GENERAL INFORMATION
To obtain a visa, a foreign citizen should apply to the Russian diplomatic or consular mission at the place of his permanent residence.
Russian diplomatic or consular missions issue visas of the appropriate categories and types, depending on the purpose of the trip and the length of stay of a foreigner in the territory of the Russian Federation.
Regardless of the number of approved entries and validity of visa, the total period of stay of a foreign citizen on the territory of the Russian Federation cannot exceed 90 days during each period of 180 days. This provision does not apply to foreigners entering on work and study visas, as well as multiple-entry private visas issued to close relatives of Russian citizens.
A set of documents for issuing a visa must be submitted personally by the applicant or his legal representative.
A visa is issued only after the submission of a complete set of documents and payment of the visa fee.
After successful submission each applicant will be provided with a receipt indicating the collection date. The receipt must be shown for collection.
Upon collection, an applicant should check the following information in the visa: full name, travel dates, passport number, date of birth, etc. In case there are mistakes, a visa should be immediately returned for correction.
The Russian side reserves the right, if necessary, to request any additional documents, as well as to refuse the applicant a visa without explaining the reasons for such a decision.
In case of refusal to issue a visa, the fee paid is non-refundable.
Visa processing time: from 4 to 20 business days (standard procedure).
Express processing: from 1 to 3 business days (double fee is paid).
Regardless of the category and type of visa, the applicant should submit the following documents:
1) Passport. A valid diplomatic, service (official) and ordinary travel passport or other identity document recognized as such by the Russian Federation can be accepted.
The passport must not raise doubts about the authenticity and belonging to its owner, contain marks, reservations, entries, erasures and corrections, which were not certified by the competent authorities of the relevant foreign state, be torn or have embroidered pages. There should be at least two blank pages intended for visas on one reversal; its validity should not expire earlier than six months from the date of expiration of the visa.
If a foreign citizen applies for an ordinary private visa due to the need to enter the Russian Federation for emergency treatment or due to a serious illness or death of a close relative, the validity of the passport should not expire before the expiration of the visa. Applicants for study or work visa should make sure that the validity of their passports does not expire earlier than 1,5 years from the date of entry to Russia.
2) Completed visa application form. The visa application form should be filled online at the special website of the Consular Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://visa.kdmid.ru.
Visa application form can be filled in Russian or English. After it completion and successful saving in the system, it must be printed on both sides of one sheet of paper. The applicant must personally sign the form. The visa application form for minors can be signed by one of the parents or legal guardians.
Application forms filled out by hand or printed not form the specified website will not be accepted.
3) One photograph, 3.5 x 4.5 cm, on a white background.
The photograph should have a clear image of the full face of the applicant with no tinted glasses or any headgear (an exception can be made only for persons, for whom the constant wearing of a headgear is a mandatory attribute of their national or religious affiliation , provided that the foreign citizen is depicted wearing such a headdress in a passport photograph).
4) Consular fee for issuing a visa (its amount depends on the applicant's citizenship, category and type of visa, availability of a bilateral visa agreement and other factors). The current fee can be found in the relevant section on the website of the Embassy
Payment can be made by cash in US dollars only.
5) Supporting documents depending on the category and type of visa.
Citizens of third countries (not Cambodia) should additionally present a valid Cambodian visa or other document confirming permission for a continuous stay in the country for more than 180 days. This requirement is not applicable to persons applying for transit visa.
Citizens of the European Union and the Schengen area member states, on the basis of reciprocity, should additionally provide medical insurance certificate covering the entire period of the trip. When applying for a multiple-entry visa, the health insurance certificate must cover at least the period of the first entry.
A tourist visa can be issued for the period up to 6 months with single, double or multiple entries. To obtain a tourist visa, the following documents must be submitted:
1. Passport and a copy of its front page;
2. A visa application form filled out on the website https://visa.kdmid.ru, printed on both sides of one sheet of paper;
3. One photograph (3.5 x 4.5 cm, color, on a white background);
4. Confirmation of the reception of a foreign tourist by an organization carrying out tour operator activities and accredited by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Nationals of some countries, including Cambodia (the full list of these states is approved by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of February 16, 2023 № 372-р), can also use a hotel booking, or any other accommodation reservation, registered in the list of certified hotels, ski slopes and beaches to apply for a tourist visa. Hotel booking can be submitted instead of a confirmation of the reception of a foreign tourist (№4 in the list above).
At the same time, such visa can only be single entry, and its validity will be limited to the exact dates of hotel booking.
