Russian Visa

The visa policy of Russia deals with the requirements which a foreign national wishing to enter the Russian Federation must meet to obtain a visa, which is a permit to travel to, enter, and remain in the country. Visa exemptions are based on bilateral or multilateral agreements.

Russia has agreements with scores of countries whose citizens are either exempt from visas or can apply for an electronic visa (e-Visa).

Citizens of countries without such an agreement with Russia must obtain a visa in advance from a Russian diplomatic mission or visa center.

Foreign citizens, while in the territory of Russia, must comply with the legislation of Russia, including requirements of customs, border and immigration regimes, rules of travel finance, registration, internal movement within the territory of Russia and extensions of stay.

Nothing limits the right of competent authorities of Russia to deny entry or to shorten the period of stay in the territory of Russia for foreign citizens.

Russia's visa and other migration policies are also implemented in accordance with the mobility rights arrangements within the Commonwealth of Independent States and the rules of the single market of the Eurasian Economic Union.

Overview

;Border-crossing points
Foreign citizens may enter into the territory of Russia through the border-crossing points open to international passenger traffic.

As of December 2023, Russia has 380 checkpoints across the state border of Russia.

;Land border with Belarus
Citizens of third countries were not allowed to cross the Belarus–Russia land border prior to Jan 11, 2025 due to a lack of international border crossing points, because passports must be stamped. Since Jan 11, 2025, Belarus-Russia mutual visa recognition agreement comes into force and crossing by railway and selected land border crossing are allowed.

Entry are allowed through the road checkpoints on the border between Russia and Belarus as of 2025:

Other road crossings remain illegal for third country citizens.
;Land border with Kazakhstan
Residents of the border areas of Kazakhstan who visit the territory of the border areas of Russia up to three days can enter Russia through checkpoints, which are specially installed for residents of border areas.

Visa policy map

Visa exemption

Economic integration and international treaties

Special travel conditions and exceptions to the usual Russian rules, including special migration rules for foreign citizens, their family members and conditions for the provision of medical care are provided through international agreements and treaties to the following foreign citizens. The conditions for citizens of a specific country should be clarified in advance because not all countries are parties to all agreements.
* Union State of Russia and Belarus (Belarus)
* The rules of the Single Economic Space of the Eurasian Economic Union (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan)
* Mobility rights arrangements of the Commonwealth of Independent States (present and former countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, including Ukraine and Georgia, but not Turkmenistan)

Electronic Travel Authorization

The Electronic Travel Authorization is a mandatory requirement for travelers from visa exemption countries visiting Russia, which will come into effect on 30 June 2025. Travelers holding ordinary passports from eligible countries and territories must obtain a ETA before their departure to Russia.

Ordinary passports

Holders of ordinary passports of the following countries and territories may enter Russia without a visa if the duration of their visit does not exceed the visa-free limit specified below (except for citizens of Belarus, South Ossetia and Ukraine, who have the right to unlimited visa-free entry to Russia).

From 2014, resetting the allowed period by leaving and re-entering the country is no longer allowed.

From 1 January 2025, the period of temporary stay of a foreign citizen who arrived in the Russian Federation without a visa may not exceed for a maximum total stay of 90 days within any 1 calendar year period (unless otherwise stipulated by an international agreement or Russian legislation.)

<sub>ID - May enter with a national ID card in lieu of a passport.

ID^KZ - May enter with a national ID card in lieu of a passport if arriving directly from Kazakhstan.

IP - May enter with an internal passport.

1 - 90 days within any 180-day period.

2 - 90 days within any 365-day period.

3 - 90 days within any 1 calendar year period.

4 - 90 days within any 1 year period.

5 - 60 days within any 180-day period.

6 - 30 days within any 60-day period.</sub>

Other visa exemption

Tour groups

;Common visa with Belarus
From 11 January 2025, visa-free entry is available for holders of a valid visa or residence permit of Belarus.

