All visitors to the Russian Federation are required to have a valid visa, which must be issued in advance. The only exception is for citizens of other nations in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Austrade Arrival Facilitation Service

Travel conditions in Russia have improved markedly in recent years and visa support arrangements, hotel bookings and airport transport can generally be arranged through your Australian travel agent. Nevertheless Austrade Moscow is ready to assist clients where necessary and offers an integrated Arrival Facilitation Service for the standard cost of one hour of Austrade professional services (A$190). This integrated package includes the following services:

• advice and assistance in obtaining your visa support document
• finding and reserving a hotel in your name
• organising airport transfers with a driver to meet you at the airport.

Please note that you remain liable for the cost of the actual services provided by the third parties involved, including the cost of the visa support document (plus a 15% Austrade handling fee), hotel charges (including cancellation/no show fees that the hotel may also charge) and the airport transfer fee from the taxi / transport company.

If you wish to take advantage of Austrade’s arrival facilitation service, please complete the attached application form and return via email or fax to the address shown in the form.

Austrade Moscow Arrival Facilitation Service: visa support, hotel reservations and airport transfers (Adobe PDF in ZIP-archive, ~690 Kb)

Types of visa

There are two primary types of visas for the Russian Federation:

• Business visa
• Tourist visa.

It is strongly recommended that all business visitors to Russia obtain a business visa. This gives you greater flexibility than a tourist visa and ensures you comply with Russian immigration law. Breaches of immigration law are a serious matter and the Australian Government can only provide limited assistance in such circumstances.

Business visas are available in several types:

• Single entry
• Double entry
• Multiple entry.

Costs vary according to the type of visa you select, with single-entry visas cheaper than double-entry visas and multiple-entry visas more expensive again. However, as it takes time to organise a visa, Austrade recommends applying for a multiple-entry visa if it is likely that you will be returning to Russia again within the next 12 months. It is also worthwhile applying for a longer visa than you need, as extending a visa in Russia can be difficult.

When to apply

The Russian visa process takes time to complete. The later you leave it, the more expensive the process becomes.

Austrade recommends applying for your visa one month in advance of your departure date. It is generally quite difficult and expensive to complete the process in less than two weeks.

Where to apply

Under Russian migration law, a person can only apply for a visa in a country where they have right of residence for more than 90 days. If you intend to apply outside of Australia (or you are not a citizen/permanent resident of the country where you are applying), please contact the Russian mission where you intend to apply in advance to confirm eligibility.

How to apply

To obtain a Russian visa, you first need a letter of invitation from an authorised agency in Russia. This letter can be arranged through a registered service provider in Russia and the process is usually straight-forward.

To apply for a letter of invitation, the service provider usually needs the following documents:

• completed application form for each person;
• legible copy of passport details page (ideally scanned and emailed or faxed);
• in case of credit card payment, completed authorisation form signed by cardholder;
• copy of the credit card (scanned and emailed or faxed).

Please note that Austrade is not authorised to issue letters of invitation, as it is part of the Australian Government’s diplomatic mission in the Russian Federation.

Once you have your letter of invitation, you need to download and complete the visa application form available from the website of the Russian Embassy in Canberra or the Russian Consulate in Sydney:

Embassy of the Russian Federation

78 Canberra Avenue
Griffith ACT 2603
Tel.: +61 2 6295 9474
Fax: +61 2 6295 1001
Website: www.australia.mid.ru

Consulate-General of the Russian Federation in Sydney

7–9 Fullerton Street
Woollahra NSW 2025
Tel.: +61 2 9326 1188
Fax: +61 2 9327 5065
Website: www.sydneyrussianconsulate.com

Then you need to send the completed application form together with your letter of invitation, one passport-style photograph, your passport, the appropriate visa fee and a return envelope (Registered Post recommended). This package needs to be taken or sent to the Russian Embassy or Consulate in Australia. Your travel agent may be able to help with these arrangements. See the note above about residency requirements for visa eligibility.

Once you receive your visa, check that all details are correct, as it is easier to correct any discrepancies in Australia than after you arrive in Russia.

Air travel arrangements

Moscow and St Petersburg are well served by major international air carriers. The most convenient connections between Australia and Russia include:

• Aeroflot via Qantas connections in Asia
• Austrian Airways via Vienna
• Emirates via Dubai
• Etihad Airways via Abu Dhabi
• Lufthansa via Frankfurt
• Qantas/British Airways via London
• Singapore Airlines via Singapore (and via Dubai)
• Thai Airways via Bangkok.

Low-cost airline connections from Europe

A number of low cost airlines are now servicing Moscow and St Petersburg from various points in Europe. Fares on these airlines are often considerably lower, but you may experience some differences in terms of service. Please see:

• Air Berlin — www.airberlin.com
• German Wings — www.germanwings.com
• Germania Express — www.gexx.com

Ground travel arrangements

Moscow has three main international airports, each serviced by a cheap and modern express train:

• Domodedevo — http://www.domodedovo.ru/en/
• Sheremetyevo — http://www.sheremetyevo-airport.ru/?act=part&pid=512
• Vnukovo — http://www.vnukovo.ru/eng/.

All three are relatively far from the city centre, so it is cheaper and safer to arrange in advance for a driver to collect you from the airport.

Please contact Yuri Kozlov on the Austrade Moscow team to arrange ground transport:
Email: yuri.kozlov@austrade.gov.au
Tel.: +7 495 232 3255
Fax: +7 495 232 3298

Austrade can also help you arrange a driver during your stay in Moscow. You will need to pay all expenses directly to the driver in Russian roubles cash.

Hotels

Moscow and St Petersburg are both served by numerous international-class hotels. Your travel agent should be able to recommend and book suitable accommodation to meet your budget.

Internal travel in Russia

Major cities in Russia are generally served by regular airline connections. Your travel agent should be able to book flights.