Russia Visa

Last updated: 1st June 2010.

Russia Visa Exemptions

All foreign nationals should arrange the necessary visas before arrival at the border. Throughout 2010 the Russian government have taken proactive steps towards granting visa free travel in Russia. Recently new agreements have been instated between Russia and Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Turkey and Vietnam. The Russian government have indicated that they would like to open up the scheme to the EU. This process has been less than transparent and is not well publicised. It is in the interest of foreign nationals to check visa requirements at the time of application and before departure.

Russia Visa Extensions

Russian visa extensions must be applied for through the organisation that sponsored your visa (the company who issued your original support documentation). This is another reason to consider the use of an agency such as Real Russia. Visa extensions are usually only considered in emergency situations. Outside these circumstances, you will have to do a visa run. To do this you will need to obtain a fresh invitation to enter Russia, leave the country and submit a new application at a Russian Consulate. At some consulates a new visa can be issued within 24 hours.

Overstaying a Russian Visa

To put it bluntly, DO NOT overstay a Russian visa. The visa issued by the Russian Embassy is both your entry and exit visa. If the visa expires or is lost/stolen then you no longer have a way to leave. You will not be allowed out of Russia until your sponsoring organisation intervenes and obtains an emergency visa extension on your behalf. By Russian law any foreigner who does not have a valid visa may not stay at any kind of hotel, guesthouse or lodging accommodation. This lands you in a bit of a pickle and the consulates do not provide facilities for stranded travellers.

If you do overstay your visa, then you could face sanctions preventing you from re-entry.

Russia Visa: Using an Agency

By far, the easiest way to obtain a visa for Russia, is to use an agency that has built up contacts and knowledge of the application process. A good agency will provide you with visa application forms, which you complete and return along with your passport and a photograph. You provide them with your intended itinerary and they arrange for accommodation along the route, with this done, they can then provide you with a Visa support letter and then cancel the accommodation. The visa support charge covers the non-refundable deposits required for temporary hotel bookings.

When your documents arrive they will check the various application forms for errors. The documentation must tie up perfectly for the application to be successful. If all is in order the application, passport and documentation are then submitted on your behalf. Hopefully five days later you will be in possession of a brand new Russian visa. If you have used a reputable agency, the visa will not be tied to any hostels, hotels or specific itineraries. You will be free to book travel and accommodation as you see fit.

The agency that I have often used to obtain my visa is Real Russia. I have found their service to be fast and reliable. I have phoned them and maintained contact by email and they are always polite and helpful. I have also used Real Russia to secure Russian train tickets, they seem to be much cheaper than the other agencies, however it is always cheapest to buy the tickets at the station or from a hostel. I have been offered tickets by the UlaanBaatar Guesthouse in Mongolia at half the price of those offered by the online agencies.

If you are applying for any additional visas, this may also be an indication that you should use an agency. To access Russia by train, in most circumstances you will require a transit visa for Belarus. For onward travel you may require visas, for Mongolia or China. A dedicated agency with an office in London will be able to process all of the visas in a very short timeframe. The agency fees will should actually save you some pennies if you consider the cost of attending the various Embassies yourself.

Order a visa online from Real Russia

Russian Visa Requirements

  • Russian visa support documentation.
  • A passport valid for 6 months after your Russian visa will expire.
  • A recent passport sized photograph.
  • The consulate application form.
  • Other documentation may be required at certain embassies:
  • For business visa, a letter from your employer.
  • For multi entry / stays in excess of 30 days, a HIV certificate.

Russian Visa at the Embassy

  • Service Charge
  • Normal: £25.85 (7 calendar days)
  • Urgent: £32.90 (next working day)
  • Return postage charge: £7.40

To apply for a visa at the Russian Embassy in London an application form can be downloaded here. Russian visa applications have been outsourced by the consulate to the VFS Global Russian Visa Application Centre.

Visa Fees for UK citizens

  • Transit single entry: 7 day £40, next day £80
  • Transit double entry: 7 day £60, next day £120
  • Private, humanitarian, student or tourist single entry: 7 day £50, next day £100
  • Private, humanitarian, student or tourist double entry: 7 day £65, next day £130
  • Business or working single entry: 7 day £100, next day £200
  • Business or working double entry: 7 day £130, next day £250
  • Business or humanitarian multi-entry: 7 day £200, next day £300

Russian Embassy visa fees for other nationals can be found here.

Real Russia Agency Fees

  • (Including visa support documentation).
  • Standard service of 6-8 days
  • Single visit tourist visa £116.73
  • Double visit tourist visa £143.48

Real Russia visa fees for other nationalities can be found here.

Russia Migration Cards

All foreign nationals entering Russia must obtain and complete a migration card. The first part of the card is deposited with the immigration authorities on entry. The other half is kept throughout your stay and handed in upon departure. Any valuables should be declared at immigration and noted on the form. Otherwise there is a good chance you won’t be allowed to take them back out of the country again.

The migration cards should be available from all ports of entry into the country, they are usually in a literature rack and not immediately obvious to travellers. However, it is your responsibility to obtain one. Once a tourist has entered Russia, there is no facility to obtain another migration card. From time to time, there are limited numbers of the cards at the arrival points, and they have even been known to run out. Under these circumstances there has been no advice issued by the Russian government. A migration card that is lost or stolen, will not usually cause a traveller to be detained in the country, however restrictions may be placed on future re-entry.

Russia Visa Registration

Travellers who are intending to spend more than three days in Russia must register their visa and migration card with the hotel or guesthouse at which they are staying. This has to be done within 72 hours of arrival, excluding holidays and weekends. At each location in Russia, where you stay for three days or more, you must re-register your documentation. If you are unable to register a visa for a period in excess of 3 days, you should retain travel documents or other supporting documentation to explain the discrepancy. Police officers in Russia have the right to inspect your documentation at any time they deem fit. Fines for incorrect paperwork run from $30 – $100 US and are also applicable to your host, as they are responsible for your stay.

An example registration document can be downloaded in PDF format, here

Order a visa online from Real Russia

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