;Visa-free visits for up to 72 hours for cruise ship and ferry passengers
Since May 2009, international tourists entering by regular ferry via several ports have been able to stay in Russia visa-free for up to 72 hours, provided that they spend the night on-board or in accommodation specifically approved by the travel agency.

In addition, tourists entering by tourist cruise ships can leave the ship visa-free on tours organized by any authorized local tour company, when entering Russia through the ports of Anadyr, Kaliningrad, Korsakov, Novorossiysk, Murmansk, Sevastopol, Sochi, Saint Petersburg (Big port Saint Petersburg and Passenger Port of St. Petersburg), Vladivostok, Vyborg, Zarubino.

Entry to the port of St. Petersburg by regular ferry can be done only from the ports of Tallinn (Estonia) or Helsinki (Finland). It is also possible to travel visa-free for 72 hours from the port of Stockholm with the stop in Helsinki.

Visa-free zones

* - Residents of Alaska who are members of the indigenous population do not require a visa to visit Chukotka Autonomous Okrug if they have relatives (blood relatives, members of the same tribe, native people who have similar language and cultural heritage) in Chukotka. Individuals must be invited by a relative in Chukotka and must leave Chukotka within 90 days. Entry points are in Anadyr, Provideniya, Lavrentiya and Uelen. The agreement was signed between USSR and United States on 23 September 1989 but came into force on 17 July 2015 after ratification by the United States.

Until September 2022, agreements on 1991 were in force between Russia and Japan, group travel to central and southern Kuril Islands were visa-free according for pre-approved lists of the Foreign Ministry. The visits were carried out on the basis of identity cards and inserts. A visa-free regime was also introduced for citizens of Japan who visit the burial place of relatives located in the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin Island, by pre-authorized list in the regional Russian-Japanese consultations.

Local border traffic
* - 90 days for holders of border traffic permit

From 6 June 2013, residents of the border areas of Latvia who have a permit for local border traffic can visit the border areas of Russia without a visa. From 16 December 2018, amendments to the current agreement entered into force. The procedure for obtaining a permit was simplified, total period of stay (within 180 days) was canceled, and the stamping of travel documents at the border crossing was canceled.

* - 15 days for holders of border traffic permit
From 29 May 2012, residents of the border areas of Norway who have a permit for local border traffic can visit the border areas of Russia without a visa. From 4 March 2017, the Protocol on amendments to the current agreement entered into force – residents of area of Neiden received the right to receive a permit for local border traffic.

* - 30 days, for a maximum total stay of 90 days within a 180-day period for holders of border traffic permit
From 27 July 2012, residents of the border areas of Poland who have a permit for local border traffic can visit Kaliningrad Oblast without a visa. The agreement has been suspended for an indefinite period by Poland from 4 July 2016.

Crew members

Visa is not required for crew members of airlines, sea crew, river crew, rail crew that have a bilateral agreement with the Russian government exempting crew members from visa requirements.

Citizens of following countries may visit Russia without a visa if they are travelling as part of the airline crew:
Afghanistan,
Algeria,
Austria,
Belgium,
Bulgaria,From 7 May 2002

Canada,
China,From 26 Apr 2014

Croatia,From 31 Mar 2013
Cyprus,From 20 Jan 2006

Czech Republic,
Denmark,
Egypt,
Ethiopia,
Finland,
France,From 1 May 2005

Germany,
Greece,
Iceland,
India,
Iraq,
Italy,
Japan,
Jordan,
Latvia,
Lebanon,
Libya,
Lithuania,
Luxembourg,
Malta,
Netherlands,
North Korea,
North Macedonia,
Norway,
Oman,
Poland,From 1 Oct 2003

Portugal,
Qatar,
Romania,
Singapore,
Spain,
Sri Lanka,
Sweden,
Switzerland,
Turkmenistan,
United Arab Emirates,
United Kingdom,
Vietnam.From 20 Feb 1994

Russian Government has instructed the Foreign Ministry to sign an agreement with Georgia, and Tunisia.

