About visas

In order to enter the Russian Federation a foreign citizen must obtain a visa, unless if otherwise provided in an international agreement.

A visa must be obtained before the entry into the Russian Federation.

A visa is inserted into a passport of a foreign citizen, it contains the following data: last name, first name (in Latin and Russian alphabet), date of birth, gender, citizenship, number of the identification document, visa issuance date, the permitted period of stay in the Russian Federation, number of an invitation for the entry into the Russian Federation or a government agency decision, visa validity duration, the purpose of travel, details of a host organization (details of a host private person), a number of permitted entries.

For the attention of Russian citizens, also possessing another citizenship!

Please note that according to the Article 6 of the Federal Act “On the procedures for leaving and entering the Russian Federation” (15 August 1996, No. 114-FZ) “Exit from the Russian Federation and entry into the Russian Federation shall take place on the basis of valid documents which certify the identity of a citizen of the Russian Federation outside the territory of the Russian Federation”.

Apart from this, according to the Point 1 Article 6 of the Federal Act “On Russian Federation citizenship” (31 May 2002, No. 62-FZ) “A citizen of the Russian Federation who also has another citizenship shall be deemed by the Russian Federation only as a Russian Federation citizen, except for the cases stipulated by an international treaty of the Russian Federation or a federal law. The acquisition by a Russian Federation citizen of another citizenship shall not cause termination of Russian Federation citizenship”.

In this case the acquisition of a Russian Federation visa for a foreign passport is expressly prohibited!

About visa categories

Based on the purpose of entry and stay in the Russian Federation, visas of the following categories are issued to foreign citizens: diplomatic, service, ordinary, transit, temporary resident visa.

About number of entries

Single-entry visa grants a foreign citizen a right to cross the Russian Federation state border once while entering and once while exiting the Russian Federation.

Double-entry visa grants a foreign citizen a right to cross the Russian Federation state border twice while entering and twice while exiting the Russian Federation.

Multiple-entry visa grants a right to enter the Russian Federation multiple times (more than two). Citizens of the EU countries that are parties to the Agreement with a multiple-entry visa may stay on the territory of the Russian Federation no more than 90 days (cumulatively or continuously) during each 180 days period. In case of a violation of this rule a person will be held liable according to the Russian legislation in power to the extent of denying an entry into the Russian Federation.

Foreign citizens intending to stay in the Russian Federation for more than 3 months must obtain a work or student visa based on the purpose of stay, or a temporary residence or residence permit.