Migration risk countries


Which countries are considered to be of a migration risk?

What are migration risk countries?

A country is considered a migration risk if it is currently at war or in a poor economy state (these countries’ nationals more often than others overstay their visas).

A lot of countries have their own lists of migration risk countries, which may differ, since they get constantly updated according to latest statistics on foreign nationals overstaying their visas or breaking specific migration laws in any other manner. Russia’s list of migration risk countries changes on a regular basis and is updated depending on global changes. For risk migration countries’ nationals, an invitation for applying for an entry visa is issued after more thorough background checks, followed by preliminary interviews with the applicant and the hosting party. 

List of risk migration countries includes countries that:

  • are currently at active war;
  • pose threat of a terrorist attack;
  • have poor central authority or lack thereof;
  • have a high percentage of those wishing to leave the country;
  • have non-existent diplomatic relations with Russian Federation.

Full list of migration risk countries is available on  Russian Consulate information board.

When applying for a Russian entry visa at a local Russian Consulate or Embassy, a non-citizen shall present an officially issued permanent residency permit. Migration risk countries’ nationals can only obtain a Russian visa within their own country.  If applying for an invitation for a multiple entry visa, a citizen of a migration risk country shall provide copies of previously issued Russian visas.


List of migration risk countries

Country

Migration risk level

Chance of obtaining a tourist visa

People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria (Algeria)

At risk

Possible

Antigua and Barbuda

At risk

Possible

Arab Republic of Egypt (Egypt)

At risk

Possible

Barbados

At risk

Possible

Beliz

At risk

Possible

Brunei Darussalam (Brunei)

At risk

Possible

Burkina Faso

At risk

Possible

Oriental Republic of Uruguay (Uruguay)

At risk

Possible

Gabonese Republic (Gabon)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Guinea (Guinea)

At risk

Possible

State of Qatar (Qatar)

At risk

Possible

State of Kuwait (Kuwait)

At risk

Possible

State of Palestine (Palestine)

At risk

Possible

State of Eritrea (Eritrea)

At risk

Possible

Georgia

At risk

Possible

Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo)

At risk

Possible

Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Iraq (Iraq)

At risk

Possible

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (Afghanistan)

At risk

Possible

Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran)

At risk

Possible

Islamic Republic of Mauritania (Mauritania)

At risk

Possible

Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Pakistan)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Yemen (Yemen)

At risk

Possible

People’s Republic of China (China)

At risk

Possible

Co-operative Republic of Guyana (Guyana)

At risk

Possible

North Korea

High risk

Not possible*

Kingdom of Cambodia (Cambodia)

At risk

Possible

Kingdom of Lesotho (Lesotho)

At risk

Possible

Kingdom of Morocco (Morocco)

At risk

Possible

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Saudi Arabia)

At risk

Possible

Kingdom of Thailand (Thailand)

At risk

Possible

Kingdom of Tonga (Tonga)

At risk

Possible

Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos)

At risk

Possible

Lebanese Republic (Lebanon)

At risk

Possible

Malaysia

At risk

Possible

Republic of Maldives (Maldives)

At risk

Possible

People’s Republic of Bangladesh (Bangladesh)

At risk

Possible

Nepal

At risk

Possible

United Republic of Tanzania (Tanzania)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Albania (Albania)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Angola (Angola)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Benin (Benin)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Bolivia (Bolivia)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Botswana (Botswana)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Burundi (Burundi)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Gambia (Gambia)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Ghana (Ghana)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Guinea-Bissau (Guinea-Bissau)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Honduras (Honduras)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Djibouti (Djibouti)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Zambia (Zambia)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe)

At risk

Possible

Republic of India (India)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Indonesia (Indonesia)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Cabo Verde (Cape Verde)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Cameroon (Cameroon)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Kenya (Kenya)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Columbia (Columbia)

At risk

Possible

Republic of the Congo (Congo)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Liberia (Liberia)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Mauritius (Mauritius)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Madagascar (Madagascar)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Macedonia (Macedonia)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Malawi (Malawi)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Mali (Mali)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Malta (Malta)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Mozambique (Mozambique)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Namibia (Namibia)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Niger (Niger)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Nicaragua (Nicaragua)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Rwanda (Rwanda)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Paraguay (Paraguay)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Seychelles (Seychelles)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Senegal (Senegal)

At risk

Possible

Republic od Sudan (Sudan)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Suriname (Suriname)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Sierra Leone (Sierra Leone)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (Trinidad and Tobago)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Uganda (Uganda)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Philippines (Philippines)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Chad (Chad)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Equatorial Guinea (Equatorial Guinea)

At risk

Possible

Syrian Arab Republic (Syria)

High risk

Not possible*

Federal Republic of Somalia (Somalia)

At risk

Possible

Socialist Republic of Vietnam

At risk

Possible

State of Libya (Libya)

At risk

Possible

Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Myanmar)

At risk

Possible

Sultanate of Oman (Oman)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Fiji (Fiji)

At risk

Possible

Togolese Republic (Togo)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Tunisia (Tunisia)

At risk

Possible

Republic of Turkey (Turkey)

High risk

Not possible*

Union of the Comoros (Comoros)

At risk

Possible

Federal Republic of Nigeria (Nigeria)

At risk

Possible

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (Ethiopia)

At risk

Possible

Jamaica

At risk

Possible

* - not issued by travel agencies due to high migration risk and/or high terrorism threat

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Tourist Visa - e.g.: tourism, sightseeing;
  • Business Visa - e.g.: conferences, business negotiations;
  • E-Visa - e.g.: short-term visits;
  • Work Visa - e.g.: employment in a Russian company;
  • Private Visa - e.g.: visiting friends in Russia (though a tourist visa is cheaper and more effecient??).

To obtain a Russian visa you need:

  1. Fill in our online order form and get a Visa invitation to Russia
  2. Refer to our Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Russian Visa Application, use your personal data and information from the Invitation to Russia
A country is considered a migration risk if it is currently at war or in a poor economy state (these countries’ nationals more often than others overstay their visas).
Full list of migration risk countries is available on  Russian Consulate information board.
List of risk migration countries includes countries that:

  • are currently at active war;
  • pose threat of a terrorist attack;
  • have poor central authority or lack thereof;
  • have a high percentage of those wishing to leave the country;
  • have non-existent diplomatic relations with Russian Federation.
When applying for a Russian entry visa at a local Russian Consulate or Embassy, a non-citizen shall present an officially issued permanent residency permit. Migration risk countries’ nationals can only obtain a Russian visa within their own country.