The hotel booking confirmation must be performed on paper using technical means (typewriters, computers) in Russian, English or in the state language of the country of which the foreign tourist is a citizen, and signed by an authorized employee of the hotel and certified by the hotel seal.
The document should be titled “Confirmation of hotel reservation” and contain the following information:
1. Number and date of issue;
2. Name of the hotel, its actual address and registration number in the list of certified hotels, ski slopes, beaches;
3. Information about the foreign citizen to whom the confirmation was issued (last name, first name(s), date of birth, gender, citizenship, passport number or other document recognized by the Russian Federation as a document proving the identity of a foreign citizen);
4. Date of arrival at the hotel and date of departure from the hotel;
5. Other information about the conditions of booking (at the discretion of the hotel).
Please note that if a foreign citizen cancels his booking after receiving a visa, his tourist visa may be canceled, and a foreign tourist may be brought to administrative responsibility for violating the rules for the stay of foreign citizens on the territory of the Russian Federation, up to not allowing entry into its territory.
A transit visa is issued to a foreign citizen for the purpose of transit through the territory of the Russian Federation.
A transit visa is issued for a period up to 10 days. If you travel by air, its maximum validity can be 3 days only. A foreign citizen making a non-stop flight by air over the territory of the Russian Federation does not need a transit visa.
If you travel by land, a transit visa is issued for the period necessary for transit travel along the shortest route. The indicated period is calculated based on the daily mileage of the vehicle of 500 km.
Foreign citizens transiting through the territory of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Kazakhstan must obtain transit visas.
To obtain a transit visa, the following documents must be submitted:
1. Passport and a copy of its front page;
2. A visa application form filled out on the website https://visa.kdmid.ru, printed on both sides of one sheet of paper;
3. One photograph (3.5 x 4.5 cm, color, on a white background);
4. Travel tickets with a confirmed date of entry and exit from the Russian Federation.
A business visa is issued to a foreign citizen entering the Russian Federation for business purposes. A business visa can be single or double entry for up to 90 days or multiple entry for up to 1 year.
Continuous stay of a foreign citizen on the territory of the Russian Federation on a multiple-entry business visa valid for up to 1 year cannot exceed 90 days during each period of 180 days.
To apply for a business visa, you must submit the following documents:
1. Passport and a copy of its front page;
2. A visa application form filled out on the website https://visa.kdmid.ru, printed on both sides of one sheet of paper;
3. One photograph (3.5 x 4.5 cm, color, on a white background);
4. The original invitation letter issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in paper form or as an electronic invitation (“Telex”);
5. Only for citizens of Australia: a detailed curriculum vitae, compiled in Russian language only.
A private visa is issued for a period of up to 3 months to foreign citizens entering the Russian Federation on a guest visit on the basis of an invitation of a citizen or permanent resident of the Russian Federation. A private visa is also issued to foreigners who travel to Russia for an emergency treatment or due to a serious illness or death of a close relative. In addition, a private visa valid for up to 3 months can be issued to foreign citizens who are participants of the State Program for Assistance in Voluntary Resettlement to Russia, and to their family members, indicated in the certificate of a participant in this state program. A private visa can be single, double or multiple entry.
To apply for a private visa, you must submit the following documents:
1. Passport and a copy of its front page;
2. A visa application form filled out on the website https://visa.kdmid.ru, printed on both sides of one sheet of paper;
3. One photograph (3.5 x 4.5 cm, color, on a white background);
4. The original invitation letter issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in paper form or as an electronic invitation (“Telex”);
From September 1, 2021, Russian citizens have the opportunity to issue a visa invitation for a spouse, parents (adoptive parents), children (adopted), spouses of children, full and half brothers and sisters, grandfathers, grandmothers, grandchildren who are foreign citizens, to obtain private visa.
A single or double entry visa can be issued for a period of no more than three months. A multiple entry visa can be issued for up to 1 year (without limitation on the total period of stay).
Processing time for 1-entry and 2-entry visas is from 5 to 20 working days.
Processing time for multiple-entry visas for 1 year is from 10 to 20 working days.
(No express processing is available for this type of visa).
