St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University, Russia: Visas

Visas - Very Important!

The Russian government requires students to hold a valid visa for their period of study. AIFS will apply for the visa on behalf of students who apply to the program by the application deadline and submit all requested visa application materials, including original passports, by imposed deadlines.

By April 1, applicants must possess a passport that will be valid for at least 9 months after the student’s return to the U.S. Students who do not meet this requirement may be ineligible to attend this program.

Applicants who apply for visas through AIFS will pay the Consulate’s visa application fee of $100 directly to AIFS. Students who submit applications/visa materials after the deadlines may have to pay an expedited visa processing fee (an additional $200), or they may have to apply for the visa on their own if their application holds up the group. If a student is not prepared to have AIFS hold his or her passport from early April until receiving his/her airline ticket, the student will need to apply for his/her own visa. AIFS will send back the students’ passports with their airline ticket approximately 5 days prior to departure.

Students must travel from London to Russia and Russia to London with the AIFS group because of group visa dates. Russian authorities require that passports be valid for at least 9 months after the program ends. Because students will have a single-entry visa, if they leave Russia during the program, they will not be allowed to return.