Visa to Russia from Canada
Do Canadians need Visa to Russia?
Yes, they do. A Russian visa for the citizens of Canada can be obtained either at the embassy or a consulate, wherein it is necessary to present an invitation to do this. One must also fill in an application form and pay a consular fee.
The issuing of the invitation required to obtain a visa to Russia is the responsibility of those people who live in Russia (or companies located in the Russian Federation) and who are interested in the foreign citizen’s arrival. Depending on who is in charge of the invitation issuing will depend the type of the invitation and a visa itself (tourist, private, business, work). Usually Canadian citizens don’t have any problems with obtaining the abovementioned types of visas.
How to Get Russian Visa from Canada?
This will require a certain procedure. It may vary depending on the purpose of a trip:
- Tourist visa is intended for those who travel for tourism and wish to see sights.
- Private visa is good for visitors who would like to meet Russian friends (however, it is recommended to apply for the tourist visa instead as it is a more easy and reliable way to take a trip to Russia).
- Electronic visa – for example: short-term trips;
- Business visa suits the foreign applicants who are concerned in exploring business opportunities of Russia.
- Work visa is necessary for the citizens of foreign countries who seek to endeavour in career and professional development in Russian enterprises.
Where to apply for a Russian visa in Canada ?
You can obtain a visa to Russia in any of the Consulates of the Russian Federation located in Canada . See the list of Russian Consulates in Canada, along with their phone numbers and location indicated on this page below.
Russian visas quick comparison
| Type of Visa | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa | 1-30 days | Sightseeing, visiting friends in Russia |
| Electronic visa | 8 days | Trips for a short period of time |
| Business visa | 30-90 days (up to 1 year) | Search of business partners, attending conferences, long trips, long-term visits of friends in Russia |
| Private visa | 30-90 days | Official visits to meet with friends in Russia (Not recommended! See why) |
| Work visa | 1-3 years | Employment in Russia or permanent residence |
Russian Tourist Visa from Canada
Citizens of Canada can obtain a tourist visa in case they are planning to enter the Russian Federation to visit different cities or for the purpose of rehabilitation at the health resorts. In this case in order to receive an invitation to obtain a visa a foreign citizen should apply to a tourist company. Only those companies which have their own reference-number can issue such invitations. This type of invitation to visit Russia for Canadians can be made within 1 working day.
The outward appearance of a tourist visa is not significant. It is more important that the invitation would contain an inviting company’s reference-number and other information as well as the passport data of an invited foreign citizen. The names of the cities which a foreigner will visit should be also indicated there, as well as the hotels he/she is staying at.
Furthermore, a tourist invitation issued by a tourist company should have the information on the dates of the trip and number of the entries. Single or double entry visa to Russia from Canada can be obtained by a foreign citizen for a period of up to 30 days.
Get a Tourist Invitation to Russia from Canada
Russian Private Visa for Canadian citizens
A private visa should be applied for by those citizens of Canada who want to visit their relatives or friends located in Russia. In order to do this the relatives of a foreigner whom
he/she wants to visit have to issue a guest invitation at a local department of the Federal Migration Service (the FMS) and to send it to a foreign citizen by mail. Individuals have to apply for a guest invitation to a department of the FMS at the place of their residence. If a legal entity invites a foreign citizen its representative should give in an appropriate application and issue the invitation at the department of the FMS where such legal entity was registered.
The FMS will verify the information on the foreign citizen: whether he/she was brought to justice during his/her previous visits, was deported from the country, or has any unpaid fines. If a foreign citizen had any breakings of the law an invitation would not be issued for him/her by the FMS.
The valid term for a guest visa to Russia for a citizen of Canada can be up to 90 days. Private visa can be single or double entry.
Get of a Private (Visitor) Invitation to Russia for Canadian citizens
Russian Business Visa from Canada
A business visa is obtained by those foreign citizens who are planning to enter the Russian Federation to hold negotiations, extend or sign their agreements, to look for new business partners, participate in a conference or a seminar.
The business visa invitation letter can be obtained by either of these ways:
For obtaining a business visa one has to present at the embassy a duly executed invitation (on the FMS form, on the inviting company’s letterhead or sent by telex). Only legal entities accredited at the Department of the Federal Migration Service or at the Department of the Consular Service at the Ministry for Foreign Relations of the Russian Federation should be in charge for the issuing of the invitation.
The issuing of the invitation on the form of the Federal Migration Service takes some time. A representative of an inviting organization submits to an authorized body an application to issue an invitation for a certain foreign citizen.Such invitation will be issued only after a checkup is made to prove that the foreigner doesn’t have any criminal records, deportations from the country or unpaid fines.
An invitation on the letterhead of an inviting organization can be issued only in case this organization has been accredited for that. It is a request for a consulate of the Russian Federation to issue a visa for a certain foreign citizen. The issuing of such invitation doesn’t need a lot of time: 1 day is usually enough.
An invitation sent by telex – is a requirement from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation to the Embassy of the RF. With such an invitation the inviting party gives a foreign citizen the number which he/she should quote when applying for a visa at the embassy.
A citizen of Canada can obtain a business visa for a period of up to 5 years.
