Russian visas for citizens of the European Union

By 2016 the EU includes 28 countries with the total population estimated at 500 million. These countries’ citizens have the extended rights since they are at the same time citizens of their country and citizens of the EU. The rules of a visa issuance are similar for all the citizens of the European Union.

The EU citizens planning to visit Russia have to obtain a Russian visa at first.

Before applying for a visa, a foreigner has to obtain an invitation to Russia. This document is issued by the receiving party. It can be a private person (relative, colleague, friend) or a legal person (partner firm, employer, tour company).

In the moment foreigner obtains an invitation he has to present a document package to the Russian consulate. The detailed list of documents should be clarified by using the consular website (or simply our web). Also, you need to pay a consular fee. Pay attention! Different types of visa require different packages of documents.

Types of Russian visa for foreigners

Visa	Duration	Purpose of the trip
Tourist	1-30 days	A short-term visit to relatives or friends, tourism
Business	30-90 days (up to 5 years)	Participation in business events, training, development of business contacts, long-term visits to friends or relatives (or long-term tourism)
Private	30-90 days	Visits to Russian relatives or friends arranged officially
Work	1-3 years	Employment or constant living in Russia

In cases of any questions, you can apply to us by our web. 

Russian tourist visa for the EU citizens

A tourist visa is optimal for citizens of the EU planning to visit Russia for trial, health or cultural purposes. In this case, an invitation is issued by a tour company.

There is no strict form so usually, tour companies issue it in their own forms. The mandatory data is tour company’s details, its reference number, passport information of the EU citizen, cities that he plans to visit in Russia. Besides, an invitation contains the information about the trip duration and its character (single-entry or double-entry). The issuance will take no longer than one day.

A tourist visa is issued for a period up to 30 days.

Russian private visa for the EU citizens

In the EU national plans to stay at relatives or friends, he has to obtain a private visa. To do it, the receiving party issues a private invitation in the FMS local authority. The original form of invitation has to be sent to the foreigner.

The invitation issuance occupies 30 days. Within this period the foreigner is going through checking for previous violations of the visa regime or any other criminal records. If something is wrong the AFMS has a right to deny the entry. The reason has to be explained in writing.

A private visa can be single-entry or double-entry. It is issued for a period up to 90 days.

 

Russian business visa for EU nationals

In cases of business purposes (negotiations, contracts, etc.) a foreigner has to obtain a business visa. Only a Russian legal person can issue a business invitation. It can be issued in the AFMS form or in the form of telex.

There are three types of such invitations:

• letter;
• the AFMS form;
• telex.

A business invitation in a form of a letter is a letter with a request for a business visa for a foreigner. Only the organizations accredited in the AFMS can issue such invitations. The issuance will take no more than one day.

In order to arrange an invitation to the official form of the AFMS, a Russian legal person has to request to the local FMS body, provide a document package and pay a consular fee. It also requires a verification of previous records about violations committed by the foreigner. In absence of such records, an invitation is issued in the AFMS form with a unique number. It takes from 12 to 17 working days.

Telex is an instruction from the MFA of the RF to issue a visa sent by the special connection channel right to the consulate. The original form of an invitation (in paper) isn’t sent to the EU national – it’s enough if he indicates a telex number.

Go to online form of invitation arrangement

Russian work visa for citizens of the EU

In case the EU national plans to work in Russia, he has to obtain a work visa. The issuance consists of three stages:

1)   getting permission to hire a foreign specialist;

2)   getting a work permit for a particular foreign citizen;

3)   providing of the document package in order to obtain an invitation for a work visa.

At first, a foreigner gets a right to stay in Russia for 3 months. That’s the period of time when he seeks for a job and, in the case of a success, prolongs his work visa and work permit. An employer has to control employee’s registration in the Migration Service of the RF. The foreigner has a right to stay in Russia while his visa is active. There is no need to leave the country for a visa prolongation.