Russian Tourist Visa Application Process
Russian Tourist Visa Application Process in 2023
A Russian tourist visa is a type of visa that grants the holder the right to travel to Russia for touristic purposes during its validity period. A Russian tourist visa can be applied for by a person living in Russia with an invitation (voucher) written in the name of the applicant.
Russia is a country that attracts a lot of attention from tourists with its historical features and interesting culture. The cities of Russia that attract the most attention from tourists are Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kazan. According to the data of the Border Guard Service of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, Russia hosted a total of 32,866,265 tourists in 2019, and these tourists traveled to Russia mostly from Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Abkhazia and Tajikistan.
The number of visa invitations and visa approvals for Russia by year is given in the table below.
| Year | Number of visa invitations | Number of visa approvals |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 307.86 | 455.37 |
| 2016 | 465.66 | 293.91 |
| 2017 | 483.80 | 314.91 |
| 2018 | 508.27 | 327.40 |
| 2019 | 506.45 | 348.46 |
| 2020 | 138.28 | 224.67 |
| 2021 | 263.37 | 216.44 |
Vizem.net is an accredited agency that provides consultancy services for the entire process from filling out the online application form to visa follow-up procedures for Russian tourist visa applications from Turkey.
For more information: 0850 241 1868Do I Need a Visa to Go to Russia as a Tourist?
Citizens of the Republic of Turkey who want to go to Russia as tourists may need to apply for a visa depending on the type of passport they have. Citizens of the Republic of Turkey who hold an ordinary (maroon) passport must apply for a visa for their touristic travels to Russia.
Citizens of the Republic of Turkey who hold a special (green) passport and a service (grey) passport are exempt from visa applications for a period of 30 days for travel to Russia for a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period. Citizens of the Republic of Turkey who hold a diplomatic (black) passport are exempt from visa applications for a period of 90 days for travel to Russia for touristic purposes.
How to Apply for a Russian Tourist Visa?
Russian tourist visa applications are made by the applicant personally or through accredited agencies to the Russian Embassy, Russian consulates general or Russian visa application centers. Citizens of the Republic of Turkey who wish to travel to Russia for touristic purposes have the right to apply for an e-visa.
How to Get a Tourist Visa to Russia from the Consulates?
A tourist visa to Russia is obtained by applying 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 Russian visa at the relevant consulates, a visa appointment must be made through the online appointment system of the consulates.
Russian tourist visa application procedures are completed by filling out the Russian visa application form and questionnaire online, completing the necessary documents, paying the visa fee through contracted banks, going to the relevant consulate on the appointment day and submitting the documents, and conducting a visa interview if deemed necessary. The required documents for a Russian tourist visa must be submitted completely in the application file.
How to Get a Tourist Visa from the Russian Visa Center?
Russian tourist visas are obtained by applying to visa application centers located in Antalya, Istanbul, Ankara and Trabzon provinces through the Russian Visa Center, an intermediary institution authorized by the relevant Russian consulates. In order to apply for a visa through the Russian Visa Center, a visa appointment must be made through the online appointment system in advance.
In order to complete the Russian tourist visa procedures; the online Russian visa application form must be filled out completely, the necessary documents must be prepared, the visa fee must be paid before or during the appointment depending on the visa center to be applied to, and the documents must be submitted to the relevant application center on the appointment day.
Applications for a Russian visa can be made by sending the required visa documents to the Russian Visa Center by mail. People who want to apply for a visa via the Russian Visa Center by mail must fill out the online visa application form, print it out and send it to the visa center along with other required visa documents.
Applications for a Russian tourist visa from Istanbul are not available for citizens of Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Palestine, and refugees without citizenship.
It is sufficient for people who will apply for a Russian tourist visa from the Republic of Turkey to send the necessary visa documents to the head office of the accredited agency Vizem.net, so that expert consultants can complete the visa application procedures on their behalf.
How to Apply for an E-Visa for a Russian Tourist Visa?
The e-visa application for a Russian tourist visa is made through the online application system. People who want to apply for an e-visa for Russia must first check whether they are eligible for this type of visa.
