Well, I didn't actually specify how much my passport photo cost, so for all you know, maybe I DID do it myself for pennies!

I've been a lot places, but never to Russia. Sorry for the dumb question, but do you have to actually purchase an airline ticket prior to the approval of your visa? Thanks for your answers.

No, not in my experience at least.

Thanks for the help.

This is very helpful and appreciated information. Was there any discussion or questions asked by the man of when the visa would be ready or when you needed it? My wife and I are flying to Canada on Aug. 21 and need our passports for that. We're planning to go to the Consulate tomorrow to drop off the paperwork, which would give them 16 days to complete the visa, which should be enough, but we need our passports back on the 21st and $250 seems like too much for the expedited visa fee.

More specifically, a visa expediter does not require you to have a ticket, although if you are applying for a visa directly from the consulate/embassy you need one.

Use the expediter. I'm a DIYer on this sort of thing, and after wasting time dealing with the consulate, it proved infinitely easier to use an expediter.

"Questions of when I needed the visa?" In my case, I wasn't going to any other foreign countries before my trip to Russia, so I wouldn't actually need my passport back until a day or two before the dates requested on my visa application (i.e., in time for my flight to Russia). Anyhow, the consulate guy handed me the slip of paper with the pickup date when I dropped off the application.

But since you have a special situation, you might want to discuss that with them. You are cutting it a bit close. They might even recommend that you pay the expedite fee (times two). I really don't know. Good luck in any case!

Wrong! There is NO requirement to have an air ticket when applying for a visa from the consulate or embassy. There is a (theoretical) requirement to have a confirmed, prepaid hotel reservation; however, the expediter firms can set this up for you, so you don't even need to get your hotel(s) to write confirmation letters for this purpose. Anyhow, on the visa application, there is nowhere to put any flight info, nor do you need to show proof of a flight reservation.

On this subject, here is what the website of the Russian consulate in San Francisco has to say:

http://www.consulrussia.org/eng/fee.html

Of course, I ignored this advice because I wanted to grab an airfare deal and put in my upgrade requests ASAP, and I was reasonably confident I could get the visa in a timely manner.

I agree only to the extent that getting your invitation and tourist confirmation from one of the various firms mentioned here (for $20 or so) is money well spent. But I didn't find it necessary to get the full service from an expediter. However, that is because I was willing and able to hand-carry my passport, application, fee, etc. to the local Russian consulate. If I didn't live near a consulate or embassy, I imagine I would have just paid for full service.

I just came across this thread. Excellent topic for a thread. Maybe the moderator(s) will consider making it a sticky as anyone who goes or plans to go to Russia has to get a visa.

Bully for you -- and for going to the Consulate, too. I figured the $40 to the visa place was well worth it for the time and aggravation saved.

No kudos are deserved on the photo front -- I actually got it at Kinko's, er, Fedex Kinko's, or rather, Fedex Office or whatever it's called today, for a moderate fee (but more than a few pennies).

The motivation for the consulate trip was a combination of 1) wanting to save a few bucks; 2) curiosity/desire for a learning experience; 3) always worrying a bit about mailing important documents such as passports; and 4) liking the instant feedback from the consulate person as to whether my application seems to be in order, and when my passport w/visa will be ready.

(In a similar vein, when I have planned leisure trips to China, I have applied for my visa in person at the SF Chinese consulate.)