Russian E-visa Guide
Want to plan your Russia tour with minimum effort, money, and paperwork? We have very good news for you! Starting in October 2019 if you are a citizen of these 53 countries, you will be able to visit St Petersburg with a free electronic visa (Russian e-visa).
For now, citizens of these 53 countries have a chance to obtain the Russian e-visa in Kaliningrad Region. In case you are a citizen of these 18 countries than you also have a chance to visit Vladivostok (Far East region) with the e-visa.
Can I apply for the Russian e-visa?
Before applying for the Russian e-visa, check whether you are a citizen of one of those countries that are allowed to enter Russia with the e-visa. So, for example, citizens of Spain can visit Kaliningrad and St Petersburg by the e-visa. But neither Spain nor any of the other EU countries are included in the list of visits of the Far East with the e-visa.
Where can I get the Russian e-visa?
In case you have the e-visa you must enter and leave Russia only at certain checkpoints. The approved list of checkpoints for visiting by the e-visa of Kaliningrad region can be found here. The list of checkpoints for visiting St Petersburg will be announced later.
You can apply for the Russian e-visa on the official website here. You do not need to come to the consulate of the Russian Federation in your country. There are two options for obtaining the e-visa for Kaliningrad region and the Far East. St Petersburg will appear later.
What is the cost of the Russian e-visa?
You do not need to pay! It’s free!
What documents are needed?
To obtain an electronic visa you do not need any invitations or hotel reservations or any other documents confirming the purpose of your trip to Russia.
Passport requirements for visiting Russia with the e-visa:
– your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the date you apply for the Russian e-visa
– there must be free space for stamps in your passport
You must also have medical insurance valid in Russia for the period of your stay.
What is the deadline for applying for the Russian e-visa?
Once you have submitted an application than your e-visa will be issued during not more than 4 days. Holidays and weekends do not affect the terms of applying for the e-visa. Therefore you need to fill in an application for the e-visa not later than 4 calendar days before the trip. But you can apply for the e-visa not earlier than 20 days before your trip.
How long is the Russian e-visa issued for?
The Russian e-visa is a single entry visa and is issued for a period of 30 calendar days, starting from the date of issue.
NB! You are permitted to stay in Russia with the e-visa up to 8 days, starting from the date of entry, and within its validity period. You cannot extend the Russian e-visa.
The permitted period of stay in Russia is always rounded up to 00 hours 00 minutes of the date of passport control at the entry, in other words, starts at midnight. For example, the e-visa is valid from June 15 to July 14, you passed through the passport control at 8 p.m on July 1. In this case, passport control at the exit must be completed before 11:59 pm on July 8 (and not until 8 p.m. on July 9).
You should take into account the total 30-day validity period of the e-visa. In the example above you must pass through the passport control not later than 11:59 pm on July 14, that is before the expiration of the e-visa even if your entry date is, for instance, July 12.
May I travel across Russia with the Russian e-visa?
If you arrive in Russia with the e-visa you are allowed to travel only within the territory which you entered. You must leave the country through the same checkpoint where you made the entry.
So if you visit St Petersburg or Kaliningrad with the Russian e-visa you cannot travel outside its borders. It is prohibited to travel from St Petersburg to Moscow with the e-visa.
