The latest updates about processing Russian visas and passports in the U.S. during COVID-19 pandemic.

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The latest updates about processing Russian visas and passports in the U.S. during COVID-19 pandemic.

Last updated: December 15th, 2020  01:33 pm PST
Here you can find all news and updates about entry and exit from the Russian Federation and processing all Russian visas and passports on the territory of the U.S. during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. We’re continuously updating the information.
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If you need to obtain a Russian travel passport urgently in order to enter the Russian Federation, a Russian visa, or any other Russian documents, please call us for a free consultation at (888) 978-7742. We are here and working during the quarantine to assist you.
UPDATE: We are happy to assist you to obtain a Russian visa during the travel ban. 
September 1st, 2020, 01:49 pm PST
The travel ban on Foreign citizens to Russia which started on March 18th, 2020 is still in effect and the end date has not yet been determined. Most likely it won’t be lifted until March 2021. However, some exceptions have been made over the last few months. As of now you can obtain either a one entry or double entry visa up to 90 days for the following situations:
  • An accompanying visit. If you are traveling to Russia with a Russian citizen that is a close relative (parents, children under the age of 18, or spouses).
  • An invitation. If you have an invitation for a private visa which has been submitted through the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
  • A medical treatment. If you have an invitation for a medical treatment which has been submitted through the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
  • A family emergency. You can obtain a visa without an invitation if you need to take care of a relative who has a life-threatening condition or to attend a funeral.
We are happy to assist you to obtain a Russian visa during the travel ban. The process of applying for a visa during this travel ban is not as straight forward as it was for visa applications during normal times. We can clarify any confusion that you have. We will send your visa request to the Russian Consulate in the U.S. in advance to verify if it will be approved or not. We will know if your situation meets the requirements to obtain a visa or if any other documents are needed. If more documents are needed, we will provide you with clear instructions about what the consulate requires and can even provide templates. We only charge you for our service if your situation will be approved to receive a visa during the travel ban. This way you will not waste your money. These times are very stressful for everyone and we hope to help you as much as possible with your travel plans.
URGENT: Starting from July 15th, 2020 some regulations regarding entry to Russia have changed.
July 15th, 2020, 05:00 pm PST
Starting from July 15th, 2020 all foreign citizens entering Russia must provide a document at the Russian border proving that they have tested negative for COVID-19. This document should be issued by an official testing facility no earlier than three days before entering Russia. This document can be in either Russian or English. If a foreign citizen does not have this document, they will need to obtain it in Russia within 3 days of their arrival at their own expense.
For Russian citizens entering Russia, it is required to be tested within 3 days. If after crossing the border, regardless of your citizenship, you start to have feel sick, you must call an Urgent Medical Help facility near you and notify them of your condition and say that you recently crossed the border. In this case and also if you tested positive, you must self-isolate at the place of your permanent residency or place of temporary stay until you test negative.
PLEASE NOTE: We have started accepting orders for Russian visas.
June 29th, 2020, 01:50 pm PST 
We are happy to announce that we have started accepting orders for Russian visas. At this point, we can only accept applications for 30-day visas. Multiple entry visas are still not available. As of now, the travel ban on foreign citizens entering Russia is still in effect and the end date is unknown. However, some exceptions are being made. In order to be eligible for a 30-day visa, you must provide the consulate with paperwork from a healthcare provider in Russia stating that:
  • You need emergency medical treatment in Russia.
  • You need to take care of a close relative who is suffering from a serious medical condition.
  • You are going to a funeral of a close relative. Please note that you will need to provide documents proving your relation if you are going to Russia for a close relative.
Please contact us for more details at (888) 9-RUSSIA or (888) 978-7742.
Also, another exception to the travel ban has been made. Foreign citizens who are traveling to Russia with a close family member who have Russian citizenship, are now allowed to enter Russia. If this foreign citizen doesn’t have a valid travel visa for Russia, they can obtain a one-entry private visa at Russian consulates abroad.
URGENT: Russian borders have started to open up gradually.
June 8th, 2020, 07:00 am PST 
Russian citizens are now able to leave Russia under the following circumstances – to take care of sick relatives with underlying health conditions living abroad, to study abroad, and to work abroad. Foreign citizens will be allowed to enter Russia if they need medical treatment in Russia or to take care of relatives with serious health conditions. At this moment Russian authorities are considering the possibility of opening the borders for all kinds of travel. We will keep you updated on the situation. If you want to stay up-to-date on when the borders fully open and when the consulates resume processing Russian visas, please give us your contact information and we will inform you of any changes as they happen.
URGENT: Extension of the travel ban of foreigners coming to Russia.
April 29th, 2020, 09:10 am PST 
The Russian government has extended the temporary ban on foreign citizens and stateless people entering Russia indefinitely. Earlier we informed you that the ban would be in place from March 18th to May 1st, 2020. The end date has been removed and there is no new date as to when it will end. When the situation with Coronavirus improves, the ban should be lifted. The ban will not be applicable to those people who are participating in the government program of moving to Russia from former USSR countries. Also, an exception will be made for foreign specialists entering Russia whose job it is to fix or maintain specialized equipment from abroad.
URGENT: Russian citizens with foreign citizenship or residency abroad will be allowed to leave Russia.
April 29th, 2020, 09:00 am PST 
Russian citizens who have citizenship or residency in another country will be allowed to leave Russia, but they are only allowed to leave Russia one time. So, they will not be allowed to return to Russia currently. Before that, only foreign citizens were able to leave Russia. So, all Russian citizens had to stay in Russia whether or not they had citizenship or residency abroad. This rule has been changed.
