As with all countries in the world, foreign nationals need a visa to enter Russia. With new technologies, e-Visas or electronic visas are becoming increasingly popular. Since 2019, Russia has also been trying this out for some of its regions. Since 1 January 2021, the Russian government has introduced a unified electronic visa for visiting the whole of Russia.
Russian e-Visa
To obtain a Russian e-Visa, all you have to do is go to the authorities' official website. All you need is an up-to-date passport and a digital photo. What's more, the procedure is free. All you need to enter Russia is travel insurance. There are four categories of Russian e-Visa: tourist visas, business visas, humanitarian visas and visas for visiting relatives.
You also need to apply for an e-Visa before leaving for Russia, otherwise you won't be able to obtain one on arrival. Here are a few points to bear in mind:
- The Russian e-Visa is only valid for 60 days from the date of issue, but your stay in Russia may not exceed 16 days with this visa.
- You must complete the application procedure at least 10 days before the planned date of your trip to Russia, and no more than 4 days before that date.
- The Russian electronic visa is issued no later than 4 days after your request.
For those who prefer simplicity, it is possible to use the services of a private website to apply for an electronic Russian visa. You will receive an e-mail once you have obtained your visa. The same documents are required.
An agency service 