russian tourist visa application form

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How to Apply for Russian Visa

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Foreign nationals are required to have a visa to enter the Russian Federation. There are several types of visas a foreign citizen can apply for. After you have chosen the right type, you can submit the necessary documents to the Consulate.

• How to Submit

Applications may be submitted personally, by mail, or by an agent. If applying by mail, one should use a registered delivery service. Applications may be completed by the applicant or by an agent acting on behalf of the applicant. However, all forms must be checked and signed by the applicant personally.

The Russian Consulate issues Russian visas in the country of your residence. You can also apply for a Russian visa by going to the Russian Consulate in a foreign country. This doesn't apply to nationals of Germany and some Asian countries.

To obtain your Russian visa successfully, you need to know visa requirements, prepare the required documents with no mistakes, and submit documents to the Consulate. When you get your visa, it's necessary to check if the visa information is correct, as the Consulate will not be responsible for any mistakes in the visas, which are not brought to the consular staff's attention before your departure.

As the application process can be quite complicated, we recommend using a full visa service in your country. We recommend several local visa experts: in the USA , In UK , in Canada .

• Required documents

To obtain a Russian visa, one should receive a Russian visa invitation from the Passport and Visa Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs or specially authorized travel agencies. 

Documents to be submitted to the Consulate include:

• Actual passport with at least two blank visa-designated pages and valid for at least six months after the planned departure from Russia;
• Two passport size photos of the applicant;
• Official invitation from an authorized organization in Russia;
• Two copies of a Russian visa application form completed and signed.

There can be additional requirements for some types of Russian visas. Additional documents for submission may include Medical Insurance, Work or Residence Permit, HIV Certificate for a stay for more than 3 months, and so on.

Visa application can be considered only provided you have submitted all necessary documents and your information is correct and clear.

• Consular Fees and Rights

Consular fees are paid for consideration of your documents. Visa fees are not refundable and don't guarantee the issue of a visa.

Please note that the Consulate has the right to invite the applicant for a personal interview. Questions on personal and business issues as well as your Russian contacts may be asked.

• How to Read Your Russian Visa read
• Electronic visas to Saint Petersburg read
• Types of Visa to Russia read
• Russian Visa read
• Visa Registration and Migration Cards read

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Tourist Visa

Documents required, photo specifications, processing time, online application form.

Tourist Visa Tourist visas are issued to US citizens, foreign nationals, and stateless persons whose purpose of travel involves cultural events, excursions, sightseeing, and/or general tourism.

It is issued on the basis of a confirmation that the foreign tourist is going to be hosted by a Russian travel agency.

A tourist visa may also be issued for conducting short-term business exchange, participating in exhibitions, auctions, and also in the case of medical consultation or examination. In this case, the Confirmation of hosting a foreign tourist should indicate the purpose of travel as “Aim Tourism” in the necessary field, and the visa is issued for the time period that corresponds with the Confirmation (no more than 30 days).

Regular tourist visas are either Single or Double entry, for a period of no more than 30 days. But in accordance with the simplified visa formalities agreement between the Russian Federation and the United States, US citizens are now able to obtain either a 3-year Multi-Entry Tourist visa upon request which exceed the 30 day stay limit.

It is recommended that US citizens apply for a 3-year, multiple-entry Tourist visa regardless of the dates of entry and exit, number of entries or period of stay indicated in the Confirmation of Hosting a Foreign Tourist issued by a hotel or tourist operator registered with the Federal Agency for Tourism of the Russian Ministry of Culture.

In order to apply for a 3-year multiple-entry Tourist visa, please indicate the full three year period as the length of stay in the Russian Federation when filling out the visa application. (ex. Date of Entry 25/10/2016 until Date of Departure 24/10/2019-minus one day )

Double-entry tourist visas are only issued when the second country is of the 'near-abroad' (CIS states, Baltics) or those that require return transit through Russian territory, such as China and Mongolia, etc.

In order to obtain a double-entry visa, the arrival city to be visited in the second country must be written in the travel itinerary and in the confirmation issued by the tour operator.

The maximum length of stay while traveling on a Single or Double-entry tourist visa is 30 days.

Consulate Fees are applicable to US citizens only

Please note that in addition to the visa fee applicants are required to pay the Russia Visa Application Centre Service Charge of 38 USD including VAT) for each visa application.

*Regular Processing Time is 10 Calendar Days from the day the documents are submitted to the Russian Consulate for review.

**Expedited Processing Time is 3 Business Days from the day the documents are submitted to the Russian Consulate for review.

**Single Entry Visas can be expedited only under Emergency circumstances at the discretion of the Consulate.

Please Note!

Consular fees and processing times for foreign nationals and stateless persons are determined by the Consulates of the Russian Federation.

In the case of outright denial of your application by the Russian Consulate, the Consular Fee and the Processing Fee's are non-refundable.

