Tourist visa to Russia for foreigners

A visa to Russia for a foreigner is a mandatory condition for entry into the Russian Federation. Special agreements have been concluded with many countries that exempt their citizens from obtaining an entry document to Russia, but these are in the minority. The work visa to Russia is especially popular, but tourism has also gained momentum recently.

Permission to enter the Russian Federation can be obtained through Russian Embassies and Consulates; Russian visa centers have begun to open where registration is also available. There is another way to obtain a visa to Russia - through a travel company authorized and accredited at the Russian Embassy, ​​which is a commercial intermediary and provides such services.

Without a visa invitation you will not be able to submit documents.

In case of short-term visits, we always recommend issuing a tourist invitation.

For comparison: if you want to issue a private invitation for a foreigner on your own behalf, you will need to document that you can support it - provide a 2-NDFL certificate, a bank statement and pay a state fee of 800 rubles. Responsibility for the actions of a foreign citizen falls on you. Processing time: up to 3 months + standing in queues.

Therefore, the easiest way is to issue a tourist invitation for a short-term stay and a business visa for a long-term stay.

A visa to Russia can only be obtained by invitation.

Types of visas to Russia

Types of visas to Russia for foreigners are divided into several groups. Each category of documents is responsible for its own purposes of staying in the country and has its own rules and deadlines. In order to understand what type of visa to Russia a foreigner needs, you first need to decide on the main purpose of the trip, and then receive the document.

Russian visa photo

Tourist visa

In the Russian Federation, besides Moscow, there are many tourist places that you can see. Mostly foreign citizens go, of course, to St. Petersburg and Moscow, some go on tours along the Golden Ring, and only a few travel beyond the Urals or to the south of the country. All these trips require a Russian tourist visa for foreigners. It is issued for a short period of time; doing it without the participation of commercial intermediaries is problematic, but possible.

The Russian Federation is mainly visited by tourists from Western countries at a fairly advanced age, as well as Chinese tourists. For all these people, intermediary companies provide tourist visas to Russia for foreigners. To visit the Russian Federation for tourism purposes, you need to contact the Russian visa center that provides support (if there is one), or the Embassy or Consulate.

Guest visa to Russia by invitation

The result of the outflow of Russian citizens in the 90s was the fact that now they are all foreign citizens and to visit their relatives in the Russian Federation they also need an entry permit. This is a guest visa to Russia for foreigners, which is issued upon a guest invitation. With such a document, you can come to visit your relatives or friends who remain here, and you can also invite your foreign spouse to meet your Russian parents.

A visitor visa for foreigners, like a tourist visa, is not required for citizens of those states with which there is an agreement on visa-free entry.

Study visa to Russia

There are a number of excellent universities in the Russian Federation; many foreign students come specifically for educational purposes - to get an education and become specialists. They will need the appropriate Russian study visa for foreigners. It provides an opportunity to study at a higher/secondary educational institution. There are even special programs for inviting students from other countries, especially from large leading universities.

Work visa to Russia, work permit

One of the most popular documents is a work visa for a foreigner in Russia. The state is fighting illegal workers and trying to legalize their stay by introducing new laws for employers that simplify the procedure for obtaining visas and work permits.

In addition to migrants, there is a certain number of hired expats - foreign specialists working in the Russian representative offices of their companies by invitation or in Russian companies that are business partners. They also require a Russian work visa for a foreigner.

Business/humanitarian visa

A special business visa to Russia is required if you are planning a business trip, arriving as part of an official delegation, visiting business partners for negotiations, resolving any issues related specifically to business activity in business. This document should not be confused with a work permit. A business visa to Russia is issued only if you have a business invitation.

Transit visa to Russia

A permit for transit through the territory of the Russian Federation is also required. A Russian transit visa is issued even if there is a transfer at an international airport without leaving it. The transit document has different validity periods, they depend on the route the foreigner is following: by plane or by land transport (for example, by car).

A Russian visa for a foreigner in case of transit is issued upon availability of tickets to a third country, as well as a visa stamp from a third country, if required.

How to obtain continuous stay in Russia for 5 years?

