Visa to Russia from Ethiopia

Ethiopian passport

Russian tourist visa for Ethiopian citizens

Ethiopian citizen will be able to obtain tourist visa if he proofs that the only purpose of visiting Russia is tourism. In case of formalizing Russian tourist visa, a tourist invitation letter must be shown by Ethiopian citizen in the consular section.

Read more: Russian tourist visa for foreigners

Tourist invitation letter to Russia is arranged within 1 day. You need to make a request to a travel agency authorized in Russia (authorization can be proved by travel agency’s reference number). 

Tourist invitation letter will be issued on the travel agency’s form in 1 day. The invitation, issued by different travel agencies, may look differently. Herewith, each invitation must include a tourist voucher and a tourist invitation confirmation

Therefore, the presence of a tourist invitation to Russia does not guarantee a Russian visa. Ethiopian citizens often violate the visa regime that’s why Ethiopia is in the Russia’s list of migration risk countries.

If you manage to obtain tourist visa in Russian consular section in Ethiopia, it will be issued for a single or double entrance to Russia for up to 30 days (usually it is issued for the period specified in your invitation letter).

Formalize a tourist invitation letter to Russia for Ethiopian citizens

Go to Issuing a Tourist Invitation     Price $69.00


Russian private (homestay) visa for Ethiopian citizens

Ethiopian citizen can obtain a private (homestay) visa if he shows a private invitation to Russia with the list of primary documents in consular section. That kind of invitation can be formalized by foreigner’s relative or friend living in Russian Federation or by legal entity authorized in Russia.

For doing this, person who wants to invite Ethiopian citizen to Russia must visit Federal Migration Service section on his residence’s administrative unit and submit an application for the issuance of a private invitation. Except an application there must be:

  • Inviting person’s copy of passport;
  • Invited foreign citizen’s copy of passport;
  • Inviting person’s income statement;
  • Letter of guarantee containing the commitment to provide Ethiopian citizen the costs of an accommodation and medical care for the whole period of his staying in Russia.
Please note! We do not recommend using a private visa!
Find out why: Why not apply for a private visa?

Read more: Russian Private Visa

Inasmuch Ethiopia is a country with high migration risk, inviting person has to pass an interview with a FMS officer, where is necessary to explain why foreign citizen is going to visit Russia.

It is given 12 workdays (single travel) and 17 workdays (double travel) for a consideration of an application for private invitation. In case of positive resolution, the invitation will be issued on the FMS’s form. The inviting party will need to send the invitation to Ethiopian citizen by express-mail. In case of refuse to issue a private invitation for visa, he will obtain a refusal in written form with an indication of a reason.

Russian private visa may be issued for a single or double travel for up to 90 days.

Formalize private invitation letter to Russia for Ethiopian citizens

Go to Issuing an Invitation


Russian business visa for Ethiopian citizens

If Ethiopian citizen is planning to visit Russia to extend his business cooperation or sign some contracts, he must obtain a business visa. Ethiopian citizen must show a business invitation letter in Russian embassy to obtain that type of visa.

Read more: Russian Business Visa

The business visa invitation letter can be obtained by either of these ways:

Invitation in a form of the letter from an organization is able to be issued only by those legal entities which are authorized by Federal Migration Service or by Consulate department of the Ministry of foreign affairs. An application from the head of an organization to Russian consular section clarifies in that letter in case of an issuance of visa for a foreign citizen.

To obtain a business invitation for a foreigner on the form of the Federal migration service, representative of an organization must submit an application and a list of documents to the FMS.

Telex is an order which comes through internal communication channel from the Ministry of foreign affairs to the local Russian consular section abroad. Invitation through Telex could be issued at the request of Russian company. 

Read more: What is the difference between Telex and the original invitation

Business visas can be single, double or multiple. It can be issued to Ethiopian citizens for up to 1 year. Along with that there is a necessary requirement that a foreign citizen can’t stay in Russia more than 90 days in every 180 days.

Formalize Russian business invitation to Russia for Ethiopian citizens in the form of the letter from an organization

Go to Issuing a Business Invitation

Formalize Russian business invitation to Russia for Ethiopian citizens on the form of the FMS

Go to Issuing a Business Invitation

Formalize Russian business invitation to Russia for Ethiopian citizens through Telex

Go to Issuing a Business Invitation


Russian work visa for Ethiopian citizens

Work visa is necessary for foreign citizen to be able to come to Russia and get a job. Besides, an obtaining visa of that type gives an opportunity to stay in Russia for the duration period. It is possible to prolong the visa without leaving Russia after the expiration date.

Read more: Russian work visa for foreigners

The process of obtaining a work visa is pretty long. At first you have to obtain a work invitation from Russia. It can be done only by company which is going to hire this foreigner.

To formalize a work invitation for a foreign employee, the company has to apply for a work permit for him at first. It is possible only if that company has a permission to hire foreigners.

When everything is done and work visa is obtained, Ethiopian citizen must come to Russia and register in the FMS. The employer must control that foreign employee does not violate the visa regime and that he makes a registration on time.

The validity of a work visa is 1 year for foreign employees and 3 years for highly qualified employees. There are no limits for the amount of crossings a border during the duration period of visa.

Formalize a Russian work invitation for Ethiopian citizens

Go to Issuing an Invitation


Russian Electronic Visa from Ethiopia

An electronic visa (hereinafter referred to as "e-visa") is a new type of a visa document. A visa invitation to Russia is not required for obtaining an e-visa. To obtain an e-visa to Russia use our “E-visa to Russia” service.

An e-visa can be only single-entry. The permitted stay in Russia on an e-visa is up to 8 days from the date of entry within its validity period.

The validity period and/ or permitted stay on an e-visa cannot be extended. To obtain an e-visa a foreign citizen needs a digital passport photo and a completed application form containing full and valid data at the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Read more: Electronic visa to Russia for foreigners

In compliance with the Russian Government Regulation, Ethiopia is currently not listed among the foreign states eligible for an e-visa.

We recommend citizens of Ethiopia obtaining a common tourist visa for a stay up to 30 days.

Get Russian Visa Invitation


Russian consular section in Ethiopia

Ethiopian citizens can apply for Russian visa in the following Consular sections:

Actual addresses of Russian embassies in Ethiopia

  • Embassy of Russia in Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
    • Address:  Addis Ababa, Yeka Kifle Ketema, Kebele 08, Comoros Street, P.O. Box 1500.
    • Phone number: (8-10-251-11) 661-20-60, 661-18-28, (8-10-251-92) 084-85-77 — duty officer line.
    • Fax: (8-10-251-11) 661-37-95.
    • E-mailethiopia@mid.ru
    • Webhttp://www.ethiopia.mid.ru/

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
Yes, they do. In case of visiting Russia, Ethiopian citizen must preliminary apply for a visa in Russian consular section or embassy.
You can apply for Russian visa in  Russian consular section in Ethiopia. The list of consular sections, their telephone numbers and location map are shown below the current page.
You need to make a request to a travel agency authorized in Russia (authorization can be proved by travel agency’s reference number).
If you manage to obtain tourist visa in Russian consular section in Ethiopia, it will be issued for a single or double entrance to Russia for up to 30 days.