Do Americans need a visa to visit Russia?

Russian visa for French citizens

Obtaining a visa to Russia for French citizens is a rather complicated procedure, in which an invitation to enter the Russian Federation will play an important role. The authority to issue entry permits is granted to Russian consulates located in France.

When applying to a consular office, you must submit documents for a Russian visa for French citizens:

• a completed application form indicating the purpose of travel, the date of the intended trip and the period of stay in Russia;
• payment document confirming payment of the consular fee for a visa;
• medical insurance policy for the entire period of visa validity;
• color photographs;
• an invitation to enter Russia issued by the receiving party.

Review of documents by consular officers takes from 4 to 20 days, and in some cases an urgent visa procedure is allowed.

Correct execution of the invitation is key to guaranteeing that you will receive a visa. This document is issued according to different rules, depending on the purpose of the trip and the type of visa. As a rule, to obtain short-term single visas, it is enough to present a copy of the invitation, however, in order to avoid misunderstandings, it is better to have the original of this form.

To issue an invitation and visa, you will need to determine the purpose of the visit in advance. The migration legislation of the Russian Federation provides for the following target directions for travel of foreign citizens:

• various forms of tourism;
• business contacts and development of business structures in Russia;
• job search and employment in Russian companies;
• private visits to visit relatives;
• educational types for completing educational programs.

The purposeful nature of the trip must be confirmed both when filling out the application form and when issuing an invitation from the Russian side.

How much does it cost to get a Russian visa for French citizens? The amount of the consular fee does not depend on the purpose of travel, however, the amount will be affected by the choice of the deadline for processing documents:

• normal visa issuance procedure (4-15 days) - 35 euros;
• urgent order (1-3 days) - 70 euros.

The cost of a Russian visa for French citizens may increase when submitting documents through Visa Application Centers. Please note that if a visa is refused, the consular fee is non-refundable. Therefore, when preparing for visa, you need to carefully check all documents and fill out the required forms.

Cost and processing time for visas

To obtain visas, you will have to pay from $140 for a regular tourist visa. Business, work and study visas cost even more. It is worth noting that the highest price for registration is set for US citizens. Citizens of other countries usually pay less, around $50-$100. The cost directly depends on the visa category and citizenship of the applicant.

If the application is processed urgently, the American must pay $250 for a tourist visa. The cost of processing for other types of visas must be clarified individually. Also take into account other costs: issuing and sending an invitation, the cost of medical insurance and preparation of other documents.

Visa applications from American applicants take the longest to process. On average 15-20 days. By comparison, EU citizens receive a visa in an average of 10 days, while Americans must wait significantly longer.

We recommend applying for a visa two months before your intended travel date. This will give you time to reapply if your visa is denied. Don't forget about public holidays. The duration of the holidays may vary from year to year. So, for example, if a holiday falls on Saturday, then Friday is often designated as a day off. Take these features into account.

If you cannot wait that long, you can pay extra and your documents will be reviewed urgently. In this case, consideration of the application takes about a week. But you must understand that urgent consideration is not available to everyone: you will have to provide documentary evidence that you really have an emergency situation and need to get to Russia as soon as possible. In special cases, the review period may be reduced to one day.

St. Petersburg, Nevsky Prospekt

We also recommend taking into account the time you will spend collecting the necessary documents. You will have to receive an invitation from a citizen of the Russian Federation, and its registration will also require additional time. On average, the required set of papers can be collected in a week or two.

Tourist visa to Russia for French citizens

Tourism is the most common application for a visa. A visa to Russia for French citizens can be issued for the following tourist destinations:

• business and medical tourism;
• traveling as part of a tourist group;
• a tourist trip around the country by personal vehicle;
• express tour according to the 72 hour program;
• special types of tourism (for example, hunting tour).

Issue an invitation for a tourist visa online for RUB 1,190.

Issue an invitation

In all of the above options, except for a short-term trip of 72 hours, the legal basis for applying for a visa will be a tourist invitation.

