Ordinary business visa is issued to the citizens of other countries and persons without citizenship for an entry into the Russian Federation for business purposes (seminars, conferences, meetings with business partners, negotiations).

It is issued based on an invitation issued by the Federal Migration service of the Russian Federation (Russian FMS), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (Russian MFA) or based on a written request* from an organization.

It can be single- or double-entry valid for up to 90 days, or multiple-entry valid for up to 1 year (except if otherwise provided in an international agreement of the Russian Federation).

Please note! The period of stay in the Russian Federation with an ordinary multiple-entry business visa may not exceed 90 days for each 180 days period

Please note! Medical insurance policy must contain:

1. contract date;
2. policy number;
3. first name, last name and father’s name of a policy holder;
4. details of the insurer;
5. a policy must be valid during the whole stay in the Russian Federation in case of single- or multiple-entry visa for period up to 90 days;
6. list of medical and medical transportation services including repatriation of remains;
7. minimal coverage amount must be 30 000 EUR;
8. coverage territory – the whole world or the Russian Federation; Europe, including Russia;
9. signature of the insurer.

Only the insurance policies fulfilling the following requirements are considered: they must be issued by a Russian insurance organization or an insurance organization that has reinsurance agreement with a Russian insurance organizations possessing a license for this type of insurance or agreement with a service (assistance) organization that organizes medical help (medical transportation services) to the extent no less than as specified in the minimal list of services.

Insurance policies, letters of confirmation from insurance organizations not containing the above-mentioned information, set forms with the seals of the insurance companies and other insurance documents not fulfilling the indicated requirements are not considered.

For a multiple-entry visa valid for a year or more an applicant must submit a medical insurance policy valid for the duration of an entry/entries into the Russian Federation. Absence of a policy may serve as grounds for the imposition of administrative sanctions and denying an entry into the territory of the Russian Federation.

*Written request. This document must be issued on an official letterhead with full details of a host organization, it also must contain the following information:

a). for an invitee: first name, last name, date of birth, gender, citizenship, number of an identification document, duration and purpose of travel, number of entries, itinerary, place of work and position;

b). for a host legal entity (company, organization): long title of a legal entity, its address, a taxpayer identification number, a registration number, a name and a position of a person who signed the request, company seal;

Ordinary humanitarian visa is issued to the citizens of other countries and persons without citizenship for an entry into the Russian Federation with a purpose of establishing, renewing and strengthening scientific, cultural, social and political relations, for sporting activities, religious and charity work as well as humanitarian aid delivery.

It is issued based on an invitation issued by the Federal Migration service of the Russian Federation (Russian FMS) or a written request from a host organization or institution, it may also be based on the Russian Federation Ministry of Foreign Affairs decision (Russian MFA).

Humanitarian visa can be single- or double-entry, valid for up to 90 days, or multiple-entry, valid for up to 1 year (except if otherwise provided in an international agreement of the Russian Federation).

Please note! The period of stay in the Russian Federation with an ordinary multiple-entry humanitarian visa may not exceed 90 days for each 180 days period.

Please note! Medical insurance policy must contain:

1. contract date;
2. policy number;
3. first name, last name and father’s name of a policy holder;
4. details of the insurer;
5. a policy must be valid during the whole stay in the Russian Federation in case of single- or multiple-entry visa for period up to 90 days;
6. list of medical and medical transportation services including repatriation of remains;
7. minimal coverage amount must be 30 000 EUR;
8. coverage territory – the whole world or the Russian Federation; Europe, including Russia;
9. signature of the insurer.

Only the insurance policies fulfilling the following requirements are considered: they must be issued by a Russian insurance organization or an insurance organization that has reinsurance agreement with a Russian insurance organizations possessing a license for this type of insurance or agreement with a service (assistance) organization that organizes medical help (medical transportation services) to the extent no less than as specified in the minimal list of services.

Insurance policies, letters of confirmation from insurance organizations not containing the above-mentioned information, set forms with the seals of the insurance companies and other insurance documents not fulfilling the indicated requirements are not considered;

Ordinary private visa is issued to the citizens of other countries and persons without citizenship for an entry to the Russian Federation for a guest visit based on:

1. Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation (Russian FMS) invitation, based on a request from a citizen of the Russian Federation, a foreign citizen with the Russian federation residence permit or a legal entity; or

2. A written application from a Russian citizen to the Head of the Consulate for a joint entry into the Russian Federation with family members, who are foreign citizens; or

3. A notarized written request of a citizen of the European Union who is legally residing in the Russian Federation and is inviting close relatives.

