1. HOW TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT?
2. MAY I SUBMIT THE DOCUMENTS FOR A PERSON TRAVELLING ABROAD?
3. MAY I SUBMIT THE DOCUMENTS FOR A GROUP OF PEOPLE? HOW MANY APPOINTMENTS DO I HAVE TO BOOK VIA ONLINE BOOKING SYSTEM ON THE WEBSITE AND WHOSE DATA DO I NEED TO INDICATE?
4. DO I NEED TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT TO RECIEVE A PASSPORT?
5. MAY I APPLY FOR TWO VISAS AT ONCE?
6. WHERE MAY I GET INFORMATION ON A VISA TYPE I NEED?
7. IN WHAT CASES IS A NEGATIVE HIV TEST NECESSARY?
8. WHAT DOCUMENTS AND IN WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES MUST BE PROVIDED STRICTLY AS ORIGINALS?
9. WHICH COUNTRIES’ CITIZENS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE A VISA TO ENTER THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION?
10. WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED FOR THE CITIZENS OF AUSTRALIA, USA, GREAT BRITAIN, CANADA AND GEORGIA?
11. HOW MANY DAYS CAN A PERSON TRAVEL WITH A TOURIST VISA?
12. I CHANGE PLANES IN A RUSSIAN AIRPORT; AM I REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A TRANSIT VISA?
13. I AM PLANNING TO TRAVEL IN RUSSIA WITH A CAR, WHAT ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS DO I NEED?
14. MAY I OBTAIN AN EXPRESS-VISA? WHAT ARE VISA PRODUCTION TIMES?
15. HOW TO REGISTER UPON ARRIVING IN RUSSIA?
1. HOW TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT?
Visa Office offers various options to make an appointment. You may:
- Make an appointment via online booking system;
- Make an appointment by visiting Visa Office in person;
2. MAY I SUBMIT THE DOCUMENTS FOR A PERSON TRAVELLING ABROAD?
Yes. You will be required to provide a duly executed power of attorney for a person requesting a visa.
3. MAY I SUBMIT THE DOCUMENTS FOR A GROUP OF PEOPLE? HOW MANY APPOINTMENTS DO I HAVE TO BOOK VIA ONLINE BOOKING SYSTEM ON THE WEBSITE, AND WHOSE DATA DO I NEED TO INDICATE?
Please, familiarize yourself with the terms of use of the online booking system:
P.2. One receipt period includes handling one applicant with one documentation package for one natural person.
P.3 When booking an appointment it is necessary to indicate data of a person that will submit the documents. In case of the submission of documents by applicant’s representative data of a person requesting a visa needs to be indicated.
That is if you submit documents for a number of people, you must book several subsequent appointments for each person, every time indicating data of a person whose documentation package you are to submit.
4. DO I NEED TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT TO RECIEVE A PASSPORT?
No. In the Visa Offices passports are issued every day from 09:00 to 12:30 and from 13:30 to 17:00 on a first-served basis.
During the submission of the documents an operator tells the date and approximate time of a possible passport receipt. Please, come on time to avoid queuing.
5. MAY I APPLY FOR TWO VISAS AT ONCE?
No. According the Russian Federation legislation there must not be two valid visas in a passport.
If there already is a valid visa in your passport (for example an unused single-entry visa, double-entry visa with which the Russian Federation was entered only once or unused multiple-entry visa), we recommend submitting the documents for a new visa not earlier than 10 days before visa expiry date.
6. WHERE MAY I GET INFORMATION ON A VISA TYPE I NEED?
Information on visa types may be obtained on the Visa Office website, section «Visa types» or on the website of the Embassy or Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Turkey.
7. IN WHAT CASES IS A NEGATIVE HIV TEST NECESSARY?
A negative HIV test is necessary for all the applicants requesting a work or student visa (single-, double- or multiple-entry) on the basis of an invitation issued by the Federal Migration Service, due to the fact that the visa may be extended in Russia.
8. WHAT DOCUMENTS AND IN WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES MUST BE PROVIDED STRICTLY AS ORIGINALS?
Strictly originals of the following documents must be provided:
- Passport valid for no less than 6 months from the visa expiry date (1,5 years from visa validity start date for work and student visa processing);
- Visa application form, printed and signed personally by the applicant. The signature must match a signature in a passport;
- Photograph;
- Invitation, when a multiple-entry visa is requested. The original invitation issued by the Federal Migration service is also required when applying for any kind of personal visa as well as multiple-entry work, student, humanitarian and business visas.
- The copy of the invitation issued by the Federal Migration service may be accepted only if applying for a single- or double-entry business or humanitarian visa with a proviso that if necessary the Consular institution may request the provision of the original invitation.
Please note: Consular institution may request the original documents of the copies that were earlier submitted for consideration.
9. CITIZENS OF WHAT COUNTRIES DO NOT REQUIRE A VISA TO ENTER THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION?
A visa for the entry into the Russian Federation is not required for citizens of countries that have signed reciprocal agreements on the abolition or easing the visa restrictions with Russia.
