You’ll need to get a visa from the Russian Embassy before you travel. Processing times are up to 20 business days for standard service or up to 3 business days for urgent service depending upon the visa category applied for and the application itself.
As part of the visa application process, all applicants based in the UK aged 12 or over will need to visit a visa application centre to submit biometric data (scanned fingerprints). These are located in London, Manchester and Edinburgh. The Russian government requires biometric fingerprinting from all foreign nationals, including British nationals, when entering Russia.
From 25 August 2021, Russian Government introduced a simplified application procedure for tourist visas. Visitors can now use a booking with a registered Russian hotel, or confirmation from the registered Russian tourist agency to apply for a single, double or multi-entry tourist visa up to six months. The federal registry is available here (Russian only). Single entry visas are for the entire period of the hotel booking. Multi-entry tourist visa holders may remain in Russia for up to 90 cumulative days out of each 180 days of visa validity period.
On receiving your visa you should check the details carefully including the validity dates and passport number to make sure they are correct. Make sure you’re aware of the terms and conditions attached to your visa before you travel. You should adhere to the validity and conditions of your visa while you’re in Russia, as the authorities strictly enforce all visa and immigration laws.
Visa requirements
- Current passport which should be valid for a minimum of six months after visa’s expiration date and has at least 2 blank pages which need to be consecutive.
- 2Visa application form filled in and printed out from this website only. Kindly ensure that the dates of your entry and exit, as entered in the application form, match with or fall within the period specified in the supporting documents.
- One recent passport size photo glued to the indicated space on the application form.
- A ‘Tourist voucher’and a ‘Tourist confirmation’document stamped and signed by authorized person. They can be obtained through your hotel or an approved travel agent who deals with trips to Russia, and should be valid for the entire duration of your trip. The stamp and all details should be clearly readable.
- Tourists on board large cruise Ships have the right to stay in the Russian Federation without a visa for up to 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 Tourists who wish to leave the ship on their own or in a group of less than 5 tourists must have a visa.
- Self-employed, company directors, working from home or unemployed applicants 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. Please note that if you wish to provide online banking printouts please make sure they will be certified and stamped by your bank. Students, house-wives and retired people are not required to provide bank statements.
- Applicants going for auto tourism should enclose the Registration Certificate of the vehicle they intend to travel by and covering letter mentioning the details of the journey, itinerary and names of the accompanying travelers. Notice: Tourist Visa is issued according to the dates specified in the voucher and confirmation and can be for a maximum period of 30 days. Kindly ensure that the dates of your entry and exit, as entered in the application form, match with or fall within the period specified in the supporting documents.
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Info Source: GOV.UK and Russia Visa Centre
