What does a Russian visa require?
A Russian visa must be obtained before travel. It is not issued at the border. The application needs a valid passport (usually valid at least six months after the trip), a passport photo, a completed application form, travel insurance and, depending on the visa type, an invitation or travel confirmation.
Requirements and rules have changed frequently in recent years. It's worth verifying the current conditions before applying, or leaving the application to a specialist so it doesn't fail on a technicality.
Visa types in brief
A tourist visa suits a short holiday and is usually issued for one or two entries. A multiple-entry visa suits repeat travel and is valid for a longer period, during which you can make several trips within the permitted length of stay.
The right visa type depends on the purpose, duration and number of trips. The wrong choice means unnecessary cost or rejection. We review your needs before applying.
How to apply through us
You get in touch, we tell you which documents you need, and we complete the application for you. We check every detail before submission so the application goes through in one pass. You can add travel insurance, a visa photo and express postal return at the same time, the whole package at once.
That's the core of the service: you don't need to know shifting rules or deal with several parties. We've done this thousands of times.
Processing time and tips
Processing time varies by visa type and season. Apply well before your trip, especially during the busy spring and summer period. Make sure your passport has enough validity and free pages.
The most common cause of delay is an incomplete application. When the documents are right the first time, the process is clearly faster.
Get your Russian visa without the hassle
Tell us about your trip and we'll handle the visa, insurance and photo for you.
See the Russian visa service