eVisa for Far East Countries
The Far East regions are Russia’s easternmost territories, comprising the area between the Pacific Ocean coast and the Siberian Lake Baikal. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs introduced the Far East eVisa in August 2017 as a means to facilitate visa bureaucracy for the region.
Far East Regions eVisas are available for travelers of 18 eligible nations for single-entry, short-term visits to the designated territories.
Many travelers need an official Tourist Visa for Russia if planing a short-term holiday trip to the Russian Federation. This process requires tourists to request a letter of invitation and fill out an application form to be submitted alongside supporting travel documentation at a consulate or embassy of Russia.
With a Russian electronic visa, however, tourists will be able to carry out the visa application procedure entirely online, without the need to make an appointment at an embassy to deliver the application in person.
Far East Countries eVisa Russia
The Russia Far East Countries eVisa is an online visa designed for travelers of eligible nations undertaking short-term trips to the far east regions of Russia. This electronic travel authorization grants travelers the right to stay in the region for up to 8 days within a period of 30 days from its issue date when traveling for the purpose of:
- Tourism
- Business trips
- Cultural and sports events, humanitarian reasons, and scientific research
Bearers of the eVisa may stay for no more than 8 days within a period of 30 days from the date the visa was issued.
Below is a list of the official ports of entry when traveling with the Russian Far East Regions eVisa:
| Region | Ports of Entry |
|---|---|
| Primorsky Krai | Vladivostok International Airport Sea Port of Vladivostok (Passenger Terminal Sea Port of Posyet Sea Port of Zarubino Khasan Railway Station Makhalino Railway Station Grodekovo Railway Station Poltavka Border Crossing Turiy Rog Border Crossing |
| Kamchatka Krai | Sea Port of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Airport |
| Sakhalin Oblast | Sea Port of Korsakov Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport |
| Amur Oblast | Blagoveshchensk Airport |
| Khabarovsk Krai | Khabarovsk Novy Airport |
| Chukotka Autonomous Okrug | Ugolny Airport (Anadyr) |
| Zabaykalsky Krai | Kadala Airport (Chita) |
| Buryatia | Baikal International Airport (Ulan-Ude) |
Travelers may present their Far East eVisa at several official ports of entry, including seaports, airports, road, and rail border controls within the regions, but they must exit through the same Russian border as they entered.
What nationalities are eligible for the Russian eVisa for Far East countries?
Passport holders from 18 countries, including former Soviet states and members of the Arab League, are eligible to apply for a Russian Far East eVisa. Below is the full list of eligible nations:
Bearers of a Russian Far East eVisa may enter and move freely within the designated region according to its port of entry, excluding areas and facilities that require special authorization from a Russian federal body.
Should an eVisa traveler wish to visit a region in Russia other than those specified by the eVisa regulations, they are required to apply for an official Russian Tourist visa beforehand.
Applying for a Far East Region eVisa
Russian Far East eVisas are requested by submitting a simple online application, which can be completed in just a few minutes. The eVisa processing time is 4 days. Applications can be submitted up to 4 days before the intended date of entry or even 20 days in advance. It is not possible to extend the duration of stay and/or the validity of an eVisa.
When applying for a Far East Russian eVisa, applicants need not submit documents such as proof of accommodation, tourist invitations, events and tour tickets, etc, as they would with a Russian Tourist visa.
Nonetheless, there are travel and visa requirements to be met before being eligible to apply for a Russian Far East eVisa. These are:
- A valid passport with expiry date no less than 6 months from eVisa application date
- Recent color photographs in passport-size
- A valid travel health insurance covering the entire duration of the visit to Russia