You Can Now Visit St. Petersburg, Russia Easily with Free E-visa

Russia, here we go!
by Meryl Medel | September 26, 2019

It’s time to fulfill your next dream destination—Russia! The country is now offering free electronic visas to foreign visitors from 53 countries, including the Philippines.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered this decree as a follow up to his promise of offering e-visas to foreign visitors by 2021 and as a reaction to tourists saying they do not visit Russia often because of how difficult it was to obtain visas.

Starting October 1, 2019, this issue will be removed, allowing more tourists to flock to the Eurasian country.

via Visit Petersburg

Things to Note

While we’re all excited for this, there are some fine print we have to take note of:

• The visa will only be given to those who are travelling for tourism, business, or humanitarian reasons.
• The visa is valid for 30 days, but visitors will only be able to stay up to a maximum of eight days.
• The visa is only applicable for the St. Petersburg and the surrounding Leningrad region.

How to Apply

It’s much easier now without the anxiety of waiting for your passport to come back from the embassy. Application will be done through the Russian Foreign Ministry website rather than the Russian Embassy. Tourists should apply for the free e-visa no later than four days and no earlier than 20 days before their expected date of entry.

Where to Go

The second largest city after Moscow, St. Petersburg is a port city considered the cultural capital of Russia. Check out the beautiful palaces around St. Petersburg. And go on an educational tour of the Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments, considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Appreciate the art in the Hermitage, one of the world’s largest art museum. Or just follow this 48-hour itinerary we have if you’re really short on time!

via Visit Petersburg

Our Tips When Travelling

• Prepare. A. Budget. We’re not kidding. And pack light!
• Self-made itineraries are so much better than package tours, especially if you’re only spending eight or even less days in a place!
• Look for a place to stay using booking apps and websites to save up.
• A journal would be a great keepsake. You can sketch the pretty sights around St. Petersburg, or even just write about them.
• Remember: safety is always the number one priority!
• Be a responsible traveler and make sure to bring out whatever you bring in.

Where are you going during that Russia trip? Tell us below!