Key Points
- Russia has expanded its list of countries eligible for entrance using e-visas
- E-visas are issued for guest, business, tourist, humanitarian, and professional sports visits
- E-visas are single-entry and valid for 60 days from the date of issue
- The maximum length of stay is 16 days from the date of entry
- Entry and exit are controlled through government-regulated borders
- Fingerprinting requirements are expanded to include stateless individuals and foreign nationals
What are the Changes?
Citizens of the following countries can now enter Russia with an e-Visa: Austria, Andorra, Bahrain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Iran, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, China, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Kuwait, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, North Macedonia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Philippines, Finland, France, Croatia, Czech Republic, Sweden, Estonia, Japan, and Switzerland.
What Should Employers and Applicants Know?
E-visas are issued for guest, business, tourist, humanitarian, and athletic endeavors for short stays only. Individuals can apply for e-visas through the Foreign Affairs Ministry website. The average processing time is four days. Visas are valid for a single entry and valid for 60 days from the date of issue. The allowed stay is no more than 16 days from the entry date. Individuals with e-visas must enter and exit only through government-regulated borders. Fingerprint requirements have also been expanded to include stateless individuals and foreign citizens who are applying for Russian citizenship.
Looking Ahead
The Russian government plans to further expand the use of e-visas in January 2021.
