Ordinary passports

Holders of ordinary passports of the following countries and territories may enter Russia without a visa if the duration of their visit does not exceed the visa-free limit specified below (except for citizens of Belarus and South Ossetia, who have the right to unlimited visa-free entry to Russia).^[9][10][11]

From 2014, resetting the allowed period by leaving and re-entering the country is no longer allowed. Overstaying up to 180 days is punishable by a 3-year entry ban, 180–270 days by a 5-year entry ban, and over 270 days by a 10-year entry ban.^[12]

_{ID - May enter with a national ID card in lieu of a passport.
IP - May enter with an internal passport in lieu of a passport.
TD - May enter with a "Travel Document in Lieu of National Passport" in lieu of a passport.
1 - 90 days within any 1-year period.
2 - 90 days within any 365-day period.
3 - 90 days within any 180-day period.
4 - 60 days within any 180-day period.
5 - 30 days within any 60-day period.}

Other visa exemption

Visa-free transit

Direct airside transit

Passengers travelling through international airports do not need a visa for a transit of less than 24 hours in most circumstances,^[115] provided a confirmed onward ticket is held and the traveller remains in the international transit area (without clearing regular passport control). A transit visa is needed when transiting Russia to/from Belarus.

The following international Russian airports do not have international transit areas, meaning a transit visa is required to connect there:

Saimaa canal

In accordance with a treaty between Russia and Finland, though there are passport controls at borders, a visa is not required for just passing through the Russian part of the Saimaa canal without leaving the vessel.^[116]

Värska–Ulitina road

The road from Värska to Ulitina in Estonia, traditionally the only road to the Ulitina area, goes through Russian territory for one kilometre (0.6 mi) of its length, an area called Saatse Boot. This road has no border control, but there is no connection to any other road in Russia. It is not permitted to stop or walk along the road. This area is a part of Russia but is also a de facto part of the Schengen area.^{[citation needed]}

Non-ordinary passports

Under reciprocal agreements, holders of diplomatic or various categories of service passports (consular, official, service, special) of the following countries and territories may enter and remain in Russia without a visa for the following period:^[10]

_{C - Consular passports
D - Diplomatic passports
O - Official passports
S - Service passports
Sp - Special passports}

_{1 - 90 days within any 365-day period.
2 - 90 days within any 180-day period.
3 - With the right of multiple entry and exit.
4 - Applies only to employees of official institutions operating in the territory of a contracting parties and their families.}

Currently, visa exemption for holders of diplomatic passports of European Union member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland have been suspended.^[117]

Among citizens of countries whose citizens do not normally require a visa, holders of diplomatic or service passports of Israel require a visa.^[118]

Future changes

Russia has signed visa exemption agreements with the following countries, but they have not yet entered into force:

More information Country, Passports ...

Country	Passports	Days
Cameroon[119]	Diplomatic, service	90 days within any 180-day period
Democratic Republic of Congo[120]	Diplomatic, service	90 days within any 180-day period
Micronesia[121]	All	30 days
San Marino[122]	All	90 days within any 180-day period

Close

Russia is considering visa exemption agreements or visa policy improvements for the following countries:

•  Central African Republic - 90 days within any 180 day-period for diplomatic and service passports^[123]
•  China - 21 days for tourist groups from 3 to 50 persons^[124]
•  Côte d'Ivoire - 90 days for diplomatic and service passports^[125]
•  Eritrea - 90 days within any 180 day-period for diplomatic and service passports^[126]
•  Ghana - 90 days within any 180 day-period for diplomatic and service passports^[127]
•  Hong Kong - 30 days for all passports^[128]
•  Lebanon - 90 days within any 180 day-period for diplomatic, service and special passports^[129]
•  Saint Lucia - 90 days within any 180 day-period for all passports^[130]

In addition, Russia is currently in talks with Gulf countries as well as other countries to establish visa exemption agreements.^[131]

Types of visa

Depending on the purpose of entry into the Russian Federation and the purposes of stay, visas are categorized as:

• Private
• Business
• Tourist
• Educational
• Working
• Humanitarian
• Entry (for receiving shelter or to obtain citizenship in Russia)^[421]

Diplomatic visa

A diplomatic visa shall be issued to a foreign citizen holding a diplomatic passport. A diplomatic visa is issued:

• to foreign heads of state, foreign heads of government, members of the foreign official delegations, family members of such persons traveling with them or accompanying them – for a period of up to 1 year.
• to diplomatic agents of diplomatic missions and consular officials of consular establishments, the staff of representations of the international organizations in the Russian Federation which have the diplomatic status in the Russian Federation, to family members of specified persons for a period of up to 1 year.
• to foreign diplomatic and consular couriers for the term of business trip.
• to officials of the foreign states who have the official status in the Russian Federation have the right to a diplomatic visa and who come for a working visit to diplomatic missions or consular establishments of the foreign states in the Russian Federation or to the international organizations or their representations in the Russian Federation, for a period of up to 1 year.

