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Russian Visa Application Form

The Russian online visa allows you to visit Russia for a range of reasons for up to 16 days. Many travelers choose to enter the country with an e-visa, thanks to the simple application form.

The application process for a Russian e-visa is straightforward. Providing you’re eligible to apply, the online platform is the easiest way to get a visa for your trip .

This guide takes you through the online e-visa application, with step-by-step instructions on how to apply.

Russia e-visa Application Steps

You can request an electronic visa for Russia by following 3 simple steps :

• Complete the e-visa form
• Pay the application fee
• Receive the e-visa by email

The entire process is completed online . You do not need to visit en embassy or consulate in person, and all required documents are submitted digitally.

1. Complete the Russia e-visa application form

We’ve simplified the Russia e-visa form so that it’s as quick and easy as possible to complete.

You only need to provide some basic details about yourself and your travel plans. These include:

Personal Information :

• Date of birth
• Citizenship
• Country of birth
• Place of birth

Passport data :

• Country of passport
• Issuing authority
• Passport number
• Expiry date

Contact details :

• Email address
• Telephone number

Travel plans :

• Date of entry

2. Pay the Russia e-visa processing fee

The final step before submitting your online visa application is paying the Russia e-visa processing fee. Our fee includes:

• Expert application review
• Correction of any mistakes or missing information
• 24/7 contactable team of experts
• Data protection and secure payment processing

You can pay the Russia e-visa fee quickly and securely through our online payment system . All you need is a valid debit or credit card that’s approved for online payments.

3. Receive your approved e-visa for Russia

Once you’ve submitted your Russia e-visa application you’ll receive a confirmation email to the address you provided on your form. Within 4 days from this date (can be up to 6 days) you’ll receive another email stating the outcome of your application.

Providing your e-visa request is successful, the email will have your approved e-visa attached as a PDF document . You can then download and print your visa ready for your trip.

Countries That Can Apply for Russian Online Visa

Russia e-visa Processing Time

Our Russia e-visa service is designed to take just a few minutes to complete , thanks to the simplified online form.

Once you’ve submitted your application, processing times are fast. Most applicants receive an answer within 4 days , though it can take up to 6 days in some cases.

We advise you to allow at least 6 days for your visa request to be processed, to ensure you receive your Russian visa in time for your trip.

Russia Online Visa Application Checklist

You should ensure that you meet all the criteria listed below before starting the Russia e-visa application process:

Once you’ve confirmed that you meet all of these requirements you can begin to apply for your Russia e-visa .

Benefits of Applying for a Russia e-visa

The Russia online visa has a number of benefits compared to traditional visas:

Thanks to these benefits, most travelers choose to use our e-visa service to get their visa for Russia quickly and with minimal effort .

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Everything You Need to Know About Russia’s New E-Visas

Citizens of 52 countries will be able to visit Russia with an electronic visa starting Jan. 1, 2021, according to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s order published Wednesday. 

While Russia’s borders have partially reopened following a nearly total border shut-down in the spring, most foreigners are still not able to enter the country.  The e-visa system is expected to boost Russia’s tourism industry — which has already lost at least $7 billion in revenue since pandemic restrictions were introduced in late March — once borders reopen.

Here is a closer look at how the e-visa program will work:

Who is eligible? 

• Citizens of 52 countries, including EU member states, China, India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Japan. 
• E-visa holders can enter Russia for tourism, business and humanitarian activities as well as for private reasons such as visits to Russian relatives or friends. 

How to get it? 

• Eligible visitors will be able to apply for a visa on a special website administered by the Russian Foreign Ministry or through a mobile application. 
• Applicants will be asked to fill out a form, upload a photo and scanned copy of their passport and pay a $40 processing fee. Children under the age of six are exempt from the processing fee. 
• E-visa applicants are not required to submit an invitation letter, proof of accommodation or ticket bookings. 

How long will it take?

• Applications will be processed in no more than 4 days.
• The visas will be valid for 60 days from the day of issuance. 
• A single e-visa allows foreigners to remain in Russia for up to 16 days. Visitors have to obtain a new visa each time they plan to enter Russia.

What to do at the border? 

• E-visa holders can enter Russia through 29 border crossings , including international airports in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Krasnodar and Novosibirsk. 
• Visitors will need to present a printed copy of their e-visa notification as well as a valid passport at border control. 

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Types of Visa to Russia

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Most foreign tourists need to obtain a Russian travel visa before visiting Russia. Depending on the purpose and length of visit one can apply for different types of visa.

• Electronic Visa

Citizens of 52 countries are able to enter Russia on an electronic visa and move around all over the country. The new rules came into force on January 1, 2021. A complete list of countries for which electronic visas to Russia are available is published on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

An electronic visa can be issued for tourist, business, humanitarian and guest trips. Unlike a regular visa, an electronic one does not require a personal presence and is issued via the Internet. To obtain it, a foreigner needs to fill in a special form on the Foreign Ministry website and attach passport details and a photo. The application must be sent at least four calendar days before the expected date of travel to Russia. No need for an invitation, vouchers, or any other documents confirming the purpose of the trip.

