Entry to Russia for Macedonian citizens
If you are a citizen of Macedonia planning a trip to Russia, whether it’s short tourist vacations, business meetings, work or study in a Russian school, you will need to know the answers to several questions about visa and entry to Russia. In this article we’ve collected the most important issues you should be aware of before planning your trip to Russia. Read on to get ready for your travel and obtain some useful tips, and information about the required documents and how to get them.
Do Macedonian citizens need a visa to enter Russia?
- They don’t for tourist trips of no longer than 30 days provided they have the original tourist confirmation
- They don’t for guest, business or other trips of no longer than 90 days provided they have the original invitation made in accordance with the requirements of the Russian migration service upon request of the inviting company
- They do, if they are planning to stay over 90 days for purposes of study or work, or if they cannot provide the original invitation at the border
What invitation do I need and how to obtain it?
The invitation types can be divided according to your purpose of travel into the following categories:
Tourist confirmation
When do I need it: You need it if you are planning to travel as a tourist visiting the sights.
Duration of stay should not exceed 30 days.
How it looks like: The invitation should be obtained from a registered Russian tour operator. The document must be presented in original.
It should reflect the following information:
- Confirmation number (number of the invitation usually given on top)
- Details of the tour operator: name, legal address, reference number, contact phone
- Details of the tourist: your names according to passport, number of passport, DOB, sex, citizenship
- Details of the trip: entry/exit dates, cities of visit, hotels of stay with addresses
- Seal of the company, signature of the director, date of issuance
How to get it: You can order this invitation on our website here: Get tourist support You will be first sent a copy to your email to check, then you can order delivery of original to your place with a selected courier company.
Business Invitation
When do I need it: This invitation is required for business trips to attend negotiations, meetings, exhibitions, find business partners and sign agreements in Russia.
It can be issued for the period of up to 90 days and allow a single or double entry to the country.
How it looks like: It’s a document issued by by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. It contains information about the inviting company, passport data of the invited person, dates of trip, cities and places of stay, information on the work position of the applicant in his country, as well as the responsibilities the inviting company takes for the stay of the applicant in Russia and covering expenses for his deportation if necessary. It bears a seal, an individual number and signature of the issuing officer.
How to get it: The document is granted upon request of the inviting company. If your Russian partners cannot make one for you, we can help you get it. Order it here: Get visa support
The usual processing time for it is 20 working days. Currently the MIA of Russia issues such documents both in paper original as shown above, and e-format, which can be printed out after you receive it by email.
Private/ Guest invitation
When do I need it: If you want to visit your friends or relatives in Russia and stay not over 90 days with single or double entry to the country.
How it looks like: The invitation has the same format as a business one, and can be issued both in paper and e-form.
How to get it: You should ask your Russian host to obtain the invitation for you through the MIA of Russia. He will need to pay 800 rubles state fee and submit a letter of guarantee, passport copy and employment statement to prove he’ll be able to cover your expenses in Russia. The invitation will be made in 20 working days. It can also be ordered via the gosuslugi web portal.
Work/ Student invitation for visa
When do I need it: If you are willing to study at a Russian educational establishment or work under a contract in Russia and need to apply for a corresponding Russian visa at the Russian embassy in Skopje. You are going to stay 90 days or more with single, double or multiple entry to the country.
How it looks like: The invitation looks the same way as business or private invitation issued by the MIA of Russia. For work visa you’ll need to submit it only in original.
How to get it: You’ll need to contact your university or employer and ask them to provide you with the valid invitation via the MIA of Russia. The procedure can be quite long and take up to 2 months.
After you receive it, you’ll need to apply for an appropriate visa type by booking an appointment at the Russian Consulate Department of the embassy in Skopje.
You’ll require to present the following documents:
- Original passport with at least 2 blank visa pages, valid for no less than 6 months beyond the visa expiration date.
- Invitation issued by MIA of Russia upon request of the inviting Russian company
- Completed online and printed visa application form at visa.kdmid.ru. You should print it on both sides of the paper, sign, date and glue a photo in the marked field. Read more on photo requirements here: Russian visa photo specifications
- HIV-negative certificate. It can be obtained after you pass the blood test at a local clinic. The certificate is valid 90 days from the date of issuance, and should be submitted in original
The visa process can take from 3 to 20 working days. You’ll also need to pay the stipulated non-refundable visa fee:
| Visa entries | Standard processing 4-20 working days | Expedited processing 1-3 working days |
| Single | 70 $ | 140 $ |
| Double | 112$ | 224 $ |
| Multiple | 210 $ | 420 $ |
How can Macedonian citizens get Electronic visa
Currently there is another possibility of entering Russia on a so-called e-visa. In case you don’t possess the necessary invitation to come on tourist, private, business or humanitarian purposes, you can apply for an E-visa. Remember several moments:
- E-visa is given for a period of 30 days but you can only stay 8 out of them
- E-visa gives the right to travel only to one of the three regions of Russia: Vladivostok and the Far East, Kaliningrad and Kaliningrad region, Saint Petersburg and Leningrad region. You should enter and leave through the same border point. You are not allowed to move to other regions during your trip
- You are not required to present any invitations or pay any fees for an E-visa
- No later than 4 days before your trip you should fill the official application form at MFA website, print your E-visa and show it at the border crossing. Be very careful when completing the form, any mistakes may cause rejection of entry. If you need professional assistance with the filling of the form, contact us here: E-visa form filling
Transit visa to Russia for Macedonian citizens
If you are going to travel through the Russian territory on your way to another country, you might need to get a transit visa.
It’s issued for up to 3 days in case of air connection, or up to 10 days if you need to travel through Russia by car or train.
To apply for a transit visa you’ll need to submit to the Russian Consulate Department of the embassy in Skopje the following set of documents :
- your original passport with 2 blank pages
- application form completed online at visa.kdmid.ru, printed, signed and dated with photo glued in the marked field
- return tickets showing your route through Russia to another country of destination
- visa to the country of destination if required
The tariffs of the consular fee are the same as applied for work/student visa given above.
Remember: You don’t need transit visa if you are making air connection without the need to pass immigration control and leave transit zone. Check with your airlines whether you’ll need to leave transit zone when changing flights.
Migration card and Registration in Russia
Whether you come to Russia on a visa-free regime by showing at the border the original of the appropriate invitation, or obtain a visa for work or studies in Russia, you should know about two more documents, which are required for the foreign citizens arriving to Russia:
- Migration card
- Registration
Migration card is given free of charge by employees of transport companies or immigration officers at the airport. You are required to fill it in English or Russian with details like dates of your trip, inviting company, and place of intended stay. Carry along in your passport during your stay in Russia. You’ll need to return it when leaving the country.
If you lose it, contact the local migration service within 3 working days and you’ll be given a copy.
Registration is required to prove your legal stay in Russia, and should be obtained within 7 business days after your arrival. If you are staying in a hotel, the management will take charge of it.
If you are staying with your friends or relatives, or book an apartment via airbnb, you’ll need to contact the owner of the apartament and ask to get you registered at the local post or police office.
I hope you have found the information you were looking for in this article. If you still have questions, reach us by email and we’ll gladly help you.
Prepare the necessary documents for your trip and have a nice journey to Russia!