People who meet the requirements for a Russian e-visa application can apply for a Russian electronic visa at the earliest 20 days before their planned trip to Russia . The e-visa application for a Russian tourist visa is completed by filling out the application form online, entering the necessary information and paying the fee. Unlike the Russian tourist visa application, there is no need to obtain a visa invitation (voucher document) for Russian e-visa applications.
From Which Points Can I Enter Russia with a Tourist Russia E-Visa?
With the tourist Russian e-visa, you can enter Russia by air from Vnukovo Airport, Domodedovo Airport, Sheremetyevo Airport, St. Petersburg Airport, Belgorod Airport, Yekaterinburg Airport, Kazan Airport, Krasnodar Airport, Krasnoiarsk Airport, Nizhny Novgorod Airport, Novosibirsk Airport, Rostov-On-Don Airport, Samara Airport and Volgograd Airport; by sea from St. Petersburg Passenger Port, St. Petersburg Big Port, Vladivostok Port and Zarubino Port; by rail from Pogranichny Railway and Kazan Railway; and by road from Bagrationovsk Highway, Gusev Highway, Mamonovo Highway, Morskoje Highway, Sovetsk Highway, Ivangorod Highway and Ubylinka Highway.
What are the Required Documents for a Russian Tourist Visa?
The documents required for a Russian tourist visa are listed below.
- Russian visa application form: The Russian visa application form, which must be filled out online via visa.kdmid.ru, must be printed out, signed and added to the visa application file after filling it out.
- Passport: The original passport, which has at least 2 blank pages and is valid for at least 6 months, must be presented for visa application procedures.
- Voucher (invitation) document: The voucher (invitation) document issued on behalf of the visa applicant for the travel to Russia must be submitted in the application file.
- Documents related to accommodation reservations: Documents such as hotel reservations for the planned trip to Russia must be submitted within the visa application file.
- Documents related to transportation reservations: Transportation reservation documents, such as airline tickets for travel to Russia, must be submitted for visa application procedures.
- Biometric photo: A current photograph taken by the visa applicant in accordance with biometric standards must be submitted for visa application procedures.
The documents listed above are the standard documents required to be submitted for a Russian tourist visa, and the documents required for the application may vary depending on the applicant's age, professional status and the type of visa he/she will apply for.
Where to Get a Voucher for a Russian Tourist Visa?
Voucher document for Russian tourist visa; It is obtained from tour organization companies or hotels. Russian tourist voucher document can be arranged by the organization company for people who will travel to Russia by making an agreement with a tour organization company. People who will obtain the voucher document from the hotel where they will stay during their travel to Russia should first contact the hotels that provide Russian vouchers.
Russian tourist visa applications cannot be made without a voucher document. The voucher (invitation) document to be submitted for the visa application must include the approval number and reference number of the visa applied for.
Vouchers for Russian visa applications made under the consultancy of Vizem.net are obtained from contracted hotels.
How to Fill Out the Application Form for a Russian Tourist Visa?
The application form for a Russian tourist visa is filled out online at visa.kdmid.ru. In filling out the application form for a Russian tourist visa, the country and language options for the application must first be selected, but Turkish is not among the available languages.
After selecting the country and language options for the visa application, the new form is created by reading and approving the necessary conditions. The form filling process begins with the password determined for the applicant and approving it for the newly created Russia online visa application form .
After filling in the required information in the visa application form, the document must be printed and added to the application file. Care must be taken to ensure that the information provided in the Russian visa application form is correct and consistent with the information in the supporting documents. In Russian visa applications to be made to the visa center, the visa center to which the application will be made must be specified.
A sample image for the Russian visa application form is given below.
What Photo Specifications Should Be for a Russian Tourist Visa?
For a Russian tourist visa, the photo dimensions must be 45 mm long and 35 mm wide.
A suitable photograph to be submitted for a Russian tourist visa is given below.
How to Make an Appointment for a Russian Tourist Visa?
