How to get a student visa to Russia
In order to come to Russia to study, foreign students need a visa. Even if your country has a visa-free agreement with Russia, it is still better to get a student visa, because visa-free stays are generally only possible for short periods, while studies can last several years.
We recommend applying for the visa well in advance to be ready for the start of the academic year.
1. Obtain an invitation from the university
First, you need to get an invitation from the university where you will be studying. The invitation can be issued up to three months in advance and is valid for up to 90 days.
If you have been admitted under a quota or a state scholarship from the Government of the Russian Federation, the invitation will be issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and sent directly to the consulate in your city (or to the consulate specified in the invitation).
2. Where to apply for a visa?
You can apply for the visa at the embassy or consulate of the Russian Federation in your country. This can be done up to 45 days before your arrival. You will need to schedule an appointment. Check the list of consulates in your country on the website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Before your visit, you will need to prepare the following documents:
- Invitation from the university
- Foreign passport or other travel document, valid for at least 1.5 years from the start date of the visa (and with at least two blank pages for visas)
- Completed visa application form
- One 3.5x4.5 cm photograph
- Health insurance policy (if the visa is issued for a period not exceeding 90 days)
- HIV-negative certificate (if obtaining a visa for a period exceeding 90 days)
- If you are a minor, you also need written parental consent to leave your home country.
We recommend carefully checking all personal data, validity periods and entry dates into Russia.
3. How long is a student visa issued for?
The initial visa is issued for single entry and is valid for three months. After that, once in Russia, you can extend your visa. Your university will help you with this, you need to contact the international student office at least 30 days before your visa expires.
The secondary visa is issued for one year and allows you to travel outside Russia. However, you will need to extend your visa each subsequent year.
Staying in Russia with an expired visa can result in a fine for the student or, in the worst case, a deportation and a 5-year ban on re-entering the country.
4. Upon arrival, you must get a migration registration
All foreign students are required to get a migration registration within one week of arriving in Russia.
Usually, the host university helps with this, so you should contact the international student office immediately. If you live in a dormitory, you will be registered at the dormitory address. If you rent private accommodation, you will be registered at that address, but you must provide permission from the owner and a rental agreement.
Upon entering the country, before passport control, you will be given a migration card, which you must fill out and keep with you for your entire stay. You will also need it for migration registration.
The card does not have an expiration date, but, if you leave Russia and then return, you must fill out a new one.
Typically, the validity period of migration registration coincides with the validity period of your student visa. However, if you extend your visa or travel within Russia or abroad, you will need to register again (registration is automatically canceled when you leave the country).
Additionally, within 90 days of arrival, you must undergo a medical examination. Ask your university for details.
5. If you lose your documents
If a foreign student loses their migration card, they must contact the local office of the Main Directorate for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation within three days. A list of offices can be found on their website. If all other documents are in order, a duplicate card can be issued free of charge on the same day.
Violating migration regulations can result in an administrative fine for foreign students and, after two administrative violations, they may be deported with a three-year ban on re-entering the Russian Federation.
6. Can you work on a student visa?
To work officially, you need a work permit or a patent. However, there are three categories of foreign students who have the right to work without additional permits:
- Those working during vacation breaks
- Those working in their free time from studies at the educational institutions where they are enrolled
- Full-time students studying at state-accredited educational institutions who work in their free time from studies
BONUS:
If you are a full-time student at an accredited state university, you can obtain a Temporary Residence Permit for Educational Purposes (TRPE). This offers more opportunities, from employment and a longer-term visa to access to free medical care and a simplified subsequent procedure for obtaining a residence permit. Read more about the TRPE here.
WARNING! In case of expulsion from your university or if a student chooses to take an academic leave, the student visa is immediately cancelled.
We also recommend reviewing the more detailed conditions for obtaining a visa and other important information on your university's website.