Russian visa for citizens of Romania

Traveling to Russia is going to be one of the most exciting adventures in your life. This country offers an unlimited amount of stories to experience. However, before you start planning your route, buying tickets and booking hotels, let’s clarify the visa issue. 

Do Romanian citizens need a visa to Russia?

Yes, they do!

The prospect of getting a visa with its time-consuming paperwork might make you feel like choosing another country of destination. But I promise it’s not all as complicated as it sounds. Here we are to help you get your Russian visa in a straightforward  and cost-effective way. Read on our step-by-step guide and get ready for your trip.

Step 1. Select the right visa type

There are several types of Russian visas described below. Your task is to identify which visa will best suit your travel purposes, as well as the necessary duration of your trip, number of entries you’ll need to make and the visa support document you’ll be able to obtain from your Russian host.

Russian visa types overview

Visa types	Validity period	Travel purpose
Tourist visa	30 days	tourism and leisure
Private visa	90 days	private guest visits. Not recommendable: see why here
Business visa	30 -90 days (up to 1 year max)	conducting business in Russia, looking for partners, negotiating, investing etc.
Transit visa	3 -10 days	crossing Russian territory on your way to another country
Student visa	90 days and above	studying a course in a Russian school or university
Work visa	90 days and above	working under contract for a Russian employer
Electronic visa	8 days	short tourist, business or humanitarian visits

Russian Tourist visa for Romanian citizens

Duration of stay in Russia: 30 days max.

Number of entries: single, double

Travel purpose:

• going on excursions and tours
• traveling independently, sightseeing
• attending concerts, festivals, fairs and exhibitions
• short business visits or medical consultations (Aim Tourism)
• driving across Russia by cars, motorbikes, bikes (Auto-tourism)

Visa support: Tourist confirmation from a registered Russian tour operator. A hotel booking is not enough. Order your official tourist confirmation here: Russian tourist confirmation

Important: If your trip exceeds 15 days of stay, request a detailed travel itinerary from your tour operator in addition to the confirmation.

Russian Private visa for Romanian citizens

Duration of stay in Russia – 90 days max

Number of entries – single or double

Purpose of trip – visiting friends or relatives, citizens or permanent residents of Russia

Visa support: Invitation issued by MIA upon petition of your Russian host. The process is quite long and requires a set of guarantees from your Russian host. If you feel he won’t be able to provide you with the required document, consider coming on a tourist or business visa instead.

Russian Business visa for Romanian citizens

Duration of stay in Russia – 90 days in each 180. A visa can be issued for up to 1 year.

Number of entries – single, double or multiple. To apply for a multiple entry visa, you should have previous Russian visas in the last year.

Purpose of trip:

– looking for business partners, negotiating

– purchasing goods and services, researching the market

– conducting trainings, maintenance work (sub-purpose Technical Maintenance)

– taking part in commercial activities in Russia (sub-purpose Commercial)

– driving cargo or passenger vehicle throughout Russia (sub-purpose Driver)

– flying aircraft (sub-purpose Crew Member)

– a child accompanying parents in a business trip (sub-purpose Family Member)

– taking part in sports, cultural, political, religious, charity, volunteer events, or supplying humanitarian aid (Humanitarian type)

Visa support: Invitation issued by MIA or MFA of Russia upon request of the Russian inviting company; or a written request on the letterhead of the inviting company; or a letter of invitation on  the letterhead of the registered Russian company.

If your Russian host company cannot provide you with the above mentioned documents, we’ll be glad to help: Order your business invitation

Russian Transit visa for Romanian citizens

Duration of stay in Russia – 3 days max if you travel by plane, 10 days if you travel by car or train

Number of entries – single

Purpose of trip – crossing Russian territory following to another state.

Visa support: bought valid tickets showing entry/exit from Russia

Important: Transit visa isn’t required if you make your flight connection without leaving the transition zone of the airport in 24 hours from the date of arrival.

Important: Travelers with final country of destination as Belarus or Kazakhstan making connection in Russia must obtain a transit visa obligatory.

Russian Student visa for Romanian citizens

Duration of stay in Russia – 90 days and longer. A visa is issued for 90 days, but can be extended in Russia depending on the duration of studies.

Number of entries – single, double or multiple

Purpose of trip – full time studies at a Russian educational institution; short-term courses

Visa support: Invitation by the Russian academic institution; or by MIA or MFA of Russia upon request of the Russian School or University; or an invitation letter from your College/University

Russian Work visa for Romanian citizens

Duration of stay in Russia – from 90 days and longer, depending on the civil labour contract terms. In case of Highly Qualified Specialists a visa is issued for 3 years at once. This visa type can be extended in Russia.

