Russian government published a list of countries, whose citizens are eligible for getting electronic visas to St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region. Our congratulations to EU citizens and other 26 states which are on the list of 53 countries welcomed here as of October 1, 2019. We also published which border crossings you can use to be able to use this kind of visa.
In brief, an e-visa is issued within just four days (including weekends and holidays). You need only fill in an application via the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website with your digital photo attached. You are allowed to come within a 30-day time period but can stay here as long as eight days only. Your stay is limited to St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region.
The list of countries for electronic visas to St. Petersburg
1. All the states of the European Union (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden)
2. Andorra
3. Bahrain
4. China (including Taiwan)
5. India
6. Indonesia
7. Iran
8. Iceland
9. Japan
10. Kuwait
11. Lichtenstein
12. Malaysia
13. Mexico
14. Monaco
15. North Macedonia
16. North Korea
17. Norway
18. Oman
19. Philippines
20. Qatar
21. San Marino
22. Saudi Arabia
23. Serbia
24. Singapore
25. Switzerland
26. Turkey
27. Vatican
There is still no final list of border crossings you should arrive at with an e-visa, but there is a draft published by the Ministry of Transport. We don’t think it will differ much from the final one. In short, you can enter Russia through any auto border crossing in the Leningrad region when coming from Estonia or Finland or arrive by sea or by air. Entering Russia with an e-visa by rail is still impossible (we don’t know why). That’s bad news for Allegro train lovers, though that may (we hope) be corrected in the future.
List of border crossings for e-visa travelers to St. Petersburg and Leningrad region
Torfyanovka / Valimaa (Russia / Finland, auto)
Brusnichnoe / Nuijamaa (Russia / Finland, auto)
Svetogorsk / Imatra (Russia / Finland, auto)
Pulkovo airport (St. Petersburg, aviation)
The Marine Facade cruise port (St. Petersburg, sea)
The Sea Vokzal ferry port (St. Petersburg, sea)
Port of Vysotsk (Leningrad region, sea)
Ivangorod / Narva (Russia / Estonia, auto)
Ivangorod / Narva (Russia / Estonia, pedestrian)
As of January 1, 2021 e-visas will be spread throughout Russia.
As e-visas start in just a couple weeks, more news is coming. Follow our website and social media accounts to keep yourself updated.
Here is the government’s doc (in Russian).
If you are not eligible for the e-visa, you need to obtain a traditional visa. For this you will need a Russian invitation letter applying to a Russian embassy or a consulate.
