The order of getting
and prolongation of Russian visa

To enter the 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 pay so called consular fee, which rate is determined by international convention. Nowadays consular fee is 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 the 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.

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.

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 of 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.