Russia Student Visa Application Process
Russia Student Visa Application Process
A Russian student visa is a type of visa given to people who go to Russia for educational purposes and will be a student at an educational institution in Russia. People who have a Russian student visa are given the right to live in Russia for the duration of their education.
The biggest reason why foreign students choose to study in Russia is that Russian universities are more affordable compared to European universities. In addition to the affordable prices of universities, living expenses in Russia are not too expensive for foreign students. In addition to English language education, programs in Russian can be attended at Russian universities. The Russian education system also offers the opportunity to receive education from the state budget.
There are many universities and educational programs that students can choose from in Russia, and the most preferred departments by foreign students are civil engineering, architecture, international relations, general medicine and translation and interpretation.
Who Can Get a Student Visa to Study in Russia?
Foreigners who want to study in Russia usually need a visa to study in Russia. Only citizens of Belarus and South Ossetia can stay in Russia indefinitely without a visa.
Citizens of some countries can enter Russia without a visa, but can stay in Russia for limited periods of up to 14, 30, 60 or 90 days.
Do Turkish Students Need a Visa to Study in Russia?
Turkish students with a do passport need a visa to study in Russia. Turkish students with a special passport and a service passport can study in Russia without a visa for 30 days, not exceeding 90 days within 180 days, while diplomatic passport holders can study in Russia for a short period of time, not exceeding 90 days. For studies in Russia that will last longer than 90 days, all Turkish citizens, regardless of passport type, must obtain a Russian student visa.
How to Apply for a Russian Education Visa?
To apply for a Russian education visa, you must first apply to an educational institution in Russia and receive an invitation from the institution you are applying to. Russian student visa applications can be made in person or through accredited agencies at the Russian Embassy, Russian Consulates General or intermediary institution visa application centers.
If student visa applications are to be made to Russian foreign missions, they should be applied to the Russian Embassy in Ankara, the Russian Consulate General in Istanbul, the Russian Consulate General in Trabzon or the Russian Consulate General in Antalya. Before applying for a visa at the consulates, it is necessary to make a visa appointment through the online system. Visa procedures are completed by filling out the Russian visa application form and questionnaire online, preparing the necessary documents for the visa, paying the visa fee through contracted banks, going to the consulate on the appointment day and submitting the documents, and, if deemed necessary, conducting a visa interview.
In cases where the visa application will be made to the Russian visa center; visa applications must be made to the visa application centers located in Istanbul, Trabzon, Ankara and Antalya. Before applying to the visa application center, an appointment must be made through the online appointment system. In order to complete the student visa application process, the Russian visa application form must be filled out online, the necessary documents for the visa must be prepared, the visa fee must be paid before or during the appointment depending on the visa center to which the application will be made, and all necessary documents must be submitted to the visa center on the day of the visa appointment. If the application will be made to the Russian visa center in Istanbul, approval must be obtained from the consulate one day before the application.
It is also possible to apply to the Russian visa center by mail; after the application form and necessary documents are prepared, the visa fee is paid and the visa application file is sent to the relevant visa center by mail.
What are the Required Documents for a Russian Student Visa?
The documents required for a Russian student visa are given below.
- Russian visa application form: The visa application form must be filled out online by the applicant with complete and accurate information at visa.kdmid.ru.
- Invitation: An application from the Russian educational institution where the applicant has applied to study, along with an invitation issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Russian Migration Service are among the requirements for studying in Russia.
- Passport: The applicant must have a passport that is valid for at least 18 months and have at least 2 blank pages.
- Photo: 2 photos with a clear face and a white background are required.
- HIV Test: The applicant must have an HIV test at one of the hospitals in Turkey and submit the test result with a signature and stamp.
What are the Invitation Types for Russian Federation Student Visa?
An invitation for a Russian Federation student visa is a document showing the purpose of entering Russia and an invitation is a must in order to obtain a student visa.
There are 3 types of acceptable invitations for a Russian student visa and these invitation types are given below.
