With the rise of e-Visa, Russia closes visa centers in France

From November 24, 2023, Russian visa centers in Paris, Marseille, Nice and Strasbourg to close down. From now on, French residents wishing to obtain a visa to travel to Russia should contact Russian consulates or the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Paris.

At the same time, since August 1, 2023, eligible travelers can opt for e-Visa. This article outlines the options available to you, as well as details of these changes.

Russian visa centers in France cease operations

Until recently, Russian visa centers in France were a convenient solution for visa applicants. However, from November 24, 2023These centers in Paris, Marseille, Nice and Strasbourg will no longer be operational..

If you have any questions about obtaining a visa-passport, please contact the consular service of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Paris at appointmentWe also have consulates general in various French cities (Strasbourg, Marseille), and a consular agency in Villefrance-sur-Mer.

This is in addition to the desire to burden travelers from many European countries, by increasing the cost of Russian visas from the current €35 to US$50 or even US$300, depending on urgency and category.

The e-Visa alternative for visiting Russia

Since the August 1, 2023eligible travellers can opt for a e-Visa if they wish to travel to Russia, since the country has reactivated it. Currently, citizens of 56 countries and territories, including European states, can benefit from this option, which allows them to stay for a maximum of 16 days in Russia.

The main advantage of this type of visa is that it simplifies the process. Unlike the traditional process, the e-Visa does not require a hotel reservation or a letter of invitation.

Last September, the consular department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that almost 40,000 e-Visas had been issued. Despite the current geopolitical situation linked to the Ukrainian conflict, citizens from European countries are actively using e-Visas when traveling to Russia. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has even announced that it hopes to reach the 100,000 EU citizens using e-Visa by the end of 2023.

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