Citizens of following countries may visit Russia without a visa if they are travelling as part of the sea crew: Bulgaria,
China,¹
Croatia,
Cyprus,
DR Congo,
Egypt,
France,
Iran,
Iraq,
Lithuania,Including riverboats crew.
North Korea,
Poland,
Tunisia,
Turkey
Turkmenistan,
Vietnam.

Citizens of following countries may visit Russia without a visa if they are travelling as part of the railway crew:
China, North Korea,
Turkmenistan.

Visa-free transit

;Direct airside transit
Passengers travelling through international airports do not need a visa for a transit of less than 24 hours in most circumstances, provided a confirmed onward ticket is held and the traveller remains in the international transit area (without clearing regular passport control). A transit visa is needed when transiting Russia to/from Belarus.

The following international Russian airports do not have international transit areas, meaning a transit visa is required to connect there:

;Saimaa canal
In accordance with a treaty between Russia and Finland, though there are passport controls at borders, a visa is not required for just passing through the Russian part of the Saimaa canal without leaving the vessel.

;Värska–Ulitina road
The road from Värska to Ulitina in Estonia, traditionally the only road to the Ulitina area, goes through Russian territory for one kilometre (0.6 mi) of its length, an area called Saatse Boot. This road has no border control, but there is no connection to any other road in Russia. It is not permitted to stop or walk along the road. This area is a part of Russia but is also a de facto part of the Schengen area.Border tweak steals tourism magnet
(Postimees 7 Aug 2013)

Non-ordinary passports

Under reciprocal agreements, holders of diplomatic or various categories of service passports (consular, official, service, special) of the following countries and territories may enter and remain in Russia without a visa for the following period:

<sub>C - Consular passports

D - Diplomatic passports

O - Official passports

S - Service passports

Sp - Special passports</sub>

<sub>1 – 90 days within any 365-day period.

2 – 90 days within any 180-day period.

3 - With the right of multiple entry and exit.

4 - Applies only to employees of official institutions operating in the territory of a contracting parties and their families.</sub>

Currently, visa exemption for holders of diplomatic passports of European Union member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland have been suspended.

Among citizens of countries whose citizens do not normally require a visa, holders of diplomatic or service passports of Israel require a visa.

Future changes

Russia has signed visa exemption agreements with the following countries, but they have not yet entered into force:

Russia is considering visa exemption agreements or visa policy improvements for the following countries:
* - 21 days for tourist groups from 3 to 50 persons
* - 90 days for diplomatic and service passports
* - 90 days within any 180 day-period for diplomatic and service passports
* - 90 days within any 180 day-period for diplomatic and service passports
* - 90 days within any 180 day-period for diplomatic, service and special passports
* - 90 days within any 180 day-period for diplomatic and service passports
* - 90 days within any 180 day-period for all passports

In addition, Russia is currently in talks with Gulf countries as well as other countries to establish visa exemption agreements.

<sub>A - 30 days for all passports

B - 30 days for ordinary passports

TG - For tourist groups</sub>

Electronic visa (e-Visa)

Citizens of the following countries and territories may obtain an e-Visa for 16 days:

From 8 August 2017, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia started to implement the e-Visa Program.

Citizens of the 18 countriesAlgeria, Bahrain, Brunei, China, India, Iran, Japan, North Korea, Kuwait, Mexico, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates. could apply an e-Visa to visit to regions in the Far Eastern Federal District.

From 8 June 2019, citizens of Taiwan were added to the list for Far East.

From 1 July 2019, citizens of the 54 countries could apply for single-entry business, humanitarian and tourist visas to visit the Kaliningrad region.

From 1 October 2019, electronic visa have become valid for Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast.

On 24 January 2020, the new list for the Far Eastern e-Visa was approved.Citizens of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia were not included in the new list.

Thus, the list of countries has become uniform for all regions where an electronic visa is applied.

On 6 October 2020, in accordance with the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 2571/2020, the list of States was approved. These are all the countries whose citizens were allowed to enter Russia with an electronic visa as part of the pilot project. The e-Visa is a single entry visa, which is valid for a period of 60 days from the date of issue, and which allows a period of stay in the Russian Federation of up to 16 days from the date of entry.

