General Requirements to complete Russia Visa Application:

1. Duly completed electronic application form which can be found in the "Application Forms" section of this website. The application form for UK, USA and Georgian nationals when printed out should be in two pages, for all other nationalities- in one page. Please make sure that you fill in your application form answering all questions as incomplete forms might be returned by the Consulate. Also kindly set up printing settings on your computer to ensure your application form has all frames and borders and all information can be seen properly.
2. Valid international passport or another ID recognized as such in the Russian Federation. At least 2 blank pages for visas. The passport should be valid for a minimum of 6 months after visa expiration date.
3. . Photograph of 1.18 by 1.57 inches (3 by 4 cm), in colour taken against a light background (white or off - white). The photo needs to display a full frontal view of the face. The facial image must be sharp and clear. Sunglasses or tinted glasses are not permitted. Head coverings and hats are only acceptable due to religious beliefs, and in this case there shall be a similar photo with a head covering in the applicant's passport.  
4. Applicants who are self-employed, company directors, working from home or unemployed need to provide bank statements for the last three months which have a current balance of a minimum of £100 per day for the duration of the visit. Those with online banking must also show proof of address for the last three months
5. Children under -18, travelling alone or whose visa applications are unaccompanied with their parents are required to submit following additional documents:
   • Signed and dated permission letter from one of the parents, giving permission to the child to travel alone or explaining that the parent would be travelling with the child along with the dates of travel.
   • A copy of the parent's passport (first page and page with Russian visa)
   • If the child's and parent's surname do not match, we would also require a copy of the birth certificate to confirm that the permission letter has been provided by the biological parent. 
     
6. Documents proving the purpose of the visit - please note that all supporting documents must be in English or Russian only.
   
   a) Working, student, science, sports, humanitarian, religion, charity, asylum seek, public, political and business trips:
   
   - A letter of invitation issued by a Russian Federal Migration Service agency or a telex from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For a multiple entry visa the applicant should submit the original letter of invitation.
   
   b) Tourism:
   
   - A tourist contract - tourist voucher and tourist acceptance confirmation of a Russian tourist agency, which should have its reference number.
   
   Tourists on board large cruise ships should have the right to stay in the Russian Federation without a visa during 72 hours. They have the right to leave the ship and come back on board the ship only as part of an organized tourist group as per the list. In case a tourist wants to leave the ship alone, he needs a visa.
   
   c) Private visits:
   
   -A private letter of invitation, issued by a Russian Federal Migration Service agency.
   
   In case of a visit to the Russian Federation for urgent medical reasons, for urgent treatment, or to visit a seriously ill or a deceased relative, an applicant should present a certificate issued by a medical institution or a death certificate and a document proving the kindred between the applicant and the ill or deceased relative. Passport's validity of the applicant should exceed the visa expiry date.
   
   Documents proving the family relations are copies of the certificates issued by registrar offices. In case the applicant is a grandparent or a grandchild he should submit a copy of the certificates issued by registrar offices proving their next of kin.
   
   d) Burial site visits:
   
   Russian Visa to travellers visiting military and civil burial sites should be issued subject to a submission of an original certificate proving the burial issued by Russian or foreign authorized bodies and the original document proving the kindred. Period of validity of such a visa would not exceed 14 days.
   
   e) Transit:
   
   

   A Russian transit visa applicant should have a visa to enter Russian neighbouring country or a visa of the country of destination or a passport of the country of destination and valid travel documents to leave the Russian Federation or a confirmed guarantee to get such in a transport change place in the Russian Federation.
   
   In case of an airway transit, a visa should be issued for the maximum of 3 days. The applicant who travels through the Russian Federation by car should have a transit visa valid for a period of time which the fastest trip to place of destination takes up. The average daily distance to be covered by car should not be less than 500 km.
   
   Travellers of all nationalities/stateless have the right to pass through the territory of Russian Federation without a transit visa in the following cases:
   
   - if travellers make a non-stop air flight over the territory of the Russian Federation;
   - if travellers make an international air flight and a transfer in a Russian airport provided and they have due documents to enter the country of destination and an air flight ticket with an indicated date of flight from the Russian transfer airport within 24 hours upon arrival (but for emergency landing).A transit visa is not required if travellers remain in the transit zone of the airport in order to catch an onward or connecting flight within 24 hours of arrival;
   - if travellers reside in a country, that has signed a non-visa agreement with the Russian Federation.

   In all other cases regular visa procedure applies for all nationalities/stateless travelers. 
   
   1) For EU citizens applying for multiple entries business visa with invitation letter containing Individual Tax Number (ИНН) visa processing time is 10 calendar days. Applicants should also have a single or double Russia visa in the last 1 year, without which they cannot apply for multiple entries.
   