Number of entries – single, double or multiple

Purpose of trip – full time work under a paid labour contract for a Russian employer

Visa support: original invitation issued by MIA of Russia upon request of an authorized Russian Employer.

Russian Electronic visa for Romanian citizens

Duration of stay in Russia – no longer than 8 days out of 30 days period

Number of entries – single 

Purpose of trip – tourism and leisure, business or humanitarian visits

Visa support: an online form on the MFA website filled in 4 days prior to your trip to Russia, after you submit it online, you’ll receive the decision of issuing you a visa, which you should print and carry along in your trip

Important to know: an E-visa so far gives right to visit only one of the three regions of Russia:

• Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Region
• Kaliningrad and Kaliningrad Region
• The Far East and Vladivostok

A traveler can enter and leave only through the same border point. It’s not allowed to travel to other regions during your trip on E-visa. If you want to visit other regions, obtain a tourist visa instead.

If you want professional assistance with filling the E-visa form, you can contact us here: Contact visando

Step 2. Prepare the documents for visa application

When you have decided on the visa type you need, you can start preparing the documents for your application. The list includes:

• Your original current passport. It must be valid at least 6 more months beyond the planned exit date from Russia, and have at least 2 blank adjacent pages for the visa stamp. Please, make sure it does. If it expires earlier than you need, get a new one.

• An Invitation from a Russian organization. Ask your Russian host to provide you with one

• Filled online visa form from the website visa.kdmid.ru When you open the site look out for “Hints and help language” on the left, to choose English. After you’ve filled the form, print it on both sides, sign and date it, glue your professional recent color photo 3.5×4.5 in the required field. Don’t use a stapler or adhesive tape, please. See photo requirements here: Russian visa photo requirements
• Travel insurance policy for the entire trip valid in Russia. Obtain it in a local insurance company or online. It should have a logo, stamp and signature, and bear the details of the insurance company and the insured person. The minimum insurance amount should be no less than 30.000 EUR
• HIV/AIDS-negative test certificate for applicants of work/student visa only. It is obtained by taking a blood test at any local clinic. The certificate is submitted in original and valid 3 months since the test date
• Purchased tickets to and from Russia for transit visa applicants only

Step 3. Apply for a Russian visa in Romania and pay the visa fees

Romanian citizens can obtain their Russian visa by applying the documents at:

• Consular Section of the Russian Federation in Bucharest in person by prior appointment made on the website;
• Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Constanta in person by prior appointment made on the website;.
• Russian visa center VFS Global located in the same cities in person with or without any appointment

Find the contact information here: Russian Embassies and Consulates

Visa Centers have been created to speed up and facilitate the application process. If you want to apply conveniently and to have the manager proofread your documents to avoid any mistakes, you should apply through the visa center, rather than the Consulate. However, remember they charge their own extra fees.

Visa fees

When you apply for a visa you are required to pay the visa fees. Currently the charges are:

41 $ for standard processing in 4-20 working days and 82 $ for urgent processing in 1-3 working days.

If you apply through the visa center, you have to pay the extra service fee, which is  25 Euro including VAT. 

At the visa center you can also order some additional services, e.g. courier delivery of your passport back which is 50 RON.

Step 4. Get your passport and check your visa

After you are notified that your visa application process has finished, you can collect your passport either at the Russian consulate or visa center where you’ve applied. Or wait until you receive your passport by mail, if you’ve ordered such service in the visa center. If you applied at Sydney Consulate General, and enclosed a self-addressed post envelope, you’ll get your passport returned to you by post.

Once you see your visa, check that all details correspond to your travel plans. The visa must be valid for your trip dates, allow you single/double/multiple entry, depending on what you’ve applied for.

Here’s the way the Russian visa stamp looks like:

If everything is Okay, start packing your bag. Remember to take with you the invitation from Russia and your travel insurance policy.

Step 5. Get registered after your arrival

Once in Russia, there are some two more important documents to obtain: 

• Migration card. It’s given you either on board the plane by flight attendants, or by the migration officer at the airport control. When you fill it in you indicate info on your intended address of stay and travel dates. Don’t lose this document and carry it along in your passport. When you leave Russia you’ll be asked to return it.

• Registration. Before you travel, make sure you contact the hotel where you are planning to stay and ask if they provide registration. They should! Registration is done within 7 working days after your arrival to Russia. If you are going to book an apartment or stay at your friend’s place, contact them to ensure they’ll be able to register you at the local post or police office for your trip. 

I hope the article has helped you understand how to get your Russian visa. Now that you know the main steps to take, the duration of the whole process and the amount of money you are going to spend, you are ready to start!

Get your visa and get ready to travel to Russia!