The order of getting
and prolongation of Russian visa

To enter Russian Federation foreign citizens should show a personal identification document and a visa (if there isn't any special law between the countries, which determines another order).

To get this visa foreign citizen must apply to consulate or diplomatic mission of Russia personally or through authorized representative. For this you must give:

• your personal identification document;
• a filled visa form with a photograph;
• a photograph (3 × 4 cm);
• Medical insurance policy (if there isn't any special law between the countries, which determines another order);
• Health certificate about HIV absence (in case a citizen of a foreign state would like to get Russian visa for more than 3 months).

To get a visa you charge so called consular fees, which rate is determined by international convention. Nowadays consular fees are 35 Euros for the members of European Union (70 Euros in case of urgent visa issuing).

To get a visa you also need an invitation to enter Russian Federation. It must be made in offices of the Federal Migration Service of Russia. Inviting party can be local authorities, legal persons, citizens of Russia and foreign citizens or stateless persons, living on the territory of Russian Federation. According to the invitations the following types of visas can be given:

• private;
• business;
• humanities;
• student;
• work.

The purpose, why a foreign citizen enters Russian Federation, should strictly conform to the type of visa.

Depending on the number of allowed entries visas are divided into single, double and multiple.

A foreign citizen, who has a permission to enter Russia, gets a temporary visa for 4 months. However, it can be extended by local office of FMS at the place of migration registration.

The visa validity period may be extended for 10 days , if the total period, which a foreign citizen stayed in Russian Federation, is not more than 90 days per period of 180 days.

In case of emergency treatment of a foreign citizen, serious illness or death of a relative, living in Russia, the visa can be extended. The same rule applies to emergencies and unavoidable circumstances. The extension period corresponds with the time required to take measures due to existing circumstances and departure from Russia.

A foreign citizen on the territory of Russian Federation with annual multiple work or study visa can continuously stay in Russia during the whole period of visa validity.

To extend the period of stay on the territory of Russian Federation a foreign citizen should personally apply to migration service. He must submit an application for visa extension, a detachable part of arrival notification, your host application, 2 photographs 3 × 4 cm and fee payment receipt.

Visa extension fee depends on its type and cost from 300 till 400 rubles. Some categories of foreign citizens have fee-exempt according to the international agreement. At the moment this rule applies to the citizens of European Union.

The process of visa extension lasts not more than 20 days.

A foreign citizen should depart from the territory of Russian Federation at the end of visa validity period. Foreign citizens arrived on multiple business or humanitarian annual visas, may stay in Russia in total not more than 90 days per period 180 days.

If a foreign citizen hasn't left the territory of Russian Federation after the visa validity period, he may be penalized under administrative law and be departed from Russian Federation and get prohibition to enter Russian Federation for 5 years.