Russia Eases Rules of Stay for International Students

Foreign nationals can extend their Russian visa without leaving the country.

Until December 2017, international students taking pre-university courses in Russian and the subjects in the chosen field had to travel back to their homeland after year-long study to extend their student visa. This arrangement was not convenient for students from far-away regions such as Asia, Latin America and Africa. They had to pay travel expenses; also visa processing took some time and students often missed the start of semester.

The problem is now resolved. The Russian government has passed a new law that makes international students’ visas extendable in the destination country. Foreign nationals who have completed their pre-university study and passed entrance examinations for the basic programme can have their visas extended in Russia. As a rule, the university’s international offices provide visa support. More information on Russian student visa you can find here.