Russia is a great country that attracts a lot of people. There  is a great number of myths about it. And it is not a secret that Russian women seem to be the most beautiful women in the world.

So, if one wishes to visit Russia, he/she has to receive Russian Visa.

Visa to the Russian Federation is a document, permitting you to stay in Russia for a specific period of time. The visa is stamped in the passport.

There are two main types of visas one can obtain in order to visit Russia. They are tourist visa and business visa. Both types can be received without any problem, but one should pay attention to validation of his/her passport. It must be valid 3 months beyond intended stay; vaccinations are not required.

Standard time for processing your application is about two weeks. You may need additional time only if any of your papers are incorrect, because in this case you will have to obtain the right one. If you submitted your documents 9 working days in advance or less, you will have to pay double fee.

One should remember that Russian visas cannot be obtained at the airport on arrival; transit visa is not available and anyone who arrives to Moscow without visa will be mercilessly deported.

If you are going to get Visa to the Russian Federation you will need:

Visa application form (available from embassies and travel agencies);
Passport;
1 passport-size photos;
Corresponding fee.
This is applicable for all types of visas. Below you can find exact information concerning particulars on the different types of visas.

There are two possible ways of receiving a visa. The consulate can send you the visa by mail. In this case it is needed to write a cover letter, and include a prepaid self addressed envelope. 

You may apply for a visa in person. Than you will be issued a slip with a number. When you come to pick up your visa, please do not forget this slip. They do require it.

There are some rules for people visiting Russian Federation. On your arrival your passport must be registered and stamped by a visas' department at every single city where are you staying during the visit. You must register within 3 days from your arrival. This procedure takes two minutes and personal presence is not required. Registration can be done by the administration of the hotel where you live, for example.

When you leave Russia, they will collect the visa on the border, so save your tickets if you ever need to prove you have been in Russia.

The most common type of visa that foreigners use to visit Russia is tourist visa.

In addition to the papers mentioned, this requires:
1) A letter from your travel agent in your country, containing the following information:
2) A "tourist voucher".

Tourist voucher is a confirmation from a Russian tour operator, that you have booked a hotel and they are responsible for your staying. Most Russian hotels will issue the voucher for you when you book accommodation there.

Another type of visa is business visa. You don't need tourist voucher to receive this type of visa, but an invitation from a Russian company is required.

The invitation must be issued by an organization that is registered with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. In order to obtain a multi-entry visa, the hosting organization must apply to the Russian Foreign Ministry for authorization.

If you visit Russia on the business visa, you can stay wherever you want, at hotel or private apartments, and you don't have to book in advance.

One can also visit Russia with a private invitation, too. Usually processing of the application takes anything from 2 to 4 months, and one cannot receive any information when her application will be processed. If you wish to visit Russia on a private invitation, take the time matters in consideration. The rest is the same as for business visas.

Do not forget to carefully check your visa when receive it. If there is any misspelling or mistake, you will be refused in entering Russia. If there is some, return the visa to the embassy for corrections. This is another reason why you should take care of your visa well in advance. If you send documents by mail, add some time for delivery.

There are also companies providing assistance in receiving Russian visas hassle-free. We recommend Russia-Visa, which is fast, reliable and reasonably priced. They offer tourist and business visas invitations and full visa processing service.

For the correct information you may visit the official site of Russian Embassy in your country.
The official site of Russian Embassy in the USA is http://www.russianembassy.org/ , you can also download the forms there.

http://www.womenrussia.com/visas.htm