Applying for a visa to travel to Russia from Sr Lanka, whether for work, business, study or tourism, is not as complicated a process as it may seems. In this article, I’ll explain how to gather all of the documents you’ll need to apply for a visa from your computer in a way that is quick (less than 1 hour) and cost-effective.
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INTRODUCTION
I’ve had to apply for tourist visas to Russia for family and friends on several different occasions. The process for obtaining a visa to Russia is an extremely bureaucratic one and thanks to this, many companies have taken advantage of the opportunity to do business related to it.
Hundreds of internet articles explain the process for obtaining a Russian visa, but I haven’t found any that clearly explain each step of the process in detail or explain how to complete the process yourself without relying on outside help or intermediaries.
It’s for this reason that I’d like to explain in detail how a Sri Lankan and Maldivian citizens can obtain a visa to travel to Russia in an easy and inexpensive way without having to contact intermediary businesses who only add to the overall price of the visa.
Important Notes:
- If you will be traveling to Russia on a trip organized by a travel agency, the agency will likely take care of the entire visa process and simply ask you for the necessary documents. If this is the case, the price will be significantly more than if you file for the visa yourself.
- This article gives a step-by-step explanation of how to obtain a Russian visa on your own in Sri Lanka. The process is very similar in other countries, although there may be some slight differences.
1. INTRO QUESTIONS
Before going into detail about the Russian visa application process, it’s important to answer a few questions in order to better understand the procedures.
1.1. What is a visa and who should request one?
A visa is nothing more than authorization for a citizen of a foreign country to enter, stay in, or pass through the territory of the Russian Federation. It is a document that adheres to your passport and looks something like this:
If you are from Sri Lanka, you will need to obtain a visa in order to travel to Russia. However, people from countries that have bilateral agreements with Russia are exempt from needing to obtain a visa. For example, those with passports from ex-USSR states like Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Ukraine, etc. are allowed to enter Russian territory using ordinary passports from their respective countries.
1.2. What types of visas exist?
Depending on the purpose of the entry you’re making, the Russian Federation issues 7 types of visas:
- Tourist. This is the most common visa and as the name indicates, it is issued for stays that are for tourism purposes. They are issued for a maximum of 30 days.
- Business. This type is for trips to Russia that are professional in nature and have a commercial purpose or are used to do business.
- Student. This is issued to those who are studying in the Russian Federation.
- Work. Visa that permits a person to work in Russia.
- Humanitarian. Issued for stays with for the purpose of cultural exchange, sporting events, scientific/technological, socio-political, religious or humanitarian missions.
- Private Visas. These are issued to guests of Russian Nationals who reside within the territory of the Russian Federation.
- Transit. Used to pass through the Russian Federation in order to reach another country (this is not necessary for foreigners who have a layover in an airport given that they don’t leave the international area or for those who fly over the territory without a layover).
In general, all visas are processed in a similar way. The only difference worth mentioning is the obtaining of the so-called invitation or tourist voucher that, in the case of a tourist visa, is issued by a Russian tourist company or, in the case of a business visa, must be issued by a Russian company that has invited you to visit and in the case of a student visa, the Russian educational institution where the person will be attending.
1.3. Where is the visa processed?
As an individual, you can have your visa processed at the Consular section of the Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka and in the Republic of Maldives, located in Colombo:
- Website: https://sri-lanka.mid.ru/en/consular-services/
- Working hours (visa issues): Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, from 09:00 – 13:00.
- Address: 404, Bauddhaloka mawatha, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka
- Telephone:
- (9411) 2697036 (General)
- (9411) 2697042 (Consular)
- (9411) 2697034 (Ambassador’s office)
- Emergency contact: (9477) 2891734
- Fax: (9411) 2678401
- E-mail: [email protected]
Before applying for your visa in the Consular Section of the Embassy you must book an appointment in the ELECTRONIC APPOINTMENT BOOKING SYSTEM by following the link http://colombo.kdmid.ru/
1.4. How much does it cost to get a visa?
The cost for processing a visa is divided into two quantities:
- The actual visa processing fee, called consular taxes: 80 USD for an ordinary visa -single entry- (processed within 5 working days) or 160 USD for an express visa (processed in 1-3 working days). Double entry visas are more expensive.
- In addition to the cost of processing the visa, you must also add the cost of the tourist voucher (also called invitation or visa support), which is also required. The invitation can cost about 50 USD . Later I’ll explain how to get one for this price in a PDF format in a few minutes.
