Regular visa to Russia – Tourist Type
As a rule, every tourist from USA/UK/Australia/Europe/South Africa and quite a number of other countries arriving into Russian Federation by train, airplane or by car, must have a valid Russian Visa for the entire period of stay.
For regular TOURIST visas, the process is the following:
- Contact your local Russian Consulate to determine their requirements for obtaining your visa; If you don’t know precisely where your consulate is, use the Russian Consulate Locator or GoAbroad.com
- Prepare the required package of documents and submit them to the Consulate.
- Pick up your visa and check to make sure that the information is correct.
Visa Support
Always, one of the documents required (apart from your passport, photo, and the actual Russian Visa Application) is the so-called Visa Support. We provide all the necessary Visa Support documents (Tour Confirmation and Tour Voucher) for you to obtain the Russian Visa.
Get some help
If you don’t want to bother with obtaining a Russian Visa yourself, we recommend that you contact your local agency approved by the consulate (see your consulate’s website for details).
E-Visa
As of 2019, citizens of certain countries are able to apply for an electronic visa (e-visa) to visit certain regions of Russia, including Saint Petersburg.
On October 7, 2020, the Russian government announced plans to introduce a country-wide electronic visa as of 2021.
For US citizens
US Citizens are welcome to contact an official Full Visa Service provider in USA ILS – Russian Visa Center (Invisa Logistic Services)
Visa-free agreement with Russia
If you hold a regular travel passport of one of the countries in the list below, then you DO NOT need a visa to Russia!
E-visa to Russia – Tourist Type
In August 2017, Russia introduced the e-visa system in the Far Eastern Federal District regions. It was a pilot project that was limited only to citizens of 18 countries. On October 7, 2020, the Russian government announced plans to introduce a country-wide electronic visa as of 2021.
Updates from 2021
— the cost of an one-entry e-visa will be $40 instead of the free visa now;
— it will be valid for two months, a permitted stay in the country will be 16 days (now it’s 30 days and 8 days respectively);
— it will be issued within four days after an application has been filled in — there is no difference here;
— the process of application and issuance will be fully electronic as is case now;
— the new e-visa will be available for citizens of 53 countries, just as it’s now.
Positive Changes
St Petersburg and Russia now are more approachable and affordable. E-visa is an electronic application you make online and it is valid to visit St Petersburg and Leningrad region without an additional Russian touristic visa.
Easier & faster
E-visa is cheaper than the regular touristic visa, faster to make, and quicker to be approved. It is also valid for 8 days (16 from 2021). You can apply for it on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Consular department website directly. It is reviewed in 4 days only. Make sure you fill in the required fields according to the conditions provided on the website.
Advantages
• Cheap to make
• Fast to review and approve
• No need to go anywhere to apply
• 8 Days in St Petersburg – twice more than for cruise travelers (16 days in Russia from 2021)
Disadvantages
• You fill in the form on your own and it might cause issues upon arrival. There are common mistakes travelers make and unfortunately they find this out only at the customs of St Petersburg. The most frequent mistake is incorrect name writing and passport details. A lot of travelers avoid adding special symbols of their names or drop half of it.
Obtain it online
There is no need for any invitations or confirmation. Just fill in the application form on the website. There is no need to waste your free time or working hours to visit the consular agency during its business hours. You do not need to pay for anything to obtain an e-visa.
Blanket visa to Russia – Tour ticket
There is another way to visit St Petersburg without a touristic visa. You may visit the city on a cruise ship and stay in for 3 days.
For cruise passengers
Visa-Free system lets passengers go off the ship and visit any museums they like but only with a guide. Cruise passengers may not stay in St Petersburg without a tour provider.
Rely on us
As soon as you know the cruise ship is going to St Petersburg we recommend applying for the “blanket visa” with our help. The visa is being issued in no less than 3 days before the actual arrival. For the blanket visa you will need to provide your passport details. All the rest of the work is done by us.
Save time
E-visa and visa-free system in St Petersburg will let you enjoy the city without complicated documents. Now you can focus on experiences themselves, not on the way to them.
Advantages
• Absolutely no routines with documents. We take care of everything – from visa to itinerary
• There is always a person you are in touch with
• There is no risk to be lost and usually museum admissions are “skip-the-line”
• Transfer from the port and back is provided along with a guide
Disadvantages
• Visa-Free stay is available only for cruise passengers
• You will have 3 days of stay max.
Get in touch
Visa-free system in St Petersburg will let you enjoy the city without complicated documents. Now you can focus on experiences themselves, not on the way to them.