Get a Russian Business Invitation from Canada on the letterhead of an accredited company
Issuing of a Business Invitation to Russia for Canadian citizens on the FMS form
Get a Business Invitation to Russia for Canadian citizens by a Telex
Work visa for Canadian citizens
A citizen of Canada can obtain a work visa only in case he/she has an invitation to the Russian Federation. Such invitation allowing him/her to have a work visa will be given only if a Canadian citizen has a special permit to work in the Russian Federation or in case he/she is an employee of a foreign representative office.
A citizen of Canada when applying for a work visa can count on the assistance of his/her employer (without that help it would be very difficult to obtain this type of a visa). After arriving to Russia a citizen of Canada has to be registered at the migration service.
When applying for a work visa a citizen of Canada has to receive a work permit and to have an invitation issued afterwards in order to obtain a visa. Visa would be initially given for 90 days. A foreign citizen should enter Russia and be registered at the migration service, after which he/she will need to extend the visa for the full term of the work permit. Then a foreign citizen will be registered at the migration service till the end of the visa period.
Get Work Visa to Russia for Canadian citizens
Russian Electronic Visa from Canada
An electronic visa (hereinafter referred to as “e-visa”) is a new type of a visa document. A visa invitation to Russia is not required for obtaining an e-visa. To obtain an e-visa to Russia use our “E-visa to Russia” service.
An e-visa can be only single-entry. The permitted stay in Russia on an e-visa is up to 8 days from the date of entry within its validity period.
The validity period and/ or permitted stay on an e-visa cannot be extended. To obtain an e-visa a foreign citizen needs a digital passport photo and a completed application form containing full and valid data at the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
At present citizens of Canada are not eligible for obtaining an e-visa to Russia. According to the Government of the Russian Federation, e-visa processing for the citizens of Canada shall become available starting January 1st, 2022.
We recommend citizens of Canada obtaining a common tourist visa for a stay up to 30 days.
Russian consulate in Canada:
Canadian citizens may obtain Russian visa in these Consular centers of the Russian Federation:
Who can travel to Russia in 2022?
International tourism is currently going through difficult times, but the borders are gradually opening with certain restrictions. Russia is resuming air traffic with many countries and is beginning to issue tourist visas again.
Who can enter Russia?
Denis Grishkin/Moskva Agency
The main document that regulates entry to Russia during the pandemic is the Government Decree No. 635-r (March 16, 2022) that is regularly upgraded.
According to this document, only certain categories of foreigners can visit Russia, regardless of citizenship: diplomats, pilots, Russians’ family members, athletes to participate in competitions and specialists by invitation and foreigners with a residence permit in Russia. They can enter with any kind of transport.
Residents of the partially recognized republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia can also enter Russia via land and railway checkpoints, regardless of the trip purpose. The main thing is that the entry must be from these republics.
Andrei Nikerichev/Moskva Agency
However, no restrictions apply to Russian citizens: holders of Russian passports can freely return to the Motherland. Before registering for a flight, they need to fill out a special electronic form and upon arrival in Russia, they need to pass a PCR test for COVID-19 within three days and upload the results to the state services website. If they have a certificate of vaccination with a Russian vaccine, then the test is not needed. Note that foreign vaccines are not yet recognized in Russia.
Can a tourist visit Russia?
Denis Grishkin/Moskva Agency
According to the abovementioned decree, foreigners can come to Russia from those countries with which Russia has resumed regular flights, including for tourist purposes. It is important to come from that country where the visitor has citizenship or a residence permit. That is, a Turkish citizen must fly from Turkey, while a UK citizen – only from the UK. It’s forbidden to enter Russia via land or sea borders (with the exception of Belarus: citizens of this state can also enter by train).
As of July 2022, the countries from which a tourist can fly directly are: Austria, Azerbaijan, Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, UK, Hungary, Venezuela, Vietnam, Germany, Greece, Egypt, India, Iceland, Jordan, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Cyprus, Kyrgyzstan, Korea, Cuba, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Maldives, Malta, Morocco, Mexico, UAE, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, North Macedonia, Seychelles, Serbia, Singapore, Syria, the U.S., Tajikistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia and Japan.
To board the plane, you must provide a negative PCR test for COVID-19 (in English or Russian), made no earlier than 72 hours before entering Russia. Children under the age of two do not need to pass a test. There is no quarantine for holders of such certificates (anyway, you won’t be allowed on a flight without them). Also, those arriving need to fill out a special form (sample) and have a policy covering medical expenses in the case of COVID-19.
Citizens of the Eurasian Economic Union (Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan) (and from September 1, 2022, all CIS citizens) must install the mobile app called ‘Traveling without COVID-19’ to enter Russia (Google Play and App Store) and enter the test results in the application.
In Russia, it is still necessary to wear a mask in public places, including on any form of public transport and shopping malls. You are not required to wear one outside.
Visa issues
Russia has its own visa rules for each country, which can be found on the website of the Russian Embassy or the visa center of your country. If you already have a visa to Russia and you are included in the list of countries whose citizens are allowed to enter, then you can enter with this visa. If you need a new visa, then you need to apply for it at the visa center or the embassy in your country. Russia is once again issuing tourist, business and other types of visas, for countries with which it has resumed air traffic.
