Update: August 2025. Since 23 August 2025, the unified e-visa allows a stay of up to 30 days (up from 16) and a validity window of 120 days (up from 60). The fee has been about USD 65 (AED 238) since 14 October 2026. The figures below reflect the regime in force at the time of the December 2024 expansion to 64 countries. For current rules, see our 2026 e-visa guide.
The Program
Russia's electronic visa (e-visa) program, relaunched on August 1, 2023, after a suspension during the COVID-19 pandemic, has grown significantly in its first full year of operation. According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MID) data reported by RBC on December 7, 2024, 540,900 electronic visas were issued between August 2023 and July 2024 to nationals of the 55 initially eligible countries. Government Order No. 3583-r of December 5, 2024 then expanded the list to 64 countries, adding 11 and removing 2.
At the time, the e-visa allowed a single entry to Russia for a stay of up to 16 calendar days counted from the day of entry (30 days since 23 August 2025), for tourism, business, or humanitarian purposes. It is processed entirely online, does not require a visit to a consulate, and carried a fee of $52 (about USD 65 since 14 October 2026).
How the E-Visa Works
Application Process
The e-visa is applied for through the MID's dedicated portal (electronic-visa.kdmid.ru). The process requires:
- A valid passport with at least six months of remaining validity.
- A digital photograph meeting specified technical requirements.
- Basic travel information: intended date and point of entry, accommodation details.
- Payment of the processing fee by credit or debit card ($52 at the time, about USD 65 since 14 October 2026).
Processing time is stated as up to four calendar days. In practice, most approvals are issued within 24 to 48 hours. The visa is linked electronically to the applicant's passport number: no physical sticker or stamp is placed in the passport.
Entry Points
E-visa holders may enter Russia only through a designated list of border crossing points, set by Government Order No. 2741-r of October 23, 2020 and regularly amended, for instance by Order No. 745-r of March 29, 2024. It includes:
- Airports: All major international airports, including Moscow (SVO, DME, VKO), St. Petersburg (LED), Kaliningrad (KGD), Vladivostok (VVO), Sochi (AER), Kazan (KZN), Yekaterinburg (SVX), and others.
- Seaports: St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Zarubino, Korsakov.
- Land borders: Selected crossings with Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland (Kaliningrad exclave), Georgia, Azerbaijan, China, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan.
Not all land border crossings accept e-visas. Travelers should verify the list of authorized crossing points before travel.
Limitations
The e-visa has several restrictions compared to standard consular visas:
- Single entry only: The visa allows one entry and one exit. Multiple entries require separate visa applications.
- Stay cap: The stay could not exceed 16 calendar days at the time (30 days since 23 August 2025). There is no provision for extension, even in cases of illness or flight cancellation (though consular assistance may be sought in emergencies).
- Designated purposes: The visa is valid for tourism, business (meetings, negotiations, but not employment), and humanitarian (cultural, scientific, or sporting events) purposes only.
- No employment: The e-visa does not authorize work of any kind. Holders found working face deportation and an entry ban.
The 64 Eligible Countries
The list of 64 eligible nationalities, in force since the December 2024 expansion, is as follows:
Europe
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Vatican City.
Asia-Pacific and Middle East
Bahrain, Bhutan, Cambodia, China (including Taiwan), India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Myanmar, North Korea, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Tonga, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam.
Americas
Barbados, Mexico, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago.
Africa
Eswatini, Kenya, Zimbabwe.
Andorra and Serbia, both on the original 2023 list, were removed by the same order, as both have bilateral visa-free agreements with Russia.
Notably Absent Countries
Five major Western countries are not on the list. Their citizens must apply through a Russian consulate or an accredited visa centre:
- United States
- Canada
- United Kingdom
- Australia
- New Zealand
The exclusions are understood to rest on the principle of reciprocity: states that have imposed significant visa restrictions on Russian citizens or suspended visa facilitation agreements are not included.
Eligibility is assessed on the passport, never on the country of residence. A US citizen living in Germany is not eligible; a German citizen living in the US is.
the programme is broad but not universal. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland and nearly all of the EU are eligible. Citizens of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand are not, and still have to go through a consulate for a standard tourist visa, with a voucher, insurance where the visa centre requires it (the US centre does not require it from US citizens) and an in-person appointment. Exclusions move with the diplomatic climate; check the official list before committing to travel plans.
Statistics: 541,000 Visas in One Year
According to MID data reported by RBC, 540,900 e-visas were issued between August 2023 and July 2024, the first year of the unified scheme. China led by far, with 254,200, close to half of the total. For the start of 2024, Alexei Klimov, head of the MID consular department, gave the following breakdown in late May, out of about 178,000 e-visas issued since January:
- China: about 92,000.
- Germany: about 14,000.
- Turkey: about 13,000.
- India: about 10,500.
- Saudi Arabia: over 8,500.
Before the pandemic, Russian e-visas were regional only: from 2017 for the Far East, then from 2019 for the Kaliningrad region and for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region, with a shorter list of countries. The unified e-visa valid for the whole country only arrived on August 1, 2023, after a launch postponed by the pandemic.
Impact on Tourism
The e-visa program has been a key factor in the partial recovery of inbound tourism to Russia since 2023, alongside the gradual return of direct flights from Asia and the Middle East.
Chinese tourists account for the most significant share of this growth, driven by the combination of e-visa availability, direct flight resumption, and the mutual visa-free group travel agreement between Russia and China.
Practical Tips for E-Visa Applicants
- Apply at least one week before travel, even though processing is typically fast. Technical issues or additional document requests can cause delays.
- Verify your entry point is on the list of e-visa-authorized crossing points. Arriving at a non-authorized crossing with an e-visa will result in denied entry.
- Count your 30 days carefully (16 before 23 August 2025). The count begins on the day of entry, not the day after. If you enter on the 1st, you must exit by the 30th.
- Print a copy of your e-visa confirmation. While the visa is electronically linked to your passport, having a printed copy assists in case of technical issues at the border.
- Do not overstay. Even a single day of overstay results in an administrative fine and a potential three-year entry ban.
- Have travel insurance. According to the portal FAQ, missing insurance is not a ground for refusing the e-visa, but the e-visa conditions require a medical insurance policy valid in Russia for the whole stay. Most Western insurers now exclude Russia: see our guide to travel insurance for Russia.
Key Legal References
- Government Order No. 3583-r of December 5, 2024, expanding the e-visa country list to 64 states.
- Government Order No. 2571-r of October 6, 2020, setting the list of states whose nationals are eligible for the unified e-visa.
- Government Order No. 2741-r of October 23, 2020, setting the list of border crossing points open to e-visa holders.
- Federal Law No. 114-FZ of August 15, 1996, "On the Procedure for Exit from and Entry into the Russian Federation."
The e-visa program continues to evolve. Travelers should check the MID portal for the most current country list and application requirements before making travel plans.
