Do South Africa Need Visa For Russia

South Africa is one of the most visited countries in the world as a tourist and for work purposes. The country has been embraced by Russians as a holiday destination, due to its many incredible world class beaches and natural wonders. Russia is also a great place for South Africans to live and provide them with better job opportunities. The good news that South African passport holders do not need to get visa for Russia.

Traveling to Russia is a thrilling experience, both for its rich history as well as its modern-day attractions. Though it’s not possible to travel there without a visa, our article takes a look at the visa process and whether South Africans need to apply for a Russian visa

Do South Africa Need Visa For Russia

Make your travel hassle-free with Visa application. The authority issues B1/B2 Visa who is recommended to give a second name of the applicant and actual but it should be given every year for a person’s fixed duration of validity. Referring to the resources of Wikipedia, visa may be required for South Africa, who really need Russian visa when they plan to come to Russia with their friends or family members. Some countries, including SA require tourist visa for visiting Russia. For all other nationals, there is not required any visa if they don’t stay longer than 72 hours in a period of 180 days. However, it needs to be presented at the border crossing point.

1. South Africans do not need a visa to travel to Russia (for up to 90 days)

As of March 30, 2017, South Africans do not need a visa to travel to Russia, under the visa exemption agreement or treaty signed in Moscow between South Africa and Russia

Under this agreement, South African citizens may enter, transit and remain in Russian territory without a visa for a period of up to 90 days, during each 180-day period, starting from the date of their first entry (visa waiver).

• Example 1: if you enter Russia on your South African passport on January 1 and leave on March 31 (90 days), then you will not be able to re-enter Russia until July 1, that is, once 180 days have elapsed since the date of first entry. From July 1 you can enjoy a new 90-day stay under the same conditions.
• Example 2: If you enter Russia on your South African passport on January 1 and leave on January 30 (30 days), then you will be able to re-enter Russia to enjoy another stay of up to 60 days, until you’ve exhausted the 90 days, if this occurs before July 1.

The vast majority of South Africans who travel to Russia as tourists or on business use this visa exemption. It doesn’t matter if you are traveling to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Sochi or Siberia, the visa exemption applies to the entire Russian territory.

RELATED Is it possible to travel to Russia Visa-Free? Who does not need a visa?

Keep in mind that during this stay in Russia you cannot carry out any paid work, either on your own or on behalf of others.

2. What documents does a South African need to enter Russia without a visa?

First let me say that you do not need to travel to the Russian Consulate in Pretoria or Cape Town to do any paperwork, nor do you need to apply for an electronic Russian visa (e-visa).

As a South African tourist, all you have to do is present your valid South African passport at border control.

The visa exemption agreement does not say anything about the period of validity that your passport must have, but the consulates recommend that the passport be valid for more than 6 months from the scheduled date of departure from Russia.

That is, if you buy a plane ticket to enter Russia on June 15, 2020 and leave on June 30, 2020, check that your passport has an expiry date after December 30, 2020.

It is important to check the validity of your passport before your trip and ensure that it does not show any damage or defect. Otherwise, you must renew your passport before traveling to Russia to avoid problems at the Russian border.

What if I have dual citizenship? If you have a passport from another country (for example, a US, British or Australian passport), keep in mind that in order to benefit from the visa exemption you must present only your South African passport at the Russian border.

In addition to a valid passport, it’s a good idea to provide your round trip airline tickets. The exemption agreement also does not stipulate that transport tickets have to be presented, but it is customary for border officials to ask for them upon your arrival in Russia.

3. What documents does a South African not need in order to enter Russia without a visa?

Sometimes doubts arise about whether other documents should be presented, such as an invitation (tourist voucher) or hotel reservations or travel medical insurance.

RELATED Visa-free Travel to Russia for Jamaicans: Requirements and Documents

A) Do South Africans need an invitation letter to travel to Russia?

No, South Africans do not need an invitation or hotel reservations, as long as they are making use of the visa exemption period.

B) Is it mandatory for South Africans to show travel medical travel insurance?

It is not mandatory to take out travel medical insurance but it is highly recommended. In fact Russian consulates recommend having travel medical insurance for any eventuality that may arise, because if you need medical attention in Russia it can be very expensive.

If you do not have travel medical insurance, you can purchase it easily in 5 minutes online from the Russian company Cherehapa. In the insurance period you must indicate from the date of arrival in Russia until the expected date of departure.