Germany to Russian Federation visa requirements

German ordinary passport holders need a visa for Russia, but Germany is on Russia's unified electronic visa (e-visa) list for short tourist, private, business, and event-related visits. The e-visa is single entry, valid for 120 days, allows a stay of up to 30 days from entry, and is processed within no more than 4 calendar days. The German Federal Foreign Office urgently advises against travel to Russia and warns against travel to regions bordering Ukraine. Russia is not visa-free for German ordinary passport holders. German citizens need a visa for entry, exit, and transit unless they hold a Russian residence permit, and the visa must be arranged before arrival; Russian border posts do not issue visas. For a short tourist, private, business, or eligible event-related visit, Germany is listed by the Russian MFA Consular Department as eligible for the unified e-visa. The e-visa is single entry, valid for 120 days from issue, and permits a stay of up to 30 calendar days from the date of entry; arrival and departure days count as full days. Applications are filed on the official MFA portal no earlier than 86 days and no later than 4 days before the planned entry date, with processing in no more than 4 calendar days. No invitation letter, hotel booking confirmation, or other proof of purpose is required for the e-visa, but applicants need a machine-readable passport valid at least 6 months from application submission, passport data and facial photos, a bank card for the fee, and medical insurance valid in Russia for the full stay. The e-visa can be used only at listed border crossing points such as Moscow Vnukovo, Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo and Zhukovsky, Saint Petersburg Pulkovo, and other designated air, land, rail, sea, and pedestrian checkpoints. Travelers needing multiple entries, a longer stay, work, study, journalism, or a non-listed purpose must use a regular visa. The German Federal Foreign Office travel advice was current on 20 June 2026 and urgently advises against travel to Russia, warns against travel to several regions bordering Ukraine, highlights arbitrary-detention risks also for German citizens and dual nationals, notes drone and transport disruption risks, and says Western credit cards and payment apps generally cannot be used in Russia.