Visa Procedure

Citizens of visa-free countries with the Russian Federation do not need to obtain student visa to enter Russia.

However, visa-free countries meet different requirements and different limitations on length of stay. Overstaying is punishable by very complex and undesirable consequences both for students and the university. Please, check the permitted stay in Russia regarding the Governments` Agreement on visa requirements.

In case you would like to obtain a single-entry student visa please inform your coordinator(s) on that and we’ll immediately start issuing the Letter of invitation for you at MVD (Ministry of Internal affairs office). But please take into account that the process usually takes at least 35 days, hence we’re kindly asking you to inform us on your final decision regarding visa option at soonest.

Apart from that, Your coordinator(s) will prepare for you an official letter of dormitory booking signed by the University administration as far as it can be asked from you on the border by customs service.

What is more, please check that you have a proper insurance for travelling abroad. The insurance package has to include life insurance.

Please, be aware that in order to visit Russia, you will need to obtain a visa.

Russian Consular Sections/Embassies and VFS Global visa centers in European countries accept copies of official invitations issued by a Russian university. Your coordinator(s) will send you Letter of Invitation as soon as you are accepted to a course.

Using the Letter of Invitation you should apply to Russian Embassy/Consulate (or VFS Global visa center) for the one-entry student visa. We encourage you to contact the Consular Section of the Embassy or Consulate near your location to determine how to apply and likely time required for the process of visa issuance to be accomplished.

Please pay attention that all expenses for visa arrangements are covered by the students.

Please kindly DO NOT APPLY FOR A TOURIST RUSSIAN VISA type otherwise we will not be allowed to accommodate you at a student dormitory.

What is more, when applying for student visa, please check that you have a proper insurance for travelling abroad. The insurance package has to include life insurance.

Please, be aware that in order to visit Russia, you will need to obtain a visa.

Your coordinator(s) issues a Letter of Invitation (LoI) for you at a local office of Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) as soon as you are accepted to a course. The procedure of the LoI issuance takes 35 days. That’s why the application deadlines are so early. If there is an agreement between the country of nationality of students and the Russian Federation and it accepts the copies of official invitations issued by a Russian university, for example, Iran and India, it is possible to simplify the procedure. Therefore, the application deadlines for Iranian, Indian and EU- citizens are different.

Please note that Admission Office will be able to send LOI to you only after you submit the scanned copy of a contract with your signature.

The full electronic version of the LoI will be sent to the Consular Section of Russian Federation in the locality you pointed in your application form. As soon as the LoI is ready we'll send you its shortened version in a PDF-file (the only one version we'll get from the FMS ourselves). With the electronic copy of the Letter of Invitation you will be able to apply for the one-entry student visa at Russian Consulate or VFS Global visa center in locality you pointed before.

We encourage you to contact the Consular Section of the Embassy, Consulate or VFS Global visa center near your location beforehand in order to determine how to apply and likely time required for the process of visa issuance to be accomplished.

Please pay attention that all expenses for visa arrangements are covered by the students.

Please kindly DO NOT APPLY FOR A TOURIST RUSSIAN VISA type otherwise we will not be allowed to accommodate you at a student dormitory.

What is more, when applying for student visa, please check that you have a proper insurance for travelling abroad. The insurance package has to include life insurance.