To apply for such a visa, the following documents are required:
1. A visa application form filled out on the website https://visa.kdmid.ru, printed on both sides of one sheet of paper;
2. One photograph (3.5 x 4.5 cm, color, on a white background);
3. Passport of a foreign citizen (original and copy of the photo page);
4. A valid document (travel passport or national passport) proving the identity of the inviting citizen of Russia (strictly original);
5. Invitation letter of the inviting person (strictly original). The blank letter can be obtained at the Consular Section of the Embassy or requested by e-mail. The letter must be signed either personally at the time of submission of documents, or in advance (in this case, the signature of the inviting person must be certified by a Russian notary public). The letter must be filled in Russian;
6. Documents confirming kinship with the invited foreigner. Documents issued outside of Russia must be legalized (or have an Apostille) and bound with a notarized translation into Russian (original or notarized copy);
7. For 1-year multiple entry visa applicants only: a medical certificate of the absence of HIV infection, received no earlier than 2 months before the date of entry into Russia. This requirement does not apply to foreign citizens and stateless persons who have a spouse, children (including adopted children), parents (including adoptive parents) who are citizens of the Russian Federation.
In accordance with paragraph 4 of the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated 19.08.2024 No. 702 "On the provision of humanitarian support to persons sharing traditional Russian spiritual and moral values", the persons mentioned in paragraph 1 of the Decree may apply for single-entry ordinary private visas for a period of up to three months.
These visas are issued for entry into the Russian Federation for the purpose of subsequently applying to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for a temporary residence permit without taking into account the quota approved by the Government of the Russian Federation and without submitting a document confirming proficiency in the Russian language, knowledge of the history of Russia and the fundamentals of its legislation.
Such visas can only be issued to citizens of foreign countries that implement policies that impose destructive neoliberal ideological attitudes that contradict traditional Russian spiritual and moral values (the list of countries was approved by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 2560-p dated September 17, 2024) and only in the countries included in this list.
Such visas cannot be issued in Cambodia.
A work visa is issued to a foreign citizen entering the Russian Federation in order to carry out labor activities. Such visa can be issued for a period of up to 3 months with the possibility of its subsequent extension by the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia by issuing a multiple-entry visa for the period of validity an employment, labor or other similar contract concluded in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation for the performance of work (rendering of services), but not more than 1 year for each subsequent visa.
Highly qualified specialists (HQS) can immediately obtain a multiple-entry visa for the period up to 3 years.
To apply for a work visa or a HQS work visa, the following documents must be submitted:
1. Passport and a copy of its front page;
2. A visa application form filled out on the website https://visa.kdmid.ru, printed on both sides of one sheet of paper;
3. One photograph (3.5 x 4.5 cm, color, on a white background);
4. The original invitation letter issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in paper form or as an electronic invitation (“Telex”);
A study visa is issued to a foreign citizen entering the Russian Federation for long-term study at an educational institution. Such visa can be issued for a period of up to 3 months with the possibility of its subsequent extension by the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia by issuing a multiple-entry visa for a period the validity of the study agreement concluded in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation in the field of education, but not more than 1 year for each subsequent visa.
To obtain a student visa, the following documents must be submitted:
1. Passport and a copy of its front page;
2. A visa application form filled out on the website https://visa.kdmid.ru, printed on both sides of one sheet of paper;
3. One photograph (3.5 x 4.5 cm, color, on a white background);
4. The original invitation letter issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in paper form or as an electronic invitation (“Telex”);
Humanitarian visas are issued to foreign citizens entering the Russian Federation for the purpose of establishing, renewing or strengthening scientific, cultural or socio-political ties, participating in sporting events, religious or charitable activities, or providing humanitarian assistance. Humanitarian visas can be single or double entry with a validity of 90 days, as well as multiple entries with a validity of 1 year.
To obtain a humanitarian visa, the following documents must be submitted:
1. Passport and a copy of its front page;
2. A visa application form filled out on the website https://visa.kdmid.ru, printed on both sides of one sheet of paper;
3. One photograph (3.5 x 4.5 cm, color, on a white background);
4. The original invitation letter issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in paper form or as an electronic invitation (“Telex”), issued by Ministry of Internal Affairs or Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation;
On January 1, 2025, paragraph 2 of Article 7 and paragraph 3 of Article 11 of the Federal Law dated August 8, 2024 № 260-FZ «On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation» entered into force. According to the amendments, the period of temporary stay in the Russian Federation of a foreign citizen who arrived in the Russian Federation in a manner that does not require a visa may not exceed 90 days in total during one calendar year (previously, the aforementioned persons could stay in Russia for no more than 90 days during every 180 days).
Exceptions are cases provided for by Federal Law dated July 25, 2002 № 115-FZ «On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation» or international treaties of the Russian Federation, as well as cases when the period of temporary stay in the Russian Federation of a foreign citizen is extended in accordance with the said Federal Law.
The abovementioned changes apply only to foreign citizens arriving in the Russian Federation in a visa-free regime. They do not apply to foreign citizens arriving in the Russian Federation with a valid visa. The period of their stay in Russia is still determined by the validity of the issued visa.