Issue a tourist invitation to Russia for French citizens

To obtain a visa to Russia for French citizens, you need to submit a tourist invitation to the consulate. This document confirms that during the period of travel to Russia, a foreign citizen will be provided with services from a travel company, as well as a place for temporary residence.

These points are reflected in the travel voucher and confirmation, which are part of the travel warning. If the trip is planned through a travel company, it will issue an invitation in advance and provide assistance in obtaining a visa at the consular department.

Issue an invitation for a tourist visa online for RUB 1,190.

Issue an invitation

If a French citizen needs to independently obtain a tourist invitation, he can use the services of specialized companies that provide visa support. Our company’s specialists will help you at all stages of obtaining a tourist visa, including issuing a tourist invitation.

To do this, you only need information about the traveler, the dates and period of the trip, as well as the route of the visit. We guarantee that the document will be issued on the same day of application, which will allow you to immediately apply for a visa.

Private visa to Russia for French citizens

Relatives living in different countries can obtain a Russian visa for French citizens. Private visas are issued for up to 90 days and can only be used if family relationships are confirmed. Decisive for obtaining this type of visa will be a private invitation, which will be issued by a private person living in Russia.

Arrange a private invitation to Russia for French citizens

The procedure for obtaining a private invitation has specific features, because in order to obtain a visa to Russia for French citizens, it is necessary to confirm family relations. Such confirmation will take place when contacting the migration service of the Federal Migration Service after submitting the required set of documentation:

• application for an invitation;
• documents confirming the existence of family relationships;
• copies of passports of the host citizen and foreigner;
• description of the date and duration of the visit, the proposed route of the French citizen in Russia;
• an obligation that guarantees the provision of living quarters, material and medical support to a foreigner.

A visa to Russia for French citizens requires registration with the territorial bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in each locality. The only exceptions are cases when the stop along the route of the declared movement is less than three days.

Since obtaining a private visa can be difficult for ordinary citizens, we recommend using the help of our experienced specialists. You need to provide basic information about the traveler, and we will complete all other formalities for you.

Types of visas for entry into the Russian Federation

The purpose of the visit affects the choice of visa category:

• a private one is required to travel to relatives and friends living in Russia;
• business information is necessary for businessmen planning a visit to resolve issues and cooperate with Russian citizens;
• tourist is suitable for studying the culture of the country or having a pleasant holiday;
• a worker is required for employment in an organization located in Russia;
• educational program allows Americans to study in Russia.

Using the received visa stamp for other purposes is a gross violation of laws.
For example, an American citizen who came to Russia on a private visa should not get a job. For such cases, the violator will be held accountable and will be forcibly expelled from the country.

Business visa to Russia for French citizens

What visa is needed for Russia for French citizens planning a business visit? For one-time participation in business forums in Russia, business tourism on a tourist visa is suitable. However, in most cases, you will need to obtain a business visa to Russia for French citizens.

The practical use of this type of visa allows you to get the opportunity not for a one-time trip, but also for multiple business visits throughout the whole year. If a visa is issued to a businessman for a year, he automatically has an important obligation - the total period of stay on the territory of the Russian Federation cannot exceed 90 days over one half-year.

In order for a Russian company to help obtain a Russian visa for French citizens, a business invitation will be required.

Issue a business invitation to Russia for French citizens in the form of a letter

If, as part of business cooperation, frequent and regular visits by foreign citizens are expected, a Russian company can undergo official accreditation by the authorized service of the Russian Foreign Ministry. With such accreditation, the company has the opportunity to issue an invitation on its own letterhead, and the registration procedure itself will take a matter of minutes.

Issue an invitation for a business visa online from RUB 2,490.

Issue an invitation

The French citizen will be sent a copy or original of the business invitation, which must be submitted as part of the documents when applying for a visa.

Issue a business invitation to Russia for French citizens on the form of the Federal Migration Service

The standard procedure for issuing business invitations involves the Russian company contacting the Federal Migration Service. To do this, a basic package of documents is submitted, which is subject to verification within a specified time frame. The issuance of a business invitation is issued in the form of an official form from the Federal Migration Service, which must be sent to a foreign citizen.

