Pirates, their treasures and secrets, exotic plants and clean beaches, as well as the tranquility and friendly attitude towards guests of this tropical country in the Caribbean make Puerto Rico a popular destination among tourists. Divers look for treasures and explore sunken ships, lovers of antiquities will find museums and monuments from the era of Indians and conquistadors, and lovers of sunbathing and active sea recreation will definitely enjoy the numerous beaches.

Do Russians need a visa to travel to this country, or do they accept our tourists in this fertile land without obtaining an entry permit, as in other Latin American countries? To understand this, you need to understand the political structure of the state of Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico is an independent country governed by the United States. In 2012, the population of this island Republic voted in a referendum to become part of the United States.

In fact, despite the fact that Puerto Rico still has its own Constitution, the country lives under US laws, and the same rules govern both visa and customs regimes. Therefore, to travel to Puerto Rico, a visa for Russians must be issued according to American standards.

Types of visas

If you already have one, you will not need additional permits to visit Puerto Rico. If you do not have one, you will need to obtain a visa appropriate for the purpose of your trip.

The American Embassy issues the following types of visas for visiting the United States and Puerto Rico:

  • and for business trips;
  • diplomatic;
  • for crew members of international flights;
  • several special visas - for those coming to exchange experience, for internships, journalists, athletes, participants in cultural events.

Regardless of whether you are planning to travel from the Caribbean to the United States or not, a visa to Puerto Rico for Russians must be issued at the American Embassy.

How to get a US visa

In order to obtain permission to enter Puerto Rico, you need to decide on the purpose of your trip. If your goal is tourism, then you need to prepare documents to obtain a tourist visa.

This can be done in several stages:

  1. First you need to contact the American Embassy with an application form. It can be downloaded in advance from the Embassy website, printed and filled out. You will need to attach a digital photograph in *jpg format to the electronic application form.
  2. Then the consular fee is paid. depends on the type of visa:
  • for students, tourists, transit passengers and those going to work under a contract - $160;
  • for participants of cultural or sporting events – $190;
  • for those marrying US or Puerto Rican citizens – $265.
    You can pay the fee using electronic cards non-cash in rubles or in cash at branches of the Russian Post, VTB-24 Bank and some other banks.
  1. After this, you can sign up for a consultation at the Embassy. To register you will need: information about your international passport; numbers that were indicated on the barcode of the page with the completed questionnaire; payment receipt number. The receipt is valid for a year. If you were unable to receive the long-awaited stamp during this time, you will have to pay the fee again.
  2. The next step will be to prepare all the documents that are required to obtain the required permit.

After reviewing the documents, the Embassy issues a visa. Registration can take quite a long time, sometimes up to a month, so it’s better to worry about preparing for the trip in advance.

Documentation

To obtain a visa, the following documents must be submitted to the Embassy:

  • general Russian passport, possible;
  • a valid international passport for at least six months and an old one with completed pages;
  • application form, completed and printed;
  • a printed invitation to a consultation at the Embassy;
  • two photographs, size 5 x 5;
  • documents confirming income: bank statement, receipts, sponsorship letter, etc.;
  • , which indicates the position, salary and a guarantee that the job will be maintained during the vacation.

Sometimes the Consulate may request additional documents: an invitation, certificates confirming family ties, confirmation of reservation at the place of residence.

If you have all the documents and reliable information specified in the application form, there are usually no difficulties in obtaining a visa. Its validity period can be from one to three years, depending on the purpose of the trip. The duration of stay is usually limited to the period indicated on the application form or tickets. If necessary, the validity of the permit can always be extended; to do this, you just need to pay an additional hundred dollars.

Traveling with children

Minors will need a visa to obtain a visa if they have a separate passport or a parent’s passport, which contains information about the child; birth certificate; a copy of the visa of the parent with whom the child is traveling.

Those who have already reached the age of fourteen will have to go through the same procedures and prepare the same documents as adults.

When traveling underage children without parents or with one of them, a notarized permission to travel outside the country is required from the second parent or both.

Customs requirements

Travelers to Puerto Rico should be aware of and follow customs regulations that apply to certain items brought into the country. For example, only those over 21 years of age are allowed to import alcohol or tobacco products. And only in limited quantities: alcohol - no more than one liter, cigarettes - up to 200 pieces.

It is prohibited to import the following products:

  • meat and dairy products, eggs;
  • rare animals, including insects;
  • fish of all kinds, caviar;
  • cigars made in Cuba;
  • narcotic substances;
  • weapon;
  • lighters, matches.

Souvenir products can only be entered if their value is limited to $100.

Crossing the border may be difficult if you have items made or purchased in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya, Serbia and Montenegro.

It is quite possible to obtain a visa to travel to Puerto Rico by going through all the necessary steps yourself. This requires basic knowledge of the English language, attentiveness and competence. Moreover, if you have had American visas in the past, if their validity expired no later than 11 months, the Embassy may accommodate you and allow you to skip the interview.

Those who need help filling out an application or preparing documents can contact travel agencies or firms providing visa services. However, you will still have to attend the interview in person, and the participation of intermediary agencies does not in any way guarantee that you will receive a visa.