Information you should know before visa application
If you apply for a visa in the Consular section of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Australia, then all payment documents should be made in the name of the Embassy of the Russian Federation, otherwise, your documents can be returned to you without being processed.
Applying for a Russian visa
Visa application can be submitted in person at our office with a prior appointment. There is no limit as to how many months before your visit to Russia you must apply for a visa.
Before beginning the application process, you need to determine the appropriate type of visa according to your purpose of travel. Incomplete set of documents is returned to the applicant without processing. All paperwork once submitted is not subject to any change of the announced visa processing period or the period of stay in Russia indicated in the invitation available at the moment of submission. If the applicant requires to make changes in submitted paperwork, all documentation will be returned to applicant for resubmission. Visa processing fees received from the applicant are not subject for reimbursement in any circumstances. Two valid visas in one passport and visa extensions are not possible.
The Consular section of the Embassy may request any supplementary documents and information in regard to the application if it deems necessary. Consular section reserves the right in certain cases to extend visa application processing up to 20 business days. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to apply beforehand.
Applicants who used to be citizens of the USSR or the Russian Federation must prove that they are no longer Russian nationals (stamp in their passport saying that they left for "permanent residence abroad" before the 6 February 1992 or certificate of renunciation of citizenship). Citizens of the Russian Federation regardless of any other citizenship must travel to Russia on valid Russian documents only (see "визы в случае наличия двух и более гражданств").
Enquires
Consular section consults by the following telephone number: +61(2) 6295 9474 or by e-mail consul.australia@mid.ru. Consular section may leave unanswered enquiries about acknowledging receipt/dispatch of documents, visa status and about information available on our website.
Receiving passport
There are two options available for the return of your passport: pick up from the Consular section with a prior appointment, or by mail if you enclose a self-addressed prepaid envelope. Please ensure that you note the tracking number so that you may monitor the return of your documents. We strongly recommend that you choose a delivery service that enables you to track the arrival of your package, such as Express Post. Please be advised that if an applicant has not enclosed an envelope the passport with visa won't be sent back and will be left for collection at our Office. If an applicant has not filled out his address on an envelope the address will be filled out by the consular officer in accordance with the information of the application form. In both cases the Consular Section of the Embassy does not bear any responsibility for the delay in your passport's dispatch or loss.
After receiving your passport with visa, please check the visa for possible mistakes (name, surname, passport number, date of birth, term of validity etc.) and, if necessary, return it to us for corrections. Typewritten line, placed at the bottom of a visa on a white area, holds service information and it may not contain the correct spell of your name, surname or any other information about you. The Consular section will not be responsible for the mistakes which are not brought to its attention before your departure from Australia.
Permission to enter Russia is a courtesy of state and the Consular section can deny a visa if the applicant's entry to the Russian Federation is deemed undesirable. Disclosure of the reason for denial can be withheld.
Arriving in Russia
To enter the Russian Federation a foreign citizen must submit valid identity document, accepted as such by the Russian Federation, visa and migration card (see below). It is not possible to obtain a visa at the airport when entering Russia and extend visa after arrival. Visa entitles its holder to travel to the Russian Federation but it does not guarantee entry. An immigration officer determines the visa holder's eligibility for admission into the Russian Federation. Therefore you should be able to present at the port of entry a copy of your invitation or visa support papers along with your passport and visa.
Migration Card
In accordance with the Russian government decree no. 413 of 16.08.2004 “On migration card”) a foreign citizen is required to fill out a migration card when arriving to the Russian Federation and present it to the border control officer for stamping provided that the data on the card is in compliance with the owner’s passport data.
Migration card forms are distributed free of charge to foreign nationals on arrival to Russia by migration officers or representatives of transport companies.
A foreigner must carry the migration card during the whole period of stay in Russia and submit it along with other documents for migration registration at the place of residence. In case of damage or loss of the migration card foreign national must notify a local office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation within three days. A gratis duplicate card is issued assuming travel documents used to enter Russia are presented.
When leaving Russia, a foreign citizen must submit the card to a migration officer at the Russian border checkpoint.
Residence Registration
Visitors staying in Russia more than seven business days must have a residence registration. If you stay at a hotel, registration must be done by the hotel management. If you stay in an apartment or private home, it should be done by the host at the Directorate for Migration Affairs or post office.
Bringing Medicine to Russia
Foreign citizens can bring medicine (even the kind not registered in Russia) for personal use with no limits as long as they do not contain highly potent, narcotic, psychoactive or poisonous substances. If your medication has such substances, but you need to take it with you, you have to provide a recipe or medical records proving the requirement, along with a certified translation into Russian. The Consular section does not notarize translation. These items need to be declared at customs.
Foreigners can leave Russia with all kinds of medicine (except narcotics), dietary supplement and herbs – these items have no restrictions.
Please read this memo about customs rules.
Crossing Russia-Belarus border
The Russia-Belarus land border does not have international checkpoints. It is forbidden to third-country nationals to cross this border by car or by train.
Foreign citizens are allowed to travel between Russia and Belarus by air. Passengers flying to Belarus through Russian airports are required to have a Russian transit visa.
Visa in the cancelled passport
It is not allowed to enter Russia using a valid visa in the cancelled passport, even if carried with a new, valid passport. You need to transfer the visa to the new passport in the Consulate.
Electronic visa
Starting from July 1, 2019, nationals of 53 foreign States may be granted an e-visa to enter Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation.
Starting from October 1, 2019, nationals of 53 foreign States may be granted an e-visa to enter St Petersburg and the Leningrad region of the Russian Federation through air, naval, automobile, and pedestrian checkpoints.
The website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia evisacheck.kdmid.ru allows to check the status of an e-visa for foreign nationals.