There are several types of Russian visas - travel visa that usually lasts for 6 months, business visa and homestay visa that applies when a person is staying at their friends or relatives home. Diplomatic visa and official/service visa lasts for 1 year.
VISA-FREE ENTRY
The citizens of the following 37 countries and territories are eligible to visit Russia with a valid passport and without obtaining a visa in advance. These rules generally apply to holders of ordinary passports, rules for holders of diplomatic passports and other travel documents may differ.
As of 2014, citizens of the countries, except Belarus, who have the right to a visa-free entry to Russia must not stay longer than 90 days per every 180 days. Resetting the allowed period by leaving and re-entering the country is no longer allowed. Overstaying is punishable by a three year entry ban. The rule of "90 days per every 180 days" canceled for citizens of Ukraine until 1 Aug 2015.In parentheses are given the date of entry into force of the current agreement.
UNLIMITED PERIOD
- Belarus
- Abkhazia
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Moldova
- South Ossetia
- Tajikistan
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
Stateless persons who were citizens of the Soviet Union and now reside in the following countries are visa-exempt:
- Estonia (holders of an alien passport)
- Latvia (holders of a non-citizen passport)
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Chile
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Fiji
- Guatemala
- Israel
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
- South Korea
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Cuba
- Macau
- Macedonia
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Serbia
- Thailand
- Turkey
- China (Only for group tourism (from 5 to 50 persons) organized by accredited Chinese travel agencies)
- Hong Kong
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Russian government has instructed the Foreign Ministry to sign an agreement on visa-free regime with El Salvador, Mauritius.
DIPLOMATIC AND SERVICE/OFFICIAL PASSPORTS
Holders of diplomatic and service/official passports of the following countries may enter Russia without a visa:
- Abkhazia
- Albania
- Angola
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Benin
- Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Cape Verde
- Cambodia
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Cyprus
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guyana
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Jamaica
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Macao
- Macedonia
- Mali
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- North Korea
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Romania
- Schengen area countries
- Serbia
- Singapore
- South Africa
- South Korea
- South Ossetia
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Zimbabwe
Russian government has instructed the Foreign Ministry to sign an agreement on visa-free regime with Bangladesh, Kuwait, Mauritius, Oman, Senegal, Sri Lanka.