- Invitation from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation: The applicant must be provided with the invitation by the educational institution in Russia. After the educational institution in Russia sends the invitation to the applicant, the applicant must print it out or submit it electronically to the institution to which he/she applied.
- Telex invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation: The applicant's educational institution in Russia must obtain the invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation then sends the invitation to the consulate in the applicant's country. The university where the applicant will study must provide a 6-digit code to the consulate.
- Invitation letter from Russian university: Valid only for short-term studies. The invitation must be prepared by the university rector or the department head of the international unit, stamped and signed on the official paper of the university.
In some cases, the Russian Immigration Office sends invitations in electronic format. In case of application for a student visa from the Istanbul Consulate, a confirmation printout of the invitation sent must be obtained from the consulate.
Is Health Insurance Required for a Russian Student Visa Application?
Health insurance for Russian student visa applications is mandatory for citizens of European Union countries, Ireland, China, Iran and Israel; however, travel health insurance is not one of the mandatory documents for visa applications of citizens of other countries.
Turkish citizens who will apply for a Russian student visa are not required to submit travel health insurance during their visa application, however, it is recommended that travel health insurance be taken out as a precaution against health problems and unexpected situations that may occur during the period of study in Russia. If Russian travel health insurance is taken out, the insurance can cover the expenses in case of unexpected situations such as health problems or accidents that may occur during the student period.
How Much Does a Russian Student Visa Cost?
The Russian student visa fee may vary depending on the number of entries and exits of the visa and the processing day. The applicant can pay the visa fee in cash or in dollars through contracted banks, depending on where they will apply.
Russian student visas, which take between 4 and 10 days to process, cost $80 for single entry, $128 for double entry, and $240 for multiple entry. Single entry visas, which take between 1 and 3 days to process, cost $160, double entry visas cost $256, and multiple entry visas cost $480.
For single-entry Russian student visa applications for 2022; all expenses, including visa fee, filling out the application form, travel health insurance, hotel and flight reservations, sworn translation service and consultancy fee when necessary, cost around 180 dollars on average.
How to Make an Appointment for a Russian Education Visa?
Appointments for Russian education visas are made from visa application centers or consulates. Appointments from the visa application center are made by entering information such as where to apply, visa type, number of applications and e-mail address in the online appointment system.
The appointment screen of the Russian visa center is given below.
An appointment for a Russian student visa can be made at the consulate by entering the application number and security code into the consulate's online system.
The consulate's appointment screen is given in the image below.
How Many Days Does It Take to Get a Russian Student Visa?
Russian student visa applications are generally finalized within 4 to 10 working days, but this period may take longer depending on the workload of the consulate, interviews and additional document requests, and holidays. Express visa applications are finalized within 3 working days.
How to Track and Inquire about Russian Education Visa?
The Russian education visa tracking and query process varies depending on where the application is made. Since the consulate does not have any tracking and query system for Russian student visa applications made to consulates, tracking and query processes can be done by calling the consulate or sending an e-mail. In case of Russian education visa applications made from the Russian visa center, visa tracking and query process can be done by entering passport number/reference number and date of birth information in the online tracking system.
The visual of the application tracking screen of the Russian visa center is given below.
How Long Is a Russian Student Visa Granted?
Russian student visas are issued for 90 days and are single or double entry.
How to Extend the Validity of a Russian Student Visa?
In order to extend the validity period of a Russian student visa, a foreign student must apply to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation where he/she resides and is registered. The extension of the validity period is within the term of the educational agreement signed in accordance with the laws of the Russian Federation, with each subsequent extension not exceeding 1 year. With the extension of the validity period of a student visa, the student is granted a multiple-entry visa.
What to Do After Russian Student Visa is Approved?
There are two procedures that need to be followed after the Russian student visa is approved.
