Russia's Foreign Ministry proposes matching e-visa validity and stay at 45 days

Russia's Foreign Ministry has drafted a bill under which the unified electronic visa would be valid for 45 days instead of 120, while visitors could stay in the country for the same period rather than 30 days as at present. Entry with these visas would be allowed through all checkpoints handling international passenger traffic, and transit would be added to the permitted travel purposes.

Russia's Foreign Ministry has prepared a bill that would change the rules for the unified electronic visa. The document was published on the federal portal for draft regulatory legal acts, and Kommersant and Interfax reported on it on November 2. The proposed amendments would apply to the law "On the Procedure for Leaving the Russian Federation and Entering the Russian Federation."

The electronic visa is currently valid for 120 days from the date of issuance, but holders may stay in Russia for no more than 30 days from the date of entry. The ministry proposes eliminating this distinction: both the visa's validity period and the permitted length of stay would be 45 days. In other words, the travel window would shrink from 120 to 45 days, while the trip itself could last two weeks longer.

All checkpoints and transit

The main practical change concerns the border. At present, travelers may enter with an electronic visa only through specially equipped checkpoints included on a list approved by the government. As explained in the explanatory note, the single time limit is intended specifically to open all checkpoints handling international passenger traffic to these visas.

The Ivangorod checkpoint on the Russia-Estonia border (archive)

In addition, transit through Russia would be added to the permitted travel purposes for foreigners traveling to third countries. Currently, electronic visas are issued for tourism, business and private visits, as well as participation in scientific, cultural, sociopolitical, economic and sporting events. "The bill will help increase demand for the unified electronic visa among foreign nationals," the explanatory note says. Visas issued before the law enters into force would retain their existing terms: 120 days of validity and up to 30 days of stay.

How the electronic visa periods have changed

The unified electronic visa has been in use since August 1, 2023. Initially, it allowed visitors to stay in Russia for 16 days and was valid for 60 days; in summer 2025, these periods were extended to 30 and 120 days. According to the Foreign Ministry's consular department portal, citizens of 64 countries can obtain the visa.

Terminal at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg (archive)

According to Alexey Klimov, director of the Foreign Ministry's consular department, foreign nationals were issued 361,115 electronic visas from January 1 to October 12, 2026. German citizens received the most, followed by citizens of Türkiye with 55,818 visas.

Photos: Rakoon (CC0), Ua1-136-500 (CC BY-SA 4.0), Bestalex (CC0) / Wikimedia Commons, archive

Russia's Foreign Ministry proposes matching e-visa validity and stay at 45 days