1. HOW TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT?
2. MAY I SUBMIT DOCUMENTS ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER?
3. MAY I SUBMIT DOCUMENTS FOR A GROUP? SHOULD EACH INDIVIDUAL HAVE AN APPOINTMENT ON HIS/HER NAME?
4. DO I NEED AN APPOINTMENT TO PICK UP MY PASSPORT?
5. CAN I APPLY FOR TWO VISAS SIMULTANEOUSLY?
6. WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT TYPE OF VISA I NEED?
7. WHAT TYPE OF INSURANCE DO I NEED?
8. WHO REQUIRES AN HIV TEST?
9. UNDER WHAT CIRMUSTANCES DO WE REQUIRE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS, WHAT ARE THEY?
10. LIST OF CITIZENS NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE A VISA TO TRAVEL TO THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION?
11. I AM NOT A CITIZEN OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, HOW MAY I OBTAIN A VISA?
12. WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED FOR U.S., GREAT BRITAIN, AUSTRAILIA, CANADIAN, AND GEORGIAN CITIZENS?
13. I HAVE A LAYOVER IN RUSSIA, DO I NEED A VISA?
14. I PLAN TO TRAVEL THROUGH RUSSIA IN A VEHICLE, WHAT ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS DO I REQUIRE?
15. MAY I OBTAIN AN URGENT VISA? WHAT ARE VISA PROCESSING TIMES?
16. HOW TO REGISTER UPON ARRIVING IN RUSSIA?
17. I REPRESENT A TOURIST AGENCY, WHAT IS REQUIRED IN ORDER FOR US TO SUBMIT DOCUMENTS ON OUR CLIENT'S BEHALF?
1. HOW TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT?
The visa center has many options to service our clientele. You may:
Come with ready documents with no appointment necessary, and submit your documents in person during our normal business hours. Withstanding that, you may do the below:
- Make an appointment via;
- Show up without an appointment, or make one for a further date/time.
2. MAY I SUBMIT DOCUMENTS ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER?
Yes, with a notarized document from the applicant you may drop off documents in their name. Only the applicants name and passport must coincide with the allowing document.
3. MAY I SUBMIT DOCUMENTS FOR A GROUP? SHOULD EACH INDIVIDUAL HAVE AN APPOINTMENT ON HIS/HER NAME?
Please make each individual traveler is aware of the visas application process, along with having the required documents.
Please be aware of several key rules of the appointment system:
P.2. Appointment time is made for each individual set of documents for one person.
P.5. An appointment is made in the name of the applicant, irrespective of who will deliver the documents in person.
If you are submitting several sets of documents, you must create a separate appointment for each person, and fill out the appropriate information for each. You must also have a notarized letter of authorization from every applicant granting you the right to submit their documents.
4. DO I NEED AN APPOINTMENT TO PICK UP MY PASSPORT?
No. Ready passports are ready for pickup at the Russian Visa Center daily from 2pm until 4pm and are issued on a first come first served basis.
Upon document submission, the applicant will be issued a date and time at which their documents will be ready. In order to avoid delays, please pick up your passport on time!
5. CAN I APPLY FOR TWO VISAS SIMULTANEOUSLY?
Unfortunately not, according to the laws of the Russian Federation, you may only have one current Russian visa in your international passport.
If your passport already contains an active Russian visa that has not been used (such as a single or double-entry visa with one entry left, or an unused multi-entry visa), we recommend that you apply for a new visa no less than 10 days prior to it's expiry.
6. WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT TYPE OF VISA I NEED?
Information on visa types can be found on the ILS website under the “Categories of Visas” tab, or on the site of the Russian Embassy at www.russianembassy.org.
Do note that the visa you apply for must match the purposes of your travel, and must match your invitation.
7. WHAT TYPE OF INSURANCE DO I NEED? (FOR EU CITIZENS ONLY)
US citizens do not require proof of health insurance!
For citizens of the Schengen Agreement, a copy of your health insurance card and the insurance policy valid in Russia for the full visa period is required; this excludes any parallel agreements between individual countries that may contradict this.
If you are not a EU citizen, please inquire whether you would need to provide a copy of your health insurance from a Visa Center operator. The policy must include information about which hospitals or clinics accept your insurance in case of emergency.
Applicants seeking a multi-entry visa need to show proof of insurance that covers their first trip only.
8. WHO REQUIRES AN HIV TEST?
An HIV test is required for those applying for either a Work or Student visa, (Single, Double or Multi-entry), and who have received an official invitation from the Federal Migration Service (FMS RF), as these visas may be extended in Russia.
