Getting a visa

Visa is a necessary requirement for a foreign citizen who wants to visit Russia. Depending on the purpose of the travel, there are 5 types of visas: private, diplomatic, business, transit, visa for family members.

Visa is issued by a Russian embassy or consulate in your country. Visa application can be sent by post or submitted personally.

Visa is issued no later than 20 working days after receipt of the application in case other is prescribed by international treaties signed by the Russian Federation. The day of application is defined as a day when all required documents have been properly filled in and submitted. Should a foreign state issue a longer visa obtaining period for Russian citizens, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation may prolong the issue period for foreign citizens according to the international principle of mutuality under international agreements.

A foreign national may be denied a Russian visa. The state body is not entitled to reveal the reason of refusal.

Passport control
For crossing the state border of Russia foreign citizens must have an identification document and a visa.
Mutual visa-free regime is applied between Russia and a number of countries. Therefore, for entering the territory of Russia the citizens of these countries need to have only an identification document and an invitation. The main identification document for entering the territory of Russia is a foreign travel passport.
A simplified procedure of crossing the state border is established between Russia and a number of countries. This procedure provides a visa-free regime and the possibility to use an internal passport.
A list of countries where visa-free or simplified procedure is applied as well as the procedures for receiving the visas and invitations can be found in consular agencies and diplomatic missions of the Russian Federation in the country of residence.

Attention!
A simplified (visa-free) procedure of entering the territory of Russia is established for the members of the official delegations, who applied for participation in the Universiade. Crossing the border a participant of the Universiade shall present a valid identification document recognised by the Russian Federation and the accreditation.

On passing through passport control it is necessary to fill in the migration card.
The forms are distributed at the point of passage across the border. In Moscow airports Domodedovo, Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo (terminal “D”) and in Kazan Airport (terminal “1A”) migration cards are issued automatically with the use of printing machines. In other airports migration cards are filled in manually. With the purpose of time saving it is reasonable to fill in the migration cards in advance, the forms are distributed on board.
The form is filled in Russian or in Latin letters in accordance with the data stated in the documents
The migration card shall be kept by the owner within all the period of stay in Russia and shall be submitted to a border control officer when exiting Russia. It is necessary to present the migration card during the check-in at the hotel or Universiade Village. A duplicate is issued in case of the migration card loss or damage. The duplicate can be issued while exiting from the territory of Russia at the point of passage across the state border.

Crossing the customs point
The Russian Federation is a member state of the Customs Union, which includes Belarus, Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation. The territories of these countries form a single customs territory of the Customs Union.
Customs clearance of individuals is carried out with the use of “green” and “red” channels.

“Green” Channel
Passengers, who do not need to declare any goods, can proceed through “green” channel if:
• there are no goods prohibited or restricted for import;
• the norms for import of alcoholic beverages, tobacco and products of animal origin are not exceeded;
• the norms for import of fish, sea products, caviar, jewellery and precious stones are not exceeded;
• cash does not exceed an equivalent of USD 10,000 and there are no cash instruments, such as bills of exchange, bank checks etc.;
• there is no unaccompanied luggage.

It is important to understand that if the goods being subject to customs declaring are detected during random inspection, it constitutes grounds for prosecution in accordance with the Russian legislation.

“Red” Channel
If you have goods restricted for import you need to fill in the customs declaration and proceed through the “red channel”. You also need to submit the customs declaration if you have unaccompanied luggage (transported on board of a different aircraft or by different means of transport).

The list of goods restricted for import or export
Goods restricted for import:
• Alcoholic beverages including beer can be imported in amount of not more than 3 litres. The import of no more than 2 litres of alcoholic beverages in excess of this amount is permitted, but requires the payment of customs duties and filling in customs declaration;
• The import of 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco or a set of above mentioned products with total weight not exceeding 250 grams is permitted. The import of tobacco products above the established norms is prohibited
• Products of animal origin can be imported in amount not exceeding 5 kg in factory package.
(Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products can be imported only by individuals no less than 18 years old).
Goods restricted for export:
• The export of precious metals and stones exceeding $ 25,000 in value is prohibited
• The export of fish and seafood (except sturgeon caviar) exceeding 5 kg is prohibited;
• The export of sturgeon caviar exceeding 250 grams is prohibited

Certain limitations are established for money. If the amount of the imported or exported cash or traveller’s checks exceeds an equivalent of USD 10,000, it is necessary to specify the full amount of the money available in the declaration and to pass through the "red channel". Other cash instruments, such as bills of exchange, bank checks, securities, etc., must be declared regardless of their amount. No other limitations or requirements for cash are established. Customs authorities do not control the money kept on bank cards.
Attention!
The following items can be imported and exported only with permit documents:
• Weapons and ammunition;
• Narcotic and psychotropic substances:
• Cultural values;
• High-frequency devices
• Devices with encryption (cryptography) functions

Arrival airports
All athletes carrying sport firearms and ammunition enter Russia by air and only via the following airports - Kazan, Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo.
Temporary import and export of firearms (including sport firearms) are possible only when the required documents are present. To ensure the safety and security of sport firearms and to centralise the sports firearm registration system, FISU passed a resolution to restrict the number of places of arrival. The Kazan International Airport was confirmed as an official arrival airport and Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo were named transit ones. A special group will be formed to import/export sport firearms during the Games.

Dear participants and guests of the Universiade 2013,
For your convenience separate passport control booths and customs clearance channels marked with special signs and Universiade symbols will be provided in all the official airports. You can consult the representatives of the Organising Committee who will be present at these areas during all the period of the Universiade.  
More detailed rules for import and export of certain goods (such as weapons, medicines, media professional equipment, oversized sports equipment, electronic warfare and high-frequency devices) can be found in the attached files.
We are glad to answer all your questions on passing customs procedures, give recommendations on import of certain products and provide assistance in transportation of your goods across the state border.
You can send your questions and requests to the following email: FNSU@kazan2013.com

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