Frequently asked questions
A visa is an official document issued by a competent authority of a country that allows foreign citizens to enter and stay temporarily within its territory. It defines the rules and restrictions for the foreign citizen’s stay, including the purpose of the visit, duration of stay, and permitted activities.
A visa is required for citizens of all countries, except for citizens of Azerbaijan, South Ossetia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Armenia, and Uzbekistan.
To study in Russia, you need a student visa with the declared purpose of stay listed as «учеба» («study»).
A single-entry student visa is a visa that is issued for the first time for entry into Russia based on an invitation from an educational institution. This visa can be obtained only in your country of citizenship, and it allows the student to enter and leave Russia only once.
A single-entry student visa is valid for up to 90 days, after which it must be extended.
To obtain a single-entry student visa, you must contact the Embassy or Consulate of the Russian Federation in your country after receiving an invitation from the educational institution.
If you were admitted under the Rossotrudnichestvo quota, you should apply for the visa at the Russian Embassy in your country using the number of your personal visa instruction.
You can find the list of required documents for obtaining a student visa for the first time by contacting the Embassy or Consulate of the Russian Federation in your country, or by visiting the Consular https://www.kdmid.ru/docs/ (first select the appropriate consular office).
You must contact the Russian Embassy or Consulate where the visa was issued. If it is not possible to correct the mistake, you will need to apply for a new visa based on a new invitation.
You can enter the Russian Federation only from the date of entry indicated on your visa (it is not the same as the visa issue date).
We recommend not to purchase your tickets until you have received your visa.
Prepare the following documents:
- Copy of your foreign citizen’s passport (main page, all visa pages, and all pages with stamps)
- Copy of your migration card
- Copy of your fingerprinting certificate (a so-called «green migrant card»)
- Copy of the valid medical examination results (medical report, certificate, and health record)
- Copy of your valid registration
- One 3×4 cm photo
You must also pay the state duty for the visa extension.
To extend a visa, you must pay a state duty of 1920 rubles.
Instructions for paying the state duty via Sberbank Online app
Extending your visa means obtaining a multiple-entry student visa. You must submit your documents for visa extension no later than 30 days before your current visa expires.
To do this:
- Pay the state duty for visa extension and send the payment receipt to indekanat@gnesin-academy.ru
- Bring the required documents to the Department of Visa and Migration Support of Foreign Students.
- Wait for a notification from the Department of Visa and Migration Support of Foreign Students once your visa is ready.
Visa extensions are processed by the territorial division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Migration Department). The processing time is no more than 20 working days.
According to Russian law, a multiple-entry student visa can be extended for up to one calendar year at a time per year of study and and is limited by the validity of the passport. The visa must expire no later than six months before your passport’s expiration date.
To legally stay in Russia for the full duration of your studies, the student visa must be extended annually.
Students may also apply for a Temporary Residence Permit for Educational Purposes (RVPO) to obtain a visa for the entire period of their studies.
If you fail to apply for a visa extension before your current visa expires, you will be required to leave Russia and apply for a new visa in your home country after receiving a new invitation from the Academy.
If you receive a new passport while your current visa is still valid, the visa must be transferred to the new passport. By law, this must be done within a strict deadline of 3 days.
To do this:
- Obtain a document (a confirmation slip) from your country’s embassy confirming the issuance and date of your new passport
- On the same day, bring this slip and your new passport to the Department of Visa and Migration Support of Foreign Students
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Pay the state duty of 1920 rubles for the visa transfer
Payment details
Instructions for paying the state duty via Sberbank Online app - Email the payment receipt to indekanat@gnesin-academy.ru
- Wait for a notification from the Department of Visa and Migration Support of Foreign Students
NO, YOU CANNOT.
You must stay in Russia while your new visa is being processed. Once the visa is placed into your passport, you are free to leave the country.
If you cross the Russian border while your visa is still being processed, your migration card and registration will be cancelled, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs will reject your visa extension.
Important! Expedited visa processing is not available. Please plan your travel in advance and allow enough time for all procedures.
The visa must be extended until the end of the study period. You can request additional time by submitting an application for post-graduation leave* (this application is submitted through your faculty dean’s office).
*Post-graduation leave is granted to graduates of higher and secondary vocational education institutions who are enrolled in main educational programs, in accordance with the Federal Law «On Education in the Russian Federation» dated December 29, 2012, № 273-FZ.