URGENT: Russian President extended period of validity of expiring passports and driver licenses.
April 18th, 2020, 12:45 pm PST 
Russian internal passports and driver licenses that have expired after February the 1st, 2020, or that will expire soon will be considered as valid with Russian authorities until July the 15th, 2020.  For children who have just turned 14 years old, but haven’t gotten their first internal passport yet, they are allowed to use their birth certificate or their valid travel passport (if they have one) instead of an internal passport until July the 15th, 2020.
URGENT: Periods of stay for foreign citizens in Russia have been extended.
April 18th, 2020, 12:01 pm PST 
Due to the coronavirus, the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, signed an executive order extending the length of stay for all foreign citizens currently in Russia. For foreign citizens already in Russia whose visa stay or resident status, whether temporary or permanent, ends sometime between March the 15th and June the 14th, 2020, the date of their status expiration will be automatically pushed back to June the 15th, 2020.
URGENT: Aeroflot is no longer selling tickets for international flights departing before August 1st, 2020 to Russia
April 16th, 2020, 09:58 am PST 
Russian national airline, Aeroflot, is currently not selling tickets for international flights departing before August 1st, 2020 to Russia. This includes flights from the United States. Before it was possible to buy international plane tickets with departures to Russia after April 30th. The date has now been pushed back to August 1st, 2020.
URGENT: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation is aiding Russian citizens seeking to return to Russia.
April 10th, 2020, 00:15 am PST 
Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been working on compiling a list of Russian citizens who would like to return to Russia with their current location and ultimate destination in Russia. If you are intending on returning back to Russia, you should contact the closest Russian consulate or embassy in the United States as soon as possible.
All the flights for returning Russian citizens will be departing from New York. Here are some links that will be helpful for you.
Useful links of the public service website “Gosuslugi”
URGENT: Russia has stopped processing all types of Russian visas in all the consulates abroad, including the United States.
March 17th, 2020, 06:50 am PST 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation has stated that they stopped accepting applications to process and are returning unprocessed applications currently in their possession. This includes the issuing of visas to Russia of all types. Also, there has been a stop of all electronic visas.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the restrictions will not apply to foreign diplomats or representatives of official foreign organizations. This is also true for their family members. Exceptions are also made for those who are working as truck drivers, airline and shipping crews. These people will be able to obtain visas to enter Russia.
Please note, restrictions in regard to entering the Russian federation for any foreign citizens and also for stateless people will be in effect from March the 18th to May the 1st, 2020. Important – these restrictions also apply to citizens of the Republic of Belarus.
Exceptions for private visas are being made by the Russian Federation for those who are arriving in Russia for the funeral of a close family member. Exceptions are also made for those who are traveling through Russia as a transit passenger.
For our clients, we would like to give you the following options. For the requests we currently have, we can return all of your documents back to you and issue full refunds or we can hold on to your requests and process them as a first priority when the consulate reopens.
URGENT: Russia has closed borders to foreign citizens, starting March 18th, 2020 to May 1st, 2020. 
March 16th 2020, 09:08 pm PST 
The Russian government made a decision to restrict the entry of foreign citizens due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Entry to the Russian Federation will be closed to citizens of foreign countries from midnight Moscow time on March 18th, 2020 until midnight on the first of May the 1st,  2020.
The travel ban will not apply to foreign diplomats, airline and shipping crews, transit passengers, and foreign citizens who have a residence permit in Russia. Private individuals will only be able to enter Russia to attend the funeral of a close relative.
URGENT: The Russian Embassy and Russian Consulates in the U.S. are no longer having personal appointments in regard to consular, notary, and public service starting March the 16th, 2020 and continuing until further notice.
March 17th, 2020 2:21 PM PST
Due to the rapidly changing situation and the increasing number of people affected by the Coronavirus, starting March 16th, 2020 the Russian Embassy in Washington, DC and Russian consulates in New York and Houston will no longer accept applications and provide services, such as obtaining citizenship, vital record services, consular registration, notary services, requesting documents, issuing certificates of return to Russia, and also Russian passport and visa applications. All the prescheduled appointments will be canceled and there will be an opportunity to reschedule their appointments for later. However, it is not known when the consulates will open again. We will keep you updated.
! Please note, for all our clients an expedited service of obtaining a 5-year Russian travel passport without personal appearance through the Ministry of Internal Affairs is still available. You can still apply for a new Russian travel passport with us by mail and also receive the processed passport by mail. This service is not affected by the quarantine. Also, other services are still available. For more information please call us at (888) 978-7742!
Here are emergency phone numbers for Russian citizens in the U.S with emergency situations, such as life-threatening emergencies and humanitarian cases:
(202) 365-2124 (for a consular officer on duty at the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C.);
(917) 612-7842 (for a consular officer on duty at the Russian Consulate in New York);
(713) 213-8484 (for a consular officer on duty at the Russian Consulate in Houston).
URGENT: Dear clients, we know that everyone is concerned about the Coronavirus. We want to update you with regards to our business. We remain open and are continuing our work . Much of our work is done through email and mail so this will NOT be affected.
March 15th, 2020 7:55AM PST
Also, we want to remind you that we can process most Russian documents WITHOUT the need for you to travel or personally appear at the consulate.
We hope that the situation will be resolved before summer and that things will go back to normal.
We will keep you updated on this page and our social media pages if there are any changes.
We are optimistic and hope that you all are staying safe
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