Russia Visa and Travel News
Russia is preparing to overhaul its electronic visa (e-Visa) system. A proposed federal law would shorten the visa’s validity from 120 to 45 days while allowing travelers to remain in the country until their visa expires. The proposal would also ease restrictions on border crossings and introduce transit as an authorized purpose of travel.
Russia’s electronic visa has become nearly 18% more expensive as of October 14, 2026, according to applications processed by VisasNews and Action-Visas. The country has also introduced higher consular visa fees, with particularly steep increases for expedited processing.
Russia has added Yakutsk International Airport and the Kani-Kurgan road border crossing to the list of entry points available to travelers holding an electronic visa (e-Visa).
Russia issued more than 821,000 unified electronic visas to foreign nationals in 2025, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. Chinese citizens accounted for the largest share by far, ahead of travelers from Saudi Arabia, Germany, Turkey and India.
Russia continues to expand its single electronic visa (e-Visa) system, designed to make entry easier for foreign travelers. A new border crossing has just been added to the existing list, bringing the total number of entry points accessible with this type of visa to 107.
The release of French cyclist Sofiane Sehili, who was detained in Russia’s Far East for “illegal border crossing,” highlights an often-overlooked detail: the electronic visa (e-Visa) does not allow entry into Russia through every border checkpoint. A timely reminder for travelers drawn to this otherwise simplified entry option.
Starting August 23, 2025, the validity of the electronic visa (e-Visa) for Russia will increase from 60 to 120 days, while the maximum length of stay will increase from 16 to 30 days.
Russia is modernizing its border controls: starting June 30, 2025, all foreign nationals eligible for visa-free entry will be required to obtain an electronic travel authorization in the form of a personalized QR code. In line with other major international destinations, Russia is strengthening its border security through digital means.
Less than two years after launching the service for visitors from 64 countries, Russia has announced that it has passed the one million mark for electronic visas issued. The authorities are now planning to extend their validity, marking a new stage in the modernization of the country’s migration system. The
Russia is preparing to modify its legislative framework for electronic visa. “In the near future”, its validity will be increased from 60 to 120 days, while the authorized length of stay will be extended from 16 to 30 days, according to Maria Zakharova. In addition, Vladimir Putin intends to introduce
Russia today announced the expansion of the list of checkpoints accessible to international travelers with an electronic visa (e-Visa). The Russian government has just added a new checkpoint for entering Russia with an electronic visa (e-Visa), bringing the total number to 105. “Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has signed a directive
Since January 11, 2025, Russia and Belarus have mutually recognized each other’s visas, allowing foreign travelers to move freely between the two countries on a single visa. On January 11, 2025, the agreement on mutual recognition of visas between Russia and Belarus came into force. This long-negotiated text, finalized in
Citizens of 11 new countries will soon be able to travel to Russia with an e-Visa, whose validity may soon be extended. Over the weekend, the Kremlin announced an extension to the list of countries whose citizens can apply for an electronic visa (e-Visa) to enter Russia. Order No. 3583-r,
From December 1, Russia will collect biometric data of its international visitors at Moscow airports. Starting from 1 December 2024, Russia will begin an experimental phase of biometric data collection from foreign nationals and stateless persons entering its territory. This initiative, scheduled to run until June 30, 2026, will initially
Belarus and Russia expect the agreement on mutual recognition of visas to be operational by the end of the year. The Belarusian authorities announce that the agreement between Belarus and Russia on the mutual recognition of visas is in the final stages of preparation and should be fully operational by
