Russia visa types

Are you planning to visit magnificent Russia? The first thing you might think about is “How to get Russia visa”? In this article we will go through visa policy of Russia and everything you need to know about Russia visa types!

To enter the Russian Federation, foreign nationals must have a visa. A foreign citizen can apply for various different sorts of visas. You can submit the appropriate paperwork to the Consulate once you've decided on the right Russia visa type.

Application for Russia visa

Personal, mail-in, or agent-submitted applications are all acceptable options. If applying via mail, a registered delivery service should be used. The applicant or an agent acting on the applicant's behalf can fill out the application. All forms, however, must be personally examined and signed by the applicant.

To get a Russia visa, you must first understand the requirements, then carefully prepare and submit the required documents to the Consulate. When you receive your visa, double-check that the information on it is correct, as the Consulate will not be held liable for any visa errors that are not brought to the consular staff's attention before your departure.

Requirements for Russia visa:

• To obtain a Russian visa, one must first obtain a Russian visa invitation from the Ministry of Internal Affairs' Passport and Visa Department or specially authorized travel firms.
• The following documents must be submitted to the Consulate:
• A valid passport with at least two blank visa-designated pages and a validity period of at least six months following the intended departure date.
• Two passport-size photos of the applicant;
• Two copies of a completed and signed Russian visa application form.

Some types of Russian visas may have additional requirements. Medical insurance, work documents, or Residence permits, HIV certificates for a stay for more than 3 months are examples of additional documents that may be required to be submitted.

If you meet all requirements for Russia visa and your information is correct and clear, will your application be evaluated?

Fees and Rights at the Consulate: Russia visa cost

Consular fees are paid to have your documents reviewed. Visa payments are non-refundable,and they do not guarantee that a visa will be issued. The average Russia visa cost is around 160 USD, in addition to the visa fee applicants are required to pay the Russia Visa Centre Service Charge of 38 USD including VAT) for each application for Russia visa. However, it may change depending on your nationality.

The Consulate reserves the authority to invite the candidate for a personal interview. Personal and business questions, as well as questions about your Russian contacts, may be asked.

Russia Electronic Visa

An electronic visa allows citizens of 52 countries to enter Russia and travel across the country. The new regulations took effect on January 1, 2021. On the Russian Foreign Ministry's website, a complete list of countries for whom electronic visas to Russia are available is accessible. How much is Russia visa in its electronic version? It costs less than a visa made in an embassy, so at the moment, the price is around 40 USD.

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 Russia Electronic Visa allows for only one entry. It normally has a 60-day validity term from the date of registration. At the same time, a foreign citizen's permitted to stay in the Russian Federation is limited to 16 days from the date of admission.

Russia free visa countries and exceptions

According to Russian Federation law, cruise or ferry passengers are the only visitors visiting Russia who are allowed to stay on the Russian Federation's territory without a visa for up to 72 hours.

On the other hand, cruise passengers are only allowed to stay in Russia for 72 hours without a visa if they have booked tours through firms that the Russian government legally licenses. Such firms will give you a tour ticket, often known as a blanket visa or booking confirmation, and will allow you to pass through customs/immigration offices with only your valid passport and migration card. To obtain a tour ticket, you must first obtain a tour program from our organization and submit a photocopy of your passport. The tour ticket will be emailed to you, and you should take it with you while going through port customs.

This visa exemption is only available to those who travel in a group and do not intend to visit the cities on their own. Cruise passengers can hire any authorized local travel agency (not just cruise ship tour firms).

Procedures and conditions for issuing visas: Visa Policy of Russia

Diplomatic visas:

Diplomatic visas are issued to the following foreign nationals holding a diplomatic passport:

Service visas:

Service visas are issued to the following foreign nationals holding an official passport:

Ordinary private visas:

Ordinary private visas are issued to foreign nationals entering the Russian Federation on a visit on the basis of an invitation to enter the Russian Federation, issued at the request of a citizen of the Russian Federation or a foreign national who has received a residence permit in the Russian Federation, or a legal entity.

Ordinary business visas:

Ordinary business visas are issued to foreign nationals entering the Russian Federation for business purposes.

Ordinary Russia tourist visas:

Ordinary tourist visas are issued to a foreign national entering the Russian Federation as a tourist for up to 1 month or on the basis of the principle of reciprocity for up to six months (part four as amended by Federal Law No 522-FZ of 31.12.2014). An ordinary tourist visa may only be a single-entry or double-entry visa.

The basis for issuing an ordinary tourist visa is a confirmation of admission of a foreign tourist in a prescribed form by a Russia visa centre.

Only Russian tourist firms, operating in the field of international inbound tourism, included in the Unified Federal Register and possessing a reference number assigned to them by Rostourism, have the right to issue visas to foreign tourists.

For a regular Russian tourist visa, the following documents must be submitted to the KZU:

- the above-mentioned tourist documents;

- valid passport;

- completed and printed out visa application form (place of visa issuance - Consular Department of the Embassy of Russia);

- one photo of specified size (3,5x4,5);

- copies of submitted documents;

- medical insurance policy (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Germany);

- A document entitling the foreign national to stay for a continuous period of more than 90 days if the foreign national applies for a visa in a country other than that of his or her nationality.

Ordinary study visas:

Ordinary study visas are issued to foreign nationals entering the Russian Federation to study at an educational institution on the basis of an invitation on a protected form of the established pattern issued by a territorial body of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.

Ordinary work visas:

An ordinary work visa is issued to a foreign national entering the Russian Federation for the purpose of carrying out labour activities only on the basis of an invitation on a secure form of the established pattern issued by a territorial authority of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.

Ordinary humanitarian visas:

Russia visa requirements for ordinary humanitarian visas are issued to foreign nationals entering the Russian Federation for the purpose of scientific, cultural, socio-political, sports or religious relations and contacts, pilgrimage, charitable activities or delivery of humanitarian aid. Ordinary humanitarian visa is issued on the basis of an invitation, a decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia or a decision made in exceptional cases by the head of a diplomatic mission or consular office of the Russian Federation, based on a written application of a foreign citizen for the issue of a visa.

Stay of a foreign citizen in the territory of the Russian Federation with a multiple-entry ordinary humanitarian visa may not exceed 90 days out of every 180 days.

Transit visas:

Transit visas are issued to foreign citizens or stateless persons in the ETC for the purpose of transit passage through the territory of the Russian Federation if these persons are not entitled to visa-free transit.

Transit travel through the territory of the Russian Federation of foreign citizens and stateless persons to the state of destination by all types of passenger transport is permitted upon presentation of a Russian transit visa, a visa to enter the state contiguous with the Russian Federation on the route of travel, or a visa of the state of destination or a passport of this state and travel tickets with a confirmed date of exit from the Russian Federation valid for exit from the Russian Federation.