Hello, Rick.
My boyfriend had got visa easily last year.
He got invitation from one russian tourist firm.
Yes, you have to do two trips.
One - to apply for visa and one trip to get your passport with visa from embassy. In our case it was trip from Philly to NY and back.
He did it regardless of my valid american visa (I was travelling every now and then to the USA). He did it just because I invited him to visit me in Saint-Petersburg.
So, some men do not see many (or even any) problems with this subject.
But I think now I will value my boyfriend more)))