The application for a Russian visa may seem long and filling it in can be a frustrating process if you haven’t done it before. We prepared a list of recommendations for travelers from different countries to make the process much easier:
Before starting the process, check the information below to determine if your passport grants you visa free entry to Russia for tourism purposes – you might be lucky. In this case you will only need your valid passport to cross the border.
If you are coming to Russia by cruise ship, you may disembark in St Petersburg and spend up to 72 hours in the city without a visa, using what is known as a tour ticket (blanket-visa), offered as a part of a shore excursion.
You cannot receive a tour ticket separately from a tour. You should be accompanied by your tour guide the entire time you are in St Petersburg and are required to spend the night(s) on your cruise ship. If you absolutely want to have free time in St Petersburg without an escort, you shall need to apply for an actual Russian visa unless you find your nationality listed in the visa-free travel list above. If you do, you may disembark without a visa/tour ticket and stay on your own without an escort.
Useful info regarding the shore excursions can be found here.
Citizens of certain countries are able to apply for e-visas to visit Vladivostok, Kaliningrad, St Petersburg and the Leningrad region. This e-visa is free of charge. The permitted stay in Russia (remember, the above mentioned cities and region only) with an e-visa is up to 8 days starting from the date of entry, within the visa’s validity period of 30 days. One should apply for an e-visa not later than 4 days before the assumed date of entry.
Entry into Saint Petersburg and the Leningrad Region with an e-visa by railway is currently not possible. Please use the following link to check the customs control points for points of entry to Saint Petersburg and the Leningrad Region using e-visas.
You may enter Kaliningrad with a direct flight to the Kaliningrad airport, by sea, railway or car crossing the border in the Kaliningrad region only through these crossing points. You may not arrive through any other Russian airport if you received a visa for the Kaliningrad region.
With an e-visa to Vladivostok you may enter through the borders located in this region: State border crossing points.
If something remains unclear please contact us
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