As a rule, only short-term trips can be carried out without a visa (less than 90 days for each 180 days a year). For a longer stay in Russia it is required to obtain an appropriate long-term visa.
Also, visa is not required if Russia is entered and exited as part of a program “72 hours without a visa” (on a ferry).
10. WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED FOR THE CITIZENS OF AUSTRALIA, USA, GREAT BRITAIN, CANADA AND GEORGIA?
Citizens of the above mentioned countries must fill in a visa application form on two pages.
Australian citizens must submit a detailed autobiography (with Russian translation!).
When applying for a multiple-entry visa, all citizens of these countries must submit two copies of the application form.
11. HOW MANY DAYS CAN ONE TRAVEL WITH A TOURIST VISA?
With a tourist visa one may stay in Russia for up to 1 month (30 days).
However, if a travel is planned for more than 15 days, it is necessary to submit a detailed itinerary of your stay in Russia from a touristic organization, that organizes the trip, as well as documents confirming the full payment for the touristic services (VAT invoice in your name, a receipt or bank statement from your bank account if the services were paid by a bank card or via a transfer).
12. I CHANGE PLANES IN A RUSSIAN AIRPORT; AM I REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A TRANSIT VISA?
If the change of planes is carried out within a transit area and 24 hours or without a change of the airport terminal,– a transit visa is not required. However, in this case, you may not leave the airport in order to visit the city.
In case of a transfer of planes in an airport a transit visa is required only if a passenger spends more than 24 hours in a transit area.
When buying the tickets the Visa Office recommends inquiring the transport operator whether a transit visa is required or not. ATTENTION! In case of a forced transit a transit visa may be obtained in an airport Consular centre.
13. I AM PLANNING TO TRAVEL IN RUSSIA WITH A CAR, WHAT ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS DO I NEED?
It is necessary to distinguish between automobile transit and travelling by a car.
Transit – is a necessary crossing of the Russian Federation territory by a shortest route, for example in cases when it is impossible or too time consuming to reach the destination country by other means.
Necessary time for transit is calculated in the following manner: 500km/day by a shortest route (you can check your route in, for example, google.maps).
An automobile travel by any different route is considered to be an instance of ordinary or car tourism in Russia. In this case in order to obtain a visa a tourist acceptance confirmation or an original confirmation of the tourist acceptance by a touristic organization, the information on which is included in the Uniform Federal Register of Tour Operators, which will select the best route and accommodations (hotels along the way) for you. The purpose of travel in this case is “car tourism”.
Car documents and the car insurance are not required for obtaining a visa. However, they are required at the border and during the travel.
14. MAY I OBTAIN AN EXPRESS-VISA? WHAT ARE VISA PRODUCTION TIMES?
You may submit the documents to a Visa Office for a Consular institution consideration on a possibility of issuing an emergency visa (during 1 business day) or a rush visa (up to 3 business days).
Please note, that a decision to issue a visa on expedite basis is made by the Ambassador or Consul-General of the Russian Federation within a day.
Service fee must be paid regardless of the urgency of a visa. For more information visit the nearest Visa application centre.
15.HOW TO REGISTER UPON ARRIVING IN RUSSIA?
Foreign nationals must register within seven business days of entering the Russian Federation, and must possess documentation issued by a local Federal Migration Service office proving that they have arrived at their intended location in Russia. The hosting organization is responsible for the entire registration procedure.
Foreigners are obliged to provide the hosting organization their passport and Migration card, which was filled out prior to entering the Russian Federation. In such cases, your passport and Migration card cannot be taken away.
The host may be a Russian citizen, a foreign citizen permanently residing in the Russian Federation, a stateless person which has permanent residence, or legal entities and/or their affiliated partners or representatives with whom the foreigner physically resides or is employed by.
Upon checking into the hotel, the hosting party becomes the hotel administration, which must inform the Federal Migration Service of a foreigner's arrival within 24 hours. Likewise, they are responsible to take all required steps for registering a foreign citizen, and for ensuring that all established rules are followed.
Upon your departure from Russia, the hosting organization is required to inform the local Federal Migration Service office within 24 hours based on the organization's residence by forwarding the removable portion of the migration card in order to be removed from the migrant registry.
- Methods of registration
How to register:- In person
- Through a legal representative
- Via a multifunction center
How to complete the procedure:- In person
- Through a legal representative
- Via a multifunction center
- Turnaround times
Processing time:
1 Business day
Processing time within which services must be registered:
1 Business day - Who can be registered:
- Legal entities
- Foreign citizens
- Stateless persons
- Basis for registration:
In order to begin the procedure, one must obtain notification of arrival from the hosting organization or foreign citizen directly, or likewise via postal notification of arrival from the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation after submission of all required documents. - Outcome
Registration of arrival with the Federal Migration Service.
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