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Russian Visa: A Complete Guide
This article is a complete and updated guide on how to obtain a visa for Russia. In this article, we are going to cover the following points (you can click on them to jump directly to the point which interests you):
- How long does it take, how much does it cost and where to go to get a Russian visa
Do I need a visa for Russia?
Yes, for the majority of passports you need a visa to enter Russia. However, there are a few exceptions, as I specify below:
- Stay of a maximum of 72h: Passengers who arrive at St. Petersburg in cruise ships (as long as you sleep on the boat).
- Stay of up to 90 days: Citizens of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldavia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine.
- Stay as a tourist of up to 90 days: Citizens of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Israel, Nicaragua, Peru, Venezuela.
- Non-working stay up to 30 days: Citizens of Cuba, Montenegro, Serbia (biometric passport), Thailand, Turkey and Hong Kong (up to 14 days).
- Stay as a tourist with an agency of up to 30 days: Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia.
How long does it take to get a Russian visa?
Normally, to obtain the visa, it takes 10 business days for standard processing and 3 working days for express processing.
How much does it cost?
The prices vary greatly depending on your nationality. As an example, for US citizens 50 USD for standard and 100 USD for express. For European citizens, the cost is 35 EUR for standard processing and 75 for express.
Where to apply for the visa?
You can check on this website the places where you can apply for a Russian visa in your country.
The different types of visas for Russia (and the requirements for obtaining them)
The basic requirements for obtaining a Russian visa are:
- Signed and completed application form: You can download the form by clicking here.
- Passport: The passport has to have at least 6 months of remaining validity and two empty pages.
- A recent photo: A color photo with a white background and with size 1 3/8 x 1 3/4 inches (3х4 cm).
- Invitation letter: The letter of invitation must be issued by an authorized organization (see below to find out how to get a letter of invitation).
Other requirements
- Travel insurance policy: This requirement is only for European citizens of one of the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Hungary, Greece, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Germany, Finland, France, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland and Estonia. Click here to read our suggestions on obtaining a health insurance policy for travelers.
- Residency permit: If you are applying for the visa in a country other than your own, in the majority of cases, you will have to present a residency permit which shows your legal status in the country.
Source: http://www.saporedicina.com/english/russian-visas-a-complete-guide/
