The Russian visa registration process will depend on the type of visa you have, which city you are visiting, and what accommodation you are staying in.
There may be some exceptions for certain restricted cities, or areas, which you can find below, but the following rules will cover most travellers:
If you already have a tourist or business visa and are staying in a hotel or hostel
Most hotels and hostels will register you upon checking in at the reception desk. They will take a scan of your passport and visa, before giving you your passport back with a copy of your registration. This should take no more than a few minutes.
While it is rare, some hotels or hostels may charge a fee, the cost of which would be on a hotel by hotel basis.
Remember, when travelling in Russia you must always have your passport with you, so do not leave your accommodation without it.
If you already have a tourist or business visa and are NOT staying in a hotel or hostel
If you are staying in St Petersburg, we can offer registration through our partner within five working days of your arrival.
Click here for more information.
Please note: due to a new law that came into force in 2018, Real Russia are no longer able to offer visa registration in our Moscow office.
If you are travelling to Moscow or anywhere else within Russia and need to register your visa, you will have two options:
- You can register your visa with the local Federal Migration Service (FMS).
- You can register at the local post office (почта in Russian).
If you already have a private visa:
You will need to take your passport and migration card to the local Federal Migration Service (FMS) office when you arrive in the town or city that issued the invitation you used for your visa. You should not need any other documents, as all your details are included within the visa itself.