The Azerbaijani Visa Application Centre and Consulate will be closed on the following days:

• 1-2 January – New Year
• 21 January – Martyrs’ Day
• 8 March – International Women’s Day
• 20-26 March – Novruz
• 9 May – Victory Day
• 28 May – Republic Day
• 5-6 June – Ramadan
• 17 June – National Salvation Day
• 26 June – Army and Navy Day
• 12-13 August – Gurban Bayramy
• 11 November – National Flag Day
• 31 December – Solidarity Day

As a result, there will be no visa application submissions or collections on these days and these days will not count towards the visa processing time. For any further information, or if you have any questions, please contact our visa team.

From February 1, 2016, citizens of United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Japan, China, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore will be able to obtain a 30-day single entry visa in all international airports of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijani e-visas are now available. For more details, please contact our visa team.

The Belarus Consulate will be closed on the following dates:

• 1 January – New Year Day
• 7 January – Orthodox Christmas
• 8 March – International Women’s Day
• 1 May – Labour Day
• 6-7 May – Radonitsa
• 8-9 May – Victory Day
• 3 July – Independence Day
• 7-8 November – October Revolution Day
• 25 December - Christmas
• 26 December - Boxing Day
• 1st January - New Years Day

As a result, there will unfortunately be no visa application submissions or collections on these days and these days will not count towards the visa processing time. For any further information, or if you have any questions, please contact our visa team.

The Chinese Visa Application Centre and Consulate will be closed on the following dates:

• 1 January – New Year’s Day
• 4-5 February – Chinese Spring Festival
• 19 April – Good Friday
• 22 April – Easter Monday
• 6 May – Early May Bank Holiday
• 27 May – Spring Bank Holiday
• 26-27 August – Summer Bank Holiday
• 13 September – Chinese Mid-Autumn Day
• 1-3 October – Chinese National Day
• 25 December – Christmas Day
• 26 December – Boxing Day
• 1st January - New Years Day

As a result, there will unfortunately be no visa application submissions or collections on these days and these days will not count towards the visa processing time. For any further information, or if you have any questions, please contact our visa team.

Fingerprinting to be Introduced for Chinese Visas in the UK

The Chinese Visa Application Centre in London, Manchester and Edinburgh now implement fingerprinting as part of the visa application process for all UK nationals and residents.

If you are applying for your Chinese visa you will need to travel to London to give your fingerprints as part of your visa application.

On the day you arrive in London to give your fingerprints, our courier will meet you with your documents, and talk you through the fingerprinting process. 

Our systems and website are being updated to match these changes, ensuring we continue to offer a simple Chinese visa service which gives you peace of mind and comprehensive support. We will also keep you updated on this situation through our website and via Facebook and Twitter. 

The Kazakh Visa Application Centre and Consulate will be closed on the following days:

• 16th and 17th December
• 25th December
• 1st January

Effective from 1st January 2017 citizens of 45 countries including United Kingdom, United States of America, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Singapore, Australia, Japan and most EU countries are exempt from visa requirements for visits up to 30 calendar days. This arrangement is prolonged till 31 December 2019.

For any further information, or if you have any questions, please contact our visa team.

In accordance with the law «About introduction of a visa-free regime for citizens of some states within 60 days» nationals of the following countries can visit Kyrgyzstan without a visa till 31 December 2020: Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei-Darussalam, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vatican.

For any further information, or if you have any questions, please contact our visa team.

The Mongolian Consulate will be closed on the following dates:

• 1 January – New Year’s Day
• 4-8 February – Lunar Calendar New Year
• 8 March – International Women’s Day
• 1 June – Children’s Day
• 10-16 July – Naadam Festival
• 25th December - Christmas Day
• 26th December - Boxing Day
• 29 December – Independence Day
• 1st January - New Years Day

There will also be closures in November for Chinggis Khaan day, these exact dates will be confirmed closer to the time.

As a result, there will be no visa application submissions or collections on these days and these days will not count towards the visa processing time. Please also note that Consular and Visa sections of Mongolian Embassy are closed every Wednesday and Friday.

For any further information, or if you have any questions, please contact our visa team.

The Russian Visa Application Centre and Consulate will be closed on the following dates:

• 1-8 January – New Year’s Holiday and Orthodox Christmas
• 8 March – International Women’s Day
• 1-3 May – Spring and Labour Day
• 9-10 May – Victory Day
• 12 June – Russia Day
• 4 November – Day of the National Unity
• 25 December - Christmas Day
• 1-8 January - New Year public holiday

In addition, the Russian Migration Authorities in Moscow will be closed on the following dates:

• 30-31 December

As a result, there will be no visa application or visa invitation submissions or collections on these days and this day will not count towards the processing time. For any further information, or if you have any questions, please contact our visa team.

