Is it necessary to have visa to Russia for stateless?
Yes, stateless have to get visa if they want to visit Russia.
Visa is a document for foreigners which allows to cross the border of Russia legally.
For getting visa to Russia you need to get an invitation for visa and health insurance. These documents must be submitted to the Russian Consulate abroad.
For getting visa stateless person should know:
Stateless person is a person who doesn’t have any citizenship. Person can become a stateless in the following cases: upon voluntary renunciation of citizenship, in case of deprivation of citizenship by the state, and upon birth from stateless parents or in the event of the termination of the state of which he was a citizen.
There are several million stateless people in the world. Those people don’t have passports and they don’t have access to most of the rights that ordinary citizens of different countries can use. Upon entering the Russian Federation, the legal status of a stateless person is determined by the Federal Law “About the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation” of July 25, 2002 N 115-ФЗ.
How to get visa to Russia for stateless person?
Short list of steps-to-do for stateless person:
- To have valid passport
- To get an invitation to Russia
- To get a medical insurance
- Fill in the form on visa.kdmid.ru and print it
- Paste your photo 3,5х4,5 cm in form
- Pay consular (visa) fee ≈ 80$
- Bring or send documents to the Russian Consulate (passport, invitation, insurance, application form, receipt)
- Wait for 1 to 20 calendar days and get a passport with visa
Where to get Russian visa for stateless person?
For a visa, a stateless person should apply to the Russian consulate located in his country of residence. It should be taken into account that employees of such an institution have the right to refuse applicants a visa without explanation.
Before visiting the Consulate, you need to get an invitation, medical insurance for a visa and complete the online form on the website of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Types of visas for stateless in Russia
There are the following types of visas and purpose of visiting Russia:
- tourist visa for sightseeing;
- business visa for negotiations, procurement control;
- private visa for visiting of relatives living in the territory of the Russian Federation;
- work visa for official labor activities in the Russian Federation.
Comparison of length of stay and price of visa:
| Type of visa | Length of stay | Full processing price |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist | from 1 to 30 days | ≈232$ |
| Business | from 30 days to 1 year * | from 330$ |
| Private | from 30 to 90 days | ≈205$ |
| Work | from 1 to 3 years | from 1220$ |
* – visa can be valid up to 1 year, but it is possible to stay in Russia continuously for no more than 90 of 180 days
Tourist visa to Russia for stateless
For getting of tourist visa stateless person must submit the following documents to the Russian Consular Office:
- tourist invitation;
- completed visa application form;
- photos 35×45 mm;
- identification;
- health insurance policy.
A tourist invitation can be obtained by contacting a Russian travel company, which is included in the Unified Federal Register. All invitations have two parts:
- Tourist voucher indicating that you have bought a tourist ticket to Russia.
- Confirmation of tourist admission — the Consulate is requested to issue a visa to a foreign citizen.
These documents are issued on the travel agencies own forms. No checks are carried out and receiving of tourist invitation doesn’t take much time (about 5 minutes for all).
Read more: Tourist invitation to Russia for foreigners
After filing the documents at the Russian Consular Office starting an inspection and if there no reason to refuse visa application, so, stateless person gets Russian tourist visa with a validity period up to 30 days. Usually, visas are single-entry, but if visit have a route to neighboring state and then you need to return to the Russian Federation, double tourist visa is issued.
Read more in the article: Tourist visa to Russia for foreigners
Business visa to Russia for stateless
If a stateless person wants to visit Russia for business purposes, he will need a business invitation.
In addition to business travel, this visa type is very attractive for a longer (up to 90 days) continuous stay in Russia. A business visa is free of problems what private visas have and you can stay in Russia continuously 3 times more than a tourist visa.
A business visa can be issued to stateless persons up to 90 days. It can be single or double.
Business invitation to Russia is required for receiving business visa. For stateless persons there are different types of business invitations, each have their pros and cons:
Read more: Business invitation to Russia for foreigners
A letter from a Russian organization
A letter form of invitation from a Russian organization has a free view. Letter’s application for a visa issued to specific person on the letterhead of the inviting organization and is certified by the signatures of the officials and seals of this organization.
A stateless person may receive this invitation if any Russian organization entitled to issue such invitations is interested in his arrival. Issuing a business invitation in the form of a letter from the organization takes about 5 minutes.
The form of Ministry of Internal Affairs
An invitation to Russia on the form of the Main Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for a stateless person is issued by the inviting party. For this member of the inviting organization must contact the Main Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at the place of its registration and give a request for an invitation by attaching a package of documents.
After considering the application within the time allotted by law (from 7 to 21 working days) and all the checks, the inviting party may be issued an invitation to Russia for a stateless person or a refusal. If you receive this invitation, original of it should be sent to the invited person.
Read more in the article: Business visa to Russia for foreigners
Private visa to Russia for stateless
If you want to go to Russia visit friends or relatives, stateless person must apply for a private visa. He will need the help of the inviting party in obtaining a guest invitation.
Read more: Why to use a private visa is unprofitable?
In order to issue a guest invitation to Russia for a relative or friend who does not have citizenship, person permanently residing in the Russian Federation must contact the Main Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at the place of residence and apply for a guest invitation. You will need to attach a copy of the identity card of invited person, your passport, statement of your income and letter of guarantee (the inviting party must commit to providing the foreigner with housing and medical care for the duration of his stay in Russia). After considering the application in case of issuing an invitation for a stateless person, its original should be sent to the invited person.
A private visa can be issued to a stateless person up to 90 days. It can be single or double.
Read more in the article: Private (Guest) visa to Russia for foreigners
Work visa to Russia for stateless
If stateless person finds an employer in Russia who is ready to apply for a work permit and work invitation, and then give a job to him, he can ask for work visa based on these documents. Initially visa is issued for 90 days and during this time the foreigner must enter Russia, register at migration service and get a job. After this work visa will be extended for duration of work permit (up to 1 year).
With work visa stateless person can stay in Russia without a break during the whole period of its validity or enter and leave as many times as necessary. Work visa can be renewed annually for another year as many times as needed.
Read more in the article: Working visa to Russia for foreigners
E-visa to Russia for stateless
Electronic visa is a new format of visas that has been introduced experimentally. You don’t need an invitation for this kind of visa and you can apply for it directly through the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the moment electronic visa is a single entry only and cannot be extended. With this visa you can stay in Russia up to eight days and you need only digital photo and a completed application form for making of it.
It is important that obtaining an electronic visa is available only to citizens of some countries. Stateless persons cannot apply for an electronic visa to Russia. A complete list of countries with which Russia has an agreement on electronic visas is available on the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Read more in this article: Electronic visa to Russia for foreigners
Q&A
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