Note, a tourist visa will be given for up to six months, if a confirmed hotel booking is provided (the document is in Russian).
Meanwhile, citizens of 52 countries, including the EU, Japan and China, will be able to enter the country with an electronic visa, which can be issued in just four days, without the need for any documents confirming the purpose of the trip. Additionally, 72-hour visa-free entry to Russia for cruise ship passengers will, once again, come into force.
Important! In many countries, there are still restrictions on LEAVING for the purpose of tourism, so having a Russian visa does not even guarantee that you will get permission to leave your country. This should be clarified before making any trips.
All information is current as of July 23, 2022.
If using any of Russia Beyond’s content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.
Who can travel to Russia in 2022?
In accordance with Annex №1 of the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation №635-R of March 16, tourists from the following countries may come to Russia:
Citizens of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Ukraine residing in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions are also allowed to visit Russia.
There are 2 main rules for travellers who are going to visit Russia:
— You must be a citizen of these countries or have a residence permit (or any other document proving the right of permanent residence).
— You have to enter Russia by plane and only from the territory of your country.
As for other countries, there are certain categories of citizens that can enter Russia. See the full list on the Federal Security Service website (available in Russian).
These categories are:
— diplomats and their family members;
— drivers, captains and pilots of international flights;
— foreign nationals who are family members of Russian citizens
— citizens who need to take care for their closest relatives (e.g. husbands, wives, children, mothers and fathers);
— citizens who have a residence permit for Russia;
— migrants who participate in the governmental programme;
— citizens who come for medical treatment (the documents should be issued by the Ministry of Health);
— citizens entering due to death of a close relative (death certificate and a document confirming the degree of kinship are required);
— highly qualified specialists. See the instructions for such specialists on the Federal Agency for Tourism website (available in Russian);
— residents of Baikonur and employees of companies working in the space industry.
What documents are needed for entry to Russia?
Negative COVID-19 PCR test — provide it at the customs. You must make it no earlier than 72 hours before departure.
You do not need to stay in quarantine if you have a negative test result.
A passport valid for 6 months from the date of travel.
Application form for those who are on flights to the Russian Federation for border crossing. It is to be completed prior to arrival in Russia.
Visa (citizens of 58 states are eligible for visa-free travel. See the list of these countries at the Federal Agency for Tourism website).
You must apply for it at the nearest visa application centre of your country: electronic visas to Russia are temporarily suspended.
Visa application form.
Sample for British nationals.
Sample for citizens of other countries.
Medical Insurance (Russian abbreviation: DMS). It must be valid across the whole territory of Russia and cover possible COVID-19 infection.
Proof of accommodation. Required for citizens who are nor eligible for visa-free travel to Russia.
Things you need to foresee before travelling to Russia
You need to be tested for COVID-19 in 72 hours before your arrival. The fastest way to get a test result is to do express tests. Keep in mind that they might be more expensive. The certificate must be in English or Russian. You may request a Russian translation at the clinic.
If you will show signs of fever or any other symptoms of an illness, you may be asked to re-do the test upon arrival. Set aside some cash on that — on average, the test costs 3,000 rubles (approximately 34 EUR). If the result is positive, you will have to stay for treatment.
Rules and recommendations you should follow while travelling in Russia
— be sure to wear gloves and a medical mask in public places: shops, transport, public institutions and museums;
— maintain at least 1,5 meters between yourself and people around;
— avoid crowded places;
— take a taxi instead of public transport.
How not to get COVID-19 — basic rules
Precautions The World Health Organization advises to follow:
— wash your hands thoroughly with soap, use alcohol-based hand rubs;
— wear a mask and gloves in public places. The mask must cover your nose and mouth;
— cover your mouth with a tissue if you feel like sneezing or coughing. After that, dispose the tissue immediately;
— avoid touching your face.
Stay at home if you feel unwell. If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, call 103 immediately.
Russian visa for citizens of Canada
Since the visa-free regime hasn’t yet established between Russia and Canada, you need to obtain a permit to enter in any Russian consulate in the territory of Canada. Russian visa for Canadian allows planning visit for different purposes such as tourism, business management, education or meeting with relatives.
In the material presented below, you will find all the information about visa insurance for Canadian and necessary expenses.
Russian visa for citizens of Canada
Canadian nationals need Russian visa in any situation except for 72-hours tourist program. Visa is a permission document confirming your right to cross borders of the Russian Federation for particular purposes.
Migration legislation implies the following trip purposes:
- Tourism
- Business
- Visiting of the Russian relatives
- Participation in educational programs
- Employment in Russian organizations
Anyway, the visa issuance begins when you obtain an invitation and finishes with the visit to the consular authority for an issued visa. An invitation will be arranged by the receiving party, which is Russian organization or Russian citizen.
Ordinary document package, essential for Canadian who wants to get a Russian visa, includes:
- Application (profile of the applicant)
- Valid passport of the applicant
- Color photos of the applicant
- Medical insurance valid in the territory of the RF during the whole time of trip
- Invitation from the Russian party (with indication of purposes)
- Receipt confirming the fact of payment of the consular fee
Each time when re-applying (prolonging) for a visa, you need to provide the same document set.
