入境（俄领馆自己的网站都说他们只会在签证的起始日期的一个月内签发签证），只有http://www.expresstorussia.com/对我说越早寄越好，我照办了。事实证明他们是对的，俄领馆在我们出发的两个半月前发出了签证。
网友有色眼睛说纽约领馆只收Money Order，我付的是Bank Check，西雅图俄领馆是收的。一人一百四十美金，我办的是两次入境，两次入境与一次入境同价，这些都与中国签证一样。
我每人的申请书都交了两份，其中一份是彩色复印件（连照片一起复印），看来是可行的。
我寄申请的信里放了回信的信封，那天大雪，邮局里因上班的人少而非常忙，那邮局工作人员忙中忘了在回信信封上贴邮票（也不排除我没说清楚的可能性），结果俄领馆居然自己贴了四块多的邮票给我寄回了护照签证，让我有点感动，一下子对俄国人增加了一堆的好感。
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Please remember that what we are sending you is a Russian visa invitation (sometimes called a visa voucher) and it is NOT the actual Russian visa. It is a document that is required by the Russian Consulate in order to issue you a visa. You must take or send this document to the Russian Consulate along with other accompanying documentation (for example, your passport, 2 passport photos, 2 visa application forms signed, a cover letter, the Consulate processing fee and in the case of business visas only an HIV test result certificate). To learn the exact Consulate fees, please contact the Russian Consulate directly.
You can apply for the Russian visa using the following options:
1. Applying for the Russian visa in person.
2. Applying for the Russian visa by mail.
1. APPLYING FOR THE RUSSSIAN VISA IN PERSON
US citizens can find the most up to date information on visa requirements including fees, processing times and even downloadable forms and applications on the Russian Consulate’s own website www.ruscon.org.
Applying for the Russian visa by yourself is quite easy and is the least expensive way of obtaining a visa. Please follow these directions.
1) Print out 2 visa application forms found on the Russian Consulate
Website: http://www.ruscon.org/visa_dep_ENG.html
2) Fill in and sign both application forms paying close attention to the
following information:
When filling in your visa application for the Russian Consulate and your immigration card, please write down ” Universal tour” as the inviting organization.
Purpose of visit is: Tourism,
Russian institution or organization to be visited: : OOO Universal Tour, 119991, 29 Leninsky pr, Suite 407, Russia.
Name and reference number of tourist group: 002132
Name and address of person or hotel that you plan to stay with. Enter the following address which is also listed on your visa invitation (if you have any questions regarding this point, please ask you order manager):
MOSCOW: Radisson Royal
SAINT-PETERSBURG: Park Inn
NOVGOROD: Sadko
3) Prepare the documents according to the Russian Consulate web site, for example, original passport and a photo-copy of it´s vital pages, passport size picture, etc.: http://www.ruscon.org/visa_dep_ENG.html#touristvisa
4) Make out a certified bank check or a money order payable to the Russian Consulate for the appropriate fee as listed on the Russian Consulate website.
5) Write a cover letter to the Russian Consulate similar to the example found on our website http://www.expresstorussia.com/russian_visas.html
2. APPLYING FOR THE RUSSIAN VISA BY MAIL
Please be informed The Russian Consulates in New York, Washington and San Francisco no longer accept mailed applications.
Applying for the Russian visa by mail in USA is possible in Seattle only.
Please use the following instructions.
1) Print out 1 visa application form found on the Russian Consulate
website or on our website http://www.netconsul.org/touristvisa/
2) Fill in and sign an application form paying close attention to the
following information:
When filling in your visa application for the Russian Consulate and your immigration card, please write ” Universal tour”as the inviting organization.
Purpose of visit is: Tourism,
Russian institution or organization to be visited: OOO Universal Tour, 119991, 29 Leninsky pr, Suite 407, Russia.
Name and reference number of tourist group: 002132
Name and address of person or hotel that you plan to stay with. Enter the following address which is also listed on your visa invitation (if you have any questions regarding this point, please ask you order manager):
MOSCOW: Radisson Royal
SAINT-PETERSBURG: Park Inn
NOVGOROD: Sadko
3) Prepare the documents for mailing according to the Russian Consulate web site, for example, your original passport, a photo-copy of your passport’s vital pages, 1 passport size photo, the visa invitation that we have sent to you, etc.: http://www.netconsul.org/touristvisa/
4) Make out a certified bank check or a money order payable to the Russian Consulate for the appropriate fee as listed on the Russian Consulate website.
5) Write a cover letter to the Russian Consulate similar to the example found on our website http://www.expresstorussia.com/russian_visas.html
6) Attach a return self-addressed prepaid air-bill or envelope of an overnight mail delivery company (such as FedEx) in order for the Consulate to return your passport back to you. A pick-up slip should be received at the time of application. The slip should be presented to pick up the visa when it is ready or referred to if any question arises about the visa status.
To avoid your correspondence being lost in mail the Russian Consulate recommends to use USPS Registered, USPS Certified, USPS Express or FedEx, DHL, Airborne and similar services (so, that the envelopes bear a tracking number).
You should mail all of the required documents to the following address:
Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Seattle
Visa Section
2323 Westin Building, 2001 6th Ave
Seattle, WA 98121
Telephone 206-728-1910
VISA REGISTRATION
Russian law requires that travelers should register their visas if they are staying in Russia more than 3 business days. If travelers are staying in Russia more than 3 business days they should apply for the registration immediately upon arrival. Travelers who do not have their visas registered are required to pay fines when they attempt to exit Russia or if they are stopped by the police.
– If you are staying at a hotel, the hotel will register your visa.
– If you are staying at an apartment you will have to apply to a local migration department (OVIR) to have your visa registered.
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