A Russia Student Visa is valid for 90 days. Later on, the Ministry of Interior can extend its validity for the duration of the study contract, up to a year.

Who Needs a Russia Student Visa?

Most of the non-Russian world citizens who wish to study in Russia will need to get a visa to do so. Only Belarus and South Ossetia nationals can remain in Russia for an unlimited time, without a visa. However, there are a number of countries, the nationals of which can enter Russia and remain there for a limited period. Depending on your nationality, you can enter Russia under study purposes and remain there for up to 14, 30, 60 or 90 days.

How to Apply for a Russia Student Visa?

If you want to pursue your studies in Russia, you may need a visa to do so. The application process for a Russian study visa consists of some procedures that you need to complete. Following learn about the application process for a Russia student visa listed in simple steps:

1. Get the Invitation for a Student visa for Russia (Visa Support). You can get a study visa invitation from the Russian Ministry of Interior. You can also get it from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs or from your University in Russia.
2. Complete the Russia student visa online application form. Find the online visa application at kdmid.ru. This is the official website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Answer the mandatory questions marked with a “*”.
3. Collect the required documents for a Russian student visa. Below you can find the list of documents required to apply for a Russia student visa.
4. Submit your application in person. Apply at a Russian Consulate / Russian Visa Processing Center
5. Pay the fee for a Russian student visa.

After these procedures, you should wait for an answer to your application. If the embassy sees it necessary, you may get an invitation for a visa interview. They may also ask you to submit extra documents as well.

After you arrive in Russia

If your application is successful, you will get a visa to Russia and travel there. Yet, upon arrival in Russia, you need to complete two more procedures.

• Get the immigration card:

  At the Russian port of entry, you will receive an immigration card. The card consists of two identical parts that contain questions about you and your trip. Fill in the required information. One part of the card should remain at the border police, and the other one you should carry with you.

• Register your Russia student visa:

  This is the responsibility of the hotel or the owner of the private home where you will be staying in Russia. Provide them with a copy of your passport data pages, Russia visa, and immigration card. They will need these documents to complete the process.

Required Documents for Russia Student Visa

The main part of every Russia visa application process is gathering the requirements. The required documents for a Russia student visa are as follows:

• Visa Support for students.

  This is the document, which supports your claims on your purpose of entry in Russia. There are three types of acceptable visa invitations of a Russia study visa. Any of the following will be accepted:

• An invitation of the Ministry of Interior of the Russian Federation.

  Your Russian university is responsible to provide you with this invitation. You must present it to the embassy in the original format, either in paper or electronic form.

• A telex invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

  Your Russian university should request this type of invitation at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry will then pass the invitation to the Russian embassy in your home country. The university should provide you with a six-digit number, which you need to present to the embassy.

• A copy of a direct inviting letter of your Russian university.

  This kind of invitation is only valid for short-term study only, without prolongation. The Rector of the university or the Head of the International Department should stamp and sign the letter. Note that the letter needs to be printed on the official paper of the Russian University

• HIV Test (AIDS) Certificate.

  This test must be taken within the last three months before the application. It should still be valid for 15- 30 days on the day of your application.

• Health insurance policy document.

  This requirement is only for citizens of EU countries, Iran, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway and Switzerland. The document must be issued by a foreign insurance company or a Russian insurance company and contain:
  • Your full name.
  • The date when the agreement was signed.
  • The policy number and full details of the insurer.
  • The dates of validity. Note that for single entry and double entry visas the policy must cover the entire period of stay in Russia. On the other hand, for multiple-entry visas it must cover the duration of the first trip.
  • The list of medical services that the insurance covers, including repatriation in case of death.
  • The geographical area coverage the insurance covers. It must include Russia.

Russia Student Visa Fee

Applicants for a Russia study visa must pay a fee for the processing of their application. The costs of a visa for Russia depend on several factors, which are

• Applicant’s nationality.
• Type of visa.
• Number of intended entries.
• The length of the intended period of stay.
• Processing time.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Russia Student Visa?

The average processing time for a Russia student visa 10 is days. However, the processing can take from seven to 20 working days. In individual cases, the processing time can be extended for up to 30 days.

Those in a hurry can apply for expedited processing, which takes three working days. Applicants that want to benefit from the expedited visa application processing will need to pay a higher fee.