The total cost of an ordinary visa (single entry) is:
- 80 USD (consular taxes)
- 50 USD for the invitation or tourist voucher.
- For a total of 130 USD
Note: Double and multiple entry visas are more expensive (Visa Fees).
1.5. How to pay?
At the Consulate all payments are to be paid in noncash (by Bank transfer).
1.6. When should I start applying to get a visa?
Applying for a visa and gathering the necessary documentation can take some time, so I recommend beginning the process about 4 or 5 weeks ahead of time. Although, if you already have a passport, hotels, airline tickets and electronic copies of your documents, as I explain in this article, it is possible to get through the process in 10 days.
2. STEPS TO APPLY FOR A RUSSIAN VISA
When applying for a visa, you must provide the following information:
- Passport (must be the original).
- Tourist voucher issued by the tourist company (original or good quality copy).
- Confirmed hotel (hostel) payment (original or good quality copy).
- Confirmed flight itinerary and purchased return ticket.
- The electronically completed Visa application form (you must print, sign, and attach a passport-sized photo)
Next I’ll explain the step-by-step process of obtaining your visa. Remember that the visa application form must be filled out with information from your letter of invitation and must clearly state the dates of your visit and which cities you will be staying in. Because of this, it’s better to gather your documents and complete the form once you have all of the information you need for the visa application.
Step 1. Have a valid passport
To apply for a visa, you must have a Passport which should be valid for a minimum of six months after visa’s expiration date and has at least 2 blank pages which do not need to be consecutive.
Your passport must not present any type of deterioration such as being torn on the cover, be stained or having broken pages. In these cases it is better to renew the passport before applying for the visa, since in the consulate they are usually very strict and they won’t approve the visa if the passport is damaged.
To apply for the Russian visa you must submit your original passport, which will remain in the hands of the Consulate for a few days. This is because the visa will be attached to one of the pages of your passport.
In addition to the original passport, you must also send a photocopy of the passport page indicating your personal information and photo.
Step 2. Set your itinerary (Cities and Hotels) and return tickets
Your visa must include your entry and exit dates meaning the first and last date that you will be in the country. This means you will need to know the dates of your trip before applying for your visa.
You have to buy return airline tickets in order to get a visa.
You have to make hotel reservations and pay them.
Once you know your entry and exit dates, you should outline your itinerary and plan out the cities you want to visit and the hotels or apartments where you’ll be staying:
- On the visa application form, you have to include the cities you are going to stay as well as whether you will be making multiple entries. The most common type is a single-entry visa but you may also want to visit Finland and then return to St. Petersburg or visit a country that borders Russia like China and Mongolia by taking the Trans-Siberian railway. You may also want to visit Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan or Georgia. In these cases you will need a double-entry visa. If so, you need to be very clear about where you will be going and what dates you will be entering or exiting the country.
- There is nothing wrong with asking for a visa for a longer period of time than the planned stay. Just make sure that your exit and entry dates are included within the date range that is listed on your visa.
- To get an invitation or visa support (later I’ll explain in greater detail what this is), you will need to know which hotels or apartments you will be staying in.
To book accommodation I always use Ostrovok, a Russian booking platform in which you can find wide variety of accommodation and very good deals. Other good option is Booking.com
Many people ask me about hotels to stay in Russia. Well, I made a short list of hotels I recommend as value for money is very good:
Moscow
- Ibis Moscow Centre Bakhrushina (3 stars)
- Novotel Moscow Centre (4 stars)
- Novotel Moscow City (4 stars)
- Radisson Royal Hotel (5 stars)
St. Petersburg
- Ibis St Petersburg Centre (3 stars)
- Novotel St Petersburg Centre (4 stars)
- Park Inn by Radisson Nevsky (4 stars)
- Radisson Royal Hotel (5 stars)
More info about accommodations in Rusia in this article: Accommodations in Russia: How to choose and where to make a reservation cheaply.
You will need hotel reservations. Platforms such as Booking allow you to make reservations. Example of booking conformation:
A typical example itinerary for a trip to Russia:
- Trip Dates: September 21-30, 2020 (10 days)
- Stay in Saint Petersburg from September 21-24
- Travel on the Red Arrow night train from Saint Petersburg to Moscow during the night of September 24 (I recommend that you get tickets for the train electronically through the RZD Russian trains website instead of using a third party).
