A Russian multiple-entry visa lets you enter and leave Russia several times within its validity, rather than just once. It suits business travellers, people visiting family, and anyone making repeat trips — but it isn't available through the e-visa, and standard tourist visas don't offer it. Here's who qualifies and how to apply.
Who can get a Russian multiple-entry visa?
Multiple entry is tied to the visa category, not something you simply tick on a tourist application:
- Business visas — the most common route to multiple entry, valid up to one year (longer for some nationalities under bilateral agreements).
- Work and study visas — multiple-entry, tied to your employer or institution.
- Private / humanitarian visas — for visiting relatives or for cultural and religious purposes.
Tourist visas are usually single- or double-entry only, and the unified e-visa is strictly single-entry. To come and go repeatedly, you need one of the categories above.
What you need to apply
- A passport valid for at least six months beyond the visa, with blank pages.
- A completed application form and a recent photo.
- An invitation matching the visa type — a business invitation from a Russian company, a work permit, or a private invitation. This is the key document a multiple-entry visa requires.
- Travel medical insurance valid in Russia — see our Russia travel insurance guide.
How and where to apply
Apply at a Russian embassy, consulate or an authorised visa centre in your country — multiple-entry visas are not issued online. Submit your documents, pay the fee, and allow time for processing.
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
Fees depend on your nationality, the visa category and how fast you need it; consular fees plus any visa-centre service charge apply. Standard processing is usually about 4-20 working days. Check your local Russian consulate for exact fees and times.
Tourist visa or multiple-entry — which do I need?
For a single sightseeing trip, the e-visa or a single-entry tourist visa is simpler and cheaper. Choose a multiple-entry business, work or private visa only if you genuinely need to enter Russia more than once or stay long-term.
