What types of Russian work and business visas exist?

You will learn:

1. What are the parameters of visas for business and work travel to Russia?

2. What are the requirements for an foreigner's passport to obtain a Russian visa?

3. How many days can a foreigner stay in Russia on a business visa (the 90/180 rule)?

4. What should be considered when choosing a visa with certain parameters?

For entry to Russia for work or on a business visit, foreigners are issued regular work or business visas, respectively, which have several parameters.

These parameters include:

TYPE OF VISA

- business

- work

There are other types of visas, such as tourist, private, student, etc., but they are not related to business trips and work, which are discussed in this guide.

VISA CATEGORY

Work and business visas belong to the category of "ordinary" visas.

There are also other categories of visas, such as official, diplomatic, transit, etc., but business and work visas are not among them.

PERIOD OF VISA VALIDITY

- up to 3 months;

- up to 12 months;

- up to 3 years (for highly qualified foreign specialists).

When determining the duration of a visa, the validity period of the foreign citizen's passport is also taken into account. The passport must be valid for another 6 months after the intended date of departure from Russia (i.e. the date of visa expiration). For example, if the passport expires on December 10 of the current year, a visa may be issued to a foreign citizen for a period not exceeding June 10 of the same year. The duration of the visa is indicated in the invitation issued to the foreign citizen.

When applying for a work visa, the validity of the foreign worker's passport (non Highly qualified foreign specialists) must be at least 1.5 years from the date of the visa's start of validity.

It should be noted that the 90/180 rule applies to a business visa. A foreigner who arrives in Russia on a business visa cannot stay on Russian territory for more than 90 days within a 180-day period. This means the following:

- after the first day of entry into Russia, the countdown of 180 days begins.

- within these 180 days, a foreigner can stay in Russia for only 90 consecutive or cumulative days. During these 90 days, they can cross the border multiple times on a multiple-entry visa.

- upon reaching 90 days of stay in Russia, the foreign national must leave Russia and will not be able to enter again until the expiration of 180 days from the date of the first entry. In some cases, this restriction can be overcome by obtaining another visa, which will start a new 90-day period for stay in Russia.

Regarding work visas, the 90/180 rule does not apply.

VISA MULTIPLE ENTRY

The multiple entry visa determines how many times a foreigner can enter Russia on that visa. Depending on the entry type, work and business visas can be classified as:

- single-entry or double-entry: with such visas, a foreigner can enter Russia once or twice, respectively. These visas are issued for a period of up to 3 months;

- multiple-entry visas allow the foreigner to enter Russia an unlimited number of times. Such visas are issued for a period of up to 12 months, and up to 3 years for highly qualified foreign specialists.

In most cases, a single-entry or double-entry business visa for 3 months is obtained for the first visit to Russia. In certain cases, it is possible to obtain a multiple-entry visa for a period of more than 3 months, but it is necessary to justify this need to the migration service when applying for an invitation for the foreigner to enter Russia.

If an ordinary foreign worker obtains a work visa, they are first issued a single-entry visa for a period of 3 months. This is necessary so that the foreign worker can enter Russia for the first time to receive a ready-made work permit. Then, such a visa is reissued as a multiple-entry visa for a period of 1 year. Highly qualified foreign specialists (HQFS) are granted a work visa for 3 years immediately.

TRAVEL PURPOSES FOR VISA

In business and work visas, the purpose of the trip is indicated for which the foreigner is coming to Russia. In total, there are 14 such purposes for business visas and 6 for work visas. More details on the purposes of trips on visas are considered below.

The parameters of a visa vary depending on the purpose and the required length of stay of the foreign citizen in Russia.

Experience shows that the shorter the requested visa period, the easier it is for a foreign citizen to obtain it, especially if they are visiting Russia for the first time. When applying for a subsequent visa, if the foreign citizen did not violate any rules during their first visit, a multiple-entry visa for a longer period may be issued.

The migration service always carefully checks the validity of the stated parameters in the invitation documents, especially in the case of large projects requiring the issuance of a large number of business or work visas. In such cases, not only each foreign citizen is checked, but also the reputation of the company (its type of activity, history of issuing invitations in the past, etc.), its activities, and circumstances under which the foreigner needs to visit Russia. Usually, such a check requires negotiations with the migration service and preparation of supporting documents.

As for work visas, they are multiple-entry and issued for the validity period of the work permit. However, an ordinary foreign worker is first issued a single-entry visa for a period of 3 months. This is necessary so that the foreigner can enter Russia on it after obtaining a work permit. Once in Russia, this visa is reissued as a multiple-entry one. Highly qualified foreign specialists (HQFS) receive a work visa for 3 years immediately.

It is important to have a clear understanding of the purpose, duration, and necessity of the foreigner's visit to Russia when choosing visa parameters. Therefore, it is necessary to choose a visa with appropriate duration, validity, and travel purposes. It is crucial that the stated travel purposes in the invitation and visa reflect the true purpose of the visit to Russia, as providing false information about the purpose of the visit (for example, stating a business purpose when the foreigner is actually coming to work) may result in serious legal consequences for violating migration legislation.

To obtain a Russian visa, it is possible to apply at Russian consulates located in various countries around the world. In order to apply for a visa to Russia, a foreigner must present an invitation to visit Russia that has been issued for them by the inviting party. The inviting party can be a private individual, organization or state.

Summary:

1. Parameters of business and work visas:

2. When obtaining a work visa, the foreigner's passport must be valid for another 1.5 years from the start date of the visa, and for business visas, another 6 months after the planned end date of the visa.

3. A foreign national cannot stay in Russia on a business visa for more than 90 days within a 180-day period.

4. When choosing a visa, it is necessary to clearly determine the required parameters based on what may need to be justified to the migration service. Any discrepancies between the visa parameters and the actual stay of a foreigner in Russia may lead to a formal violation of migration legislation and significant legal and financial risks.