The unified e-visa is a single entry visa. Its validity period is usually 60 days from the date of registration. At the same time, the permitted period of stay of a foreign citizen in the Russian Federation is no more than 16 days from the date of entry.

• Tourist Visa

A Russian tourist visa is issued for those travelers who visit Russia for tourism purposes. This type of visa is the most popular one, as it's the least expensive and the easiest to get. Tourist visas are valid for up to 1 month and allow either a single or double entry and exit. A tourist visa cannot be extended.

To obtain a Russian tourist visa visitors should confirm accommodation and invitation from a travel agency or another organization authorized by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If you book accommodation or a package tour with us, we will provide you visa support letter together with your confirmation voucher. If you book accommodation on your own, you can obtain a visa support letter from your hotel or a travel agency where you book accommodation. This letter must include a voucher with the certain dates of your stay in Russia and the address of your stay.

• Business Visa

Business people can apply for a Russian business visa that can be valid for a period of up to 1 year. A Business visa can be single-entry, double-entry, and multiple-entry. Single-entry and double-entry visas are valid for 1 or 3 months. Multiple-entry visas are valid for 3, 6, or 12 months.

To obtain a Russian business visa a business invitation issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry, by its regional representatives or special local offices of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is required.

Business visas can be also used for non-business purposes. This kind of visa is recommended in case you are going to visit Russia more than once within a certain period of time.

Please note that the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will not process applications for business visas earlier than 45 days before the first stated date of entry.

• Visitor's Visa

Russia visitor's visa (it is also called a homestay or a private visa) is issued for visitors who have relatives or friends in Russia. This type of visa can be valid for a period from one day to three months. A visitor's visa can be only used for one entry.

To obtain a visitor's visa to Russia it's necessary to receive a private visa invitation from your Russian friends or relatives, issued by the local department of Passport and Visa Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The invitation should be mailed to you in original.

Please note that an invitation letter from your friends or relatives cannot be considered an official invitation valid for obtaining a visa to Russia.

• Student Visa

A Student visa is required to study in the Russian Federation. Student visas are valid for the whole period of your study program. This type of visa is single-entry.

To obtain a Russian student visa, a letter of invitation from a university or school in Russia is required.

• Transit Visa

Transit Visa is required for travelers who visit other countries via Russia. Transit visas are valid for not more than 72 hours and can be single-entry or double-entry.

To obtain this type of visa, visitors don't need any invitations or visa support. The Consulate will issue a transit visa provided that you present a copy of your travel documents, including a copy of your visa to the country of destination.

Transit visas are not required for lay-overs, which last less than 24 hours without leaving the international area at the airport.

• Cruise Passengers

Cruise ship passengers traveling by ship from any other countriy can currently visit Russia on a visa-waiver scheme provided the stop in the port of call doesn't exceed 72 hours and tourists stay overnight onboard the cruise ship.

Cruise passengers may disembark from the ship without a tourist visa if they participate in tours organized by travel companies. Passengers not participating in tours and wishing to disembark will need to obtain a Russia tourist visa.

Cruise passengers cannot obtain a visa in Russia. Visas are issued in the country of residence before departure.

• Visa Registration and Migration Cards read

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How to Get a Russian Visa: Step by Step Guide

Click Here to Start the Application Process  

Which Type of Visa to Get?

If you're not sure which type of visa you need, there is a simple rule:

• If you are traveling for less than 30 days , a tourist visa is fine. • If you want to stay longer than 30 days , a business visa is better. • If you are from the US , you can get a tourist / business visa valid for 3 years , but your first visit should be less than 30 days (you can come back after). If you are still unsure which visa to get, check out our Russian Visa Types page or  t weet us  @waytorussia   or contact us on Facebook or Instagram • There are also private and student invitations available. In order to get them, you have to contact your friends or an education institution (e.g. language schools) in Russia. Be aware that these invitations usually take about a month to process, require lots of paperwork, and the originals should be presented to the consulate. But with the student visas you get visas with unlimited stay, so it may be an advantage.

Do You Need to Know Your Itinerary?

While you have to specify the cities you are planning to visit when you are applying for visa support, they will not be written in your actual visa. So you can freely change your plans and travel and stay wherever you want.

Can You Stay Where You Want?

You can stay both in hotels and in private apartments (e.g. AirBnB). Your Russian visa invitation document is a confirmation from a travel agency that they will be responsible for you during your trip and it may contain a list of hotels where you might be staying. However, these hotels are not listed in your actual visa and you are not obliged by the law to stay in these hotels.

What about Visa-free Travel and e-Visa?

Also, while nationals of most countries, including the USA, UK, EU, and Australia need a visa to travel to Russia, you might not need a visa for a short visit if you're from a country in South America (check the full list of countries that have visa free travel with Russia ). Also, we recommend you to avoid getting your visa support from a hotel, as they "lock" people into a fixed itinerary or limit their visa validity to the period of their reservation.  