Visa submission on the 24th and 31st December - If you have posted your documents to us, please collect them from our office by 11am before visiting the Visa Application Centre. If you would like to bring yoru documents to be checked in person, please arrive at our office by 10.30am to allow time for us to check them before you visit the Visa Application Centre.

Visa collection - Please note that visas due to be collected on 24th December will be collected on the 27th December. Visas due for collection on 31st December will be collected on 9th January.

Following the presidential order, as of 10th December 2014 all applicants over 12 years of age applying for their Russian visas in the UK, Denmark, Myanmar and Namibia are required to provide their biometric data at the time of having their visa documents submitted for processing at the consulate.

Information on the requirements and the new process may be found here.

The Tajikistan Consulate will be closed on the following dates:

• 19 April – Good Friday
• 22 April – Easter Monday
• 6 May – Early May Bank Holiday
• 27 May – Spring Bank Holiday
• 26 August – Summer Bank Holiday
• 25 December – Christmas Day
• 26 December – Boxing Day

Tajikistan e-visas are now available. For more details, please contact our visa team using visas@realrussia.co.uk

As a result, there will be no visa application submissions or collections on these days and these days will not count towards the visa processing time. Please also note that the Tajikistan Consulate is closed every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. For any further information, or if you have any questions, please contact our visa team.

The Turkmenistan Consulate will be closed on the following dates:

• 12th of December (Day of Neutrality)
• 25th - 26th of December (Boxing & Christmas Days)
• 1st January (New Years Day)

As a result, there will be no visa application submissions or collections on these days and these days will not count towards the visa processing time. For any further information, or if you have any questions, please contact our visa team.

The Ukrainian Consulate will be closed on the following dates:

• 1 January - New Year's Day
• 7 January - Orthodox Christmas
• 8 March - Women’s Day
• 19 April – Good Friday
• 22 April – Easter Monday
• 29 April - Easter
• 1 May - Labour Day
• 6 May – Early May Bank Holiday
• 9 May - Victory Day
• 27 May – Spring Bank Holiday
• 16-17 June - Trinity Day
• 28 June - Constitution Day
• 26 August - Ukrainian Independence Day
• 14 October - Defender of Ukraine Day
• 24-25 December - Christmas Day
• 26 December – Boxing Day

As a result, there will be no visa application submissions or collections on these days and these days will not count towards the visa processing time. For any further information, or if you have any questions, please contact our visa team.

The Uzbekistan Visa Application Center and Consulate will be closed on the following dates:

• 1-3 January – New Year Holidays
• 14 January – Day of Defenders of the Native Land
• 8 March – International Women’s Day
• 21-22 March – Navruz Holiday
• 19 April – Good Friday
• 22 April – Easter Monday
• 6 May – Early May Bank Holiday
• 9 May – Memorial Day
• 27 May – Spring Bank Holiday
• 5-6 June – Ramdan Khait
• 11 August – Kurban Khait (Date varies on Lunar cycle)
• 26 August – Summer Bank Holiday
• 1-3 September – Independence Day Holiday
• 1 October – Teacher’s Day
• 8 December – Constitution Day
• 25 December – Christmas Day
• 26 December – Boxing Day
• 31 December – New Year’s Eve

As a result, there will be no visa application submissions or collections on these days and these days will not count towards the visa processing time. Please also note that Consular and Visa Sections of the Uzbekistan Embassy are closed every Tuesday and Thursday. For any further information, or if you have any questions, please contact our visa team.

Starting from 1 Feb 2019 a visa-free regime is introduced for 30 days period for citizens of Andorra, Argentina, Australian, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Vatican. Uzbekistan e-visas are now available. For more details, please contact our visa team at visas@realrussia.co.uk

The Vietnam Embassy will be closed on the following dates:

• 1 January – New Year’s Day
• 4-8 February – Vietnamese New Year
• 15 April – Hung Kings Commemoration Day
• 19 April – Good Friday
• 22 April – Easter Monday
• 29 April – 1 May – Vietnamese Unification Day and International Labour Day
• 6 May – Early May Bank Holiday
• 27 May – Spring Bank Holiday
• 26 August – Summer Bank Holiday
• 2 September – Vietnam’s National Day
• 25 December – Christmas Day
• 26 December – Boxing Day

As a result, there will be no visa application submissions or collections on these days and these days will not count towards the visa processing time. For any further information, or if you have any questions, please contact our visa team.

On 22 June 2015, the Vietnamese Embassy received formal notification that the Government of Vietnam will not require a visa for British, German, French, Spanish and Italian citizens travelling to Vietnam (for all purposes) for a period of up to 15 days, and on the basis of meeting all conditions prescribed by Vietnamese laws.

The visa exemption period has been extended from 01 July 2016 to 30 June 2021. If you wish to enter Viet Nam at least two consecutive times without visa, the next entry must be at least 30 days after the previous exit. Otherwise, you still need a visa.