- Stay in Moscow from September 25-30.
- Another example: Organizing a Trans-Siberian Train Trip
Step 3. Get a tourist voucher or visa support
The tourist voucher (also known as the visa support letter or invitation) is the most important document but also the most controversial. Should not be confused for a hotel reservation. They are not the same.
This document is needed to apply for a visa and must be issued by a Russian tourist company. It’s printed on an A4 page and it is divided in two separate but similar parts:
- The Tourist Services Contract (tourist voucher) is the document that states that you have hired a Russian hotel service. This part will show your personal information, the cities you will be visiting, as well as the services you will receive from the hotel and the proof that you have paid for a reservation.
- The Foreign Tourist Reception Confirmation (confirmation letter), as the name indicates, confirms you will use the hotel during your visit. It also includes personal information and the accommodations you’ll be provided with during your stay. The visa support includes 4 things that you will need when filling out your visa application form. Take a look at the example of the real visa support shown below to see the 4 things which are marked in red:
- Name of organization: Visa Service, LLC
- Address: Leninsky Avenue 153 А office 706 St Petersburg 196247
- Reference number: 015681
- Confirmation number: in the example is 106233 but note that it is different for each visa support.
How do you get visa support for a tourist trip? There are some agencies that can quickly provide the tourist voucher online. The best option that I used to get an invitation letter is iVisa. The system of issuing visa support is fully automated. You receive the invitation letter in a few minutes after paying (in PDF format ready to print). You can pay by credit card or Paypal. Currently, the price is about %= USD.
The process of purchasing visa support can be done through this link
The form is simple to fill. Here is an example:
1. Information
If you stay in an apartment (from Airbnb or similar), in the Hotel section specify “apartment + address”.
2. Confirmation and payment: PayPal or credit card
3. Download Invitation
After payment you can download the invitation letter in PDF format. You will also receive the invitation in your email. An example of a visa support:
The information you need to fill out the visa application form:
- Name of organization: Visa Service, LLC
- Address: Leninsky Avenue 153 А office 706 St Petersburg 196247
- Reference number: 015681
- Confirmation number: in the example is 106233 but note that it is different for each visa support.
Step 4. Fill out the Visa Application Form
Once you have all of the information you need as far as dates, entries/exits, a current passport, and your letter of invitation, you are ready to fill out the visa application form.
The form can be filled out electronically by visiting this link: https://visa.kdmid.ru/
The application should include your personal information, the purpose of your visit (tourism, business, study, etc.), your itinerary and dates, your insurance policy information and other information that I’ll show you here.
When you go to fill out the form for the first time, you should select your country (Sri Lanka) and the language you would like to continue in. Also mark in the box that you have read the introductory information. Next, click Complete new application form. Here is an example of an Indian citizen, but it’s the same for Sri Lankan and Maldivian citizens:
You can leave your form incomplete and come back another day but make sure to write down the code you are given in reference to your account since you will need it, along with your last name and answer to your security question, in order to log back in to your account. If you forget your code, you will have to fill out a new application.
You have to choose a password that contains numbers and letters. For example: ma1234568am
The first information they will ask on the application under the “Visa details” section are:
- Nationality
- If you had USSR or Russian nationality at some time
- Purpose of visit and visa category and type
- Number of entries (single or multiple)
- Date of entry into Russia / Date of exit
Once you have filled out this information, click the Next button:
On the next page, you should input your personal information in capital letters as it appears on your passport:
- Surname (as in passport)
- First name (as in passport)
- If you have ever had other names: maiden names, pseudonym, holy order, etc.
- Sex
- Date of birth
- Place of birth
- You must specify whether you were born in Russia
On the next page, finish entering the information from your passport:
- Passport number
- Date of issue
- Date of expiry
In the section that says Visit details, you should include the following information from your visa support that I mentioned earlier:
- Travel company (in the case of tourist visa)
- Name of organization
- Address
- Reference number
- Confirmation number
You should also include information from your itinerary (cities you’ll visit) as well as the name of your insurance company. It’s always recommended that you have traveler’s insurance (For example, Cherehapa).
To continue, you will need to enter your contact information, and the company where you work or school where you study. The required fields are marked with a red asterisk. If applicable, you should indicate whether you have relatives in Russia.
