Most foreign students enter Russia with a foreign passport and a study visa. There is a visa-free regime between Russia and some states. As a rule, it is valid from 1 to 3 months, and is not suitable for permanent residence in the country. Citizens of the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic can enter Russia with internal (national) passports. Students from other countries, including the CIS, need a passport.
A study visa does not need to be issued to students who come to Russian universities from the republics of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, South Ossetia, Armenia, Abkhazia.
A study visa to Russia is a document that allows a foreigner to stay in Russia for 1 year to study at a Russian university. The educational institution in which he wants to study and which agrees to take this foreigner to study should help to collect the documents necessary for obtaining a student visa.
Study visa to Russia refers to ordinary visas. First, a foreign applicant must obtain a short-term study visa, which is then extended, if necessary, on the basis of an application from an educational institution. The student visa can be valid for 3 months or 1 year. A study visa for up to 3 months is issued to an applicant so that he can come and submit documents to the university. Such a visa after admission to the university is extended for 1 year. This visa is renewed annually while a foreign citizen is studying at a university.
For issuing an invitation for a foreigner to enter Russia for the purpose of studying at an educational organization that has state accreditation, a state fee is not charged. Therefore, the cost of a study visa consists only of the cost of medical insurance and the amount of the consular fee, which is charged at the consular office of the Russian Federation for the consideration of documents for obtaining a visa.
- Bear the valid passport
- Collect a pack of documents
- Get a health insurance
- Complete an application form on visa.kdmid.ru and print it
- Glue a photo 3,5х4,5cm on your visa application form
- Pay a consular (visa application) fee
- Submit or send all the documents to the Russian Consulate (passport, invitation, insurance, application form, receipt)
- Wait from 1 to 10 calendar days * and obtain your passport with a visa
* — For the EU citizens only. For others it is from 1 to 20 business days
- postgraduate study;
- internship;
- courses;
- study;
- specialization;
- accompanying family member.
In order to obtain a student visa, you’ll need:
- student invitation;
- international passport, which is valid at least for 1,5 year from a date of issuance of your visa;
- visa application form with a photo;
- medical insurance policy;
- certificate of absence of the HIV (for applicants of a visa with a validity more than 3 month).
The basis of the student visa issuance is an invitation or a decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, which is sent to the Russian diplomatic authority (in that case, you receive only a 6-digit number of an invitation, which you must indicate while completing a visa application form).
Invitation to study in the Russian Federation is issued on a request of an educational institution. It can be issued by the Federal executive authority of migration on a request of the Federal executive authority of security, defence, internal affairs, customs, prevention and response to emergencies and natural disasters, if it has an educational institutions in its structure
You can buy a VHI policy in advance, when applying for training at NOBLESTUDY, or immediately upon arrival in Russia. Since 2016, the VHI policy for foreigners has been mandatory for legal stay on the territory of the Russian Federation. According to the legislation, the policy must be issued on the first day of stay in the country, regardless of the purpose of entry into the territory of the Russian Federation.
The cost of a VHI policy depends on the scope of services (outpatient care, house calls, emergency dentistry, etc.). The cost of a VHI policy is from 7,500 to 20,000 ₽ (approximately $100 to $280). Since 2016, a fine has been introduced for the lack of a policy for foreigners. If during the verification of documents it is found that there is no VHI policy, you will be issued a fine in the amount of 2,000 to 7,000 ₽. (approximately $30 – $95).
If you are going to Russia for a period more than 3 months, you must have a certificate of absence of the HIV to apply for a visa. It must contain:
- your passport data (name and surname, date of birth, passport number, country of your residence);
- planning period of stay in Russia;
- details of the test (date of test, sign of a doctor, type of an antigen, which has been used for the test, stamp of an institution, your sign).
Such a certificate must be in Russian and English language. It is valid for 3 months from the date of a test.
Documents for a visa application can be considered for up to 20 business days. If there is a visa facilitation agreement between your country and Russia, it could be considered for 15, 10 or even 5 days.
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