Russia Increases eVisa Fees and Doubles Expedited Consular Visa Costs

The fee for Russia's unified electronic visa (eVisa) increased from 202 UAE dirhams (AED) to 238 AED. This constitutes a rise of 36 AED, equating to nearly 18%. The revised cost applies to applications processed from October 14, 2026. This adjustment was noted by visa service providers operating through the official Russian e-Visa platform.

The eVisa programme remains available to nationals of 64 countries, including France, Japan, India, and Mexico. It facilitates travel for purposes such as tourism, business, private visits, and participation in specific events. American passport holders are not eligible for the eVisa. The eVisa's main conditions, including 120-day validity, a maximum 30-day single-entry stay, and up to four-day processing, are unchanged.

Russia also revised consular visa fees for European nationals, with expedited processing fees for traditional visas doubling since October 14, 2026. For example, a single-entry visa processed on an expedited basis now costs €320, an increase from €160. A multiple-entry expedited visa for European applicants rose from €480 to €960. Standard processing fees for regular tourist and business visas remain unchanged.

Work visas saw significant increases, with regular processing fees doubling and expedited fees quadrupling. A single-entry work visa now costs €160 for regular processing and €640 for expedited. Student visa standard processing fees remain at €80 for single-entry.

These changes follow previous fee increases in January 2024 for European nationals, implemented after the EU suspended its visa facilitation agreement. The latest revisions stem from a Russian government decree adopted on October 2, 2026. Travellers applying through Russian diplomatic missions should verify applicable fees, especially US citizens who have separate bilateral fee arrangements.