The process to gain a Russian Visa is straight forward but does require some procedure and submission of papers done in plenty of time before your visit. You can apply for a visa six weeks prior to your arrival. Please note that the rules often change every year, sometimes with little warning. The followings is the procedure and time frames involved: 1) 8 weeks prior to your arrival in Russia you must ensure that you have entered the required information into ‘your booking profile’ page on our website. The required information is your passport details (ensure your have at least 3 months remaining on your passport expiry after returning home and a blank page for the visa) and your flight details.  2) 5 or 6 weeks prior to your arrival in Russia we will send you a ‘travel voucher’ and ‘invitation letter’ 3) Using your Travel Voucher and Invitation Letter you fill in an online application form on the Russian Embassy website. We will send you details to assist. 4) You then need to submit your passport, online application form, travel voucher, invitation letter, visa fee and a photograph to your local Russian embassy. This can be done in person (1-2 days processing time) or by post (7-10 days processing time). Some years it is necessary to submit your papers in person only and this may mean a visit to the nearest city where there is a Russian visa consulate.  Use online websites offering to help you get a visa with some caution. There are sites that have outdated information; the visa form and some of the application processes changed so be wary. There are also agencies that present themselves in a way that makes them look like an official government office when they are in fact a middle-man that will charge extra for their services. A good general rule would be to google and follow links to  ‘The Embassy of the Russian Federation’ in your home country. Although you cannot apply for your visa more than 6 weeks before your travel date you should look at the supporting information prior to this date so that you can send off the application as soon as the 6 week window opens. For example, you need to have all the countries and dates that you visited them ready to put into the online form, plus full details of your work place and your place of education (for yourself and your parents).  The personal data supplied to the office for the invitation letters and on the visa application needs to be precisely as it appears on your passport. Please do double-check the invitation letter very carefully as any inconsistencies may lead to rejection of your application by the consulate. Do also check that you have enough validity remaining on your passport – this depends on your nationality but is usually 3 months validity remaining after your departure date from Russia to home. The visa form will require you to specify the exact entry and exit dates so really you need to have your flights booked before filling out the form. You need to have planned your whole itinerary, in terms of duration, before applying for the visa. It is not possible to extend your visa whilst in Russia, and nor is it possible to travel freely about Russia without having the arrangements put into your visa application prior to arrival.  Some nationalities are required to send their papers into the Russian consulate – including the invitation letter that we supply – in original format only. This will require posting the documents by a courier service which will cost extra money.  Nowadays the visa is digitally entered into the Russian database so when you arrive your passport is scanned and there is no longer any need for a paper migration card. However, all visitors are still required to register with the local authorities in the area you visit, and this is something our staff will do when you arrive in the republic of Kabardino Balkyrie if you are climbing Elbrus. Do keep your passport with you at all times, it is a law for all foreigners to have their papers with them.