All other sites that provide Russian visa are NOT AUTHORIZED AGENCIES but simply private businesses that act as intermediaries and make the last price tag of the visa a good deal more. Applying for a visa and gathering the essential documentation can take some moment, so I suggest beginning the process about four or five weeks beforehand. It's because of this that I want to explain in detail how a US or Canadian citizen can get a visa to go to Russia in a simple and inexpensive way without needing to contact intermediary businesses who only add to the total price of the visa.