Visas for entry to the Russian Federation are governed by Decree 335 of the 2003 government regulations, which encompass procedures for issue, required documents, and relevant deadlines.
Under Paragraph 27 of these Regulations, visas, depending on the purpose of entry, can be one of the following types:
a) private (P)
b) business (B)
c) tourist (T), including group tourist (GT)
d) study (S)
e) working (W)
f) humanitarian (H)
g) to enter the Russian Federation for political asylum (A)
h) to enter the Russian Federation in order to obtain citizenship
of the Russian Federation (CIT)
i) to enter the Russian Federation in order to obtain a temporary residence permit in the Russian Federation (LIV)
The type of visa needed is determined by the purpose of the visit. Accordingly, each type of visa has specific conditions and requirements. Visas vary in validity, admissibility for continuous stay in the Russian Federation, and documents necessary for their issue.