Lastly, select the place where you will be processing your visa application. You must select the Consular Section of the Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka:
Once you have finished entering all of the information, a summary will appear in case you would like to change something. If all of the information looks correct, click the Save button.
On the next page, you’ll see that you can download the completed form as a PDF. Simply click on the A4 Print button.
In this pretend example, that I just finished, the results would look like this:
Step 5. Print the form, sign it, and attach a photo
Print the completed form, write the date, and don’t forget to sign it and attach a photo.
PHOTO SPECIFICATIONS. One colour photograph 3.5 x 4.5 cm with light-coloured background, clear image of the applicant directly facing the camera, without dark/ tinted glasses or any headgear (with the exception of persons who wear such headgear due to their ethnic/ religious background, and are seen wearing the same in their passport photo).
IMPORTANT. The signature must be the same as the one in the passport
Step 6. Take all of your documents to the Consular section of the Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka
Once you have of your documents, the final step is to take everything to the Consular section of the Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka.
You must book your appointment in the Consular Section of the Embassy in the ELECTRONIC APPOINTMENT BOOKING SYSTEM by following the link http://colombo.kdmid.ru/
Normal visas can be issued within 5 working days (80 USD), Express visas within 1-3 working days (160 USD). All applicants must file applications personally for visa interview. Applications from any tourist agents and authorized persons are not to be accepted.
All payments are to be paid in noncash (by Bank transfer).
Step 7. Collect your passport
Once you have sent in your documents to the Consulate in Colombo, they will give you a date on a receipt when you can return to pick up your visa.
Step 8. Travel insurance (optional)
Sri Lankan citizens are not required to present traveler’s medical insurance in order to receive a visa though it is recommend that you have travel insurance that will cover anything that may happen during your trip (medical expenses, cancellation costs, etc.)
A very good option is Cherehapa, a Russian company specializing in travel insurance. You can buy, extend and claim online your travel insurance to Russia, even after you’ve left home. The insurance has a medical expenses coverage of 50,000 euros.
3. SUBSEQUENT FORMAL PROCEEDINGS AFTER OBTAINING THE VISA
Once you already have a visa you should bear in mind that there are two additional steps that must be done once you get to Russia: the immigration card and visa registration. The first thing is usually completed by the customs officer and the second the hotel where you will stay.
It is important to always carry both the passport and the immigration card while traveling, and the accreditation of the registry in case it may be required from you on the street by the police (it is rare for them to do so, though).
3.1. Migration card
Once you enter the territory of the Russian Federation, you must fill out the immigration card, though in practice, at large airports, it is usually the immigration service which takes care of it (either digitally or manually). It is done during passport control.
The immigration card is a paper which consists of two equal parts that are the size of a passport page. One of the parts is kept by the border police and the second will be delivered to you. It is important that you keep this card as they will ask it to you when you leave the country. In addition, you will also need the immigration card to register the visa, as I explain in the next section.
In the following screenshot you can see how the immigration card looks, which usually comes in Russian and English:
More info about migration card: Russian airports: immigration card and customs formalities
3.2. Registration
If you have applied for a tourist visa, you have the obligation to register within the first 7 working days of arrival (excluding weekends and holidays). Before March 2011, the registration must be done within 72 hours, but the new Russian law modified this term. If you are going to stay in Russia less than 7 working days, then you do not need to register.
The purpose of this registry (which comes from the communist era) is to notify immigration authorities of the place where you will stay while you are in Russia. The registration must be done in each of the cities that you are going to visit.
You will need to fill out another registration form. It’s not your obligation to register, but rather the hotel where you are staying or the host of the apartment where you are staying.
If you are staying in a hotel, when you arrive, the hotel itself will register your visa. They will ask you the passport with the visa and immigration card (the one you get at the border when you arrive to the country).
If you will not stay in a hotel, but in a private house, then the Russian host is the one required to register his/her guest at a police station or at the post office. You don’t need to be present in the registry but you must provide your host a copy of the first page of the passport, the visa and the immigration card. You may be charged a small fee for this procedure.
The accreditation registration is not required to leave the country, though the immigration card is required.
In the following screenshot you can see how this form looks. The tourist stays with the bottom part (from the dotted line):
More info about registration: Registration in Russia: What it is and how it is done.
I hope this article has helped you apply for your visa to Russia from Sri Lanka!
If you’ve found it useful, please share. Thank you!
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