How much does the Russian visa cost for Canadian? As well as citizens of the USA, Canadian nationals have to pay the enlarged consular fee:
- Fast processing single entry will cost 180 US dollars; multiple entry – 540 US dollars
- Standard processing single entry – 90 US dollars, multiple entry – 270 US dollars
The visa price can be higher if you apply through the Visa Center. In this case, you will also have to pay a service fee.
Russian tourist visa for Canadian citizens
Tourist visa for Canadian is one of the most popular visa types. Among possible tourist purposes foreigners can realize:
- Business tourism
- Traveling in a tour group
- Traveling by a personal car
- Tourist hunting
Get tourist visa
invitation for €19
The receiving party is usually the tour company providing you with tourist services. The necessary detail is the presence of the tourist contract with a particular company.
Tourist visas are issued for a period up to 30 days depending on confirming documents about purposes and the alleged route. The legal ground for the visa request is a tourist invitation.
Arrangement of the tourist invitation to Russia for Canadian nationals
Visa documents won’t be considered in case the package doesn’t include a tourist invitation from the Russian party. This document consists of the voucher and the confirmation proving the fact of using tourist services and having a residence in Russia for a period of stay.
The issuance of the tourist invitation falls on the tour company when you purchase a tour voucher. If you don’t use tourist companies’ services, there are several special organizations which might help you to get an invitation.
Our company will comply with your request within hours (usual right in the day of the appliance). In order to get our help, fill in the feedback form on our web or use services of our experienced consultants. We will clarify duration of your trip and alleged route and send an invitation in a form of a copy or original
Russian private visa for Canadian nationals
Sometimes you need a Russian visa to visit your relatives. In order to get it, you have to confirm that you really related with Russian citizens while applying for an invitation.
Private visa is issued for up to 90 days as a one-time document or a multiple-entry visa. After entering the territory of the Russian Federation, the foreigner must follow the orders of the visa regime such as registration in living residence or in local authorities of the MIA as well as in every point of location where he stays long enough.
Arrangement of the private invitation to Russia for Canadian citizens
To get a private invitation, the receiving party needs to apply to the migration service of the MIA. When applying, present these documents:
- Request for an invitation
- Copies of the passports both Russian and Irish parties
- Description of the alleged route (no more than 5 points of stay)
- Obligation to provide the foreigner with a residence as well as medical and material help
- Obligation to pay administrative fees in case of deportation (if foreigner do not obey the rules of staying in Russia)
After document verification, the AFMS will issue an official form of the invitation that should be sent to the foreigner.
The visa legal regime requires foreigner’s registration after coming to Russia. It can be held by the MIA authorities or by the hotel where the Irish national stays. The violation of this rule may lead to the obligation to pay the fine and even to foreigner’s deportation.
Russian business visa for Canadian nationals
What visa do you need in cases of one-time business visit or permanent entrepreneurial activity in Russia? This means that you need a business visa, which can be issued for a period up to one year.
Legal visa regime assumes that you have no right to stay in Russia longer than for 90 days in half a year. Obeying this rule guarantees the following visa prolongation.
In order to open a business visa for Canadian, you need to obtain a business invitation from your Russian partners. Its issuance has the peculiarities and can be arranged by different ways.
Arrangement of the business invitation to Russia for Canadian nationals in a form of a letter
If you plan a long-term partnership with a Russian company we recommend the issuance of an invitation in this company’s own form. It can be real in the case of pre-accreditation of the Russian company in the MFA of the Russian Federation.
In this case, a visa will be issued within a couple of hours and there is no need to apply to the AFMS. If you need to get an invitation as soon as possible apply to our specialists so that you can obtain a visa in time.
Arrangement of the business invitation to Russia for Canadian nationals in the form of the AFMS
In standard situations, the business invitation can be issued in the form of the AFMS. To achieve it the Russian company should apply to local migration body of the MIA and provide the ordinary package of documents.
The business invitation will be issued in the official form of the AFMS and sent to a foreign partner in the form of a copy or in the original copy. For doing this again or for prolongation of existing visa you have to get a business invitation once more.
Arrangement of the business invitation to Russia for Canadian nationals by Telex
There is one another option of getting an invitation that implies acting through the MFA authorities. In this case, you’re making a visa on the basis of an invitation coming by special diplomatic channel – Telex.
Get business visa
invitation for €35
The document goes directly to the consulate or embassy that’s why the businessman just needs to apply for a visa. This method is one of the most time-consuming so you need to arrange it in advance.
If you need to organize a business trip for your Canadian partner (including long-term trips), apply to our specialists. We will choose the most effective way of getting an invitation and provide you with prepared document right in the day of the appliance.
Russian work visa for Canadian citizens
The most time-consuming type of visa is a work type. In this case, all the formalities lie on the Russian party presented by the employer. The duration of visa can amount one year but Canadian nationals have a right to prolong it by re-applying to the consular authorities.
Arrangement of the work invitation to Russia for Canadian citizens
In order to get a work invitation Russian company needs to:
- Arrange a quota for invitation of Canadian external specialist
- Notify the local employment agency that the company hires a foreigner
- Register in the AFMS as the organization inviting external specialists
- Get work permission for a foreigner (plastic migration card)
- Get work invitation finally
Only after all these formalities, a Russian organization can send Canadian national an invitation on the official form.