Russian Visa Application Form

• The first thing you need to get when applying for a Russian visa is the  Russian visa support documents (also called "invitation").  
• Second, after you received your visa support, you should  fill out your Russian visa application form online  available on the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MID) website  visa.kdmid.ru . The application for the Russian visa should be filled out after you get your visa support (or invitation), because it must have the same details as the invitation (otherwise you may be refused your visa). Below we explain how to fill out this form, step by step, as it's sometimes too complicated for travelers to understand what the bureaucrats really want...  
• Finally, once you have your visa support (invitation) and once you printed out the visa application form, you can apply for a Russian visa at a Russian consulate or at the visa processing center they recommend. In order to do that, you need to bring (or send by post, if allowed) your visa support documents, passport, two photos, the application form and travel insurance for the duration of your stay (not needed if you're a UK citizen).   

If you are a UK citizen , you should know that since January 2009 the Russian consulate decided to outsource all application services to VFS visa agency , so you don't need to go to the consulate to get your visa. Such centers are starting to appear in other countries, like France , and USA , so check the Russian consulate's website in your country to see whether you should apply directly at the consulate or at the visa processing center they recommend.

• get the visa support (invitation),
• fill out the online application form and print it out, and then
• bring it along with the other documents (passport, photos, insurance ) to the office of the visa processing agency recommended by your Russian consulate.

Update (2019): Since October 2019 citizens of the EU countries can get a special e-visa to Russia that does not require visa support letter or trips to the visa center or the consulates. This type of visa is only valid for 8 days and you can only stay in St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg region or Kaliningrad region. Citizens of Japan, China and some other Asian countries can also use the e-visa to visit the Far East (Vladivostok, Kamchatka, Sakhalin). Learn more about it in our guide on how to apply for an e-visa to Russia .

Need a Russian Visa? Order online, no reservation ties, ready in 24 hours:

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How to Fill Out the Russian Visa Application Form

The route of journey (field 14) of your Russian visa application should list the same cities listed on your invitation (visa support). They won't actually be shown on the actual visa, so once you arrive to Russia you could of course travel where you want (excluding restricted territories, which you won't find anyway :).

For the health nsurance (field 15 ), if you're a citizen of UK there's a reciprocal agreement whereas your NHS insurance is valid in Russia, so tick Yes. If you are from EU or USA, you need to make sure your health insurance is valid in Russia and that it's issued by a major company (AXA, Allianz, etc – usually listed on the consulate's website). When in doubt, bring your insurance documents along to the consulate, so you can prove it is valid in Russia. You can get your travel health insurance valid in Russia through the providers recommended on our travel insurance page . Alternatively, Google health insurance and buy one that's valid for the duration of your trip (usually $10 / week).   After you get your application form filled in, you can book an appointment to get your Russian visa through one of the officially authorized Russian visa centers around the world: in USA and Canada , in Europe , in Asia and in UK . You can also try to apply directly through the consulate , although not all of them accept documents for visa support, so you might have to use the visa center to apply.  

So, hopefully everything is clear and you can always leave your question below or on our Facebook Page  or on Twitter @waytorussia and we'll help you with it.

• Russian Visa Application Centres

How to Get a Russian E-Visa

• Visa Free Regime: Travel to Russia without a Visa

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How to Fill in the Russian Visa Application

How do I fill in a Russian visa application?

• Russian visa applications should we filled in on the official website of the Russian Consulate https://visa.kdmid.ru/PetitionChoice.aspx • You will need your passport and a visa invitation letter to fill in the visa application • The Institution or hotel to be visited, your reference number and confirmation number are all printed on your visa invitation

To apply for your Russian visa you will need to fill out a Russian visa application on the official Russian Consulate website:   https://visa.kdmid.ru/PetitionChoice.aspx

Though most of the fields in the application are quite easy to fill in, we prepared a quick guide to clarify the questions that might be a little difficult or confusing.

Page 1 - Choose your country and language

To start filling out your visa application, first choose the country where you are going to apply for your Russian visa and the language you prefer to see for completion hints and descriptions on the online application.

Please note that whichever language you choose, you must still answer all the questions only in English and use only Latin-alphabet characters.

After selecting the country and language, please click the “Complete new application form” button on the bottom of the page.

Page 2 - Set your password

On the next page, you are asked to create a password to access your visa application form in the future.

Please do not forget to write down your Application ID displayed in the upper right corner of the page and also to remember your password.

Page 3 - Visa type and the number of entries

The next pages of the visa application require your personal information and trip details. If you are using a tourist visa invitation to apply for your visa, please fill in the application according to the sample below:

Here you also need to select if you are applying for a single, double or multiple entry visa.

Page 4 - Personal data and marital status

The next page requires your passport data. Please fill in your personal data according to your passport, including all your surnames and middle names listed there. If you are or have been married, please fill in your spouse's personal data as it is listed in his or her passport.

Page 5 - Passport data

Please proceed to the next page and fill in your passport number, issuance and expiration dates of the passport and issuing authority.

Page 6 - Inviting organization 

The next page requires information about the travel company inviting you to visit Russia. You can find all of this information on your visa voucher (also called a Visa Invitation). The Reference number is the Rostourism register number written after the letters, “RTO”. This number contains 6 digits. The Confirmation number is the number of your voucher.

