Russian Visa
Do I need a visa?
No Visa Required
Cruise ship or Ferry passengers participating in an organized tour program with a maximum stay of 72 hours in port.
Cruise Passengers: No Visa Required
According to Russian law ferry and cruise ships passengers can, under certain conditions, enter Russia without a visa. These conditions are as follows:
- The maximum period of the passenger`s stay should not exceed 72 hours (3 days).
- The passenger must arrive in Russia on board a cruise ship or a ferry.
- When disembarking onto Russian territory the passenger should present a valid passport and a Tour-Ticket (a document that the passenger should receive from a licensed Russia-based travel company before arrival) at passport control.
A Tour-Ticket is an easy and less expensive alternative to a visa. This document allows you to leave your ship and to take part in shore tours with a guide provided by the travel company which issued the Tour-Ticket.
The travel company takes care of all the necessary bureaucratic procedures for you and organizes your disembarkation in St. Petersburg.
In order to issue you with a Tour-Ticket our company will need the following information about each guest:
1. Full name of all guests exactly as they appear in their respective passports
2. Gender
3. Date of birth
4. Passport numbers
5. Citizenship
We also require the following general information regarding your party`s trip to Russia:
- Name of cruise ship
- Dates of stay in Russia
Important notes:
- The cost of the tour-tickets is included in the price of our tours. We will sending them to you by e-mail or fax. All you need to do is to send us the information requiested above and then to print the tour-tickets when you receive them.
- Your passport must be valid for the period of your visit to Russia.
- We arrange all documentation with the Russian immigration authorities in advance so that they expect you when you disembark in St. Petersburg.
- We need at least 10 working days after we receive all the necessary information from you to apply to get the information from you and send you the Tour Ticket.
- You are required to depart from and return to the port with the tour group, you will not be able to leave the ship and go to the city on your own.
- Cruise passengers are free to use any authorized local travel agencies (not just cruise ship companies) for visa-free shore tours.
- The disembarkation procedure in Russia is quite simple: when you leave the ship simply present your passport along with your Tour-Ticket. Your guide will be waiting for you with a sign with your name on it right outside the passport control.
Visa Required
All other tourists
(except for citizens of countries which have a visa-free regime with Russia).
Other Tourists: Visa Required
Some cruise ship passengers still prefer to get regular tourist visas. Such visas allow you to leave the ship and explore the city on your own. You will also need a visa if you come to Russia by any other means of transportation other than a cruise ship. In order to apply for a visa you will need a visa support letter. We can prepare this document for you.
Those tourists who need visas should apply for one at their nearest Russian Consulate. Any attempt to cross the Russian border without a visa or valid passport may result in fines or deportation at tourist`s own expense.
To apply for a tourist visa at the Russian Consulate in your country you will need:
1. A completed Visa application form that you get from your local Consulate or from the Russian embassy`s official website for your country
2. A valid original passport (your visa will be attached here)
3. A visa support letter from a licensed Russia-based travel company or an invitation from a hotel (see below)
4. A passport photo taken no less than 6 months ago
5. Money to pay the Consular fee
Russian Consulates in some countries may have other additional requirements for those who are appling for a visa. Please contact your nearest Russian embassy to get a complete list of these requirements.
For most short trips (up to 30 days) to Russia a single-entry tourist visa will do. However, if you need a multiple-entry visa, please indicate that in your application form.
One of the main required documents to obtain a Russian visa is the Visa Support letter/invitation. We can issue you with this document but in order to do this we require the following information from you:
1. Full names of all guests exactly as they appear in passports
2. Gender
3. Date of birth
4. Passport number
5. Citizenship
6. Confirmation from your hotel (you may book a hotel on your own or via a travel company). (For cruise ship passengers we require the name of the ship)
7. Dates of your stay in Russia
The easiest way to provide us with this information is to send us a copy of the first page of your passport and a copy of your booking confirmation with your hotel /cruise provider.
You can also arrange to receive a Visa support letter from your hotel by contacting them directly. Usually an invitation from hotel is provided for free, but some hotels may charge for this service.
Important notes:
We charge USD 20 per person for issuing a visa support letter.
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