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Russian Private Visa

Content Outline:

  • Overview of Russian private visas
  • Documents required for a Russian private visa
  • Visa validity
  • Visa turnaround (processing time)
  • Private visa extension
  • Simplified private visa for close relatives
  • Private visas for a foreign parent of a child who is Russian national
Picture of invitation letter for Private Visa
Invitation Letter for Private Visa

Overview

A Russian private visa is issued to UK residents planning to visit Russia to see family or friends. This visa is also available for those travelling to Russia to care for a sick family member residing there or in the even of the death of a family member in Russia.

Documents Required for a Private Visa

  1. Original Passport (must be valid for at least 6 months beyond planned exit date and have 2 blank pages).
  2. Application form (available online at step 5 of the online order on this website).
  3. Private visa support documents: original invitation from Russia, certified by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, or a simplified invitation for close relatives (see details below).
  4. 1 passport-style photograph: One recent photo (taken within the last 6 months) must be glued to the application form. Important: Ensure the photo is no more than 6 months old.
  5. Applicable fee: payment for the visa processing
  6. Applicants who are self-employed, company directors working from home, or unemployed must provide bank statements from the last three months showing a current minimum balance of £100 per day for the duration of the visit. Note: online banking printouts must be certified and stamped by your bank.
  7. Non-UK passport holders may be required to provide additional documents. For a complete list, visit this link: https://russianvisa.ibsvp.co.uk
  8. For 1-year visas: Applicants seeking a multiple-entry 1 year visa, which allows stays longer than 3 months, must provide an HIV certificate, including children of any age, except for spouses, children and parents of Russian nationals, who are exempt from this requirement.

Visa Validity

Private visas can be issued as single- or double-entry visas valid for up to 90 days, or as multiple-entry visas valid for up to one year.

Visa Turnaround (Processing Time)

Single/double-entry visa (up to 90 days):

  • Express Processing: 4 working days
  • Standard Processing: 20 working days

Multiple-entry visa (valid up to 1 year):

  • Processing Time: 10 working days

Private Visa Extension

Private visas cannot be extended in Russia or in the place of issue.

Simplified Private Visa for Close Relatives

A private visa can be issued based on the decision of the head of a diplomatic mission or consular office (Russian Embassy), upon receipt of a written invitation from a Russian citizen for a close relative.

Close Relatives Include:

  • Spouse
  • Parents (or adoptive parents)
  • Children (or adoptive children)
  • Spouses of children
  • Siblings (including step-siblings)
  • Grandparents
  • Grandchildren.

The invitation must include detailed information about both the inviter and invitee, as well as the itinerary and details for the foreign invitee in Russia.

Link to current application: private invitation to Russia

This invitation will be authorised by a visa officer on the day of the visa application.

Alternatively, this simplified private invitation can be certified by a notary public in Russia. The certified hard copy must then be sent to the UK and presented on the day of the visa application.

Please note that original documentary confirmation of relationship is required (including changes of name). All non-original documents provided must be certified by a notary public as true originals.

A foreign national travelling to Russia on the basis of a private visa to visit a close relative can stay in Russia throughout the full validity of the visa. This one-year private visa permits a foreign national to remain in Russia for the entire year, with no limits on the number of days spent in the country.

Private Visas for Foreign Parents of Russian Nationals

A foreign parent of a Russian child can obtain a Russian private visa based on an invitation from the child’s other parent, provided they have a valid Russian passport.

This arrangement addresses situations where the parents of a child are not married, and the foreign parent does not qualify as a close relative (as defined above).