Issue a business invitation to Russia for French citizens by Telex

A visa to enter Russia for French citizens can be issued on the basis of a business invitation sent directly to the consular office via a special Telex communication line. In this case, to receive an invitation, the receiving party contacts the authorized service of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Each of the three options for receiving business invitations has its own advantages and disadvantages related to the processing time and the procedure for sending them. Our specialists are ready to advise you on all issues related to the approval of business trips and the issuance of business invitations.

Entry ban to Russia for Americans from March 18, 2021 due to coronavirus

Russia has introduced a restriction and ban on entry for US citizens, all foreigners and stateless persons into its territory from March 18 to May 1, 2021 due to the emergency situation and the risk of the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. This was announced by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on the official website of the Russian government.

Russia has closed all borders. Entry restrictions also apply to all citizens of Belarus, Ukraine, other CIS countries and foreigners traveling across the border of Russia and Belarus.

The exceptions are foreign persons:

• having the official right to permanently reside in the territory of the Russian Federation,
• international truck drivers,
• transit passengers who fly through airports to another country,
• persons traveling to funerals,
• aircraft and ship crews, international train crews,
• employees of diplomatic and consular institutions.

The Prime Minister said that the closure of borders and the ban on entry into the Russian Federation is temporary and is related to WHO recommendations in connection with the acute situation due to the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Work visa to Russia for French citizens

The labor and migration legislation of the Russian Federation does not prohibit formalizing employment relationships with foreign citizens. However, such facts of employment are allowed only after strict conditions are met when obtaining a work permit and an invitation to issue a work visa. Even to issue a work invitation, a Russian employer will have to complete a number of mandatory formalities and approvals.

A long-term work visa can be issued for a period of no more than a year, and in order to extend it, a foreign specialist will need to leave the territory of Russia and go through the entire visa procedure again. Also, when extending a work visa, you will have to re-issue an invitation from a Russian employer.

Apply for a work invitation to Russia for French citizens

A work visa for a trip to Russia for French citizens is issued not only if they have an invitation from a Russian employer, but also a work permit. These documents will be issued during a single procedure, which includes the following steps:

• filing an application for the allocation of a quota for foreign personnel through the executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation;
• referral to territorial employment authorities about the upcoming hiring of a foreign specialist;
• registration with the migration authorities as an employer recruiting foreign workers;
• obtaining a work permit for a French citizen;
• applying to the Federal Migration Service with a request to issue a work invitation.

The work invitation will be issued on the official letterhead of the Federal Migration Service, after which, together with the work permit, it must be sent to the French citizen. Only if all the specified requirements are met, the consular authorities will make a positive decision on issuing a work visa.

Issue an invitation for a work visa to Russia with a guarantee of visa issuance

Issue an invitation

Issuing a work invitation is an extremely labor-intensive process, so our experienced specialists are ready to provide comprehensive support at all stages of obtaining a work visa for French citizens. To do this, leave your request in the feedback form on our website.

Other types of entry permit

US citizens apply for not only tourist, but also private, work or business permits to enter the country.

A private visa is needed for Americans who plan to visit relatives or friends living in the Russian Federation. The procedure for obtaining a permit is the same as for a tourist document. However, a tourist invitation must be replaced with a private one, from relatives or friends.

To do this, the inviting party needs to contact the Federal Migration Service at the place of registration. This institution issues a special form on which information about the tourist and the inviting party, length of stay and number of entries of the visa are indicated. In addition, the Federal Migration Service checks for violations by an American citizen. If he has previously committed any offenses, a private invitation may be refused.

The inviting party bears all responsibility for the American visitor. The visa is issued for 3 months. If the American violates these deadlines, the inviting party will bear the costs of deportation.

When applying for a work, transit or student visa, you must present additional papers. Depending on the type of document, this may be:

• invitation from the employer (for a work permit);
• plane, train or other transport tickets (for a transit visa);
• confirmation from the educational institution (for student permit).