Visa Application

Choose the type of visa you need:

General Visa Requirements

To enter the Russian Federation, foreign nationals need to obtain a valid visa unless they are citizens of visa-exempt countries. The following steps are to be taken to apply for a visa:

1. Select the visa type and category that corresponds with the purpose of your trip to Russia. Check the requirements and necessary documents for your visa type.

2. Fill out the electronic visa application form.

3. After submitting the application online, print it out and sign it.

4. Prepare all necessary documents including your passport, two recent passport-size pictures (3.5 cm x 4.5 cm), and other supporting documents.

5. Book your appointment online and visit the Embassy on the date to submit your visa application and passport, along with the relevant supporting documents.

6. Pay the visa fee:

Single entry visa application processing cost is KES10,400-00 KES (USD80-00) for a standard consideration time, and KES20,800-00 (USD160-00) for an urgent consideration (depending on the case, and at the full discretion of the Consular Official);
Double entry visa application processing cost is KES16,640-00 (USD128-00) / KES33,280-00 (USD256-00);
Multiple entry visa application processing cost is KES31,200-00 (USD240-00) / KES62,400-00 (USD480-00);
Accepted visa processing fees received from the applicant are not subject for reimbursement in any circumstances.

6. Get a receipt indicating the collection date, and wait for the visa processing to receive a decision on your application.

7. Visit the Embassy on the specified date to collect your passport. If the visa is issued, check the entered data for accuracy.

Kindly note

Visa is a courtesy of the State and the Embassy reserves the right to require any additional documents and consider your visa application for as long as it seems necessary.

The average visa application processing time is five working days. In certain cases urgent applications can be fast tracked with extra payment charged.

The procedure for obtaining a visa may vary, and the Consular Officials may request any additional documents and information depending on your nationality, the purpose of your trip, and the type of visa requested. For further information and detailed instructions, please visit the relevant page of the Embassy website or contact the Embassy.

Third country nationals applying for a Russian visa in Kenya in general must have a residency permit issued by Kenyan immigration authorities for a period exceeding 180 days. Certain foreigners must have permanent residence status in Kenya to be eligible to apply for a Russian visa here.

Dear travelers, please be advised that tourist visa can be issued in case you wish to visit Russia for tourist purposes only.

Tourist visa is issued for a period of no longer than 3 months and is valid for a single and double entry only. Multiple entry tourist visas are subject to bilateral agreements between the Russian government and other countries.

To apply for a Russian tourist visa follow the abovementioned general requirements and submit the following documents to the Embassy on the appointment date:

1. A valid passport with at least two blank visa pages and an expiry date at least six months beyond the date of the intended exit from Russia.

2. A hard copy of a completed electronic visa application form. Kindly ensure that the dates of your entry and exit, stated in the application form, match or fall within the period specified in the supporting documents. The form should bear the original signature of the applicant and must be clearly readable. Please state your contact details (both for office and for after hours). Incomplete applications will be returned to the applicants unprocessed.

3. Two recent passport-size photos (3.5 cm x 4.5 cm). The photo needs to display a full frontal view of the face. The facial image must be sharp and clear. Sunglasses or tinted glasses are not permitted. Head coverings and hats are only acceptable due to religious beliefs, and in this case there shall be a similar photo with a head covering in the applicant's passport. The photo must be glued on the form strictly at reserved space. If photograph presented does not meet the requirements an application will be considered incomplete.

4. A tourist voucher and confirmation of acceptance of a foreign tourist issued by a registered Russian tour operator or a hotel. The confirmation letter(s) must contain the agency's/hotel's special reference number and should cover the whole period of the applicants stay in Russia.

5. Full itinerary of your journey confirmed by your booked airline tickets.

6. Travel medical insurance coverage for the duration of your stay in Russia. We encourage all our visitors to have a valid insurance to cover any unforeseen medical expenses, which are usually rather costly abroad.

Foreign citizens are not permitted to enter Russia independently without being hosted by an authorized Russian travel agency or a hotel during the whole period of their stay.

An exception to this rule are tourists travelling on board cruise ships, who do not require a visa if the following conditions are met:

The overall period of their stay on the Russian territory is no more than 72 hours;
They stay overnight onboard of a cruise ship;
They go ashore only as a part of a group of passengers on the excursions organized by the cruise company.

Double-entry tourist visas are granted only if the following conditions are met:

In between of entries into Russia a foreigner is visiting only a neighboring country (countries, including the EU Shengen countries);
The purpose of travel to this neighboring country is tourism.
To obtain a double-entry tourist visa the applicant must additionally present a visa to the third country or an official document proving that visa is not required to enter it. Thus you are to apply for a visa to the third country prior to your application for a Russian visa. No assurance that a visa will be obtained after the Russian visa is received or in the territory of Russia will be taken into consideration and the documents will be returned. You must provide as well a full itinerary of your journey and tickets with a "confirmed" status for every entry and departure to/from Russia.

