Visas for Russia

All citizens who wish to enter and leave the Russian Federation are required to possess a valid visa and passport. It should be emphasised that the Russian authorities are extremely strict in relation to the visa expiry date.

Citizens with an expired visa shall not be permitted to leave the territory of the Russian Federation and the process to obtain a new one can take several days.

Since 21 September 2016 Russian Consulates in Spain process visas for tourist visits and for personal stays of up to 6 months if the applicant requests this. It is recommended that all Spanish tourists use this second form of visa, valid for 6 months, to avoid problems with their stay in the Russian Federation. 

The visa must also contain the following information:

• Anticipated duration of stay in the Russian Federation.
• Number of entries and departures from the country.
• Authentic and reliable information.
• Purpose of journey.
• Name of organisation which has issued the invitation.

In addition, the airline will be responsible for checking the validity of the passport and visa, returning the traveller to the city from where they departed if any of the requirements to enter the country are not met. If an individual exceeds the maximum period of stay in the territory of 90 days per every six month period, this will constitute an administrative breach and they may be prohibited from entering the country for a period of 36 months.

Finally, if the individual is travelling to a third country and has to make a connection in Russia, they must apply for the relevant visa for that purpose.

For any activity other than tourism, it will be necessary to apply for a specific visa