After signing an employment contract you need to observe the legal regime of stay in Russia. In addition to the standard registration rule, the employer has to notify the Migration Service about the contract signed.
We will help you get
a Russian 3-year work visa
For further prolongation, an external worker has to abandon Russia and re-apply to the consulate in Canada.
Our company can take over all the formalities connected with work invitation. Just fill out the feedback form on our web and indicate the basic data about invited employee.
Russian Consulates in Canada
In order to obtain a visa, you need to apply to one of the existing consulates. The structure includes:
The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Canada
| Address: 285 Charlotte Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K 1 N 8 L 5, Canada |
| Phone number: (8-10-1-613) 235-43-41, 236-14-13. |
| Fax: (8-10-1-613) 236-63-42. |
| E-mail: info@rusembassy.ca |
| Web: www.canada.mid.ru |
Consular Department of the Embassy
| Address: 52 Range Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K 1 N 8 J 5, Canada |
| Phone number: (8-10-1-613) 236-72-20, 236-62-15, 236-09-20. |
| Fax: (8-10-1-613) 238-61-58. |
| E-mail: consul.ottawa@mid.ru |
| Reception hours: From Monday till Friday, 9.30 a.m. – 12.30 p.m. |
Consulate General of the RF in Montreal
| Address: 3655, Avenue du Musée, Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3G 2E1 |
| Phone number: (8-10-1-514) 843-59-01, 842-53-43. |
| Fax: (8-10-1-514) 842-20-12. |
| E-mail: consulat_mtl@bellnet.ca |
| Web: www.montreal.mid.ru |
| Reception hours: From Monday till Friday, 9.00 a.m. – 12.00 p.m. |
Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Toronto
How to get Visa to russia from Canada in 2022
Is it necessary to have visa to Russia for citizens of Canada?
Yes, citizens of Canada have to get visa if they want to visit Russia.
Visa is a document for foreigners which allows to cross the border of Russia legally.
For getting visa to Russia you need to get an invitation for visa and health insurance. These documents must be submitted to the Russian Consulate abroad.
Information on this website is available in the following languages:
Russian, English.
For getting visa an Canada citizen should know:
Canada is a developed country, occupying the 2nd place in the world in terms of area and 37th in terms of population, which has 36 million people. More than 40 thousand tourists come from Canada to Russia every year.
Short list of steps-to-do for Canadian:
- To have valid passport
- To get an invitation to Russia
- To get a medical insurance
- Fill in the form on visa.kdmid.ru and print it
- Paste your photo 3,5х4,5 cm in form
- Pay consular (visa) fee ≈ 80$ (112 canadian dollars)
- Bring or send documents to the Russian Consulate (passport, invitation, insurance, application form, receipt)
- Wait for 1 to 20 calendar days and get a passport with visa
The visa can be obtained by contacting the consulate or Embassy of Russia in Canada. Before visiting the Consulate, you need to get an invitation, medical insurance for a visa and complete the online form on the website of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
There are the following types of visas and purpose of visiting Russia:
- tourist visa for tourism;
- business visa for signing contracts;
- private visa for meeting with Russian relatives (in this case more practical to use a tourist visa);
- work visa for employment.
Comparison of length of stay and price of visa:
| Type of visa | Length of stay | Full processing price |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist | from 1 to 30 days | ≈125$ |
| Business | from 30 days to 1 year * | from 200$ |
| Private | from 30 to 90 days | ≈205$ |
| Work | from 1 to 3 years | from 1220$ |
| Electronic | from 1 to 8 days | ≈17$ |
* – visa can be valid up to 1 year, but it is possible to stay in Russia continuously for no more than 90 of 180 days
Cost example of visa for an Canadian
Cost example of single tourist visa to Russia for 14 days (2 weeks) for Canada citizen:
The cost of visa is always calculated individually. Using this example, you can calculate the cost of your visa.
| Invitation to Russia | ≈15$ (≈20 canadian dollars) |
|---|---|
| Medical insurance | ≈1,5$ per day * 14 days ≈ 17$ (≈23 canadian dollars) |
| Photo 3.5 x 4.5 cm | ≈8$ (≈10 canadian dollars) |
| Consular fee | 80$ (≈112 canadian dollars) |
| Postal services (optional) | 5$ (≈6 canadian dollars) |
| Total: | 125$ (≈171 canadian dollars) |
Consular fee for tourist visa
(the main expense)
The visa fee has a fixed value and depends only on the multiplicity of the visa issued.
The size of the consular fee depends on the multiplicity of the issued visa to Russia:
| Ordinary * | Urgent ** | |
|---|---|---|
| Single | 80$ (112 canadian dollars) | 160$ (224 canadian dollars) |
| Double entry | 128$ (179 canadian dollars) | 256$ (358 canadian dollars) |
| Multi-entry | 240$ (336 canadian dollars) | 480$ (672 canadian dollars) |
* Normal processing time – from 4 to 20 working days
** Urgent processing time – from 1 to 3 working days
Tourist visa to Russia for Canadian citizens
If Canadian citizen travels to Russia to visit places of his interest, he needs to get a tourist visa. He will need a tourist invitation, which will take no more than 5 minutes to complete online.