Service visa

A service visa is issued to the foreign citizen having service (consular, official, special) passport. A service visa is issued:

• to members of foreign official delegations, family members of such persons traveling with them or accompanying them - for a period of up to 1 year.
• to administrative and technical and service personnel of diplomatic missions, consular employees and service personnel of consular establishments of the foreign states in the Russian Federation, representations of the international organizations in the Russian Federation and to family members of such persons for a period of up to 1 year.
• to military personnel of armed forces of the foreign states and family members of such persons for a period of up to 1 year. Extension of term of stay in the Russian Federation by issuance of the multiple entry visa for a period of validity of the foreign trade contract registered in accordance with the established procedure, but no more than for 5 years is allowed to the military personnel of armed forces of the foreign states driving to the Russian Federation for implementation of international treaties of the Russian Federation and (or) decisions of public authorities of the Russian Federation in the field of military and technical cooperation, and family members of such persons.
• to foreign state officials who have the official status in the Russian Federation have the right to be issued a service visa and those who travel for a working visit to diplomatic missions or consular establishments of the foreign states in the Russian Federation or in the international organizations or their representations in the Russian Federation, for a period of up to 1 year.

Ordinary visa

Depending on the purpose of entry of the foreign citizen into the Russian Federation and the purpose of his stay in the Russian Federation ordinary visas are subdivided on private, business, tourist, educational, working, humanitarian and entry visas to the Russian Federation for temporary residence or citizenship ceremony:

1. An ordinary private visa is issued for a period of up to 3 months to foreign citizens traveling to Russia for a short visit on the basis of an invitation letter. Citizens from certain countries (based on the principle of reciprocity) can receive a visa for a period of up to 1 year.
2. An ordinary business visa is issued for a period of up to 1 year to foreign citizens traveling to Russia for a business trip.
3. An ordinary tourist visa is issued for a period of up to 1 month (or on the basis of the principle of reciprocity for a period of up to 6 months) to foreign citizens traveling to Russia as tourists, if holding an invitation letter by a Russian tour operator. Invitations can be issued by many hotels on request (sometimes for a fee) or through various online services associated with Russian tour operators. An ordinary tourist group visa is issued for a period of up to 1 month to foreign citizens traveling to Russia as a tourist in an organized tourist group (not less than 5 people), of holding a confirmation by an organization in the unified federal register of tour operators.
4. An ordinary student visa is issued for a period of up to 1 year to foreign citizens traveling to Russia for training in the educational institution.
5. An ordinary work visa is issued to foreign citizens visiting Russia for work purposes for a period of validity of the employment contract or civil contract for performance of work (rendering services), but no more than for 1 year.
6. An ordinary humanitarian visa is issued for a period of up to 1 year (or on the basis of the principle of reciprocity for a period of up to 5 years) to foreign citizens visiting Russia for a scientific, cultural, political or a sport visit, religious communication and contacts, pilgrimage, charity, delivery of humanitarian aid.
7. An ordinary entry visa to Russia for receiving a shelter is issued to foreign citizens for a period of up to 3 months if holding a decision of the federal executive authority authorized on implementation of functions on control and supervision in the sphere of migration on recognition of this foreign citizen as a refugee on the territory of Russia.
8. An ordinary entry visa to Russia to obtain citizenship of the Russian Federation is issued to foreign citizens for a period of up to 1 year if holding a decision on recognition of such foreign citizen as a native speaker of Russian.
9. An ordinary entry visa to Russia to obtain permission for temporary resident is issued to foreign citizens for a period of up to 4 months.

Transit visa

A Transit visa is issued for a period of up to 10 days to the foreign citizen for transit through the territory of Russia.

Visa of temporary living person