Visa Required—Russia (main trip) Visa Not Required—Estonia, Finland, and Romania (optional extensions) For U.S. citizens, visas are required for entry into Russia. For further information, you can contact the countries’ tourist boards at the phone numbers and addresses listed in this handbook in the “Reference Materials” section, under Tourist Board Addresses.
RUSSIA—visa required: We will send you the visa application and an instruction sheet explaining how to complete it approximately 100 days before your departure. You should send your completed application to PVS approximately 90 days before your departure. Applying for your visa within 30 days of your departure will result in additional expenses and fees. The additional fees are charged directly by the Russian Embassy and can range between $100-$300 per person, depending on how close to departure you apply.
ESTONIA. FINLAND, and ROMANIA—visa NOT required for U.S. citizens. It is very important that you apply for your visa through PVS International–obtaining a Russian visa on your own through an embassy or consulate is a complicated and bureaucratic process. It requires a letter of sponsorship that must be supplied by the Russian government. PVS is able to work within this restriction when your application is processed through them, but for legal reasons cannot assist you with applying directly to the embassy. Travelers who do choose to apply for this visa on their own often encounter problems with processing their visa and may be prohibited from entry into Russia. Details on obtaining your visa through PVS International will be included with your application. No U.S. Passport? Non-U.S. citizens or non-U.S. passport holders: If you are not a U.S. citizen or if you possess a passport from a country other than the U.S., it is your responsibility to check with your local consulate or embassy about possible visa requirements. For your convenience, we recommend the services of PVS International, who can also assist in this regard.