What kind of russian visa do i need

It takes approximately the same time for the consulate to issue a business visa as a tourist visa, but a business visa is slightly more expensive. You can get the exact quotes at the Russian consulate where you apply.

To obtain a business visa, you need a business invitation. Contrary to a tourist invitation, which is issued by a Russian travel agency, a business invitation is issued by the Federal Migration Department UFMS. Usually, a company that would like to invite a foreign person for business, requests such service from a travel agency registred in UFMA.

The travel agency submits all travel data of the person to the UFMA, pays a certain processing fee, and after a few days depending on the processing fee receives the invitation. After that, this invitation can either be sent to the person invited by post if the consulate requires originals only , by fax a copy , or by e-mail a scanned copy.

There used to be a possibility to have a telex sent directly to a Russian consulate, but now it's only available in exceptional cases. A copy of business invitation will be accepted by most consulates if you apply for a single- or double-entry visa. If you require a multiple-entry visa, the consulate will require originals. Russian consulates in some countries always require originals, for the latest info on these, see our Russian Visa Insider's page. After you come to Russia, you should have your visa registered in 72 hours.

If you stay in a hotel, it must register your visa for the whole period of the visa, but not longer than 3 months Decree , 26 Apr ' If you stay in an apartment or with friends the landlord should register the visa. The process is explained in detail on our Russian visa registration blog post. You can apply for a business invitation online through our site. Your application form will be automatically referred to our partner agency. This agency is authorized to issue business invitations by the Federal Migration Service and has offices in Moscow and St.

Petersburg center. You can see the prices and apply for the invitation at our Russian visa support order form. This type of visa is issued only for students, who come to Russia for exchange or education. It should be noted that because of change in the Russian law in October many expats found out they can't stay longer than 90 days in a day period in Russia. In such situations, getting a student visa might help, but you should know that it's illegal to work on a student visa.

It can be valid for up to 3 months and is single entry only. This is the worst kind of visa you can apply for.

To obtain this visa, you need a personal invitation certificate or visa entitlement certificate - "izveshchenie" from a person living in Russia. Sorry, but it will be a real pain in the ass for your friend to make this invitation certificate for you. I don't know what they check, but I guess they're looking for some serious stuff like terrorism or spying -- there's no other reason for it to take 30 days.

I even think they'll quiz Interpol and the FBI about you too So, after all this is finished hopefully with success , the UVIR officials will give your friend an invitation after he stands in a long queue again. This invitation can only be sent to you by post, because consulates accept originals only. It can't be faxed or e-mailed or telexed. Then you can take it along with other documents needed to the consulate, and apply for your private visa. It'll cost you the same as the other ones, but will surely cause much suspicion from the consulate officials.

Why would a Russian person invite a foreigner to his country? Only to sell his motherland's secrets So, I think you understand why most of the people prefer getting a tourist or a business visa instead This type of visa WAS an experiment started on the 1st February, to attract more tourists to Russia.

However, there are canceled as of now, so it is NOT possible to get a 72 hour visa at the moment, it's better to go for a tourist visa. However, if you are traveling on a cruise ship, the cruise company should be able to provide you with a short visa, usually valid for up to 72 hours.

Double-Entry allows the foreign national to enter and exit the Russian border of no more than two times. Multi-Entry allows for unlimited entry into the Russian Federation within the visa period.

I am not a citizen of the european union, how may I obtain a visa? In this case, if the nationality of the individual must be indicated via supporting documents that indicate their status in such country.

Such as a home registry, work authorization, or a copy of your lease agreement, or a copy of the electric bill. What type of insurance do I need? US citizens do not require proof of health insurance! For citizens of the Schengen Agreement, a copy of your health insurance card and the insurance policy valid in Russia for the full visa period is required; this excludes any parallel agreements between individual countries that may contradict this.

If you are not a EU citizen, please inquire whether you would need to provide a copy of your health insurance from a Visa Center operator. The policy must include information about which hospitals or clinics accept your insurance in case of emergency. Applicants seeking a multi-entry visa need to show proof of insurance that covers their first trip only. Can I apply for two visas simultaneously?

Unfortunately not, according to the laws of the Russian Federation, you may only have one current Russian visa in your international passport. If your passport already contains an active Russian visa that has not been used such as a single or double-entry visa with one entry left, or an unused multi-entry visa , we recommend that you apply for a new visa no less than 10 days prior to it's expiry.

Under what cirmustances do we require original documents, what are they? Only the originals of the following documents are accepted: - Passport, valid for six months after the visa expiry date; - Visa application, printed and signed by hand. Signature must match that of the passport; - Passport-style Photograph s ; - Invitation for Private type 1 visa, Work visa, Student visa, Humanitarian visa single, double, or 1 year multi-entry must all be issued by the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation FMS at the request of the inviting party.

This excludes 3-year visas, for which copies of the invitations are accepted. Russia Embassy list in United States of America. Basic security information for travelers to Russia. For further assistance please contact the Russian Customs authorities directly. They will provide the latest information about customs regulations and export-import procedures.

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For more information about how we use cookies please read our privacy policy. Already registered? Sign in. Contact us. Server is in the spirit world. Please, try again later Refresh the page. A visa is required for this destination. It may be the case that countries you pass through en route to your destination may require a separate transit visa.

Upon contacting the embassy confirm the required documents, the time it takes to process the visa and whether the consulate accepts applications by mail. For further information please contact us. A VisaCentral expert will review all of your documents to certify your application is accurate, complete and ready for submission. We will contact you personally to quickly handle any mistakes ensuring your application is submitted correctly.

The Russian Federation offers U. To be eligible for consideration, the traveler must have a passport valid for at least three and a half years beyond date of first entry into Russia with at least two blank pages. Requirements for the 3-Year visa are different. For further information about how to apply for this visa, return to the VisaCentral website and choose the appropriate 3-Year visa option. All applicants, without any exceptions, must validate their passport by their signature.

If you have requested a new or second passport and a Russian visa in the same order, your new passport must be returned to you for signature before it can be submitted to the consulate for the visa process; additional shipping costs are applicable. Consult the complete application kit to obtain the forms and instructions for this service. All minors must submit a copy of his or her birth certificate. Other conditions may apply:. Have an urgent visa application that carries a tight deadline?

VisaCentral can help you to save valuable time and avoid expensive delays. A VisaCentral expert will review all of your documents to confirm your application is accurate, complete and ready for submission. Learn More. To travel internationally you need accurate info, preparation, and knowledgeable expertise. The biometric scanning procedure operates Monday to Friday 9am until 1.

We can also accept applications for Russian visas and arrange fingerprint scanning between by appointment only. There is an additional charge for out-of-hours services.

Contact us for more information or to make the earlier appointment. We can assist you with the following types of Russian visa:. The tourist visa is a document which allows foreigners to travel to Russia as tourists. Such visas are issued for a maximum of 30 days and cannot be extended. A tourist visa is the best option when you know exactly where and how long you will be staying without diverting from your planned itinerary.

For a tourist visa to Russia, you must have confirmed accommodation for every night of your stay in the country. Please note: you cannot obtain a visa from the Russian Consulate directly. Tourist voucher and booking confirmation can be arranged by us the Russian National Tourist Office.

If you are not a UK citizen, additional documents and consulate fees might apply. Please contact us f or more information. If you have already booked a hotel in Russia, please get in touch with them to obtain tourist visa support documents hotel voucher and confirmation of tourist acceptance.

If you haven't booked a hotel yet and would like to apply for a tourist voucher and confirmation, you can do so online now choose the option "Request for Russian Tourist Invitation Only".