Appointments for a Russian tourist visa are made through the visa center's online appointment system in cases where visa applications will be made through the visa application center, and through the consulates' online appointment system in cases where visa applications will be made through the consulates.
Those who will make a visa appointment through the intermediary institution Russian Visa Center can make appointments with information such as the country and city of application, visa type, applicant number and e-mail address. Russian Consulate visa appointments can be made through the online system with the applicant's personal information and contact information.
A visual of the visa center's online appointment system for a Russian tourist visa is given below.
A visual of the online appointment system of the relevant foreign mission for a Russian tourist visa appointment is given below.
How Much Does a Russian Tourist Visa Cost?
Russian tourist visa fees are given in the table below.
| Visa type | Visa processing time | Visa application fee |
|---|---|---|
| Single entry visa | 4 to 10 days | 80 dollars |
| Single entry visa | 1 to 3 days | 160 dollars |
| Double entry visa | 4 to 10 days | $128 |
| Double entry visa | 1 to 3 days | $256 |
There is no multiple entry visa application for a Russian tourist visa. Russian tourist visa fee payments can be made in cash or in dollars through designated banks, depending on where the visa application is made. There is no need to pay any fees for e-visa applications for Russia.
For single-entry Russian tourist visa applications for 2022; the total cost, including visa fee, filling out the application form, hotel and flight reservations, travel health insurance, sworn translation and consultancy fees when deemed necessary, is an average of 180 dollars.
How Many Days Does It Take to Get a Russian Tourist Visa?
Russian tourist visas are issued within 6 to 10 business days for standard visa applications. Russian e-visa applications are finalized within 4 days and express visa applications are finalized within 3 business days.
How to Track a Russian Tourist Visa Application?
There is no tracking system for Russian tourist visa applications at the relevant consulates. Russian tourist visa applications made through consulates cannot be tracked online, but information can be requested by contacting the relevant consulate by phone or e-mail.
Visa applications made through the Russian Visa Center, an intermediary institution authorized by the relevant foreign missions, can be tracked by entering the applicant's passport number or reference number and date of birth information through the online tracking system.
The Russian Visa Center visa tracking screen is given below.
Russian tourist visa applications made under the consultancy of Vizem.net are followed both online and with the 5-stage SMS notification service.
Information and application: 0850 241 1868
How Many Days is a Russian Tourist Visa Granted?
The Russian tourist visa is granted for a maximum of 30 days. In addition to performing tourist activities in Russia, the Russian tourist visa also grants the holder the right to attend short-term business meetings, medical consultations or examinations, and events such as exhibitions or auctions. In the Russian tourist visa application, the purpose of travel is stated as touristic trip in the relevant section and the visa is granted for a suitable period of up to 30 days depending on the events the person will attend.
Can a Russian Travel Visa Be Extended?
Russian travel visas can be extended. People who want to extend their Russian tourist visas must apply in person to the Russian immigration service.
Russian travel visa extensions must be made before the visa expires. For Russian visa extensions; documents such as identity document, residence document, 2 biometric photographs, visa extension fee payment document and invitation document must be presented. If the application for extension of the Russian tourist visa is accepted, the visa period can be extended for a maximum of 10 days.
How Many Times Can I Enter and Exit Russia with a Tourist Visa?
The number of times you can enter and exit Russia with a tourist visa varies depending on the type of visa issued. Russian tourist visas are issued as single or double entry, but not multiple entries.
A single-entry Russian tourist visa allows the holder to enter Russia only once. Holders of a double-entry Russian visa can re-enter Russia after visiting a different foreign country after entering the country. If the applicant's travel plan includes visiting foreign countries close to Russia, such as Mongolia, China or the Baltic States, this plan must be stated in the visa application in order for the visa to be issued as a double-entry visa. In this case, the route must be specified in the tourist document or in a document issued by the Russian organization that accepts the visa, not in the tour operator's tourist service provision agreement.
What to Know Before Tourist Travel to Russia?
The information you need to know before your tourist trip to Russia is included in the rest of the article.
