Russian Visa obtaining difficulties and solution.

The main feature which brings problem is: Consulates demand that EVERY day of your stay in Russia must be reserved in a hotel/hostel and paid beforehand. One must be ready to prove that if the Consulate asks.
If you reserve (and pay) 30 days in a Moscow hotel and have a voucher from the hotel for 30 day stay - there will be absolutely NO problems with 30 day Russian visa. Problems may occur if you have actual reservations for 10 days but wish to have visa period for 20-30 days.

Officially there must be only 2 documents/forms from 'host' company: "Voucher" and "Confirmation of Hosting". Your places of stay and hotels for the whole period must be mentioned there along with mentioning of full payment for the services.

Visa is not a right but a permission. If Consulate wishes it can ask for ANY additional documents. For example Western Consulates always ask official confirmation of salary from Russians additionally to many other documents.

Russian Consulates sometimes ask for direct confirmation of stay from hotel (a direct receipt or direct Voucher from hotel). The difference in comparison with "standard" visa support is that this must be not from host company but from a hotel. This direct hotel confirmation may be received through host company if you really reserve rooms from them or from hotel if you reserve directly.

A host company can put 30 day of visa period in their official visa support (Voucher+Confirmation). However exact hotel(s) and places must be mentioned in that visa support.
A Consulate (an officer) can accept this and issue Russian visa. In many cases they do so. However he can ask for direct confirmation from hotel(s) for the whole period if he suspects you do not have full reservations. If you can not show that hotel confirmation most likely your visa application will be rejected.

- Ask for smaller visa period.
Normally Consulates do not ask for hotel confirmations if your stay is less than 15-16 days. 16-21 day period is risky. If you ask for 21-30 days you can be almost sure you will be asked about direct hotel confirmations.

- Follow our recommendations (we send them with visa support) precisely.
For example: If you order only our 8 day Elbrus tour but wish to have 15 day visa support we confirm 15 days of stay in our Elbrus hotel. Speak with Consulate accordingly - only Elbrus - other places are transit!! If Consulate asks for confirmation from Elbrus hotel for 15 day we can make that. If you inform them about your wish to stay in Moscow they will ask you about confirmation from a Moscow hotel which we can not provide without real reservation.