Russia will start issuing single electronic visas from the beginning of 2021. The regulation on the visa application procedure was approved by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, the Government informed.
Application for electronic visas will be possible on a dedicated website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or via a mobile application. Such visas will be available for tourist, business, humanitarian and guest trips. Foreign citizens will not need invitations, hotel reservations or any other documents to confirm the trip purpose. They will only need to fill out a form, upload a personal photo and a copy of international passport, pay the $40 consular fee (no fee for children aged under 6) and wait for notification.
The visa turnaround time will not exceed 4 days. The visa will be valid for 60 days from the date of receipt, but the citizen to which it is granted may stay in Russia for no more than 16 days. However, the period of stay can be extended under force majeure circumstances as decided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The launch of a single electronic visa in Russia will help promotion of travelling, boost the investment appeal of the Russian regions and contribute to the economic growth as a whole.
