Visa to Russia

As a rule, every tourist from USA/UK/Australia/Europe/South Africa and quite a number of other countries arriving into Russian Federation by train, airplane or by car, must have a valid Russian Visa for the entire period of stay.

As of 2019, citizens of certain countries are able to apply for an electronic visa (e-visa) to visit certain regions of Russia, including Saint Petersburg. Please click here to read more on electronic visa to Russia.

This is not hard to get at all, especially after the Government approved the new Visa laws in 2012.

For regular TOURIST visas, the process is the following:

  • Contact your local Russian Consulate to determine their requirements for obtaining your visa; If you don’t know precisely where your consulate is, use the Russian Consulate Locator or GoAbroad.com
  • Prepare the required package of documents and submit them to the Consulate.
  • Pick up your visa and check to make sure that the information is correct.

Always, one of the documents required (apart from your passport, photo, and the actual Russian Visa Application) is the so-called Visa Support. Ulkotours provides all the necessary Visa Support documents (Tour Confirmation and Tour Voucher) for you to obtain the Russian Visa.




If you don't want to bother with obtaining a Russian Visa yourself, we recommend that you contact your local agency approved by the consulate (see your consulate's website for details). 

 US Citizens are welcome to contact an official Full Visa Service provider in USA ILS - Russian Visa Center (Invisa Logistic Services)


There's NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE to obtain Visa Support documents if you are touring with Ulkotours.

If you're not an Ulkotours client but would like to get Visa Support documents from us, a 20 USD fee will be charged per person.

Please click below to fill out the form for your Visa Support request. We provide single-entry and double-entry vouchers.



 Visa-Free Entry to Russia

In order to enter Russia without a VISA you need to be
  • a Cruise Passenger , OR
  • a citizen of one of the countries from the list below.

Cruise Passengers

NO VISA IS REQUIRED to join our Shore Excursions
 
Ulkotours is an officially registered tour operator in Russia, fully bonded and insured according to international standards. Under the law, every cruise visitor is allowed to enter Russia for a period less than 72 hrs provided he or she is taking a Group Tourist Program with a licenced tour operator, which is included in the Federal Registry of Tour Operators of Russia, and is assigned a valid MBT Number (UlkoTours MBT# 014816).

Every cruise passenger is provided with a Tour Ticket - an equivalent of a Russian Visa, which guarantees your entry into the Russian Federation. Upon receipt, you MUST print your Tour Ticket and present it alongside with your passport when going through passport control in St. Petersburg. 

WARNING: Failure to present your valid Tour Ticket will result in admission denial.  


If your cruise line is trying to persuade you that you MUST have a visa, please contact us for details or visit our FAQs. This is a fraud and there's NO VISA REQUIRED for cruise tours.

If you're still hesitating Please visit Travel.State.Gov for Official Information on entry to Russia. Click Tab 3 for Entry, Exit & Visa Requirements
 

List of Countries that have visa-free agreement with Russia

 If you hold a  regular travel passport of one of the countries in the list below, then you DO NOT need a Visa to Russia! Congratulations! 
Country Notes
Argentina
Period of stay not more than 90 days
within 180 for non-commercial purposes.
Armenia
Unlimited stay
Azerbaijan
Unlimited stay
Belarus
Unlimited stay
Bosnia and
Herzegovina
For tourists period of stay should not exceed 30 days, for any other purposes not more than 90 days; documents confirming the purpose of visit required.
Brazil
Period of stay not more than 90 days
within 180 for non-commercial purposes.
Chile
Period of stay not more than 90 days
within 180 for non-commercial purposes.
Colombia
Period of stay not more than 90 days
within 180 for non-commercial purposes.
Cuba
Up to 30 days
Ecuador
Period of stay not more than 90 days
within 180 for non-commercial purposes.
Guatemala
Period of stay not more than 90 days
within 180 for non-commercial purposes.
Israel
Period of stay not more than 90 days within 180. There is an agreement between Russia and Israel about cancellation of guest and tourist visas. For trips the passport valid not less than 6 months from the date of entrance is required. Presence of any other documents by the Agreement is not provided.
Country Notes
Kazakhstan
Unlimited stay.
Kyrgyzstan
Unlimited stay
Macedonia
For tourists period of stay should not exceed 30 days, for non-commercial purposes not more than 90 days. The ground for the entry is the original invitation, certified by the competent authority.
Moldova,
Republic of
Unlimited stay
Montenegro
Up to 30 days
Nicaragua
Period of stay not more than 90 days
within 180 for non-commercial purposes.
Peru
Period of stay not more than 90 days
within 180 for non-commercial purposes.
Serbia
Period of stay up to 30 days for holders of biometric passports issued after April 8, 2008
South Africa, Republic of Up to 90 days
Tajikistan
Unlimited stay
Thailand
Up to 30 days
Turkey
Up to 30 days
Ukraine
Unlimited stay.
Uruguay
Period of stay not more than 90 days within 180 for non-commercial purposes.
Uzbekistan
Unlimited stay.
Venezuela
Period of stay not more than 90 days within 180

Questions? Call us right now 1.855.866.8773 or email booking@ulkotours.com