Visa to enter Russia for foreign citizens and stateless persons: to receive, renew, restore
In accordance with the Russian legislation, foreign citizens have the right to enter the territory of the Russian Federation upon presentation of a passport (or other identity document) and visas. Exceptions to this rule apply to citizens of those countries that have a visa-free regime of entry with Russia. If a foreign citizen who intends to enter Russia needs to obtain a visa, he should contact a consulate or a diplomatic representation of Russia in the territory of the country in which he is located and apply for a visa.
For entry in Russia there are the following types of visas:
- tourist;
- business (commercial or business);
- working;
- training;
- transit;
- guest (private).
To apply for any mentioned type of visa, one must first obtain a document called “Invitation to enter the Russian Federation”.
Tourist visa
Suitable for those foreign citizens who plan to stay in Russia for a period of not exceeding 30 days. Tourist visa is issued on the basis of a tourist invitation.
The advantages of this type of invitation are a low price and a fast clearance.
As a rule, when applying to a Russian consulate in the EU countries for obtaining a tourist visa, it is enough to provide a fax copy of the invitation. In other cases of, for example, migratory-dangerous countries, when submitting documents, it is necessary to present an invitation in the original. You can clarify the need of providing of a copy or of an original of the invitation in the consulate where you plan to apply for a visa.
Business (or a commercial) visa
This type of visa is granted for a business trip of a foreign citizen to Russia to conduct negotiations, attend a thematic event, participate in a conference and in other similar cases.
In order to obtain a business visa, you need to receive a business invitation, which is issued:
- Either on the letterhead of the inviting company (for the countries of the European Union, Japan and the USA);
- Or on the official letterhead of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.
This kind of visa can be single or double (for a period of up to 3 months), as well as multiple (for a period from 6 months to 3 years). However, the total stay of a foreigner with a multiple-entry business visa on the territory of Russia cannot exceed 90 days in six months.
To obtain a commercial visa to the consulate of the Russian Federation, you must provide the original invitation or the invitation number sent by the company to the consulate.
Work and study visa.
If you want to work in Russia, you need to receive a work visa and a work permit. A study visa is issued on the basis of an invitation provided by the educational institution.
Sometimes, if the period of study does not exceed 90 days, instead of a study visa you can apply for a business visa.
Guest (private) visa.
If the purpose of a trip to the Russian Federation is a visit to relatives or friends, the foreign citizen should receive a guest (private) visa. This type of visa is issued for a period of up to 90 days. The guest visa is granted on the basis of the guest invitation, the issuance of which is initiated by the owner of the apartment where the foreigner will live. For this purpose, he appeals for a visa support in the OVIR (department of visas and registrations) of his district. However, the design takes, as a rule, more than a month, so we recommend our customers another option – to issue a tourist or a business invitation instead of a guest one.
Transit visa.
This type of visa is issued if a foreign citizen travels to any country through the territory of Russia. To obtain a transit visa, you must submit to the Russian consulate a permit to enter the country of your final destination and a copy of the tickets confirming your transit through the territory of Russia. Sometimes, instead of a transit one, it is easier to get a tourist or a business visa (both single and double).