9. UNDER WHAT CIRMUSTANCES DO WE REQUIRE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS, WHAT ARE THEY?
Only the originals of the following documents are accepted:
- Passport, valid for six months after the visa expiry date;
- Visa application, printed and signed by hand. Signature must match that of the passport;
- Passport-style Photograph(s);
- Invitation for Private type 1 visa, Work visa, Student visa, Humanitarian visa single, double, or 1 year multi-entry must all be issued by the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation (FMS) at the request of the inviting party. This excludes 3-year visas, for which copies of the invitations are accepted.
Bear in mind: The Consulate reserves the right to ask the applicant to provide any document in the original, even if copies have already been submitted.
10. LIST OF CITIZENS NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE A VISA TO TRAVEL TO THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION?
A visa is not required for citizens of countries with relaxed visa regimes.
In accordance with such agreements, peoples falling into that category may enter Russia for a period of 90 days out of 180 calendar days in the year. If said citizens require a longer stay within the borders of the Russian Federation, they must obtain a visa in accordance with their travels.
Likewise, a visa is not necessary for stays whose exit is within 72 hours via a ferry, or other water-bound ship that enters Russian territory.
11. I AM NOT A CITIZEN OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, HOW MAY I OBTAIN A VISA?
Non-EU citizens may apply for a Russian visa via invitation, or an invitation granted by the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation, or by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In this case, if the nationality of the individual must be indicated via supporting documents that indicate their status in such country. Such as a home registry, work authorization, or a copy of your lease agreement, or a copy of the electric bill.
12. WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED FOR U.S., GREAT BRITAIN, AUSTRAILIA, CANADIAN, AND GEORGIAN CITIZENS?
Citizens of said nations must fill out the two-page visa application.
Georgian nationals applying for a Russian visa experience a longer processing time, and they must provide place of residency in Georgia.
Canadian citizens need to provide proof of status in the USA.
Australian citizens seeking a business or humanitarian visa must provide a detailed autobiography that has been translated into Russian.
All applicants mentioned above must provide a copy of their application when applying for a multi-entry visa. This is in addition to the initial visa application, and a copy is accepted.
13. I HAVE A LAYOVER IN RUSSIA, DO I NEED A VISA?
If the connecting flight is within the transit zone up to 24 and you will not change terminals, then a transit visa is not required. In this case you will not be able to leave the airport for purposes of sightseeing.
You will require a transit visa if you have a connecting flight within 24 hours or more, or if you need to exit the transit zone in order to change terminals, or airports.
Prior to purchasing tickets, the Russian Visa Center recommends that you contact your airline in order to ascertain whether you require a transit visa for your flight connection.
14. I PLAN TO TRAVEL THROUGH RUSSIA IN A VEHICLE, WHAT ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS DO I REQUIRE?
Be advised that crossing Russian territory and touring by vehicle are different things.
Transiting - This means crossing through the Russian territory to get to your final destination outside of Russia by the quickest means possible. Or that your country of destination can only be reached via the Russian Federation.
The visa issuance time is granted on covering 500 km/day on the quickest route through Russia. (You may use google maps to ascertain hypothetical mileage).
Traversing the Russian Federation via vehicle any other means is considered a common Tourist visa, requiring the person to obtain a confirmation and voucher from hotel(s) or from a registered travel agency that they would obtain from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This would include your travel itinerary, and places of stay along the way. In this case, your purpose of travel would be "auto-tourism".
Documents of vehicular registration and insurance is not necessary in obtaining a visa. But they would be required upon crossing the border, and whilst you are traveling.
15. MAY I OBTAIN AN URGENT VISA? WHAT ARE VISA PROCESSING TIMES?
You may submit the documents at the Russian Visa for a Consular institution consideration on a possibility of issuing a rush visa (up to 3 business days).
Please note, that the decision to issue a visa on expedite basis is taken by the Ambassador or Consul General of the Russian Federation.
Service fee remains the same regardless the processing time. Please inquire with the closest Russian Visa Center for further information.
16.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.
17. I REPRESENT A TOURIST AGENCY, WHAT IS REQUIRED IN ORDER FOR US TO SUBMIT DOCUMENTS ON OUR CLIENT'S BEHALF?
Aside from the Contractual Agreement between your company and ours, you must complete a “Manifest” provided by our center, in the effort to streamline operations between our companies. (The template may be found here)
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