Unified e-Visa was scheduled to be introduced in Russia on 1 January 2021 but the program was temporarily suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Russia started issuing e-Visas on 1 August 2023.

From 5 December 2024, electronic visas became available to citizens of the following 11 countries: Barbados, Bhutan, Eswatini, Jordan, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Saint Lucia, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Zimbabwe. In addition, Andorra and Serbia were excluded from the list, as there are existing bilateral agreements on mutual visa-free travel of citizens.

APEC Business Travel Card

The APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) is a travel document issued to business travellers who are citizens of APEC participating economies. Valid for five years, the card eliminates the need for its holder to possess a visa when visiting other APEC participating economies.

From 1 June 2013, holders of passports issued by the following countries who possess an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) containing the "RUS" code on the reverse that it is valid for travel may enter Russia without a visa for business trips for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.

ABTCs are issued to citizens of:

Closed cities

Several closed cities in Russia require special authorization.

Areas requiring special permits

In accordance with the Government Decree of 1992, 19 areas of the Russian Federation are closed to foreigners without special permits. This restriction does not apply to Russian citizens.

A full list of such areas:
* 1. Part of Kamchatka Krai.
* 2. ''abolished''
* 3. Part of Primorsky Krai.
* 4. Part of Krasnoyarsk Krai.
* 5. Part of Orenburg Oblast.
* 6. Part of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast.
* 7. Part of The Republic of Mordovia.
* 8. Parts of Murmansk Oblast and the Republic of Karelia. Transit to/from Norway is possible by main road.
* 9. Parts of Arkhangelsk Oblast (include South part of Novaya Zemlya island) and the Komi Republic.
* 10. Parts of Sverdlovsk Oblast.
* 11. Parts of Chelyabinsk Oblast.
* 12. In Leningrad Oblast – all Russian islands of Gulf of Finland, except Gogland, and strip along south coast of the Gulf of Finland.
* 13. Parts of Moscow Oblast.
* 14. Part of Kaliningrad Oblast, approx. 15%.
* 15. Part of Volgograd Oblast.
* 16. Part of Astrakhan Oblast.
* 17. Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, all except Bilibino region.
* 18. Part of Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
* 19. The Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, 45% of territory. Transit to border with Georgia and to border with South Ossetia are possible along the main roads. Tsey Gorge is opened for foreigners from 2012.

Conflict area

As of 2024, Crimea and parts of Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions are under Russian control and Russia enforces its visa policy there.

The Government of Ukraine strictly prohibits the entry and transit of foreign citizens to the occupied territories. Foreign citizens who entered the occupied territories without permission will be denied entry and transit to Ukraine.

Agreements

The Russian Federation has visa waiver agreements with 152 jurisdictions. In the table, red indicates agreements signed but not ratified or temporarily not applied, fully or partially suspended agreements are indicated in yellow.

Russia has concluded agreements that facilitate procedures for issuing visas to both Russian citizens and citizens of the partner jurisdiction on a reciprocal basis. Such agreements are in force with the following countries or political associations:

Russia has agreements on cancellation of consular fees with the following countries: Algeria (1965), Angola (15 Apr 1985), Iran (15 Feb 1966), Japan (1 Apr 1965), and Mauritania (1967).

Agreements were denounced with Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Pakistan and New Zealand.

Entry and stay conditions for EAEU and CIS citizens

Russia's visa and other migration policies (incl. healthcare and conditions of family members) are also implemented in accordance with the mobility rights arrangements within the Commonwealth of Independent States and the rules of the single market of the Eurasian Economic Union.

Changes and tightening of Russian legislation in the sphere of migration do not apply to those who have Russian citizenship through international agreements on dual citizenship, and to citizens of the EAEU countries. For citizens of the EAEU, the rules of the EAEU apply.

On 29 November 2024, the Commonwealth of Independent States finally adopted an updated Concept for the phased formation of a common labor market (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan) and migration regulation.