What to Do After Going to Russia with a Tourist Visa?
After going to Russia with a tourist visa, you need to get an immigration card from the border police at the Russian border gate. Both immigration cards, which are issued as two separate documents, need to be filled out and one of them needs to be returned to the border police. People who have completed their immigration card procedures need to register their visas if they will stay in Russia for more than 7 days.
Visa registration procedures for people who will stay in a hotel during their trip to Russia can be carried out by the hotel in question. Visa registration procedures for people who will stay in a private house during their trip to Russia can be carried out by the owner of the house. For visa registration procedures, the applicant's passport, Russian tourist visa and immigration card must be presented.
Which Cities Should Be Visited During a Tourist Trip to Russia?
Cities to visit during a touristic trip to Russia include Moscow, the country's capital and cultural center, St. Petersburg, the fourth largest city in Europe, Krasnodar, which has a very rich historical structure, and Novosibirsk, the capital of the Siberian Federal District.
Among the touristic places that can be visited with a Moscow tourist visa are; Red Square, Kremlin Palace, St. Basil's Cathedral, Krasnodar State Museum of History and Archaeology, Alexander Triumphal Arch and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. It can be said that the most suitable travel period is autumn, especially for Russian cities with very cold winters.
What are the Most Popular Tourist Destinations in Russia?
The most popular Russia tourist attractions are listed below.
- St. Basil's Cathedral (Moscow)
- Lena pillars (Yakutia)
- Kazan Kremlin (Kazan)
- Kul Sharif Mosque (Kazan)
- Central Fountain (Anapa)
- Fisht Olympic Stadium (Adler)
- Yaroslavl Embankment (Yaroslavl)
- Samara Embankment (Samara)
- Voskresenia Khristova Church (St. Petersburg)
- The Motherland Calls Statue (Volgograd)
Russia is a country rich in places to visit, with many places of interest other than the touristic places listed above .
What to Eat on a Tourist Trip to Russia?
The flavors that should be tasted during your touristic Russia trip are listed below.
- Beef Stroganoff
- Pelmeni
- Caviar
- Piroshki
- Blinis
- Zakuski tsar
- Shchi soup
- Pelmeni
- Borscht
- Kvas
- Vodka
- Morse
- Ryazhenka
- Bread wine
Russian cuisine has been influenced by the culinary cultures of surrounding geographies such as Northern and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and Siberia. Russian cuisine includes plenty of foods such as fish, caviar, pork, mushrooms and fruit. Russian cuisine includes Russian dishes where crops such as wheat, rye, barley and grains are frequently found, as well as beverages such as beer and vodka.
Do I Need a Tourist Visa to Visit Friends in Russia?
Russian visa applications are subject to receipt of an invitation letter. In order to visit friends in Russia, a special visit visa, also known as a Russian friend visit visa, must be applied for instead of a tourist visa.
It is possible to go to Russia and visit friends in the country by getting an invitation letter from the hotels that issue invitations with a tourist visa, but it is an easier process to apply for a Russian friend visit visa by getting an invitation letter directly from the friend who will be visited in Russia .
How to Apply for a Russian Tourist Visa for Minors Under 18?
For minors under the age of 18, a consent form signed by the child's legal guardian and notarized must be presented for the Russian tourist visa application process. In cases where minors are traveling to Russia with both parents, the passport and civil registration copy of both parents must be presented for visa procedures. For minors under the age of 18 who will travel to Russia with only one of the parents, a notarized consent form of the non-traveling parent must be presented.
Can I Work in Russia with a Tourist Visa?
No, you cannot work in Russia with a tourist visa. A Russian tourist visa does not grant the holder the right to work in Russia.
Persons who engage in gainful activity in Russia on a tourist visa are in violation of the visa and may be subject to appropriate penal sanctions. Persons working in the country on a Russian tourist visa are subject to fines and imprisonment. Persons working illegally in Russia may be subject to a fine of 300,000 rubles (88,913.46 Turkish lira) and imprisonment for 2 to 5 years.