Russian visa resources
Who is eligible and who needs a visa
How Russia's visa requirement depends on nationality, purpose and length of stay, including visa-free and e-visa routes.
Important
Russia operates three broad regimes. Citizens of many CIS states and several countries with bilateral agreements can enter visa-free for short stays. Nationals of a defined list of countries can use the unified electronic visa for short visits. Everyone else must obtain a traditional visa appropriate to their purpose of travel.
Eligibility for each traditional visa category also depends on meeting its own conditions — for example a work visa requires a work permit and employer invitation, and a student visa requires an invitation from an accredited educational institution.
Key eligibility points
- Visa-free entry applies to citizens of many CIS countries and certain other states, for defined short-stay periods.
- The unified e-visa is open to nationals of a published list of eligible countries (64 countries/territories as reported for 2025-26).
- Citizens of some countries, including the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, are not eligible for the e-visa and must apply for a traditional visa with an invitation.
- Each traditional visa category has its own eligibility conditions (invitation, work permit, enrolment, family relationship, etc.).
Next steps
Official sources
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.
Verified against official sources · last reviewed 2026-08-21. Information only — not legal advice.