Visa

The Russian visa is a machine-readable document, which is placed in the holder's passport. All fields are indicated in both Russian and English, but are filled out only in Russian.

The holder's name appears in both the Roman and Cyrillic alphabets.

The name that appears in the machine-readable zone at the bottom of the visa represents the holder's Cyrillic name mapped into the Roman alphabet. This allows Russian computer systems to read the Cyrillic name, despite the machine readers only being able to read Roman alphabet letters. As a result, the spelling of a name in the machine-readable zone does not necessarily reflect its spelling in the visa's name field. For example, the name "Christoph" would appear in the field as "Kpиcтoф/Christoph", but the MRZ would contain the name "Kristof".

Contrary to guidelines for machine-readable documents, the issuing country's ISO code (RUS) is not shown at positions 3–5 (i.e. V

Types of visa

Depending on the purpose of entry into the Russian Federation and the purposes of stay, visas are categorized as:
* Private
* Business
* Tourist
* Educational
* Working
* Humanitarian
* Entry (for receiving shelter or to obtain citizenship in Russia)

;Diplomatic visa
A diplomatic visa shall be issued to a foreign citizen holding a diplomatic passport. A diplomatic visa is issued:
* to foreign heads of state, foreign heads of government, members of the foreign official delegations, family members of such persons traveling with them or accompanying them – for a period of up to 1 year.
* to diplomatic agents of diplomatic missions and consular officials of consular establishments, the staff of representations of the international organizations in the Russian Federation which have the diplomatic status in the Russian Federation, to family members of specified persons for a period of up to 1 year.
* to foreign diplomatic and consular couriers for the term of business trip.
* to officials of the foreign states who have the official status in the Russian Federation have the right to a diplomatic visa and who come for a working visit to diplomatic missions or consular establishments of the foreign states in the Russian Federation or to the international organizations or their representations in the Russian Federation, for a period of up to 1 year.

;Service visa
A service visa is issued to the foreign citizen having service (consular, official, special) passport. A service visa is issued:
* to members of foreign official delegations, family members of such persons traveling with them or accompanying them - for a period of up to 1 year.
* to administrative and technical and service personnel of diplomatic missions, consular employees and service personnel of consular establishments of the foreign states in the Russian Federation, representations of the international organizations in the Russian Federation and to family members of such persons for a period of up to 1 year.
* to military personnel of armed forces of the foreign states and family members of such persons for a period of up to 1 year. Extension of term of stay in the Russian Federation by issuance of the multiple entry visa for a period of validity of the foreign trade contract registered in accordance with the established procedure, but no more than for 5 years is allowed to the military personnel of armed forces of the foreign states driving to the Russian Federation for implementation of international treaties of the Russian Federation and (or) decisions of public authorities of the Russian Federation in the field of military and technical cooperation, and family members of such persons.
* to foreign state officials who have the official status in the Russian Federation have the right to be issued a service visa and those who travel for a working visit to diplomatic missions or consular establishments of the foreign states in the Russian Federation or in the international organizations or their representations in the Russian Federation, for a period of up to 1 year.

;Ordinary visa
Depending on the purpose of entry of the foreign citizen into the Russian Federation and the purpose of his stay in the Russian Federation ordinary visas are subdivided on private, business, tourist, educational, working, humanitarian and entry visas to the Russian Federation for temporary residence or citizenship ceremony:

#An ordinary private visa is issued for a period of up to 3 months to foreign citizens traveling to Russia for a short visit on the basis of an invitation letter. Citizens from certain countries (based on the principle of reciprocity) can receive a visa for a period of up to 1 year.
#An ordinary business visa is issued for a period of up to 1 year to foreign citizens traveling to Russia for a business trip.
#An ordinary tourist visa is issued for a period of up to 1 month (or on the basis of the principle of reciprocity for a period of up to 6 months) to foreign citizens traveling to Russia as tourists, if holding an invitation letter by a Russian tour operator. Invitations can be issued by many hotels on request (sometimes for a fee) or through various online services associated with Russian tour operators. An ordinary tourist group visa is issued for a period of up to 1 month to foreign citizens traveling to Russia as a tourist in an organized tourist group (not less than 5 people), of holding a confirmation by an organization in the unified federal register of tour operators.
#An ordinary student visa is issued for a period of up to 1 year to foreign citizens traveling to Russia for training in the educational institution.
#An ordinary work visa is issued to foreign citizens visiting Russia for work purposes for a period of validity of the employment contract or civil contract for performance of work (rendering services), but no more than for 1 year.
#An ordinary humanitarian visa is issued for a period of up to 1 year (or on the basis of the principle of reciprocity for a period of up to 5 years) to foreign citizens visiting Russia for a scientific, cultural, political or a sport visit, religious communication and contacts, pilgrimage, charity, delivery of humanitarian aid.
#An ordinary entry visa to Russia for receiving a shelter is issued to foreign citizens for a period of up to 3 months if holding a decision of the federal executive authority authorized on implementation of functions on control and supervision in the sphere of migration on recognition of this foreign citizen as a refugee on the territory of Russia.
#An ordinary entry visa to Russia to obtain citizenship of the Russian Federation is issued to foreign citizens for a period of up to 1 year if holding a decision on recognition of such foreign citizen as a native speaker of Russian.
#An ordinary entry visa to Russia to obtain permission for temporary resident is issued to foreign citizens for a period of up to 4 months.

;Simplified Ordinary Tourist Visa
The Russian government issues general tourist visas for up to 6 months to 19 countries based on hotel reservations or other accommodation reservation confirmations. This list includes information on hotels, ski resorts, and beaches.

;Transit visa
A Transit visa is issued for a period of up to 10 days to the foreign citizen for transit through the territory of Russia.

;Visa of temporary living person
A visa of temporarily living person is issued for 4 months to the foreign citizen to whom entry into Russia is allowed for temporary residence, within a quota of delivery of permissions to temporary residence.

Applying for visa

All types of Russian entry visas are received through Russian embassies and consulates. Provided all the documents are ready, the process usually takes no more than 3-10 workdays for Russian travel visa.

Russian Tourist Visa requirements:
* Original passport
* One photo (colour, passport size photo)
* Tourist invitation
* Russian Consulate Application Form

The Russian Consulate requires the visa application form to be printed on A4 paper with right and bottom margins of 5mm. A failure to meet these requirements invalidates the form.

Exit

Russia requires that an alien who needs a visa on entry be in possession of a valid visa upon exit.

To satisfy this formal requirement, exit visas sometimes need to be issued. Russia requires an exit visa if a visitor stays well past the expiration date of their visa. They must then extend their visa or apply for an exit visa and are not allowed to leave the country until they show a valid visa or have a permissible excuse for overstaying their visa (e.g., a note from a doctor or a hospital explaining an illness, missed flight, lost or stolen visa). In some cases, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can issue a Return-Home certificate that is valid for 10 days from the embassy of the visitor's native country, thus eliminating the need for an exit visa.

A foreign citizen granted a temporary residence permit in Russia needs a temporary resident visa to take a trip abroad (valid for both exit and return). It is also colloquially called an ''exit visa''.

Costs for visa

Almost all Russian embassies and consulates, require visa applications to be submitted to semi-private visa processing centers instead of directly to the consular section of the embassy. Costs differ.

Fingerprinting

From January 2015, visa applicants from the United Kingdom, Denmark, Myanmar and Namibia will be obliged to provide fingerprint scans. After a trial period it will be decided whether to expand this to other countries as well.

Russia plans to require, from 1 July 2019, fingerprinting and photographing of all foreign citizens entering the Russian Federation without a visa and staying for more than 30 days.

From 1 December 2024, foreign citizens staying in Russia through the airports of Moscow and the Moscow region and the Mashtakovo automobile checkpoint in the Orenburg Region must submit fingerprinting and photographing.