Also, if you are a EU national (except for UK) and traveling to Kaliningrad or St. Petersburg for maximum up to 8 days , you can apply for the new e-visa to Russia , You will not be able to travel outside of the region you're traveling to (so no visits to Moscow or Trans-Siberian) and this visa type is quite restrictive, but it's perfectly good for a short trip to St. Petersburg.

Step 2: Submit the Russian Visa Application Form

  Once you have your invitation (Russian visa support), you need to fill out the application form for a Russian visa on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website .  

This usually takes about an hour and you can then print it out and book an online appointment at one of the Russian visa centers once this step is done.

You will need to prepare the following documents to fill out your Russian visa application:  

• Travel Passport Should be valid at least 6 months after your Russian visa will expire and contain at least two clear pages - for the visa and the migration card. • Two Passport-size Photographs Should be recent and good quality. • Russian Visa Application Form Fill it out online and print it out from Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MID) website visa.kdmid.ru  – only after you have obtained your visa support documents  ( tourist or business ), which contain the information you'll need to provide in the visa application form. If you are unsure how to fill it out, read our guide that explains  how to fill out the Russian visa application form . • Consulate-Specific Documents: Health Insurance, Letters of Employer, etc. You will most likely need to buy a travel insurance for Russia valid for the period of your visa (required for EU and US citizens — you can buy it online here ). Almost all consulates will require an HIV certificate if you are traveling to Russia on a business visa for 3 months or longer or require a multiple-entry visa.  In case you apply for a business visa, some consulates may require a letter from your employer confirming you work for the company and travel to Russia for business purposes. If you're applying for a tourist visa in France, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, or Taiwan you will need to present an itinerary that details every day of your stay in Russia. Simply detail your journey using the format here (download doc or pdf document) and send it to your visa support agency, so they get it back to you signed and stamped.

Step 3: Apply for a Russian Visa

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How to obtain a Russian visa

Russian National Tourist Office can help you secure your Russian Visa from the UK.

1. First of all, make sure that you require a Russian Visa to enter Russia.

Passport holders from certain countries do not require a Visa to enter Russia. To see the list of countries and terms of entry, please click here . British passport holders require a visa to travel to the Russian Federation.

2. Find out what type of visa you need to apply for.

There are many types of Visas, and knowing which one you need is essential:

Tourist Visa – valid up to 30 days with a maximum of two entries into the country

Multiple Entry Tourist Visa – valid for 180 days and has no limit on the number of entries.

Business Visa – valid for 90 days and allows a maximum of two entries. This Visa allows you to conduct business meetings in Russia.

Multiple Entry Business Visa – valid for 365 days and has no limit on the number of entries.

Transit visa – can be valid up to 30 days and allows a maximum of two entries. This Visa allows you to stay in Russia for transit purposes only.

Private Visa – valid up to 90 days and allows a maximum of two entries. This Visa is intended for private purposes.

Multiple Entry Private Visa – valid for 365 days and has no limit on the number of entries.

Humanitarian Visa – can be valid for up to 365 days and may have no limit on the number of entries. This type of Visa is intended for cultural, sports and charity purposes.

Student Visa – valid for up to several years, it is intended for students.

Work Visa – valid for up to several years, this Visa is intended for people who are constantly employed in Russia.

3. Complete a short registration form on this website.

This form is available at https://visa.visitrussia.org.uk/

On the last page of the order form, you will be provided with guidance on how to complete a Visa Application Form. It has to be filled in online on this website . Please follow the correct instructions given at step 5 of the Russian National Tourist Office’s online application form to ensure your application is successful.

4. Major documents to be submitted for a Russian Visa.

Regardless of the type of visa you are applying for, you will need to submit:

– original passport

– the visa application form

– a recent passport-size photograph NOT OLDER THAN 6 MONTHS

– booking form

– additional documents could be required if you are not a UK national

5. Additional documents (for non-UK nationals).

Certain applicants (non-UK nationals) may require additional documents such as Settled or Pre-Settled Status, bank statements or flight booking confirmation. You can check the documents you require and start the application process here .

6. Submitting your documents and biometrics.

Please note that on 10 December 2014, Russian Consulates in the United Kingdom launched fingerprinting technology for all types of visas. This means that every applicant will be required to attend our office in person for the biometric scanning procedure. Our services operate as before. You may apply at our office in person or submit documents by post before coming to our office to submit your biometrics. Once we receive your documents by post, we prepare them for submission and invite you to visit us in London at 202 Kensington Church Street, London, W8 4DP .

The biometric scanning procedure operates Monday to Friday 9am until 1pm, however office is opened until 6pm.

Out-of-hours paid service is available now. We can accept applications for Russian visas between 8:30-9:00 (by appointment only).

We also offer a Remote Biometric Collection service. Experienced visa officers can come to your office or home anywhere in the UK to collect your fingerprints and securely deliver this information to the Embassy for their decision. This is a chargeable service, follow this link to find out more: https://www.visitrussia.org.uk/visas/getting-a-russian-visa/biometric-data/

7. How long must you wait for a Russian Visa?

There are several services available – from as little as two working days! You can check which service is more suitable for you and start the application process here.

APPLY FOR RUSSIAN VISA NOW