Russian Business Visas

The Russian authorities as well as the Russian Consulate may occasionally experience delays when issuing the visa support documents and visas (especially during spring, summer and New Year around Russian national holidays). For that reason, the visa due dates indicated on the order form are only provisional and by no means definitive. In any event, we do not recommend booking your flight or make other travel arrangements until you have got your passport and visa with you.

Please see the following link for any processing issues which may be affecting the Russian business visa service.

• Service status page

The prices shown above include all fees, costs and charges to process and issue your visa, nothing is hidden, the price you see is the price you pay.

While our service fees are fixed, the consular fees and other costs are dependent upon your nationality, how quickly you need your visa, how long you are prepared for your passport to be at the consulate, how many entries you need and how long you need your visa valid for.

The visa support processing time is calculated in business days, excludes weekends and the day of order. The visa due dates indicated on the order form account for UK and Russian public holidays. However please note that the Russian authorities as well as the Russian consulate usually experience delays shortly after their holiday period is over which extends the processing time beyond these dates. For more details, please see section “Are there any external issues which may affect my visa processing?

The visa support processing time refers to a number of working days that it will take us to issue your visa support documents once we have submitted your application to the Russian authorities. Remember, we can only start processing your application once you have paid and sent us a clear scan or fax of your passport photo page.

While we endeavour to process the orders as quickly as possible, you should note that orders made after 13.00 GMT for telexes and 16.30 GMT for all other types of visa support will be processed the following working day only.

Please note that:

• The Russian authorities will not process applications for invitations for business and multiple entry visa support documents earlier than specific dates for different types of invitation:
  1. For 12 working day TELEX and 4-6 working day TELEX they will not process them earlier than 45 calendar days from the start date requested. Today we are able to submit these visa support documents for processing that have a start date before: 03 October 2019.
  2. For multiple entry 18, 14 and 12 working day (not telex) and 12, 8 and 5 working day single / double entry invitation they will not process them earlier than 90 calendar days from the start date requested. Today we are able to submit these visa support documents for processing that have a start date before: 17 November 2019.
• If you apply in advance of the start date applicable to processing the visa support documents, then we will hold your application and apply at the earliest opportunity or you may change the start date to get the visa processing earlier.
• Please bear this in mind when choosing the appropriate business visa support service level. If you require further information, please contact our visa team and we will be happy to help.
• If you are applying for a multiple entry visa then the original invitation will be sent by courier from Russia to our London office and assuming we have all of your other documents the visa application will be lodged at the consulate the next day. We assume a maximum delivery time of 3 working days and this is built into the expected dates shown as is the cost of the courier. Please note that delivery time does not apply to telex invitations which are sent electronically directly to the consulate.
• Please note: if you are travelling to the North Caucasus area (including but not restricted to Vladikavkaz, Magas, Machatschkala, Pyatigorsk) it will take the consulate 21 working days to process your visa, including those requested as "Next Day" services.

The Consular Processing Time is the number of processing days that it will take the Russian Consulate to issue your visa once we have lodged your application with them. We will lodge your application the next consular working day after your invitation (if we are arranging one) has been issued and received in our London office provided that we have got your documents and they are all in order and you are able to visit the Russian Visa Application Centre to give your biometric data (fingerprints) – please click here for more information.

So, to work out how many days your visa will take to process and obtain, add the visa support processing time, the consular processing time and any delivery time for the invitation together.

Please note that we do not need your passport for the whole processing time, just the element where we need to submit it to the consulate. Depending upon the service you select this will be between 3 and 8 business days.

The telex will be available for use at the Russian consulate for 30 days after its date of issue. Your visa application needs to be submitted within this 30 day window otherwise the telex validity will expire and you will need to reapply and pay for a new invitation.

Please be aware that telexes with a purpose of visit listed as "Cultural Relations" are not currently being processed by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

For more information or any assistance required on this matter please contact us.

The documents that you need to provide to allow us to lodge your application at the consulate depend on your nationality and residency in the United Kingdom.

