Verified · Jul 2026
Russian visa for UK citizens: cost, timeline, route
Facts on this page re-checked against official consular sources July 17, 2026.
UK citizens can't use the $52 e-visa — the route is a consular tourist visa. Budget ≈ $206 standard / $314 expedited including the invitation, and up to 20 business days processing (4 for expedited).
Standard: £70 consular + £60.60 visa-centre service ≈ $176 + ~$30 invitation ≈ $206 total · up to 20 business days
Expedited: £145 consular + £66 service ≈ $284 + invitation ≈ $314 total · 4 business days
Where to apply: Russian Visa Application Centre — London, Edinburgh or Manchester, by appointment.
Expedited: £145 consular + £66 service ≈ $284 + invitation ≈ $314 total · 4 business days
Where to apply: Russian Visa Application Centre — London, Edinburgh or Manchester, by appointment.
Timeline, counted back from your flight
- D−45: order the invitation letter online (ready in ~1 day).
- D−44: buy visa-compliant insurance — a policy that explicitly names Russia; the consulate rejects generic "worldwide" cover that doesn't.
- D−42: file the application at the visa centre (London, Edinburgh or Manchester).
- D−14: passport back with the visa — up to 20 business days standard.
- D−13: only now buy flights.
- D−3: pocket kit — insurance proof, eSIM, VPN, cash.
What trips people up
- A "worldwide" insurance policy that doesn't name Russia — rejected at the window.
- Buying flights before the passport is back.
- Paying a visa "agency" a markup for what the centre does directly.
Verified July 17, 2026 · next review 2026-08-01 · raw data