Russian Visa Registration

Within 3 working days of arrival to Russia, your visa needs to be registered with the local branch of the migration service. The registration is a small stamp in your passport or the migration card. If you don’t do it, you may be fined or, at worst, deported from Russia. The only exception is when you come to Russia for less than 3 days. It’s better to get your visa registered as soon as you arrive. There are several ways to register your visa.

Tourist visa

If you’re staying at a large hotel, most will do it automatically, free of charge or for a small fee. If you’re staying in a private apartment (rented or as a guest) or if you’re travelling on, rules change quite often so contact your inviting organisation for detailed information on the registration procedure.

Important: Make sure your inviting company has an office in Russia in the city of your stay – it’ll make your life much easier. Always ask for this address and contact details. If they don’t have an office in Russia you can easily get to, find out before you go what you’ll need to do to register your visa upon arrival.

Business visa

Your inviting company should register your visa. According to Russian law, you can’t submit your business visa for registration yourself. Your inviting company should give you a written confirmation that your documents have been submitted, and their copies.

Private visa

The person who invited you should register your visa in a local immigration office.