Check your visa application requirements by selecting the following options:

Country: AfghanistanAland IslandAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBonaireBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBrunei DarussalamBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCape VerdeCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaColumbiaComorosCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCuracaoCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEast Timor (Timor Leste)EcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern Terr. (TAAF)GabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuadeloupeGuamGuatemalaGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHondurasHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKorea (DPR)KuwaitKyrgyzstanLaosLatviaLebanonLesothoLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacauMacedoniaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNepalNetherlandsNetherlands AntillesNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNorfolk IslandsNorthern Mariana IslandsNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPalestinePanamaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalPuerto RicoQatarRepublic De Cote DivoireRepublic of CongoRepublic of KoreaReunion IslandsRomaniaRussian FederationRwandaSan MarinoSao Tome and PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovak RepublicSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSpainSri LankaSt.HelenaSt.Kitts and NevisSt.LuciaSt.Pierre and MiquelonSt.Vincent and GrenadinesStateless (Travel Document)SudanSurinameSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTogoTokelau IslandsTortolaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayUS Virgin IslandsUSSRUzbekistanVanuataVatican CityVenezuelaVietnamVirgin IslandsWallis & FutunaYemenZambiaZimbabwe

Purpose of visit: BusinessCharityCommercialCulturalDiplomaticDriverEducationFamily memberLecturingPrivateScientificSportStudyTechnical SupportTouristTransitWorkYouth Work

Support Type: paper invitationTELEXyour own visa support documents

Generally you may stay in Russia only up to the maximum validity period of the visa.

Please note that effective 01.06.07 according to new laws dependent upon your nationality there may be restrictions on how long you can stay in Russia within specific periods. This restriction, if it applies, will be written into the visa.

All nationalities are restricted to a maximum of 90 days in a 180 day period when using a multiple entry visa.

The purpose of visit requested for your visa should generally correspond with your initial visit intentions. The purpose of visit will be written on the visa support documents and encoded into your visa. However, this does not restrict you to this purpose and you may, for example, use a business visa to also visit family or friends or use a cultural visa to subsequently visit Russia for business purposes. However, if you are only considering a single trip of up to 30 days within a twelve month period, it may be more cost effective to consider a tourist visa.

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 (fingerprints) when they submit their visa application documents at the consulate.

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

In most cases, a child can get an ‘accompanying family member’ visa based on a parent's business visa. Please review the following information on taking a child to Russia.

If you have an active Russian visa in an expired or cancelled passport and wish to transfer this to a new passport then you will have to visit the Russian Visa Application Centre directly. Unfortunately, it cannot be done without your presence.

Yes, of course you can, we have an office in central London and we will be happy to see you and assist with your application if needed. If you intend to deliver an application in person or collect your passport and visa we are open for collection and deliveries during the following times.

To order your business visa on-line, simply click on the level of service you want from the options above.

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• When you select the visa type and service level you want from the options above we will ask you to fill in the visa application form. You will need to have your national insurance number and passport to hand. You will find helpful explanations from us throughout the form to help explain questions. Once you have completed the form you will be given the option to pay via credit or debit card.
• Our visa team will check through your application form to make sure everything is correct and get in touch if there are any queries
• You will need to come down to London to visit the Russian visa application centre to submit your application and give your fingerprints with your valid passport and a single passport sized photo. We can also take a passport photo in office for you for an additional fee. You will sign your completed application form in office and our team will guide you through the process ready for when you arrive at the visa application centre. 

• That's it, that's all you have to do!
• During the processing of your application, we will be on hand to answer any queries the Consulate may have and to ensure that your application is dealt with in a timely and efficient manner.
• The day your visa is ready we will collect it in person and return this to you using Royal Mail Special Delivery so you will have it the next business day before 1.00 pm.

You can follow the progress of your order through our online order tracking system which will detail the steps taken and the steps remaining to obtain your visa.

Remember, when you are in Russia, please ensure that you register your visa.

The Russian consulate require that the photograph provided meet the following specifications:

1. It is a clear colour passport type photograph (black and white pictures are not acceptable)
2. No older than six months
3. Taken against a plain white background
4. Printed on photographic paper (camera print)
5. The frame size must be 35mm x 45mm
6. The photo must show full front view of the head, with the face in the middle, and include the top of the shoulders
7. Non-smiling, mouth closed, without sunglasses, hat/ cap or other head covering unless the applicant wears such items because of their religious beliefs or ethnic background

Please see the following guide for more information: Reading a Russian visa

If you’re in need of assistance whilst travelling we offer a dedicated 24 hour telephone support service.

For all emergencies you can call us on +44 (0) 207 100 7370 where our operators are available to provide help 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

If you are a Real Russia TravelSim user then calls to our helpline are free for the first three minutes. Click here for more information on the Real Russia TravelSim.

If you experience problems whilst away, our team can offer guidance and support. If for example you have mislaid your passport, you are experiencing difficulty boarding a train or any number of other travel issues, call our emergency helpline for immediate assistance.

We try to give you as much information as we can to help you choose the service you need, though if you still have more questions please feel free to look at the Real Russian Forum, the Frequently Asked Questions section or contact us directly and we will be happy to help.