Going Russia without visa

Among our Baltic cruises there are some of them including Russia. You have a great opportunity to visit Russia without visa.

Why Russian visa is not required

By Russian law (Government regulation #532 dated 28 AUG 2003) travellers from all over the world can visit some of Russian harbour cities without visa with a stay within 72 hours. St. Petersburg, Sochi, Kaliningrad, Vladivostok have such special boarder regime. Within the tour booked through an authorised tour operator  passengers must stay on board of the cruise ship or in hotel which is shown in the tour voucher.

How it works

Travellers must book a visa free tour through an officially authorised tour operator. Two days before arrival to the Russian harbour tour operators send list of passengers to the Russian authorities. Upon arrival to the Russian harbour passengers will pass Russian boarder passport control. They will be required to present valid passport and our tour voucher containing the hotel confirmation (if the stay is more than 1 day), tour program,  name of passengers with passport details. Russian boarder officiers will delivery an immigration card which together with passport will be valid as visa during the stay in Russia. Traveller must stay only in hotel specified in the tour voucher. Upon check in the hotel will register the guest in the Russian immigration database and this will be a basis of the Russia visa free stay.

Russia visa free rules and restrictions

1. If a passenger arrives from outside the Schengen area, he (she) must have a multiple entry Schengen visa to enter back to Finland, Sweden or Estonia after the cruise. This rules is not mandatory for countries which citizens can visit Schengen states without visa (i.e. USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand, etc.)
2. All children must have valid passports and have Schengen visa or European resident permit  (if the same is required for their parents).
3. Passenger’s passport must be valid 6 month after return from St. Petersburg.
4. Passengers arriving under the VISA FREE regime must stay within the territory defined by the voucher.
5. Passenger  must present our company voucher for boarding, Russian boarder passport control and hotel check-in.
6. Passing the registration formalities at the hotel is obligatory.
7. All passengers who travel on cruisers with car (drivers) must hold Russian visa.
8. The carrier has the right to refuse in transportation to the passenger, who by understanding of personal might break the rules of visa/visa free entry/leave to/from the Russian Federation/Finland/Sweden/Estonia.
9. In case for breaking the rule of visa free staying in the Russian Federation all fees, penalties and other related expenses have to be covered by the passenger.

Questions and answers

Is the Russia visa free rule applicable to all countries? Absolutely, there are no nationality restrictions for visiting Russia without visa. Australian, British, American, New Zealand, Singapore and all other passport holders are the right to take advantage of this rule. Can passengers be on their own or they must join a tour group? Passengers can join one of our tours or be on their own within the territory specified in the voucher. The main rule is to have a tour voucher, immigration card and valid passport. Is it possible to go Russia without visa by train or by air? No, the vise free rules can be appplied only for travelers arriving by sea. Do you still have questions? Contact us and we’ll be glad to answer.