RU
BEFORE ARRIVAL

The entry of foreign citizens into the Russian Federation is regulated by the legislation of the Russian Federation. Please, follow the algorithm of entry and keep in touch with your faculty.

DOWNLOAD THE BRIEF VERSION OF ALGORITHM IN PDF
ON THIS PAGE
VISA
How do I get an entry visa?
STEP 1.
Check if you need a visa to enter Russia.
The majority of foreign students enter Russia with a foreign passport and a study visa. Foreign citizens who enter the Russian Federation to study shall be granted a visa with the purpose of trip "STUDY", "ORDINARY EDUCATIONAL" type. You can change the type of visa only after you leave the country.

Visa is not required for students coming to Russian universities from the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of South Ossetia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Moldova, the Republic of Tajikistan, Ukraine, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Uzbekistan.

With internal (national) passports, only citizens of the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Kyrgyz Republic can enter Russia. Students from other countries can enter Russia only with international passports.
STEP 2.
Check your passport:
  1. The validity of the passport must be at least 18 months (1.5 years) from the visa start date.
  2. The passport must have a minimum of 4 pages (2 consecutive pages) for pasting the visa and entry and exit stamps
STEP 3.
To receive an official visa invitation, please send the following documents to the email address of the International office of your faculty:
  1. Application form for an official invitation to enter the Russian Federation with all fields filled in.
  2. Completed and signed consent to the processing of personal data.
  3. Scanned copy of the first two pages of the passport with your photo
Important: Visa invitations are issued by Main Directorate for migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Issuing an official invitation usually takes from 25 to 45 calendar days, depending on the country of departure.
STEP 4.
Wait until you receive an email from the International office of your faculty with an electronic invitation attached. Print the invitation before contacting the Visa Application Center or Embassy/Consulate of the Russian Federation and take it with you.
STEP 5.
Contact the visa center or the Embassy/Consulate of the Russian Federation in your country, in the city you specified in the application form, and apply for a visa. The visa issue period is up to 2 weeks.
STEP 6.
Having received a passport with a visa, be sure to check that all the information in the visa is correct. If you find an error, please immediately contact the employee of the Visa Application Center or the Consulate of the Russian Federation where you received your visa.
STEP 7.
Send a scanned copy of the visa you received to the email address of the International office of your faculty.
BUDDY HELP
A Student Support program (Buddy program) is working at Moscow University. A buddy is usually a senior year volunteer student from your faculty at MSU. A buddy can:
Explain to you how the class schedule works and help you to find the study materials you need
Tell you how to get to the dormitory, or, if necessary, meet you at the Aeroexpress train station in Moscow
Give you some useful information and lifehacks about the MSU campus, student life and life in Moscow
Suggest whom to contact to solve organizational and household issues
If you need a buddy, you can apply here. Please note that students enrolled at the Institute of Russian Language and Culture cannot apply for a buddy because there are no senior students at the Institute.

If you do not have a buddy, please address the questions above to the international office of your faculty.
PREPARING FOR ARRIVAL
Before arriving to Moscow, please:
  • 1
    Apply for a voluntary medical insurance policy that will be valid for the entire period of your stay in Russia for the purpose of study. Click here for information on health insurance requirements.
  • 2
    Obtain a medical certificate on the absence of the HIV, tuberculosis and syphilis.
  • Please be sure to send an email to the International office of your faculty with the following information:
    1. Date and time of arrival
    2. Airport of arrival and flight number
    3. The number of the voluntary medical insurance policy and the name of the insurance company (if you already have a medical insurance policy)
    4. Your contact number (Mobile, WhatsApp)
    5. The information about where you plan to live:
      • If you plan to stay in a rented apartment/hostel/with relatives during your studies, please provide the address of your accommodation;
      • If you have been granted a place in the dormitory, please write about the estimated time of your arrival.
Important: If you are under the age of 18 when entering the Russian Federation, you must have a written Consent of your parents (and notarized translation into Russian) to independently undergo the following procedures:
  • medical examination, fingerprinting and photo registration,
  • managing money, including conclusion of contracts for the provision of paid medical services,
  • obtaining information about the results of medical examinations,
  • conclusion of rental agreements for a place in a student dormitory.
    Having planned your arrival to Moscow, you can
    move to the next step.