If you need a visa for five years to Russia in order to stay continuously on the territory of the state, you will have to pay attention to documents for study or work. Other options are also possible - applying for refugee status or requesting political asylum. But consideration of such cases will be long and not always successful. Therefore, you can go another way:

• find a company in the Russian Federation that can officially employ you;
• receive an invitation from her to enter the territory of the Russian Federation for the purpose of employment;
• come to the country, formalize labor relations with the inviting organization;
• before the visa expires, extend your stay at the Federal Migration Service.

Of course, this option is not suitable for everyone. Therefore, many obtain visa permits with a view to subsequently obtaining citizenship. You can also obtain a residence permit in the Russian Federation and stay in the country legally without restrictions on activities and movement within the state.

Features of entry

There is one point that a foreign citizen needs to take into account upon arrival in the Russian Federation. Within three days you need to come to the internal affairs authorities at your residence address and register. Moreover, you need to come there with the person who sent the invitation. When, for example, a business visa to Russia is issued for foreigners, there are no problems, since the host party, which is a business partner, takes care of everything and provides visa support. But private visitors sometimes forget about the rule of mandatory registration.

If registration is not carried out, then legal liability is imposed on both: the inviting party and the foreigner himself. To submit an application for registration to the migration service, you need to bring two forms in Russian and two photographs.

Required documents

According to official information from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the list of documents for a Russian visa is not very long and is practically the same for all types of entry visas. The permit is issued upon submission of the following package of documents:

1. A current foreign passport issued in the name of the foreign visa applicant, it must have two blank pages and be valid for another six months after the expiration of the requested visa. In the case of long-term visas - work or study, the validity period must be another one and a half years from the date of validity of the visa;
2. Duly completed visa application form;
   

   For citizens of different countries, the Russian visa application form is different:

   Russian visa application form for citizens of Georgia, USA, UK, Canada;

3. Russian visa application form for citizens of other countries.

It is possible to fill out these forms electronically.

4. One photograph 35 by 45 mm, color or black and white, without headdresses (they are allowed only for religious reasons and if the photograph in the foreign citizen’s passport itself is also taken with a headdress);
5. Document confirming payment of the consular visa fee;
6. Certificate of absence of HIV, if a foreigner requests a long-term visa.

This is what the main list looks like. Next come the points according to the purpose of the foreign citizen’s arrival in the Russian Federation.

Additional documents for a tourist visa to Russia

1. Confirmation of tourist acceptance issued by an accredited organization that has the right to carry out tourism activities.

It should also be noted that simply providing plane tickets and hotel reservations will not be the basis for a tourist visa to Russia to be issued, so it is quite difficult for travelers to get here.

The hotel itself registers the arriving foreign citizen and submits an application to the migration service.

Additional documents for obtaining a Russian visa by private invitation

1. Original invitation from a relative or friend, issued at the FMS office.

Additional documents for a business visa to Russia

1. The original business invitation issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation or the corresponding decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Additional documents for a study visa to Russia for foreigners

1. Original invitation issued at the FMS office;
2. An educational invitation addressed to a foreign citizen, requested and issued in advance.

Additional documents for a business visa to Russia

1. Petitions from the migration service about the need to hire a foreign citizen - this is submitted by the future employer;
2. Conclusion that the company's business really needs to hire a foreign citizen;
3. Work permits – this is also issued by the employer;
4. Work invitation addressed to a foreign citizen.

It should be said that at the moment obtaining a business/work visa to Russia for foreigners is a labor-intensive process. The process of obtaining a visa is only the last step after receiving all the necessary papers from the right authorities. It is impossible to get a work visa, if you only have plans to find a job in the Russian Federation, they simply will not give you the document.

Copies of invitations for all types of entry documents are not considered.

How to apply for a tourist visa to Russia?

Initially, a foreigner must receive a special tourist invitation to Russia. It is also easy and convenient to arrange through our company. Then the citizen must provide a complete set of documentation to the consular service of the Russian Federation at his place of residence. It includes:

1. Tourist invitation to Russia.
2. Duly completed visa application form. The document is completed in electronic format. If you do not have access to the Internet, you may fill out the form in printed or handwritten form.
3. Identical recent photographs (2 pcs.). Photos can be either color or black and white, with a clear image. The size of the cards is 35 by 45 mm. You should be photographed without dark glasses, as well as without a headdress (except for cases when the headdress is worn in connection with religious/national traditions).
4. Original foreign passport (ordinary/official/diplomatic). Instead of a passport, it is allowed to submit another identity document recognized by the Russian Federation in this capacity. For a tourist trip, as a rule, it is required that the validity period of the foreign passport be at least six months at the time of expiration of the tourist visa. In addition, the passport must have at least 2 blank pages.