   2) For citizens of the following countries a special visa processing time limit is set, provided they do not have UK leave to remain or UK residence permit for a term exceeding 90 days

3) Citizens of the following countries may get their visas conditional upon presentation of proof of residence in UK for the last 90 days. One of the following documents should be submitted to confirm the same. A valid applicant's UK visa in passport/ last three months bank statements/ utility bills with applicant's name and address/ letter from employer specifying the start date of their employment OR for students, letter from University/ college specifying the date of enrolment and course details. Rent or mortgage agreements and phone bills are not acceptable.

4) Citizens of the following countries may get their visas only upon presentation of UK leave to remain or long-term UK residence permit

5) Russian Federation visa free regime

Citizens of the following countries enjoy visa free regime hence do not require a visa to enter the Russian Federation.  

Argentina (up to 90 days in 180 day period (starting from the day of first entry)). Visa would be required: -- for applicants staying for more than 90 days in a 180 day period; - for applicants going to Russia to conduct commercial or work-related activities. Diplomat or Official passport holders would require visa for the whole period of stay.	Hong Kong (up to 14 days of stay)	Nicaragua (up to 90 days of stay)
Armenia	Israel (up to 90 days). Tourist documents or the original invitation accordingly are required to be presented to the Russian Immigration authorities. Visa free regime does not apply for Diplomatic and Service passports holders.	Citizens of Serbia with biometric passports obtained after April 9th, 2008 can stay in Russia up to 30 days. Diplomatic or Official passport holders without accreditation in Russia can stay up to 90 days. Serbian nationalities with temporary and permanent resident permits can stay without time limits. In all other cases visa is required.
Azerbaijan	Kazakhstan	Thailand (up to 90 days)- Diplomatic and Service passports holders only. Holders of ordinary passports can stay up to 30 days
Belarus	Kirghiz Republic	Tajikistan
Bosnia and Herzegovina (up to 30 days for tourists and up to 90 days for other visitors) Tourist documents or the original invitation accordingly are required to be presented to the Russian Immigration authorities.	Macedonia (up to 30 days tourist and up to 90 days for other visitors). Tourist documents or the original invitation accordingly are required to be presented to the Russian Immigration authorities.	Ukraine
Brazil (up to 90 days in 180 days period) - for tourist, private visits or transit purposes only. In all other cases visa is required.	Moldova	Uzbekistan
Brunei (up to 14 days) - Diplomatic and Service passports holders only	Montenegro (up to 30 days). Visa free regime does not apply for Diplomatic and Service passports holders.	Venezuela (up to 90 days). Visa free regime does not apply for Diplomatic and Service passports holders.
Cuba	Mozambique (up to 30 days) - Diplomatic and Service passports holders only.	Dominican Republic (up to 90 days) - Diplomatic and Service passports holders only.

6) Important Information for Russian Passport Holders

According to part 6 of Federal Law "Regulation of exit from Russian Federation and entrance to Russian Federation" dated August 15th 1996, reference number 114-FL (114- ФЗ), exit from the Russian Federation and entrance to the Russian Federation, citizens of the Russian Federation should verify this by valid documents which verify identity of such Russian citizens beyond the territory of the Russian Federation.

Russian Law regulations of entry state that this applies to citizens of the Russian Federation also holding other citizenship. Thereupon, to enter the territory of Russia they must use only their own Russian passports. With regards to renewing Russian passports, Russian citizens are advised to contact the Consular department of the Russian Embassy in Great Britain. (See Russian Consular Department website: http//www.rusemblon.org/).

Важная информация для граждан Российской Федерации

В соответствии со статьей 6 Федерального закона «О порядке выезда из Российской Федерации и въезда в Российскую Федерацию» 15 августа 1996 года № 114-ФЗ выезд из Российской Федерации и въезд в Российскую Федерацию граждане Российской Федерации осуществляют по действительным документам, удостоверяющим личность гражданина Российской Федерации за пределами территории Российской Федерации.

Установленный законом порядок въезда в Российскую Федерацию распространяется также и на граждан Российской Федерации, имеющих, наряду с российским, иное гражданство. В этой связи Посольство обращает внимание данной категории граждан на то, что для въезда на территорию России они обязаны использовать только свои российские паспорта. По вопросу оформления российских паспортов просьба обращаться в консульский отдел Посольства России в Великобритании (см. сайт консульского отдела: http//www.rusemblon.org/).

A visa can be issued only if an applicant submits all the required documents. Submission of an incomplete set of documents may result in refusal of visa and return of documents to the applicant.

A visa cannot be exchanged or extended. If applicants' travel plan changes after the visa has been issued they shall reapply for a new visa.

All the above mentioned requirements are subject to change without prior notice.