From 30 June 2025, this requirement will be applied at all border checkpoints.

Visitor and visa statistics

;Visitor statistics
According to the Border Service of the Federal Security Service and the Federal State Statistics Service, most visitors arriving to Russia were from the following countries of nationality:

Visitor statistics 2024-2021

;Visa statistics
Most electronic visas were issued for citizens of the following countries (top-10):

Most visas were issued in the following countries:

History

General Rules

The law "On the legal status of foreign citizens in the USSR" was used by the Russian Federation. Action extended from 1 January 1993. Chapter III of the law "entry into the USSR and exit from the USSR Foreign citizens" was replaced adopted the Federal Law No.114-FZ 1996 "On the Order of Exit from the Russian Federation". The law was repealed with the adoption of the Federal Law 115-FZ on 25 Jul 2002 On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation. The laws establishes that as a general rule all foreign citizens and stateless persons need visas for entry and exit from the territory of Russia and the period of temporary stay (90 days within any 180 days). It also establishes a number of exceptions addressing certain groups of travelers. The basis of the legal status of foreign citizens and stateless persons are secured primarily by the Constitution of the Russian Federation 1993 - Art. 62 and Art. 63.

According to the Russian Constitution, international treaties of Russia override the domestic legislation. Russia has concluded a number of bilateral or multilateral treaties on visa abolishing or simplification and is seeking to negotiate new such treaties. The visa policy Russia applies the principle of reciprocity, the principle of specular.

Visa-free 72-hour transit

In September 2013, the president of Russia has sent the bill of introduction of 72-hour visa-free transit to parliament. The list of the airports and the list of the states which citizens will be able to use visa-free transit in the tourist purposes, will be approved by the Government of the Russian Federation after ratification.

In 2014, the parliament has suspended ratification of the bill for an indefinite term.

Occupied territories of Ukraine

;Crimea
In April 2014, Crimea's Tourism Minister proposed a visa-free regime for foreign tourists staying at Crimean resorts for up to 12 days and a 72-hour visa-free stay for cruise passengers. Visa-free access for Chinese citizens was proposed in June 2014. Visa-free entrance in cruise courts to Sevastopol began to be carried out from September 2015 Other of the proposals has been not realized.

;Donetsk and Luhansk
On 18 February 2017, the President of Russia signed the decree "About Recognition of the Documents Issued to the Citizens of Ukraine and Persons Without Citizenship Living in Territories of Certain Districts of the Donetsk and Luhansk Regions of Ukraine". Holders of passports of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic could carry out entry into the Russian Federation and departure from the Russian Federation without execution of visas. The decree is applied temporarily, for the period before political settlement of a situation in certain districts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine on the basis of the Minsk Agreement.

From 29 December 2018, citizens of Ukraine who are residents of the territories of "certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions" of Ukraine are allowed to enter Russia visa-free for a maximum stay of 180 days.

International events

;Art events
Participants and members of delegations coming to participate in the musical events are either provided with a simplified visa regime (e.g. Eurovision Song Contest 2009) or the right of visa-free entry (e.g. International Tchaikovsky Competition 2015).

Currently (September 2015), the law providing permanent visa abolition for participants and jury members of art competitions is being planned by the Government of Russia. The focus of this regulation will be on the International Tchaikovsky Competition.

;Economic events
Participants of the 1st Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok did not require a visa. Entrance was allowed with passport and the accreditation certificate only.

Participants of East Economic Forum in Vladivostok can visit an event without visas from 8 to 15 September 2018.

;Sporting events
Prior to the adoption of a special law, participants and members of delegations arriving to sporting events, could count on a visa-free entry or visa facilitation (determined by law for each event which has to pass ratification in parliament and to be signed by the president). For the 2008 Champions League Final held in Moscow, also spectators were given such visa-free entry.

On 13 May 2013, the presidential decree on the abolition of visas for athletes, coaches, team leaders and members of foreign official delegations, as well as judges from the international sports competitions came into effect.
It envisages entry on the basis of passport and accreditation certificate.