Tour Operators registered in the Unified Federal Register of Tour Operators have a right to print their own forms for tourist invitation’s. Each invitation should have two parts:
- Tourist voucher indicating that you have bought a tourist ticket to Russia.
- Confirmation of tourist admission — the Consulate is requested to issue a visa to a foreign citizen.
The documents have information about the travel agency and tourist, about the route of his trip, about the dates of entry and exit, number of visas and reference number of the tour operator.
If you have such an invitation and all other necessary documents, tourist visa will be issued to a Canadian citizen up to 30 days. Depending on the features of the tourist travel route in the Russian Federation, it can be single or double.
Business visa to Russia for Canadian citizens
If Canadian citizen is businessman and he is going to Russia on business-related matters, he should submit documents to the Russian consulate for a business visa. To do this, he will definitely need a business invitation, which he can receive from a Russian company or a person living in Russia who is interested in his arrival.
Business visa is very attractive for a longer (up to 90 days) continuous stay in Russia. A business visa is free of problems that private visas have and this visa make possible to stay in Russia continuously 3 times longer than with a tourist visa.
To get a business visa required a business invitation to Russia. For Canadians, there are different types of business invitations, all of them have their pros and cons:
The form of Ministry of Internal Affairs
On the form of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, protected from fakes, invitation can be issued on the basis of a statement from the inviting company only after checking the foreigner for the presence of unpaid fines earned by him in his previous visits to Russia. Such a check may take from 7 to 21 business days. If there is no reason to refuse to issue a business invitation, the form received by the representative of the inviting foreigner company will need to be sent to Canada.
Electronic invitation from Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Telex)
An electronic invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as instruction to issue a visa to a foreigner arriving from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation to the Russian Embassy, has a number of advantages (despite the fact it can take from 7 to 21 business days to apply for it). Issuing an invitation this way, inviting party will have to tell the foreigner only the Telex number and information about the inviting organization, which be useful for filling out the visa application form.
Private visa to Russia for Canadian citizens
Canadians who have relatives or friends in Russia can come to Russia with private visa. They will need a guest invitation for it. An inviting party located in Russia should take care of its making.
For receiving a guest invitation for a Canadian, a person living in Russia interested in the arrival of a foreign guest must go to the territorial authority of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and submit a request for a private invitation for a foreigner, enclosing a copy of his passport and a receipt for paying the state duty. It will take about 30 days to wait for the issuance of an invitation or refusal to issue it, during this time will be checked if citizen violated the rules during his previous visits to Russia, the observance of which is mandatory for foreigners. If violation of the rules is detected, invitation for this foreigner will not be issued. If everything is right, person interested in the arrival of a foreigner will have to send the invitation received by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to Canada.
A guest visa issued to citizens of Canada for the period specified in the invitation, not exceeding 90 days. At the same time, such a visa can be single, double or multiple.
Work visa to Russia for Canadian citizens
If a Russian company offers a Canadian citizen to come to the Russian Federation to carry out labor activities and sends him a specially designed invitation and work permit, he will be able to get a work visa. It is impossible to make these documents without the help of the employer.
A work visa will be issued to a Canadian citizen, if all the necessary documents are available, for period of 90 days. During this time, he will have time to enter the Russian Federation, get a job, go to the migration center and extend the validity of a work visa (for 1 or 3 years).
The holder of a work visa can renew it every year without leaving Russia. The rule of 90 out of 180 does not apply to citizens of Canada who have work permits. They can come to Russia and leave it as many times as necessary, because work visa is multiple.
The obligation to ensure for Canadian citizen timely renews a visa and work permit rests with the employer. If Canadian wants to change job, he will have to leave Russia, receive a work invitation from a new employer, apply for a new work visa and only after that come back to Russia.
E-visa to Russia for Canadian citizens
An electronic visa is a new format of visa introduced as experiment. You do not need an invitation for this visa type and can apply only through the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Currently, an electronic visa is a single entry and cannot be extended. Based on this document, you can stay in Russia up to eight days and to apply for an electronic visa you need just only a digital photo and a completed application form.
It is important that getting of electronic visa is available only to citizens of some countries. Canadian citizens cannot get an electronic visa to Russia. A complete list of countries with which Russia has an agreement on electronic visas is available on the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
How to get a Russian Visa
On the background of the modern tendency for globalization, traveling abroad appears to play more and more essential role in our life. No matter who you are – a business professional, a tourist, or a Very Important Person. Notwithstanding the purposes, an arriving foreigner wants visa receipt procedure to be transparent enough. The given article covers questions most frequently asked by those who are going to visit Russia.
