Student visa For Russia

Russia has been gaining importance in the education field. Every year a large pool of international students travel to Russia on a student visa for pursuing their further higher education. If you are also planning to migrate to Russia for higher studies and looking for the formalities you need to fulfil, you are at the right place. Here we are going to provide you with complete information on a Student visa for Russia.

Here are the Highlights of the content

• How to Apply for a Russia Student Visa?
• After you arrive in Russia
• Documents Required for a Student Visa
• Russia visa fee for international students
• Processing Time for the Russian student visa
• Duration of Stay under a Student Visa 
• Can your family members join you in Russia?
• Working in Russia on a student
• What if your application is denied?

How to Apply for a Russia Student Visa?

The visa application process of a Russian student visa includes some important steps that you need to complete. We have narrowed down the Russian visa application process into nine simple steps. Following these properly will give you an increased chance of visa application success.

1. Accept an offer letter at your chosen university: Get the confirmation of your secured seat at your university in Russia and pay the required admission fees.
2. Receive a visa support document: Your chosen institution will request the Ministry of Interior of the Russian Federation for your visa support document. Then you will be issued a travel invitation which is also known as a visa support document.
3. Complete the visa application form: You have to visit the official website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From there you have to complete the visa application form.
4. Save and print your online form: Make sure you save changes as you proceed. Double-check your personal information before printing. You have to also paste your recent passport-size photo in the application form.
5. Assemble the required documents: You must submit several supporting documents along with your visa application form. You can find a required documents list in the next section.
6. Submit your application in person: Visit your nearest Russian consulate or visa processing centre in your country to submit your paperwork.
7. Pay the fee for a Russian student visa: You will have to pay the visa processing fee. 
8. Wait for the decision: As the visa processing takes time, you will have to wait for the decision. It may take 10-30 days for the decision to be declared. 
9. Get your student visa for Russia.

After you arrive in Russia

If you are successfully obtaining a visa, you can enter Russia. Upon arrival, you will have to complete two more procedures.

1. Get your immigration card- At the entry, you can obtain an immigration card. The card contains questions about you and your migration to Russia. You have to answer all those questions. One part of it will be taken by the authorities, and the other one will be given to you.
2. Register yourself on the arrival- This is the task of your accommodation provider. You have to give them your copy of your passport data pages, Russia visa, and immigration card. 

Documents Required for a Student Visa

 Presenting valid and accurate documents is the most essential task of the visa application procedure Here’s a list of documents generally asked by Russian authorities for student Visa application:

• An official travel invitation or visa support document
• A filled and printed visa application form
• An original passport having validity for at least 6 months after the expiry date of the visa
• A passport-sized photo 
• Information or documents related to your accommodation
• Proof of your financial sources to cover your living expenses in Russia.
• HIV/AIDS negative certificate that’s been issued within the last three months
• Health insurance policy
• Applicants who are under 18 years of age should also get parental consent to travel.

Russia visa fee for international students

For obtaining a Russia study visa you have to pay a fee for the processing of your application. The visa cost for Russia varies based on several factors, such as:

• The country of origin of Applicant.
• Type of visa.
• The number of planned entries.
• The duration of stay in Russia.

For example, students from the UK will be charged £165 and Students from the US can expect $160 as their visa fee for Russia. Please note that the fee you pay is non-refundable.

Processing Time for the Russian student visa

The authorities take a few days to decide whether to issue a student visa after checking all the documents. The processing time for applications is generally 10 days, but it can take as long as 30 days in some complicated cases. If you want your application to proceed speedily,  you will have to pay an additional express fee.

Duration of Stay under a Student Visa 

Initially, a Russian student visa is issued only for 3 months. After the completion of this period, you should fill the application and request a visa extension. Then you will be issued a one-year multi-visa which allows you to travel to and from Russia within the validity period of the visa. When your validity of the visa is near to expire, you should apply for a further extension of 1 year. You have to follow the same process for the remaining duration of your academic programme.

Family or dependents visa in Russia

Under Russian family reunion rules, your spouse and dependents can be granted an accompanying family member visa. A separate application should be filled and submitted for each family member travelling with you. However, they will not be permitted to work or study in Russia. The duration of their visa validity will be the same as yours.

Working in Russia on a student

Under a new law that was introduced in August 2020, international students will be allowed to work up to 20 hours per week on a student visa. They do not need to apply for any extra work permit. International Students also have the right to take a part-time job outside of the institution only on the condition that their employment contract ends at the same time as their studies complete.

What if your application is denied?

If you follow the application process properly, you will probably be successful in obtaining a student visa. But sometimes applications do face a denial. Usually, the Russian authorities do not share the reason for rejection. But the most common reasons for rejection is because you have submitted incomplete documents or your application details are inaccurate. If you can solve the reason for rejection and attach the updated documents, you can reapply for the visa at your nearest consulate. Please note that you will have to repay the charges for the visa application.