About Russian Visas

Foreigners who are planning to visit Russia need visa (except citizens from the countries which Russia has visa-free agreements with). There are different kinds of visas to Russia: tourist, student, diplomatic, business and transit. The most popular are tourist and business visas.

TOURIST VISA TO RUSSIA is given for a short period of stay in Russia with travel purposes and it can be One entry (one entry & one exit) and Double entry (two entries & two exits). It is expected that a tourist will stay in a hotel that is why for such visa tourists need an invitation from a company accredited in Ministry of Foreign Affairs where the hotel is mentioned or an invitation can be sent directly by the hotel where the tourist booked a room for the period of his stay in Russia. It is worth to be mentioned that often copy of invitation is enough to apply for visa in Consulate.
Period of stay in Russia with tourist visa is 30 days maximum, but actually Consulates give visa not more than for 14 – 20 days of stay in Russia, usually it is more than enough for tourist visa. You can apply for tourist visa for more than 20 days of stay, but it could happen very difficult to obtain visa in this case. Most likely you will have to provide Consulate with detailed tour program of stay.

When arriving in Russia you must register your visa within seven days. If a tourist stay in a hotel, the hotel staff will arrange his registration.

To obtain tourist visa to Russia you should submit to the Russian Consulate:

- Original passport with two blank pages (sometimes they may require copies of key pages). Passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the expiration date of visa i.e. the date when you plan to leave Russia;
- Completed and signed application forms for visa in duplicate (issued by the Consulate and posted on their website);
- 1 (or 2) matte photo size 3*4 signed on the back side;
- Proof of payment of consular fee;
- Original or copy (should be clarified at the Consulate) of an invitation, indicating the hotel (hotels) where guest will stay, issued by a tourist company included into the Register of Russian tour operators which has accreditation in Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 Order tourist invitation to Russia

There may be additional requirements, for example, to show tickets (plane, train) to and from Russia, information about incomes, health insurance, etc. (should be clarified at the Consulate).

BUSINESS VISA TO RUSSIA issued for a period of 1 month to 12 months. Such visa can be single, double (periods of 1 to 3 months), multiple (period of 6 to 12 months) – is used to visit Russia on business trips. In case of getting a multiple entry visa number of entries and exits is not limited, also in case you enter Russia under business visa, you are not obliged to stay at a hotel. The only restriction on attendance is that foreigner can spend in Russia not more than 90 days (3 months) during each period of 180 days (half a year).
To obtain business visa to Russia you will need special invitation, issued by government agencies or the Federal Migration Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and is valid only in original at the Consulate.

When arriving in Russia you must register your visa within seven days. In case you stay in a hotel, you will be registrated there, but only for the period you really stay in this hotel, if you move to another hotel or apartment you visa should be registrated once more.

To obtain business visa to Russia you should submit to the Russian Consulate:

- Original passport with two blank pages (sometimes they may require copies of key pages). Passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the expiration date of visa i.e. the date when you plan to leave Russia;
- Completed and signed application forms for visas in duplicate (issued by the Consulate and posted on their website);
- 1 (or 2) matte photo size 3*4 signed on the back side;
- Proof of payment of consular fee;
- If visa is requested for a period of more than 3 months you have to submit a certificate of absence of HIV infection;
- Electronic business invitation (Telex) issued of the Ministry of interior.

 Order business invitation to Russia

There may be additional requirements, for example, to show tickets (plane, train) to and from Russia, letter of guarantee from the host, information about incomes, health insurance, etc. (should be clarified at the Consulate).