The order of the President or the Government of Russia is sufficient for visa abolition or simplification of registration of visas. Visas were abolished for participants of the 2013 Summer Universiade, the 2014 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Moscow, the 2014 World Judo Championships in Chelyabinsk and the 16th FINA World Championships in Kazan.

Participants of the XVI World Aquatics Championships in the Masters category were exempted from visa fees.

The right to enter Russia without a visa was also given to visitors during the 2014 Winter Olympics and 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi if they were in a possession of tickets for the event. Players of 2016 IIHF World Championship were able to obtain visas on arrival, for the fans were simplified procedure for issuing visas.

2017 FIFA Confederations Cup holders of tickets for matches of the championship could enter Russia without a visa with personalized card of viewer (also known as the passport of a fan or fan-ID) and national passport from 7 June to 12 July 2017, if holding a laminated FIFA FAN ID card; from 14 June to 2 July 2017, if holding a printed FIFA FAN ID electronic format card. The foreign citizens could use their FAN IDs for multiple visa-free entry into and exit from the Russian Federation.

2018 FIFA World Cup holders of tickets for matches of the championship were able to enter Russia without a visa with personalized card of viewer (also known as the passport of a fan or fan-ID) and national passport from 4 June to 25 July 2018.

Foreigners participating in events and athletes included in the lists of FIFA, will have to obtain visas, but in a simplified manner. In particular, visas for this category of citizens will be issued within 3 working days from the date of filing and without consular fees. This procedure will be applied until 31 December 2018.

Foreigners involved in activities and not participating in sporting events, will travel to and from Russia by an ordinary multiple-entry work visas that will be issued for a period of 1 year. Foreigners, attracted by the FIFA, its subsidiaries and contractors, confederations, national football associations, the Russian football Union, organizing Committee "Russia-2018" will be entitled to work in Russia without obtaining a patent.

Travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia has imposed the following temporary travel restrictions:

On 28 June 2021, Russia resumed flights with Belgium, Bulgaria, Jordan, Ireland, Italy, Cyprus, North Macedonia, USA, Turkey, Austria, Armenia, Greece, Qatar, Serbia, Finland, Croatia, and Switzerland.

On 27 January 2021, Russia resumed flights with Finland, Vietnam, India and Qatar.

From 15 August 2020, restrictions are lifted for citizens of Switzerland.

From 1 August 2020, restrictions on entry to Russia were lifted for citizens of Abkhazia, Tanzania, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. The issuance of entry visas and invitations has also been resumed.

The issuance of Russian electronic visas for the Far East District, Kaliningrad Oblast, and St Petersburg and Leningrad has been suspended since 18 March 2020 and has not been resumed yet.

For foreign citizens who are in Russia on the basis of a visa or visa-free regime, the duration of temporary stay is suspended From 15 March to 15 June 2020.

From 18 March until a special order of the government, all foreign citizens (except citizens of CIS member nations, Abkhazia, South Ossetia from 20 March 2020) are not allowed to enter the Russian Federation. This does not apply to some category of travels.
From 13 March 2020, temporarily suspended the entry of citizens of Italy travelling for educational, work, private, tourist and transit purposes

From 28 February 2020, temporarily suspended the entry of citizens of Iran travelling for educational, work, private, tourist and transit purposes.

From 20 February 2020, temporarily suspended the entry of citizens of China, Hong Kong, Macao, travelling for work, private, educational and tourist purposes.

See also

* Visa requirements for Russian citizens
* List of diplomatic missions of Russia
* Foreign relations of Russia
* Visa history of Russia

Notes

References

External links

The conditions of entry of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation of diplomatic, service (official, special), regular passport. (in Russian) May 2017


Electronic visa / Consular department of MFA of Russia

FAN ID


Federal Law No.114-FZ On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation (in English) (without additions)


Federal Law No.114-FZ On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation (in Russian) (with additions)

{{Visa requirements by citizenship

Russia
Foreign relations of Russia