How to get a Russian Electronic Visa
Application for a Russian e-visa should be submitted online via the Consulate Department of the Russian Ministry o Saint Petersburg and/or the Leningrad region. Applications are processed automatically by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and information about e-visas is communicated to the relevant Russian authorities the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Federal Security Service.
The Consulate Department should release its decision about granting an e-visa within the four-day period after the date of application.Once issued, the electronic visa will be valid for 30 days and the validity of the e-visa cannot be extended on the spot. As soon as it is ready, it will be possible to download the document in PDF format and print it online.
If your request for the electronic visa is denied, it will be possible to apply for an ordinary visa to Russia, which will still be in use. An identification number is given during application, and this number should be used to obtain information on the e-visa decision via the same website. The electronic visa to Russia is free. Compared to the ordinary visa, the electronic visa has also the advantage of being requested online, without having to go personally to the consular offices, and without having to send a passport to specialized agencies. Entry and exit from Russian territory can only be made within the specific territory for which the visa has been obtained.
The online form for the Russian electronic visa application must be completed on the website of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation at the following link: ONLINE FORM compilation can be done personally or you can ask your tour operator to assist you. In the form must be indicated the passport data in the course of validity. The passport must be the same that will be used at the time of entry into Russia, and must be in good condition, not worn out, and expiring at least 6 months after the expected date of return. The digital photo must have dimensions of 3.5 × 4.5 cm, it must be recent and on a white background. In the form, all fields marked with an asterisk are mandatory. It is possible to start filling out the request and save a draft and then continue later (up to a maximum of 30 days). If you are traveling with minor children, you must complete an electronic form for each of them. All minors accompanied by their parents must have an individual e-visa.
ATTENTION! Notification of e-visa grant does not guarantee your entry into the Russian Federation. You can be denied entry at a border crossing point should the circumstances referred to in Federal Law No. 114 FZ “On the Procedure of Exit from the Russian Federation and Entry into the Russian Federation” of August 15, 1996 arise