Ordinary private visa may also be issued in connection with a necessity of entry into the Russian Federation for urgent treatment or due to a serious illness or death of a close relative if one has the documents confirming the necessity of urgent treatment, serious illness or death of a close relative.

Private visa is issued for a period up to 90 days and may be single- or double-entry.

Please note! Medical insurance policy must contain:

1. contract date;
2. policy number;
3. first name, last name and father’s name of a policy holder;
4. details of the insurer;
5. a policy must be valid during the whole stay in the Russian Federation in case of single- or multiple-entry visa for period up to 90 days;
6. list of medical and medical transportation services including repatriation of remains;
7. minimal coverage amount must be 30 000 EUR;
8. coverage territory – the whole world or the Russian Federation; Europe, including Russia;
9. signature of the insurer.

Only the insurance policies fulfilling the following requirements are considered: they must be issued by a Russian insurance organization or an insurance organization that has reinsurance agreement with a Russian insurance organizations possessing a license for this type of insurance or agreement with a service (assistance) organization that organizes medical help (medical transportation services) to the extent no less than as specified in the minimal list of services.

Insurance policies, letters of confirmation from insurance organizations not containing the above-mentioned information, set forms with the seals of the insurance companies and other insurance documents not fulfilling the indicated requirements are not considered.

Individual cases

For persons, visiting military or civilian burial sites, it is necessary to submit the following documents (*According to the Agreement between the Russian Federation and the European Community on facilitation of the issuance of visas to the citizens of the Russian Federation and EU):

• Original or a stamped and signed copy of a document, confirming the existence of the burial site. The document must be issued by a Russian government agency or the organization “Red Cross”;
• Original or a copy of a document, confirming the kinship (lineal consanguinity*) of an applicant and the buried. *Relatives with lineal consanguinity are taken to be parents, children, grandchildren, spouses, grandparents, siblings;
• For persons visiting military and civilian burial sites usually short-term private visas are issued valid for up to 14 days.

An ordinary private visa may be issued to a foreign citizen in connection with a necessity of entry into the Russian federation for urgent treatment, due to a serious illness or death of a close relative, based on a decision of the Ambassador of the Russian Federation or Consul-General of the Russian Federation due to a written request of a foreign citizen.

The following documents are to be included to a request:

• a written confirmation from a Russian medical institution issued on an official letterhead (stamped) indicating the necessity of an emergency medical care, emergent hospitalization, emergent examination or a serious illness of a person that is being visited requiring constant care.
• or death certificate of a citizen - applicant‘s close relative (close relatives are taken to be spouses, children, parents, including parents-in-law, if a spouse is an accompanying person, siblings);
• or an international telegraph message indicating death of a citizen certified by an official from an institution of communication;
• a document confirming an immediate relationship of an applicant and a person to be visited or immediate relationship of an applicant and the deceased. 

Ordinary work visa is issued to the citizens of other countries and persons without citizenship for an entry into the Russian Federation for work purposes based on an invitation issued by the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation (Russian FMS) with a possibility of a further prolongation by the Russian FMS agency on the territory of the Russian Federation.

The basis for a prolongation may be an employment agreement or a civil contract, either work or service, concluded according to the Russian Federation legislation.

Work visa may only be single-entry or multiple-entry for a period up to 90 days (except the visas for highly qualified specialists).

Please note! Medical insurance policy must contain:

1. contract date;
2. policy number;
3. first name, last name and father’s name of a policy holder;
4. details of the insurer;
5. a policy must be valid during the whole stay in the Russian Federation in case of single- or multiple-entry visa for period up to 90 days;
6. list of medical and medical transportation services including repatriation of remains;
7. minimal coverage amount must be 30 000 EUR;
8. coverage territory – the whole world or the Russian Federation; Europe, including Russia;
9. signature of the insurer.

Only the insurance policies fulfilling the following requirements are considered: they must be issued by a Russian insurance organization or an insurance organization that has reinsurance agreement with a Russian insurance organizations possessing a license for this type of insurance or agreement with a service (assistance) organization that organizes medical help (medical transportation services) to the extent no less than as specified in the minimal list of services.

Insurance policies, letters of confirmation from insurance organizations not containing the above-mentioned information, set forms with the seals of the insurance companies and other insurance documents not fulfilling the indicated requirements are not considered.