Kindly fulfill the general visa requirements above, and attach your the latest HIV/AIDS-certificate issued by a Kenyan medical practitioner not more than three months prior to your application.

Attach a copy of an official invitation processed by your University through the Russian authorities – either Ministry of Interior or Foreign Ministry – and addressed to the Embassy.

When applying for a study visa, the validity of your passport must be at least one and a half years.

Dear travelers, please be advised that business visa is required in case you wish to enter Russia for business purposes, i.e. to participate in principal negotiations (meetings, consultations, conferences, symposiums, congresses) on trade or economical issues.

Single and double entry business visas are issued for a period of no longer than 90 days. Multiple entry business visa is issued for up to one year. Please note, that multiple entry visa permits the holder to stay at the Russian territory for no more then 90 days in every 180 days.

To apply for a Russian business visa follow the abovementioned general requirements and submit the following documents to the Embassy on the appointment date:

1. A valid passport with at least two blank visa pages and an expiry date at least six months beyond the date of the intended exit from Russia.

2. A hard copy of a completed electronic visa application form. Kindly ensure that the dates of your entry and exit, entered in the application form, match or fall within the period specified in the supporting documents. The form should bear the original signature of the applicant and must be clearly readable. Please state your contact details (both for office and for after hours). Incomplete applications will be returned to the applicants unprocessed.

5. An invitation issued by a relevant branch office of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The number of your intended entries (single, double or multiple) should be corresponded with those stated in the invitation. An electronic invitation might be sent directly to the Embassy.

6. Full itinerary of your journey confirmed by your booked airline tickets (single entry visas only).

7. Travel medical insurance coverage for the duration of your stay in Russia. We encourage all our visitors to have a valid insurance to cover any unforeseen medical expenses, which are usually rather costly abroad.

A Russian private visa can be issued to a foreign national based on the application of a close relative who is a Russian citizen.

To apply for a Russian private visa follow the abovementioned general requirements and submit the following documents to the Embassy on the appointment date:

1. A valid passport with at least two blank visa pages and a validity period of more than six months beyond the date of the intended exit from Russia.

2. A hard copy of a completed electronic visa application form.

3. One recent passport-size photo (3.5 cm x 4.5 cm) in color and taken against a light-colored background. The photo must meet the Russian government's requirements for passport photos.

4. A notarized invitation letter from the Russian citizen relative (spouse, parent, child, or sibling) residing in Russia, stating the purpose and dates of the visit, as well as the full name(s), date(s) of birth, and passport details of the guest.

5. Proof of kinship between the Russian citizen and the guest (e.g. marriage certificate, birth certificate, etc.).

6. Copies of the Russian citizen's internal passport and registration documents.

7. Travel medical insurance coverage for the duration of the guest's stay in Russia, with a minimum coverage of USD 30,000.

8. Payment of the visa fee.

Please note that the requirements for obtaining a Russian private visa may vary depending on the nationality of the foreign guest and the country where the visa is being applied for. It is recommended to check with the Russian embassy/consulate in your country for more detailed and up-to-date information.

Since December 5, 2024, all Kenyans among other 64 countries are eligible to apply for electronic visas for short-term travels to Russia.

So far an e-Visa is limited to 16 days only and is valid for a single entry to Russia for private, business or tourist purposes, as well as for scientific, cultural, socio-political, economic, sporting events and to establish relevant relations and contacts.

An issued e-Visa can be used within 60 days. Thus a traveler has to depart from Russia before this 60-day period expires with the duration of stay not exceeding 16 days from the day of arrival to Russia.. For longer travels kindly use the standard application procedure and visit the Embassy to lodge your application in person.

E-Visa applications can be lodged through the official website of the Russian Foreign Ministry or using a mobile application. The applications for e-Visas must be submitted not less than four days prior to the expected date of arrival to Russia. The application must be accompanied with a digital photo of the traveller and a scan of the data page of the traveller’s passport.

Payments for e-Visas can be made with a bank card through the same website. The total costs including processing fees, bank commissions, and a convenience fee are about 52 USD (according to the current exchange rate). E-Visas for children under 6 years old are issued free of charge, but the transaction costs of the payment system, about 2 USD, are still applicable.

Validity of an e-Visa can be easily checked at the same website of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

E-visas are valid for entering into the Russian Federation and departing from the Russian Federation only through the official state border posts of the Russian Federation.

Transport companies can check the validity of an electronic visa via this website of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Checking procedure is described there in Russian and English.