Electronic visas

The countries listed are those that have been involved in piloting the project in 2017-2020. An exception is Qatar, due to the visa-free travel regime between Russia and Qatar, operating since 23 February 2020.

As part of the pilot project, electronic visas to Russia have been operated only when travelling to St Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, the Kaliningrad Region and Far Eastern Federal District for a maximum stay of 8 days.

Electronic visas will be processed online for tourist, business, humanitarian and guest visits. Once approved, it will be valid for 30 days for a single entry, allowing you to stay for up to 16 days. Such documents as invitations, hotel bookings or any other documents that confirm the purpose of the visit will not be required.

By introducing electronic visas, Russia is looking to develop inbound tourism, increase investment prospects for the regions of Russia and grow the economy in general. The professional tourism community in Russia is positive about the government initiative and lobbying for more countries to be included in the list for electronic visas.

Russian National Tourist Office is hoping that UK citizens will soon be able to apply for electronic visas alongside nationals of the 52 countries listed above.

Other information about e-visas to Russia

• E-visas let you stay for up to 16 days. The date of arrival and date of departure from Russia are counted as whole days. For example: if you arrive on 1 January 2022 at 10.00pm, you must leave the country by 16 January by 11.59 pm.
• An e-visa is valid for 30 days from the date of approval. You must leave the country by the last date of visa validity, even if your stay is less than 16 days.
• The e-visa cannot be extended or renewed from Russia.
• The e-visa can have the following purpose of entry: tourist, business, humanitarian (cultural relations). If your purpose of travel is different, you must obtain a normal visa before travelling.
• E-visas are normally issued within 4 days.
• An application for an e-visa can be submitted not earlier than 20 days before the date of travel, but no later than 4 days before the date of entry.
• If your passport is missing your date of birth, you need to obtain a normal visa before travelling.
• All children travelling with parents must have their own e-visas before travelling.
• Your passport must be valid for 6 months minimum from the date of travel to apply for a Russian e-visa.
• All travellers arriving on e-visas to Russia must be in possession of a valid travel insurance certificate for the whole period of stay.
• You cannot combine normal and e-visas to extend the validity of your normal visa.
• E-visas will not guarantee entry to the Russian Federation. The border control will carry out standard checks and interviews for all visitors arriving in Russia.

List of 29 checkpoints (border crossing locations) approved for e-Visa holders

Airports approved for Russian electronic visa entry:

Railway border control checkpoints approved for Russian electronic visa entry:

1. Kaliningrad Region Pogranichny
2. Khasan, Primorsky Krai

Maritime (seaports) border control checkpoints approved for Russian electronic visa entry:

1. St Petersburg – Marine Station (Big Port)
2. Vladivostok
3. Zarubino
4. Passenger Port of St Petersburg

Land (road, by car, bus etc) border control checkpoints approved for Russian electronic visa entry:

1. Bagrationovsk (Kaliningrad Region)
2. Gusev (Kaliningrad Region)
3. Ivangorod (Leningrad Region)
4. Mamonovo Grzechotki (Kaliningrad Region)
5. Mamonovo Gronovo (Kaliningrad Region)
6. Morskoe (Morskoje) (Kaliningrad Region)
7. Sovetsk (Kaliningrad Region)
8. Ubylinka (Pskov Region)

Land (on foot) border control checkpoints approved for Russian electronic visa entry:

1. Ivangorod border crossing point