Do not forget that at the consulate you may be asked to present medical insurance for the entire period of your trip. You can purchase it from your national/local insurance company. In particular, holders of official and diplomatic passports are exempt from the obligation to have medical insurance for travel.

Attention!

You can issue an invitation through VITA Travel without prepayment for the hotel.

Before submitting your application, you should check with the consulate whether it is enough to present a photocopy of the invitation or whether you need the original.

Read more in the material:
Invitation for a tourist visa.

Sample invitation (voucher) for a tourist visa to Russia

Obtaining a visa to Russia

It is hardly possible to obtain a visa to Russia entirely on your own; this will still require resorting to mediation. Moreover, if there are relatives/acquaintances/friends in the Russian Federation, then it is easier for a foreigner to obtain a visa to Russia than if he is simply planning a tourist trip.

A foreign tourist needs to remember that booking hotels and tickets to Russia is not enough, no one will give him a visa on their basis. According to visa rules, someone still has to invite him. How a foreigner can obtain a visa to Russia with the least financial losses is up to him. You can choose a company with affordable prices, or you can join a group of tourists.

The procedure for obtaining a visa is as follows:

1. Decide on the category of visa you need to obtain;
2. Find a company/individual who will take care of the invitation and submit an application to the relevant authorities, conclude an agreement;
3. Receive the original invitation;
4. Collect a package of documents and submit to the Russian Embassy or Consulate;
5. Get an answer.

We recommend using the following step-by-step instructions to obtain a Russian visa. With the help of this instruction you will receive comprehensive information about what needs to be done to invite a foreign guest to Russia.

An invitation is a mandatory document for obtaining a visa. It can be issued either by a travel agency or by the Federal Migration Service. We do not recommend making an invitation yourself through the Federal Migration Service, as this is associated with many procedural problems - it is simply not profitable!

We recommend that you issue an invitation online using the following form from our partners GoingRus.com. You will spend only 5 minutes, and the invitation will be sent to you by email: no unnecessary actions or calls are required, and all procedural problems are taken care of by our partners.

Invitation to Russia for foreigners

Receipt through intermediaries

There are many organizations that issue Russian visas for foreigners in Moscow. They take into account all the nuances: whether the state from which the applicant wishes to come is included in the migration risk zone, how friendly it is (this criterion is also taken into account), what are the purposes of the foreign citizen’s visit, ensure receipt of an invitation, and so on.

Any Russian visas for foreigners in Moscow should be obtained only with the help of reliable companies that have the right to conduct such activities. Before becoming their client and concluding an agreement, you need to find out additional information about the selected company.

Invitation for a visa to Russia

As can be seen from the lists of papers, for all types of visas, the central place among all documents is occupied by a business/private/tourist invitation. Whether the foreigner will receive the right to enter the Russian Federation or not depends on the correctness of the invitation form. Without an appropriate invitation, no type of visa can be issued , even a transit one, so many questions arise about how to fill out this form correctly.

The sample invitation for a Russian visa depends on who is inviting. In any case, it must be done on the letterhead of the organization that is the inviting party. Accordingly, a sample invitation for a Russian visa in case of a private trip can be viewed at the Federal Migration Service or on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Companies issue business invitation forms themselves.

Invitation for a visa to Russia

Before issuing an invitation for a visa to Russia, the receiving party must submit a certain set of documents to the Federal Migration Service. Only after this is an invitation letter for a visa to Russia created according to the sample, which contains detailed information about the foreign citizen, the purposes of his visit, financial support for his visit, place of residence, route, and so on. Along with the invitation form, letters of guarantee and documents confirming the availability of sufficient financial resources to support the residence of the foreigner are attached.

Financial support for a foreign citizen is fully borne by the inviting Russian party. In the case of work and business visas, this is a company, in the case of a tourist trip, this is a tour operator, and in the case of a private visit, this is a friend, relative or acquaintance.

