Transit visa
Single-entry transit visa is issued for the citizens of Australia and other nationals for the duration of up to 10 days (by train or by car) and for 3 days (by plane) transit through the Russian territory based on purchased tickets to and from Russia, a valid visa that allows an entry to the neighboring/destination country or the passport of this state.
A foreign citizen traveling through Russia to the destination country by vehicle can be issued a transit visa for a period sufficient to complete the travel taking the shortest possible route (but not exceeding 10 days period). The visa duration is calculated in this case based on an average supposed daily mileage, which is 500 km.
The validity period of a double-entry transit visa may not exceed one month. If a foreign citizen needs to travel through Russia to a third country and to return by the same route through the Russian territory within a period exceeding one month, he/she should first apply for a single-entry transit visa. The second transit visa should be applied for at the Russian Consulate in the first destination country.
A transit visa is not required:
- in case of a direct flight over the Russian Federation territory;
- in case of an international connection flight with a layover in a Russian airport, provided that there is a transit area and that the next flight is scheduled within 24 hours following the arrival. Please note: Transit visa is required in case the foreign citizen leaves the airport transit area.
Important! Since the Agreement on Customs Union signed by Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan has come into force, all flights between these countries are considered as domestic. Therefore border and passport control is carried out only in one of these countries. Therefore passengers traveling to Belarus or Kazakhstan with a flight change in Russia must obtain a transit visa beforehand.
Please note: Foreign citizens traveling on cruise ships and ferryboats that make a stop at a Russian port (Big and Passenger ports of Saint-Petersburg, Vladivostok, Vyborg, Kaliningrad, Korsakov (Sakhalin Oblast), Novorossiysk, Sevastopol and Sochi) for no more than 72 hours can stay in Russia without a visa, provided that they live on board of a cruise ship, ferryboat or at any other place determined by a group tour program and the company providing the tour has carried out all necessary procedures.
The following documents are required to apply for a single- or double-entry transit visa:
- Tickets valid for entering and leaving the Russian Federation or itineary in case of travel by car;
- A valid visa that allows an entry to the neighboring/destination country or the passport of this country, unless otherwise provided by an international agreement. A transit visa is not required for the citizens of states that have the right to enter the neighboring countries or the destination state without visa according to existing agreements between them;
- Passport with no less than 2 empty pages for visas, valid for 6 months from the visa expiry date;
- Copy of the data page of the passport (the page containing personal data and photograph of the holder, passport number, issue and expiry dates);
- Electronic Visa Application Form, filled out in Russian or English, and printed double-sided from the following website of the Consular Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry: https://visa.kdmid.ru (Please follow the instructions for the procedure, available at the above mentioned website, provided in Russian as well as other languages, including English);
- One passport size (3.5 x 4.5 cm) clear photo in color taken full-face directly facing the camera and against a plain white or light-colored background. Only non-tinted prescription glasses and head covering worn daily for a religious purpose or as a part of national costume (in this case the same head covering must be worn in the passport photo) are allowed. At the Russian visa center you can opt for "Express Photo" service;
- If you are not an Australian citizen please check the additional requirements for the citizens of your respective country and follow this link to check the additional information.
- We recommend you to obtain medical and travel insurance policy. Our consultants can assist you to obtain insurance policy accordingly to your needs.
You can also use our Postal service to submit your visa application by post.
Important! In case you have two or more valid passports, please make sure there are no valid Russian visas in any of the passports before submitting your visa application.
Please note! The Consular section of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Japan may request additional visa documents, invite you for an interview or extend the time of visa issuing procedure.
For the citizens of Australia
| Consideration period | Consular fee | Service fee (incl. GST) |
|---|---|---|
| Single-entry visa | ||
| 10-12 business days | $120 | $43 |
| 4-6 business days* | $240 | $43 |
| Double-entry visa | ||
| 10-12 business days | $192 | $43 |
| 4-6 business days* | $384 | $43 |
| Multi-entry visa | ||
| 10-12 business days | $360 | $43 |
| 4-6 business days* | $720 | $43 |
*Urgent processing available only for visa applications based on invitations issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia
Transfer or restoration of a visa regardless of citizenship
| Consular fee | Service fee (incl. GST) |
|---|---|
| $54 | $43 |
Please note:
If the Russian Federation has a separate bilateral agreement on visa fees amounts with another state, the visa fees applied for the citizens of this state should correspond to the conditions of this agreement.
Processing time starts from the day the documents are delivered to the Consulate. In certain cases the Consulate can extend or reduce the processing time.
Completing the Russian visa application form
The application form for a Russian visa should be filled out in electronic form on the website of the Consular Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry: https://visa.kdmid.ru.
At your request, we can fill out the application form for you at the visa center. This is a paid additional service worth $14 for each page of the application form.
A separate application form must be completed for each applicant.
Dear applicants,
We would like to inform you that at the Russian visa application centers you can use the following additional (paid) services:
- To fill in an application form;
- To copy or print documents;
- To make express photos;
- To process documents sent by mail;
- To deliver documents on the same day;
- To deliver fully prepared documents by courier;
- SMS informing.
Please note!
- Acquiring of the above mentioned services does not affect the procedure for consideration of visa application and does not guarantee issuing of visa;
- The cost for provision of services is charged in addition to the service fee;
- All the above mentioned services are provided only at your request;
- Please, read about all the terms of providing these services before you start the procedure.