Welcome to the visa section of the

Russian Consulate General in San Francisco

For visa applicants office open from 9-00 a.m. to 12-00 a.m.

Monday - Friday, except weekends and State holidays of Russia and USA.

Travel to Russian Federation requires an entry visa. The Consulate General issues different types of visas based upon the purpose of the trip and duration of stay in Russia.

Official invitations are required for all type of visas.

In order to streamline and improve the visa obtaining process as well as for security concerns the Russian visa section is no more processing visa applications by mail.

In the meanwhile the applicants unable to be present in our visa section in person are recommended to rely on the services provided by the tourist and visa processing agencies.

 It is a courtesy of any country to allow entrance on its territory. Permission to enter the Russian Federation is as well a courtesy of the State. In accordance with the International Law, the Consulate in certain cases reserves the right to consider your visa applications for as long as it deems necessary. The Consulate may request additional documentation. Personal interview with an applicant can be requested by Consular official. Visa can be denied if the Consulate has reasons to believe that the Applicant's visit to the Russian Federation is not desirable. Disclosure of the reason for denial can be withheld. Visa processing fees received from the applicant are not refundable.

Upon arrival to Russia you will have to register as a foreigner. Registration is mandatory as required by the Russian Law that regulates entry/exit and stay of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation. Registration process is varied from registering in a hotel to registering at the Passport and Visa Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia or Russian Federal Immigration Service  depending on which type of visas you have in your passport. It is important for you to apply for the right type of visa, the one that corresponds to the purpose of your trip, in order to enjoy your visit to Russia without legal problems, should it be a tourist journey, a home stay with a relative or friend, a business trip, or a transit.

Tel: 415-202-9802 (visa issues operator and call-back service),

Fax: 415-929-0306

Email: russianvisa@sbcglobal.net.

Внимание граждан Российской Федерации

Статья 6 Федерального Закона Российской Федерации «О порядке выезда и въезда в Российскую Федерацию» от 18 июля 1996 года гласит, что

«Выезд из Российской Федерации и въезд в Российскую Федерацию граждане Российской Федерации осуществляют по действительным документам, удостоверяющим личность гражданина Российской Федерации за пределами территории Российской Федерации»

На основании данного документа визы в Российскую Федерацию гражданам России не оформляются.