Russian Tourist Visa from Switzerland
In order to enter Russia as a tourist a citizen of Switzerland should obtain a tourist visa and present it at the border. Tourist invitation can be issued by any tourist company which has got a reference-number. This type of invitation to visit Russia for Swiss can be made within 1 working day.
Read more: Russian Tourist Visa
A tourist company can print the invitation on its own letterhead. It must contain its reference number, name of the company, the passport data of a tourist, his/her itinerary, dates of entry and departure, as well as the number of entries. Moreover, the embassy has the right to ask for the confirmation of the purchased air tickets, medical insurance and hotel booking.
Though it is not possible to obtain a tourist visa without a tourist invitation whilst the invitation doesn’t guarantee the obtaining of a visa. The thing is the embassy holds an additional investigation to check whether the citizen of Switzerland had any previous criminal records in Russia, whether he/she has any unpaid fines and has had any deportations from Russia.
If the decision to issue a visa is positive it will be obtained for a period of up to 30 days for one or two entries to Russia.
Get a Tourist Invitation to Russia from Switzerland
Go to Issuing a Tourist Invitation Price €13.44
Russian Private Visa for Swiss citizens
Swiss citizens can visit someone in Russia with a guest (private) visa. For this they will need a duly issued guest invitation. The issuing of an invitation may be in charge of those whom a Swiss person is visiting or otherwise an inviting organization. In order to do this an inviting party should apply to the department of the Federal Migration Service at the place of registration with a request to issue a guest invitation for a foreigner attaching a copy of his/her passport.
Find out why: Why not apply for a private visa?
Read more: Russian Private Visa
Within 12-17 working days a foreigner will be checked on having any criminal records for breaking the laws of the RF or on whether he/she had any deportations from the country in the past. If any of the above are found the invitation will not be issued. If an invitation is issued the inviting party has to send it by the express-mail to Switzerland.
As one should wait for a guest invitation for a long time, many foreigners are applying for a tourist invitation and come to Russia with tourist visas in order to visit their relatives. If they want to frequently enter Russia the best way for them will be to obtain a multiple business visa. Those who have decided on a guest visa can obtain it for a period of up to 90 days for one or two entries to Russia.
Get of a Private (Visitor) Invitation to Russia for Swiss citizens
Russian Business Visa from Switzerland
If a citizen of Switzerland frequently comes to Russia on business he/she has to apply for a business visa. In order to obtain it a business invitation is required. The issuing of such an invitation is possible with the assistance of the legal entities located in Russia (it can be his/her business partners or other organizations).
Read more: Russian Business Visa
The business visa invitation letter can be obtained by either of these ways:
- Russian Business Invitation Letter from organization (possible to get Online);
- Russian Invitation Letter from FMS;
- Telex Russian Invitation;
Our company recommends the citizens of the EU, the United States, Japan and China to choose the invitation letter issued by an organization, because:
- Issuing an invitation letter is cheaper than arranging an invitation by Telex or at the FMS.
- It can be issued online in 5 minutes and will be sent to you by email immediately after payment.
- Also, it is not required to submit the original invitation to the Consulate, which saves you the money you will otherwise have to spend on postal services for sending the original invitation.
- A 3-year visa invitation and visa can be obtained with this type of invitation if the applicant has previously held two or more Russian business visas.
Consider taking these three simple steps:
- Step 1: Fill out the form
- Step 2: Pay €49 by credit card or via PayPal
- Step 3: Receive your invitation on your email instantly after payment
Get your invitation letter online! Price from: €49.28
First, the inviting party (if it is accredited at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the RF) may apply to the embassy where the Swiss is planning to obtain a visa with a request to issue such a visa. The issuing of such invitation takes only 1 day.
Second, a legal entity may apply in a duly manner with a request to issue a business invitation for a certain person. In this case the issuing of the invitation to obtain a single or double visa will take 12 working days, and 17 working days for a multiple visa. This significant amount of time is required in order to check the foreigner on having any criminal records during his/her previous visits to Russia as well as having any deportations from the country.
Third, the invitation can be sent by telex. Such invitations can be issued only by governmental organizations. An invitation like this is a direction from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the RF to issue a visa for a certain foreign citizen.
Read more: What is the difference between a telex and the original invitation
Business visa can be single, double or multiple entry. Its maximum validity period is 5 years.
Get a Russian Business Invitation from Switzerland on the letterhead of an accredited company
Go to Issuing a Business Invitation
Issuing of a Business Invitation to Russia for Swiss citizens on the FMS form
Go to Issuing a Business Invitation
Get a Business Invitation to Russia for Swiss citizens by a Telex
Go to Issuing a Business Invitation
Work visa for Swiss citizens
If an employer who is located in Russia wants to invite a citizen of Switzerland for a job that will require a lot of paperwork. First this company has to obtain a permission to hire foreigners. Then it must obtain a permit to work in Russia for a certain foreigner. After that it has to issue a work invitation for this employee to obtain a visa. The whole procedure can take 1,5 months.
Read more: Russian Work Visa
A Swiss citizen has to enter Russia within a period of three months and be registered at the migration service. Then he/she can extend the work visa for the term of his/her work permit (an employer should be responsible for that). Work visa to Russia is good for the possibility to be extended as many times as you want it, without leaving the country. But if a Swiss citizen wants to change an employer, he/she needs to leave the country and apply for a new work visa.
Work visa is issued for 3 months but can be extended after arrival to the Russian Federation.
Get Work Visa to Russia for Swiss citizens
Russian Electronic Visa from Switzerland
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
Apply for e-visa Cost €10.00
Russian consulate in Switzerland:
Swiss citizens may obtain Russian visa in these Consular centers of the Russian Federation:
Current Addresses of Russian Embassies in Switzerland
-
Consular department at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Swiss Confederation
- Address: Brunnadernrain 37, 3006 Bern
- Phone: (8-10-41-31) 352-05-67
- Fax: (8-10-41-31) 352-64-60
- E-mail: rusbotschaft@bluewin.ch
- Web: www.consulrussia.ch
- Business hours: Monday, Thursday, Wednesday, Friday — from 09.00 to 12.00
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:
- Fill in our online order form and get a Visa invitation to Russia
- Refer to our Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Russian Visa Application, use your personal data and information from the Invitation to Russia