How to issue a letter of invitation to Russia
Invitation letter, also known as visa support, is a document issued by an individual or a company (travel, hosting, employer, etc.) which verifies the visit purpose. Namely the latter determines a specific type of invitation (see below); but in general, it has to include the following information:
Surname, name, patronymic as given in the passport (so its photocopy is needed)
Type of visa and invitation
Numbers of entries granted by the visa (single/double/multiple) and its expiry date
Purpose of the trip
Data on the inviting party: registered name, contacts, reference number
Number of invitation
Tourist visa invitation necessary to apply for a tourist visa
Typical validity of Russian visa obtained with a support in hand reaches thirty days. The inviting party in the given hand is represented by a tour operator obliged to possess a unique reference number. In addition to a tourist acceptance confirmation described above, a legislative invitation of this type needs to contain a tourist voucher. This document confirms previously done payments for tourist services as well as inviting party’s responsibility for the visitor during their stay in the country. Although an acceptance and a voucher may be issued by different travel agencies (and thus have different design), they normally share the same A4 paper sheet (see Picture 1). Current price for tourist visa support equals $15, processing time is up to 10 minutes.
Business visa invitation necessary to apply for a business visa
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Unlike tourist one, business visa enables entering Russia for 90 days uninterruptedly and can be multiple. To get it, a businessperson will need to pay at least 55 dollars. As for processing timescales, those differ depending on such factors as visitor’s citizenship, intended length of stay on Russian soil, exact amount of entries and invitation subtypes that are examined below. Mind that business visa is not affiliated with work! In other words, its holder cannot be recruited or employed under a contract; it only enables business activity.
In case the inviting party is an organization involved into simplified visa agreements between Russia and the European Union or the United States, it is enough for the letter to be printed on a legal entity’s letterhead. This procedure hardly ever takes longer than a day. In Picture 2, there is a sample.
Not with standing simplicity, the above subtype is not the most common one. Vast majority of business trips to Russia are arranged via Federal Migration Service (FMS) to whose office the inviting party, whether a legal body or an individual, is to apply. The service is going to thoroughly check the arriving foreigner’s biography, in particular penalty history and deportations. Detecting any breach is a doubtless reason for refusal of the application. As the given process requires a while, the final date of invitation receipt is likely to be up to 3 weeks since applying. The procedure itself is however far from difficult. It lies in completing the form and transferring money (currently $105) from a credit card or via PayPal having done which the only thing is to wait. In order to accelerate visa obtain, any type of support may be issued electronically. It is necessary to mention that FMS must also be involved into issuing work, private and study visa invitations.
Another institution allowed to invite foreign visitors is Foreign Ministry. Actually, they send a message or, more to the point, an enciphered signal to a certain Consular or Embassy via TELEX channel. This kind of invitation is really convenient: the candidate receives the TELEX number and all details of the inviting party and displays those in a visa application form. On the other hand, cost of such an invitation letter reaches $125.
Private visa invitation necessary to apply for private visa
A private visa sometimes referred to as a visitor visa provides its holder with a right to stay in Russia for no more than ninety days continuously within the responsibility of friends or relatives living on the local territory. Necessity to prove that the potential arriver is not a random person with possibly offensive intentions makes the process of arranging such a visa support the most complicated and subsequently expensive, first of all for the inviter. Most notably, it presupposes:
So-called letter of guarantee where the host undertakes to care about residence as well as financial and medical security for the visitor
Paying additional sum of money commonly known as a state fee
In certain scenarios, for instance in the event of inviting a migration risk country citizen – interview by an FMS representative.
So, taking all the aforesaid into consideration, we do not really recommend arranging a private visa invitation letter. A tourist of business one (if possible) shows itself far less time consuming and stressful.
How to obtain a Russian visa
An invitation letter is obviously far not the only document necessary for visa receipt. The first step, however paradoxical this may sound, lies in making sure that you need a visa, since a range of countries under Federal visa-free regime is fairly wide.
In case you still do, there are several algorithms you may follow. To save a certain sum of money, go to Consular Department of the Russian Federation Embassy in your country. As long as this institution does not appeal to any intermediaries, the entire visa obtain procedure appears cheaper compared to organizations which have no direct bind with the Embassy. In addition, Consulate’s employers are expected to be fully knowledgeable about fullest and newest information on actual visa obtain rules. On the other hand, their business hours are bitterly limited, and not only by weekdays and daylight, but also Russian federal holidays. In addition, it is rarely possible to consult a representative unless previously appointed.
The above disadvantages are less obvious when collaborating with Visa application centers (VACs) where you do not need any booking and frequently even attendance as documents may be couriered. What is more, you are allowed to apply for several visas on a single occasion.
That is still not the best variant to save the maximum of your time, however. Those for whom this is main priority are free to execute a visa via a travel agency. The only thing you are to do personally in this case is to provide the agency with a document package. The evident disadvantage is price – sometimes up to $150 higher versus dealing with everything yourself.
Whatever strategy you choose and wherever you come from, entering the country can only be legal after filing a set of documents, in case of Russia the following ones:
- Visa application form which is most commonly filled out online and then printed. In addition to all the information required, it must bear an applicant’s signature and standardized photo (recent, colorful, face, without any sunglasses or headwear)
- The original of a foreign passport whose expiry date is not within half a year after your exit date. Neither copies nor ID cards are valid since a visa needs to be present in the passport itself
- Visa invitation letter
- Medical insurance policy valid for the entire period of stay (also possible to execute online; see a sample in Picture 3)
The lists of data and additional documents required for arranging an invitation letter have been presented above.