The screenshot  below  is just an example. Please use information indicated in your visa voucher.

Itinerary in Russia

Further on, you are asked to describe your itinerary in Russia. The Voucher only allows you to enter 5 cities. Please only write the cities and hotels mentioned on your voucher.

Page 7 - Additional information

Please choose Yes or No answers on the next page of the application and proceed to the Education and Work experience page.

Page 8 - Education and Work experience

The form asks you to provide information on the last 2 educational institutions you have attended excluding secondary school and your last 2 places of employment before entering your current job.

Page 9 - Previous visas and trips

On the next page, you should enter information on all of the previous Russian visas that have been issued to you and all of the countries you have visited in the past ten years. Please note that you should only enter one visit per field.

Page 10 - Parents' data

The next part of the form requires that you enter your parent’s personal data and your current employment details and home address.

Page 11 - Choose the consulate or visa application centre

Please proceed to the next step where you are required to select the location from which you are planning to apply for your Russian visa. It can either be a Russian Consulate in your country or an officially approved Visa application center. If you are applying through a 3rd Party visa service, please ask them which option you should choose.

Page 12 - Verify the information

For the last step you are asked to verify all of the information in your visa application and to edit any pages where there may be inaccuracies. Please check all of the data carefully and proceed to the next page. You won’t be able to edit it once you proceed to print or download the application form. Please note that your visa application will be stored for 30 days only. After that time you will have to fill it out once again.

And the very last step

After you print your visa application, please glue a 3.5*4.5 cm photograph which was taken no longer than 6 ago to the special field at the bottom of the 1st page, write the current date and sign the form.

Good luck with your visa application and see you in Russia!

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How to obtain a Russian visa

Russian National Tourist Office can help you secure your Russian Visa from the UK.

1. First of all, make sure that you require a Russian Visa to enter Russia.

Passport holders from certain countries do not require a Visa to enter Russia. To see the list of countries and terms of entry, please click here . British passport holders require a visa to travel to the Russian Federation.

2. Find out what type of visa you need to apply for.

There are many types of Visas, and knowing which one you need is essential:

Tourist Visa – valid up to 30 days with a maximum of two entries into the country

Multiple Entry Tourist Visa – valid for 180 days and has no limit on the number of entries.

Business Visa – valid for 90 days and allows a maximum of two entries. This Visa allows you to conduct business meetings in Russia.

Multiple Entry Business Visa – valid for 365 days and has no limit on the number of entries.

Transit visa – can be valid up to 30 days and allows a maximum of two entries. This Visa allows you to stay in Russia for transit purposes only.

Private Visa – valid up to 90 days and allows a maximum of two entries. This Visa is intended for private purposes.

Multiple Entry Private Visa – valid for 365 days and has no limit on the number of entries.

Humanitarian Visa – can be valid for up to 365 days and may have no limit on the number of entries. This type of Visa is intended for cultural, sports and charity purposes.

Student Visa – valid for up to several years, it is intended for students.

Work Visa – valid for up to several years, this Visa is intended for people who are constantly employed in Russia.

3. Complete a short registration form on this website.

This form is available at https://visa.visitrussia.org.uk/

On the last page of the order form, you will be provided with guidance on how to complete a Visa Application Form. It has to be filled in online on this website . Please follow the correct instructions given at step 5 of the Russian National Tourist Office’s online application form to ensure your application is successful.

4. Major documents to be submitted for a Russian Visa.

Regardless of the type of visa you are applying for, you will need to submit:

– original passport

– the visa application form

– a recent passport-size photograph NOT OLDER THAN 6 MONTHS

– booking form

– additional documents could be required if you are not a UK national

5. Additional documents (for non-UK nationals).

Certain applicants (non-UK nationals) may require additional documents such as Settled or Pre-Settled Status, bank statements or flight booking confirmation. You can check the documents you require and start the application process here .

6. Submitting your documents and biometrics.

Please note that on 10 December 2014, Russian Consulates in the United Kingdom launched fingerprinting technology for all types of visas. This means that every applicant will be required to attend our office in person for the biometric scanning procedure. Our services operate as before. You may apply at our office in person or submit documents by post before coming to our office to submit your biometrics. Once we receive your documents by post, we prepare them for submission and invite you to visit us in London at 202 Kensington Church Street, London, W8 4DP .

The biometric scanning procedure operates Monday to Friday 9am until 1pm, however office is opened until 6pm.

Out-of-hours paid service is available now. We can accept applications for Russian visas between 8:30-9:00 (by appointment only).

We also offer a Remote Biometric Collection service. Experienced visa officers can come to your office or home anywhere in the UK to collect your fingerprints and securely deliver this information to the Embassy for their decision. This is a chargeable service, follow this link to find out more: https://www.visitrussia.org.uk/visas/getting-a-russian-visa/biometric-data/

7. How long must you wait for a Russian Visa?

There are several services available – from as little as two working days! You can check which service is more suitable for you and start the application process here.

APPLY FOR RUSSIAN VISA NOW