A foreigner does not need a sample invitation letter for a visa to Russia, since he does not fill out the letter himself. This document is required by Russian citizens in order to complete everything correctly. The form can be issued by the Federal Migration Service or the Department of Internal Affairs. An important point is that the issued invitation must be given to a foreign citizen . Only the original is valid, so it must be sent by mail or courier delivery.

The situation is greatly simplified by the possibility of issuing an invitation form by electronic telex. Telex in this case is an electronic instruction from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, issued for certain categories of entry documents; you can use it to obtain a visa.

The process of opening a one-year permit for foreigners in the Russian Federation

Getting a visa to Russia for a year is not easy. This requires an invitation from a company accredited by the Federal Migration Service. You should also indicate in your application the reason for the need for such a document. Consulates carefully check applicants and may refuse if there is any error in the collected package of papers. In case of refusal, the consular fee is not refunded.

The registration process consists of the following stages:

• it is important to draw up the application correctly, taking into account all the features of the invitation received;
• a company in the Russian Federation issues an invitation on a special form from the Federal Migration Service;
• the invitation is sent to the consulate, where the applicant will also be required to provide a package of personal documents;
• After reviewing the application, the consular department will notify the applicant of the extradition.

Repeated application procedure after refusal will be even more difficult. In this case, the consulate will review existing decisions. But if all the paperwork is completed correctly, it is quite possible to obtain the necessary permit. To complete all the steps correctly, it is better to contact a visa support center and get advice and assistance.

Receipt cost

Russian visas have different consular fee costs for citizens of different countries. For the USA and Great Britain, for example, this is more than 7,000 rubles, for India – more than 4,000 rubles. The current price should be checked on the websites of the Embassies (Consulates) of the Russian Federation in the relevant countries.

Also, receiving business, private and tourist invitations from the Russian Federation has a separate cost for clients of intermediaries. As a rule, this is an amount of 1000 rubles and above, depending on the country from which the traveler is coming.

How to get a multiple visa to Russia for foreigners?

First, you need to issue an invitation. Such an invitation can only be received from a company that is registered in the Russian Federation and acts in this case as the inviting party. The period for issuing a multiple business invitation is from 1 to 21 days, depending on its type. The fastest execution option is a business invitation on company letterhead within 1 day. To be more precise, such an invitation can be issued in our company in 1 hour. For comparison: the accelerated option for issuing a multiple invitation from the Main Administration for Migration or the Ministry of Internal Affairs reaches 16 calendar days, the option without acceleration – 21 days.

Validity periods

Different categories of visas have different periods during which the document is valid. They are always individual depending on the situation. The current validity periods of a Russian visa can be seen in the table.

There is such a thing as the total number of permitted days of stay. The total number of days of stay on a Russian visa should not exceed 90 days in each half-year .

Extension of a visa to Russia

A foreign citizen has the opportunity to extend his entry permit without leaving the Russian Federation. How to extend a visa for a foreigner in Russia is an important question. According to official information, an extension is possible in the following cases:

• If a foreigner cannot leave the Russian Federation on time due to illness, death of a relative or for another reason;
• If there is another need for an extension.

A visa extension is allowed only for 10 days, provided that the total period of stay of the foreigner in the Russian Federation is no more than three months over the last six months, this threshold cannot be exceeded.

A foreigner can extend a visa in Russia by applying to the Federal Migration Service at the place of his registration. If he applies to other authorities: to the border checkpoint, to the representative office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the border area, then they issue a document on an extension for only three days.

conclusions

Applying for a visa and crossing the border of the Russian Federation is not so easy: there are many specific issues related to the invitation. There is a lot of bureaucracy, and you have to wait quite a long time. But for a tourist who does not have connections in the Russian Federation, there are not many options to get to Russia for the purpose of tourism if he does not want to use the services of intermediaries and wants to save money. Perhaps something will change in the future, but as long as this invitation procedure is in effect, tourism in Russia will be at a fairly low level.

For the inviting party, the arrival of a foreign citizen is associated with hassle, because all legal responsibility for the guest under federal immigration law falls on him. That is, before inviting a foreign guest, you need to prepare well.

It is also possible to receive a refusal of a Russian visa, especially if the foreign citizen has violated federal law.