The Russian embassy and its consulates require that you appear in person when needing to renew your Russian passport in the U.S. Unfortunately they do not offer the option to post applications. This is to ensure safety of your documents and efficiency in dealing with matters in person. The plus side to this is that you will have someone to assist you should you not understand any part of the process. Let us now look at what is involved in renewing your Russian passport in the U.S.
Completing the Application Form
You must obtain the application form from the Russian Consulate where you will apply. Once you are done you must submit the form to the system and print it to take along to your interview at your chosen consulate. Keep in mind that the Russian embassy and consulate websites are all in the Russian language. If your Russian is not great, use Google Chrome as your browser and it will offer you a translate option.
Visiting a Russian Consulate
Once you have filled out the passport application form, you must choose a Russian consulate that covers your jurisdiction to book an interview with. There are Russian consulates, including the Russian embassy, in five U.S locations. These are:
- New York
- San Francisco
- Seattle
- Houston
- Washington Russian embassy
Each has their own open hours and policies which you should look into in order to make a booking for a time and date that will suit you. Find their details here.
Required Documents
To successfully apply for your renewed Russian passport, you need to take along with you a few supporting documents. Here is a list of what you will need:
- Original valid Russian passport or a copy of the page with the photo on if it is absent
- Original plus one copy of a U.S resident permit such as green card, work permit or visa
- 5 photos
- Completed application form both in hard copy and completed and submitted online
- Stamped envelope with return address for sending notice that your new passport is ready
- Application fee of $30 made by money order to the Russian consulate
Passport Photo Regulations
Do not let your photos be the reason that your passport application is denied. It happens often. Below are the photo requirements that should you follow, will leave the passport application process a lot less stressful.
- Photo size: 3.5cm high by 4.5cm wide. Do not crop your photos yourself!
- Photos may be in color or in black and white
- Photos must be taken no later than one month prior to passport application
- Applicant must face forward with eyes open and pointed towards the camera. Do not smile but keep your mouth closed with a natural, neutral expression.
Should you require the expedition of your renewed passport you will have to apply well in advance and communicate this clearly to the person assisting you.
Other than that, be sure that you take along all that is required and the assistant will do the rest. It may be slightly inconvenient to travel to your nearest consulate but it is worth knowing that your application is being handled professionally.
