India → Russian Federation

Indian citizens need a visa for tourism. The most direct path is the unified e-visa on the Russian MFA site: evisa.kdmid.ru (or electronic-visa.kdmid.ru). Apply no earlier than 86 days and no later than 4 days before entry.

From 23 August 2025 the e-visa is valid for 120 days from issue; you may stay in Russia up to 30 days from the date of entry. Arrival and departure days are counted separately. It is single-entry. Entry is only through approved checkpoints — the list is on the same site.

Thirty days is not “720 hours”. The calculator on the e-visa site counts calendar days on the stamp. You cannot stay longer on this visa: you need another visa category through a consulate.

Work on a tourist e-visa is forbidden. If the purpose is study or work, get the matching visa in advance; do not try to “restick” status inside the country.

After entry the host (hotel or landlord) files an arrival notice. For most foreigners the deadline is 7 working days; a hotel usually does it within a working day.

You fill in a migration card at the border — keep it until you leave. Hotels typically register you; in a private flat you cannot do it without the owner. From autumn 2025 a state fee applies for registration — check the amount on Gosuslugi.

The Russian rouble (RUB). Visa/Mastercard issued in India generally do not work in Russia. Bring cash and UnionPay cards, or open a Russian bank account if you stay longer than a short trip.

Change money at licensed banks and bureaux. Apple Pay/Google Pay on a foreign account may fail. Keep cash for a taxi from the airport.

Direct Delhi–Moscow flights run with Air India and Aeroflot depending on the season. A common alternative is a connection in Istanbul, Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

E-visa entry is only through approved airports and land checkpoints. Match your flight to the list on evisa.kdmid.ru before you buy a ticket.

Book a hotel that puts foreigners on the migration register — standard for chain hotels in Moscow and St Petersburg. Print the booking: officers may ask for it at the border.

A nightly flat without registration risks a fine. Central Moscow is expensive; near metro stops farther from the Garden Ring prices are calmer and you can still register through the management company or host.

Indian restaurants exist in Moscow (near Kitay-gorod and Mayakovskaya metro) and in St Petersburg. Ordinary canteens are mild; flag vegetarian dishes in advance: “no meat and no broth”.

Tap water is formally potable in large cities; many people still buy bottled. Café tips are 5–10% and not required.