Russian Private Visa

What is a Russian Private Visa

  • Overview
  • Documents required for a Russian Tourist Visa
  • Visa validity
  • Visa turnaround (processing time)
  • Private Visa extension
  • Simplified Private Visa for close relatives
  • Private Visas for a foreign parent of a child who is Russian national

Russian Private Visa 2022

Overview

A Russian Private Visa is issued to residents in the UK who intend to travel to Russia to see family or friends. A Private visa can also be issued to those travelling to Russia to care for a sick family member residing in Russia or in case of the death of a family member in Russia.

Documents required for a Russian Private Visa

  1. Original Passport (at least 6 months remaining upon exit, 2 clear pages in the passport).
  2. Application form (available online at step 5 of the online order on this website).
  3. Private visa support documents: original invitation from Russia certified at the Ministry of Internal Affairs or a simplified invitation for close relatives (see details below).
  4. 1 passport-type photograph glued on the application form. Important: taken not more than 6 months ago (check with the photo in the passport if it is older than 6 months).
  5. Applicable fee.
  6. Applicants who are self-employed, company directors who are working from home and unemployed people need to provide a copy of bank statements for the last three months which have a current balance of a minimum of £100 per day for the duration of the visit. Please note that if you wish to provide online banking printouts, you must make sure they are certified and stamped by your bank.
  7. Non-UK passport holders may be asked to provide additional documents; you can see the full list of documents on this link: https://visa.visitrussia.org.uk
  8. For 1-year visas: If the applicant intends to apply for a multiple entry 1 year visa which allows to stay in Russia for more than 3 months, he/she will need an HIV-certificate in order to apply for the visa, including children of any age with an exception for spouses, children and parents of Russian nationals  who are not required to provide such certificate.

Visa validity

Private visas can be single/double-entry visas valid for up to 90 days, or multiple-entry visas valid for up to 1 year.

Visa turnaround (processing time)

Single/double-entry visa (up to 90 days): Express 4 working days or Standard 20 working days processing time.

Multiple-entry visa (valid up to 1 year): 10 working days processing time.

Private Visa extension

A Private Visa cannot be extended in Russia or in the place of issue.

Simplified Private Visa for close relatives

A Private Visa is issued on the decision of the head of a diplomatic mission or consular office (Russian Embassy), upon written invitation from a Russian citizen inviting a close relative.

Close relatives: the term includes the following relatives: spouse, parents (or adoptive parents), children (or adopted children), spouses of children, brothers, sisters, step-brothers, step-sisters, grandparents, grandchildren.

The invitation should include full information about the inviter and the invitee, as well as the itinerary and details of residence for the foreign invitee in Russia.

Link to the current application: private invitation to Russia

This invitation will be authorised by a visa officer on the day of the visa application.

This simplified private invitation can also be certified by a notary public in Russia. The certified hard copy must be sent to the UK and presented on the day of the visa application.

Please note that original documentary confirmation of relationship is required (including changes of name). All non-original documents provided must be certified by a notary public as true originals.

A foreign national travelling to Russia on the basis of a private visa to a close relative can stay in Russia throughout the full validity of the visa. The one-year private visa allows a foreign national to stay in Russia for 1 full year until the visa expires with no limits on the number of days spent in Russia.

Private Visas for a foreign parent of a child who is a Russian national.

A foreign parent of a Russian child can obtain a Russian Private Visa on the basis of an invitation from the second parent of the child, subject to having a valid Russian passport.

This solves a common issue when a child’s parents are not married, and the foreign parent does not fall into the category of a close relative (see above).