What Visa to Issue for a Foreigner to Russia?

Does everyone need a visa?

Russia has visa-free agreements with some countries. The need to obtain a visa for a specific citizenship can be found on the website of the Russian Consular service of the Foreign Ministry. Pay attention to countries of the Middle East, Asia, and Africa that require special additional steps and documents to obtain a visa. You can check the information at the Consulate or at inbound tourism companies that invite foreigners in Russia, such as visatorus.com.

What documents are required to obtain a visa?*

1. a travel passport that is valid for at least 6 months from the end of the visa and has at least two blank pages;

2. application form printed and signed by the applicant;

3. color photos, size 3.5 x 4.5 cm, taken no later than 6 months before the visa is issued;

4. a medical insurance policy that is valid in the Russian Federation and covers the entire period of the trip;

5. invitation / voucher. You cannot apply for a visa to Russia without this document.

For more information, please contact the Consulate or visa application center of the country where you plan to obtain a visa.

What types of visa are the easiest to apply for?

The simplest type of visa is a tourist visa.

The period of stay in the Russian Federation on a tourist visa is no more than 30 days (for the United States and Japan, the terms may differ**). You can make a single or double entry. To get a visa, you will need a tourist invitation / voucher.

You can get it very quickly and inexpensively, for example, through a tour company. The voucher is sent to your email address, and when applying for a visa, you only need to provide a printed copy. Any information can be clarified at the Consulate or Embassy.

If the trip is planned for more than 30 days, you may need a business visa. You cannot work with this visa.

An invitation is also required for such a visa. Depending on your citizenship, preferences, and previous visa requirements, it can be presented in different formats:

1) invitation from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (former FMS)

The original of the received invitation must be provided to the Consulate when applying for a visa. You can apply with the original in a chosen country and city where there is a Russian Consulate. The invitation can also be in electronic format, but you must indicate the specific country and city where the visa is issued in advance. This is a more practical and convenient option for those who have already decided where to get a visa. This type of invitation is issued for a period of up to 12 months.

2) official invitation letter from the organization

The invitation letter is issued on the company's letterhead. A scanned copy of the letter must be submitted to the Russian Consulate. This type of invitation can be issued for a period of up to 3 and 5 years, depending on the citizenship and the availability of multiple business visas for the last 2 years.

3) electronic invitation from the Foreign Ministry (telex)

All information about the invitation is sent from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Russian Consulate in the city that you specified earlier, in the application form, and when submitting documents to the Consulate, you only need to tell the telex number. This type of invitation is only available for citizens of the European Union, the United States, and Japan. This invitation can be issued for up to 12 months.

*Before applying for a visa, check with a Russian Consulate what documents they require.

**There is an agreement between Russia and these countries, under which citizens can request a multi-visa for 3 years in the visa application form when providing a tourist voucher for a period of 30 days. All information must be clarified, as it depends on the Consul.

For any additional documents that may be asked for, it is better clarify at the Consulate in advance.

Usually it takes no more than 14 days for the Consulate to issue a visa.