Welcome to the Official Web Site of the General Consulate of the Russian Federation

To obtain a student visa, the following documents are required:

1. A completed visa application form (one per person) available at the Consulate (website).

(Note: In order to view the application form, a special software called "Adobe Acrobat Reader" need to be installed on your computer. You can download it for free from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html).

2. National passport (original) valid for at least 6 months after the intended date of departure from Russia (with a blank double page).

3. One professional passport sized (3x4 cm) photo on a white background. The picture should be done on black-and-white or colour matt paper. Please write your name in capital letters on the back of the photo. The photo should be stapled to the specially marked place of the application form.

4. A letter of invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or its Regional Office (if the region you are going to study does not have Regional Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the invitation issued by the University, Institute or College on its official letterhead signed by the rector and certified either by the Office for International Affairs of the local administration or by the local office of the Ministry of Interior).

5. Copy of your current diploma or educational certificate, certified by the State or Federal authorities.

6. General health certificate. A valid HIV test certificate required if you are going to stay in Russia more than 3 months (HIV test should be conducted not more than 3 months before the date of application).

7. A confirmation of the payment arrangement directly from the University, Institute or College you are going to study at.

Some non-Australian applicants may be required to produce an Austrailan residence/work permit with minimum validity of 91 days.

Please follow the above requirements when submitting your papers. Otherwise, the documents will be returned.

Should the Consulate wish to contact you, please state clearly your contact telephone number (work and after hours) in the application form. The visa officer may require an interview with the applicant.

Apart from student visa, you may be required to present at the border check point your invitation from a Russian host organization, as well as evidence of your ability to support yourself during the travel.

Visa processing fees are:

Single-entry visa (not longer than 90 days)
$ 85.00 - fifteen business days processing
$ 110.00 - ten business days processing
$ 140.00 - five business days processing
$ 170.00 - two business days processing
$ 200.00 - one business day processing
$ 400.00 - same day processing

Visa processing time starts only after the Consulate has received all necessary documents. Please note, that drop-off day is not counted as a business day. If you apply by mail, please enclose a return self-addressed sufficiently stamped envelope and add one more day for processing.

Payments must be made in cash, by money order or bank cheque to the Consulate. Personal and company's cheques are not accepted.

After you receive your visa, please check it for possible mistakes (passport number, date of birth, term of validity etc.) and, if necessary, return it to us for corrections. The Consulate will not be responsible for the mistakes, which were not brought to its attention before your departure from Australia.

Fees are not refundable, and are subject to change without notice.

If you need more information you are welcome to call the Visa Section Information Desk on (02) 9326-1188 from 9.15 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. (Monday - Friday).

Visa section is open for visitors from Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 12:30pm. Visa documents are accepted until 12:15pm only.

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