Switzerland passport → Russia

Russia visa for Swiss citizens

e-Visa

e-Visa · 30 days

Swiss citizens need an e-Visa for Russia, applied for online before the trip. It covers stays of up to 30 days. Several governments, including the UK, advise against all travel to Russia. Foreign bank cards (Visa, Mastercard) do not work there, so bring US dollars or euros in cash.

Official details are shown in English.

Status
e-Visa
Max stay
30 days
Last checked
30 October 2026

What it means in practice

30 days is about a month. If you arrive on 1 November 2026, your last legal day is 30 November 2026, because the arrival day is day one. Use the stay calculator for your own dates.

For a longer base you need an extension, if one exists, or a different visa from the start. Repeated back-to-back entries are at the officer's discretion.

How Russia counts your stay: As stated on the visa (e-visa: up to 30 days). Register your stay if it is longer than 7 working days; hotels usually do this, private hosts must do it themselves. Show proof of registration when leaving. Overstaying brings fines, deportation and an entry ban.

Before you go

Official details are shown in English.

  • Unified electronic visa — Cost: Consular fee, paid online by card; non-refundable; Processing: Up to 4 calendar days; Validity: 120 days from issue; Stay: Up to 30 days from entry (arrival and departure days count). Apply on the official site
  • Unified electronic visa (e-visa) — No earlier than 86 days and no later than 4 days before entry; Consular fee paid online by international bank card; non-refundable. Apply only at evisa.kdmid.ru. Needs a machine-readable passport valid at least 6 months from the application date and medical insurance valid in Russia for the whole stay (unless your country is exempt by reciprocity). Each child needs a separate application. Corrections requested by the system must be made within 10 days. Official site
  • Bring cash in US dollars or euros — Before departure; —. Visa and Mastercard do not work in Russia: foreign cards fail in shops and ATMs. Exchange money only at banks, hotels or exchange offices; street exchange is illegal. Exporting more than US$10,000 in cash is prohibited. Official site

At the border

Official details are shown in English.

  • Passport valid at least 6 months after the visa expires; signed if issued after January 2017
  • Sign a migration card on every entry; keep your half and show it when leaving — it is also needed for hotels and currency exchange
  • Declare cash over US$10,000 and items such as medicines with controlled substances
  • Some travellers face long questioning, fingerprinting and requests to inspect phones and other devices
  • CBD products and any amount of cannabis are illegal

How to avoid overstaying

  • Go by your stamp or visa. The date the officer gives you is the one that counts, even if it is shorter than the maximum.
  • Plan to leave a day or two early. With 30 days, book your exit before the last legal day so a cancelled flight doesn't push you over.
  • Extend before you run out. An e-visa can be extended only for emergency treatment, force majeure or natural disasters.
  • What overstaying costs. Overstaying brings fines, deportation and an entry ban.

Good to know

Official details are shown in English.

  • Unpaid Russian debts, fines or penalties can stop you from leaving the country.
  • Children under 18 leaving Russia without a parent or guardian need notarised permission from a parent or guardian.

Questions

Do Swiss citizens need a visa for Russia?

Swiss citizens need an e-Visa for Russia, applied for online before the trip. It covers stays of up to 30 days.

How long can Swiss citizens stay in Russia?

Up to 30 days, according to Bordr's data. As stated on the visa (e-visa: up to 30 days). Register your stay if it is longer than 7 working days; hotels usually do this, private hosts must do it themselves. Show proof of registration when leaving. Overstaying brings fines, deportation and an entry ban.

Can I extend my stay in Russia?

An e-visa can be extended only for emergency treatment, force majeure or natural disasters.

What do I need at the border in Russia?

Passport valid at least 6 months after the visa expires; signed if issued after January 2017; Sign a migration card on every entry; keep your half and show it when leaving — it is also needed for hotels and currency exchange; Declare cash over US$10,000 and items such as medicines with controlled substances.

When was this checked?

Bordr last checked the entry rules for Russia against official sources on 30 October 2026. Rules change: confirm with the official source before you travel.

Sources and last check

Entry rules for this destination were last checked against official sources on 30 October 2026. Visa-free days come from the passport matrix in the Bordr app, corrected where the official rules differ.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Entry rules change and border officers have the final say. Check the official government source for your destination before you travel.

Includes visa data from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), retrieved 1 November 2026; Bordr's official-source checks take precedence.

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