- Obtaining an immigration card: At the entrance to the Russian airport, the immigration card must be collected. The card consists of two sections, one containing questions about the traveler and the other about the student, and all information must be filled in completely. One part of the card must remain with the border police and the other part must be carried by the student.
- Registration of Russian student visa: Registration of Russian student visa is the responsibility of the owner of the private house or hotel where the student is staying in Russia. The student must provide the owner of the accommodation with the passport information pages, photocopies of the student visa and immigration card, and thus the registration is completed.
What are the Reasons for Russian Student Visa Rejection?
Reasons for Russian student visa rejection are listed below.
- Declaration of missing documents
- Invalidity of invitation
- Having a past visa violation
In case of rejection of your Russian student visa, you can re-apply for a visa by completing the missing documents or you can appeal the visa rejection decision.
Can a Russian Student Visa Rejection Be Appealed?
People whose Russian student visa applications are rejected can appeal the Russian student visa rejection. In order to appeal, a visa rejection petition must be prepared and sent to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Russian Consulate by e-mail or delivered in person by making an appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most frequently asked questions to our center about Russian student visas and studying in Russia are listed below with answers.
What is the Cost of Student Living in Russia?
Student living costs in Russia are not expensive compared to other European countries.
The monthly accommodation expenses of a student in Russia vary depending on the location, type and size of the accommodation, but the average cost is between 500 and 35,000 Russian rubles, or 200 to 10,000 Turkish lira. In Russia, basic food expenses such as bread, meat, sugar and fish cost an average of 4,000 Russian rubles per month, or 1,200 TL. A lunch at a fast food restaurant costs an average of 180-200 Russian rubles, or 50-80 Turkish lira. Transport costs in Russia vary by city, but the average metro trip costs 57 Russian rubles, or 16 TL, and a monthly travel ticket costs 1,970 rubles, or approximately 560 TL.
Annual tuition fees at universities in Russia vary by university, region and specialization. The average annual tuition fee at universities in Russia is between 122,500 and 880,000 Russian rubles, or 35,000 to 253,000 Turkish Lira. The cost of living in Russia is affordable for students.
Can I Work in Russia with a Student Visa?
Students in Russia with a student visa can also work on their days off. Students are given a work permit for 1 year and in order to work, students must obtain permission from the Russian Immigration Service and be over 18 years old.
In Russia, students can work as assistants at universities, and the most common job is foreign language teaching. In Russia, foreign students can earn up to $50 per hour by working in their spare time.
Is it possible to work in Russia after graduation?
After graduating from Russian universities, foreign students cannot stay in Russia without a work permit or visa.
Foreign students who complete programs at Russian universities must apply for a work permit or Russian work visa in order to work in Russia after graduation.
Do I Need a Student Visa to Study Language in Russia?
For language education that will last more than 90 days in Russia, individuals are required to obtain a student visa; however, for language education that will last less than 90 days, it is possible for some Turkish citizens to receive language education in Russia without the need for a visa, depending on their passport type.
Turkish citizens with ordinary passports must obtain a visa for Russian language school education. Service and special passport holders can travel to Russia without a visa for language school education of less than 30 days, and diplomatic passport holders can travel to Russia without a visa for language school education of less than 90 days.
Can a Graduate from a Russian University Obtain Russian Citizenship?
A person who graduates from a Russian university can obtain Russian citizenship if they meet certain requirements. Russian citizenship grants individuals the right to live, study and work in Russia.
In order to obtain Russian citizenship, students must first complete their education at a state university located in Russia. After completing their education in Russia, people who have 1 year of experience in their profession can apply for Russian citizenship .
Can Family Members of a Russian Student Visa Holder Come to Russia?
A Russian student visa is a type of visa that allows the holder's family members to accompany the person. In order for family members to come to Russia, an invitation from the Migration Department and the visa fee must be paid.
Family members of Russian student visa holders must apply for a Russian family visa at the consulate before arriving in Russia. Russian family visa holders do not have the right to work or live in Russia for long periods.