How to register a foreign citizen with the Russian Migration Service
Having answered a variety of visa-related questions, it would be relevant to say a word about migration policy. In accordance with currently valid rules (since 2006), Russian migration registration includes that from the place of residence or at the place of stay. The former needs an appeal to the community-based unit of the Internal Affairs Ministry. As for the latter, it covers foreign citizens who have been attending the given place for seven workdays since arrival, unless they:
Stay at an institution which provides hotel services
Stay at in institution which implements an administrative penalty
Stay at an institution which practices social rehabilitation
Work on a rotational basis
To be registered from the place of residence, a citizen provides any testimonial, a residence permit and documents which confirm the right to occupy living quarters. The first one is not necessary for the stateless; but everybody has to pay a state fee of 350₽ (at present approximately six dollars). As for place of state registration, it is fully operated by the inviting party.
Invitation for Russian visa online
ADVANTAGES OF OUR COMPANY
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. What is the invitation letter and why I need it?
In accordance with Russian law for getting Russian tourist or business visa you must have an invitation letter. Tourist invitation consists of two parts – the tourist confirmation letter (“подтверждение о приеме иностранного туриста” – in Russian) and the travel (tourist) voucher – in this documents there is necessary information which needs to apply the application for Russian tourist visa (name of travel organization, its address, reference and confirmation numbers). Business invitation from Russian Organization is a document in Russian language – in this document there is necessary information which needs to apply the application for Russian tourist visa (name of travel organization, its address and TIN number).
2. What kind of invitation I need to get Russian visa?
If your trip is planned for up to 30 days, choose a single (or double) tourist invitation. If you would like to visit Russia several times or over 30 days – choose business invitation for six months or for one year. For most Russian consulates it’s enough a copy of invitation (for Europe, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China and others). Business invitation letters is appropriate only for EU, US citizens and some others. For UK citizens we can give FMS electronic invitation. (business invitation letter is not appropriate for UK by Russian Consulate rules).
3. What organizations can issue invitations for Russian visa? (IMPORTANT)
Invitations can only issue by officially tour operator which have license in accordance with 132 Russian Federal law. As you can see in a license of the Ministry of Tourism of Russian Federation (Rostourism) we are guaranteed to have the right to provide these services till 31.01.2022. This means that you are guaranteed to get a visa to Russia without any problems. (our license) Also you can check the license on the website of the Federal Agency for Tourism Don’t let our highly affordable prices fool you into thinking our quality isn’t good. All official tour operators provides identical invitations (the content of invitation approved by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation), so the main thing with choosing a company is – valid license, price, convenient website, rush service and responsive communication
4. Is your service secure and reliable?
Our company has been providing this service since 1992, each year we prolonging our accreditation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Our reference number is confirmed by Russian tourist license, which is pretty expensive in Russia by law (only the bank guarantee for tourism cost 30 million rubles per year – about 500 000 USD, also there is a lot of another fees), so we are very interested that each customer get Russian visa and recommend our service to his friends and partners. Also for keeping high level of security our website based on https protocol – all data which we receive are well protected
5. Why are invitations of visatoruss.com have a good price?
P.S. our service provide invitations for Europe, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan citizens and others. For some another countries price can be higher.
6. How do get Russian visa with this invitation?
Print your invitation. Make a color photo, health insurance and other documents (a full list of documents to specify the consulate or visa application center in your country). Fill out the form on the website of the Consulate of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa.kdmid.ru. Specify the tourism as a purpose of your trip, specify travel company, specify the name of travel organization, address, reference and confirmation (voucher №) numbers and the hotel(s) that listed in your invitation. Visit Russian consulate or visa application center, and after 3-5 days after your visit of consulate or visa application center you can get your Russian visa.
7. Is your service trustworthy? (IMPORTANT)
Yes, and it’s ok question when you visit website of company which based in foreign country and you are going to buy something. And this company is not Apple Inc, Ebay or similar. Here are the arguments that say that we are trusted and reliable company and you can check it by yourself 1. Valid license, each year we make a lot of papers, fees and reports for authorities to prolong it. In section LICENSE you can find more information about it. And here you can check it online on official website of Russian tourist authority Rostourism. Now our license is valid till 31.01.2022. 2. We use extremely secure payment providers as Stripe (for any types of cards), Apple Pay, Google Pay and Paypal. And by the way they made a strict verification of our company too before they allow to use their service for payments. 3. All your data is protected by respectable internet Security Company as COMODO GROUP.
8. Is your invitation appropriate for Airbnb, Booking.com or similar services?
If you are planning to stay in Russia in apartment of your friends, booked an apartment using Airbnb service, or hotel using Booking.com (or similar) service, or have not yet decided in what place in Russia you are going to stop, in all this cases to obtain a visa to Russia our invitation letter is appropriate for getting Russian visa.
9. Common mistakes in application form.
Most often, our customers make mistakes in the passport number, and sometimes we receive an applications with wrong e-mail. Also check your travel dates – tourist visa can be issued only for 30 days (for example 09.12.2016 – 08.01.2017 – it’s 31 days). Carefully double-check all the data in application. The invitation with mistakes can rejected by Consulate.
10. How you can still help the tourists coming to Russia?
Our company are supporting with the following additional services:
If you need some support you can contact us.
