Russia eVisa
Apply for your Russia eVisa online — processed in as fast as 4 calendar days with guided checks and secure submission through the official MFA portal.
What Is the Russia eVisa?
The Russia eVisa is the unified electronic visa introduced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation to allow eligible foreign nationals to apply for a single-entry visa online without an invitation letter or hotel voucher. The system is managed via the MFA's dedicated e-visa portal and mobile app and is intended to simplify short private and business visits, tourism, participation in cultural or sporting events, and similar activities.
Applications are submitted through the official portal (evisa.kdmid.ru) or via authorized service partners such as DoVisa. On approval you receive an electronic visa notification to print or store as a PDF/email; border officials will verify your e-visa grant when you arrive. The MFA site describes required photo and passport scans, and notes that applications may be lodged no earlier than 86 days and no later than 4 days before the planned entry date.
The e-visa is not a long-stay residence permit — it is an entry visa with a 120-day validity period and a permitted stay of up to 30 days from the date of entry. Extensions are limited to emergency cases and are handled by the Ministry of Internal Affairs; routine long-term travel still requires a standard consular visa. Recent MFA guidance emphasizes the single-entry nature and the requirement for medical insurance valid in the Russian Federation for the duration of the stay.
For complete country rules see Russian Federation visa information and confirm the latest list of approved border crossing points on the official portal (evisa.kdmid.ru). When you're ready, Apply for your Russia eVisa now.
Who Needs the Russia eVisa?
Who Needs It
- Foreign nationals from countries on the MFA-approved e-visa list seeking short private, business or tourist visits
- Travelers planning a single-entry visit of up to 30 days within the 120-day visa validity window
- Minors and children (a separate application is required for each child)
Who Is Exempt
- Russian nationals
- Diplomatic and official passport holders on government business
- Airline and vessel crew members on active official duty
Russian Federation Entry Requirements & Restrictions
Passport & MRZ Requirements
Your passport must be machine-readable and valid for at least 6 months from the date you submit the e-visa application. There must be sufficient blank pages for border stamps. See the MFA e-visa instructions at evisa.kdmid.ru.
Photo & Document Uploads
The e-visa application requires a recent digital facial photo and a photo of your passport information page in JPEG format that meet the MFA's technical and framing rules. Follow the portal's photo checklist to avoid rejections.
Medical Insurance
Foreign citizens arriving on an e-visa are required to have medical insurance valid in the Russian Federation for the whole duration of their stay, except for nationals exempt by reciprocity. Check the MFA guidance for country-specific exemptions.
Registration of Stay
Register your place of stay with local migration authorities where required — many sources note registration or notification within 7 working days of arrival for certain types of visits; check local rules and your host's guidance.
Customs & Prohibited Items
Russian customs prohibit pornographic materials and restrict imports subject to sanctions and other national regulations. Goods subject to sanitary or veterinary controls (live animals, food) need documentation. Consult Russian Customs and sanctions guidance before travel.
Travel Tips for Russian Federation Visitors
Russia is the world's largest country by area, spanning multiple time zones and a vast range of climates. Major international gateways for e-visa arrivals include Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO), Domodedovo International Airport (DME), and Vnukovo International Airport (VKO) in Moscow; smaller regional entry points may be approved for certain visa types—always check the official list.
- Currency: Russian Rouble (RUB). USD may be accepted at some hotels and tourist vendors, but carry RUB for local purchases and transport.
- Language: Russian is the official language; English is commonly available in major hotels, airports and tourist centres but less so in rural areas.
- Time zone: Moscow Standard Time is GMT+3; Russia spans several zones—confirm local time for each region you visit.
- Safety & advisories: Follow travel advisories from your government; conditions can change rapidly in border regions—register with your embassy if advised.
- Transport: Plan airport transfers in advance—Moscow airports are well connected by rail, express trains and road links to the city.
- Local laws: Avoid photographing sensitive infrastructure and obey local regulations on public behaviour; check entry restrictions if you plan to visit border or restricted areas.
"Needed the Russia eVisa for a short business trip to Moscow. Submitted passport scan and photo; approval arrived by email in three days. Fast check-in at my departure airline and smooth immigration at Sheremetyevo (SVO)."
"Applied on my phone using DoVisa while traveling. The unified e-visa process was clear, the portal accepted my JPEG passport page and photo, and I saved the PDF approval to my phone for arrival."
"Super helpful guidance for the Russia eVisa — I was worried about photo specs but support double-checked everything. Got the email confirmation in under a week and avoided delays at Domodedovo (DME)."
"Clear instructions and checklist. I appreciated the reminder to buy medical insurance valid in Russia and to register my stay when I arrived. The grant notification printed easily for border control."
"Everything worked but I had to edit my surname after submission — the portal returned my application for correction within two days. Once fixed it was approved and accepted at immigration."
"Applied for an e-visa for a family visit; each child required a separate application which was straightforward. We kept the PDFs and presented them to the officer at Vnukovo (VKO)."
"Support helped when my passport photo failed the first upload — after resubmitting it was accepted. Good guidance on document format and timely updates from DoVisa."
"Minor delay: approval arrived later than expected but still within the 4-day window. Immigration at arrival asked a few extra questions about my itinerary; all resolved quickly with printed confirmation."
"Fast and reliable — used the unified e-visa for a cultural festival. The PDF grant and email made border checks quick, and the service reminders about registration were useful."
"Smooth experience. The e-visa came through as a downloadable notification, airline staff checked the approval at departure, and immigration at Sheremetyevo scanned my PDF without issues."
"Needed the Russia eVisa for a short business trip to Moscow. Submitted passport scan and photo; approval arrived by email in three days. Fast check-in at my departure airline and smooth immigration at Sheremetyevo (SVO)."
"Applied on my phone using DoVisa while traveling. The unified e-visa process was clear, the portal accepted my JPEG passport page and photo, and I saved the PDF approval to my phone for arrival."
"Super helpful guidance for the Russia eVisa — I was worried about photo specs but support double-checked everything. Got the email confirmation in under a week and avoided delays at Domodedovo (DME)."
Russia eVisa: Frequently Asked Questions
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Check Price & Apply NowSources & References
- Processing of an e-visa — Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
- Electronic-visa portal (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) — e-visa information
- E-visa to Russia — Consular services (Russian Embassy in UAE)
- Russian Federation travel advice — Government of Canada
- Russia travel advice & safety — Smartraveller (Australia)
- IATA — Airline and Airport Codes Search
- Russian sanctions — customs and trade restrictions overview
- OFAC — Russia-related sanctions and guidance