Ordinary student visa is issued to the citizens of other countries as well as persons without citizenship for an entry into the Russian Federation with a purpose of studying in an educational institution based on an invitation issued by the Federal Migration service of the Russian Federation (Russian FMS), or based on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (Russian MFA) decision.

Student visa can be single- or double-entry, valid for up to 90 days.

The subsequent visa prolongation is carried out by the FMS of the Russian Federation according to a place of stay and migration registration by the means of issuance of a multiple-entry visa for an enrolment contract validity period settled according to the Russian Federation educational legislation but no more than for a year for each subsequent visa.

An ordinary student visa with a purpose of short-term studies, courses, internship may be issued based on a Russian educational institution request.

Please note! Medical insurance policy must contain:

1. contract date;
2. policy number;
3. first name, last name and father’s name of a policy holder;
4. details of the insurer;
5. a policy must be valid during the whole stay in the Russian Federation in case of both single- and double-entry visa;
6. list of medical and medical transportation services including repatriation of remains;
7. minimal coverage amount must be 30 000 EUR;
8. coverage territory – the whole world or the Russian Federation; Europe, including Russia;
9. signature of the insurer.

Only the insurance policies fulfilling the following requirements are considered: they must be issued by a Russian insurance organization or an insurance organization that has reinsurance agreement with a Russian insurance organizations possessing a license for this type of insurance or agreement with a service (assistance) organization that organizes medical help (medical transportation services) to the extent no less than as specified in the minimal list of services.

Insurance policies, letters of confirmation from insurance organizations not containing the above-mentioned information, set forms with the seals of the insurance companies and other insurance documents not fulfilling the indicated requirements are not considered.

Single-entry transit visa is issued to the citizens of other countries and persons without citizenship for an entry to the Russian Federation with a purpose of travelling in transit through the Russian Federation territory for a period up to 10 days (by road or railway) or for period up to 3 days (by air) based on tickets valid for exit from the Russian Federation, a visa allowing an entry into a neighbouring country according to the itinerary, a visa of a destination country or a passport of this country.

A transit visa is issued to a foreign citizen travelling thorough the territory of the Russian Federation by a private vehicle or a truck for a period necessary for a travel by a shortest route (but for no more than 10 days). The visa duration is calculated in this case based on an average supposed daily mileage, which is 500 km.

Double-entry transit visa duration may not exceed one month. In case when a foreign citizen needs to travel through the Russian Federation to a third country and then return by the same way through the Russian Federation in a period exceeding one month, it is necessary to obtain a single-entry transit visa, the second transit visa must be obtained in a Russian Consulate of a destination country.

A transit visa is not needed:

• in case of a non-stop air transport flight over the Russian Federation territory;
• in case of a change of planes in an airport of the Russian Federation with a transit area, providing a subsequent flight to a destination country is executed within 24 hours from the arrival date to the Russian Federation.

IMPORTANT!If you are planning to leave the transit area, a transit visa must be obtained!

Please note! After the Eurasian Economic Union Treaty came into force, all trips between the member-countries are considered to be domestic. Therefore, one must go through the border and passport control only in one of these countries. Due to this reason the passengers heading to the member countries with a transfer in Russia must obtain a transit visa.

Please note! Medical insurance policy must contain:

1. contract date;
2. policy number;
3. first name, last name and father’s name of a policy holder;
4. details of the insurer;
5. a policy must be valid during the whole stay in the Russian Federation in case of obtaining either single- or double-entry visa;
6. list of medical and medical transportation services including repatriation of remains;
7. minimal coverage amount must be 30 000 EUR;
8. coverage territory – the whole world or the Russian Federation; Europe, including Russia;
9. signature of the insurer.

Only the insurance policies fulfilling the following requirements are considered: they must be issued by a Russian insurance organization or an insurance organization that has reinsurance agreement with a Russian insurance organizations possessing a license for this type of insurance or agreement with a service (assistance) organization that organizes medical help (medical transportation services) to the extent no less than as specified in the minimal list of services.

Insurance policies, letters of confirmation from insurance organizations not containing the above-mentioned information, set forms with the seals of the insurance companies and other insurance documents not fulfilling the indicated requirements are not considered.

Temporary residence visa is issued for 4 months for citizens of other countries and persons without citizenship who are allowed to enter the Russian Federation for temporary residence based on the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation (Russian FMS) decision.

Temporary residence visa may only be single-entry.