Russian visa photo size, 3x4 or 35x45: federal rules vs consulates

Decree No. 335 of 06/09/2003 vs. consular practice: format conflict

A foreigner gathering documents to enter the Russian Federation may face differing requirements for a printed photograph. The Visa Regulations, approved by Russian Federation Government Decree No. 335 of 06/09/2003, describe the photograph for a Russian visa. Paragraph 49 sets the image size in centimeters — 3 × 4 cm. Subparagraph "b" of paragraph 46 provides for one photograph glued to the visa application form. Two additional photographs are submitted in the case stipulated by subparagraph "c" of paragraph 52.

The profile of the Consular Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Warsaw specifies a 3.5 × 4.5 cm size and a light gray solid background without textures or shadows. This requirement applies to the specified consular profile; it differs from the size in paragraph 49 of the Regulations.

For comparison, one can refer to a database of 241 profiles for various documents. In 229 profiles, the size of the printed photo is specified; 17 different sizes are presented in the database. The most frequent is 35 × 45 mm, indicated in 148 profiles. The 30 × 40 mm size, equivalent to 3 × 4 cm, is specified in 14 profiles.

Comparison: consular card vs. internal documents

To compare the card prepared for a visa with photographs for documents processed inside Russia, one can contrast the Visa Regulations with the relevant Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) orders.

Two 35 × 45 mm photos will be needed for a temporary residence permit (RVP) application; the 3×4 cm visa shot is not suitable for this step. For a biometric Russian foreign passport (zagranpasport), a printed photo is not submitted, and photographing is conducted during a personal visit to an MIA unit.

Detailed breakdown of paragraph 49: Russian visa photo requirements

Paragraph 49 of Decree No. 335 indicates that photographs can be black-and-white or color. The facial image must be clear and full-face.

Paragraph 49 prohibits glasses with tinted lenses. Regular glasses are not prohibited by this paragraph. For a passport photograph under paragraph 35.7 of MIA Order No. 996, photographing in dark glasses or having an eye patch is permitted only for medical reasons.

Paragraph 49 permits a headcover for foreigners for whom its constant wearing is a mandatory attribute of their national or religious affiliation, provided they are pictured in the same headcover in their passport photograph.

Prepare the correct photo for a Russian visa with strict adherence to consular proportions.

What federal rules miss: gaps in the Regulations

Decree No. 335 does not establish requirements for the background, facial coverage, facial expression, photo paper, or the photo's validity period for visa photographs. These parameters are not specified in the federal standard.

Decree No. 335 does not contain requirements for a Russian e-visa photo: it does not specify the format, file size, or dimensions for the unified electronic visa. Requirements for a digital photograph are not established in this act.

In the database, 53 out of 241 profiles specify a white background, 23 name a specific non-white shade, and the rest indicate a solid light background without an exact color. Only 32 profiles fix a maximum age for the image: 2 specify a period of 3 months, and 30 specify 6 months. In the remaining profiles, the maximum period is not recorded; this does not prove the absence of such a requirement.

Official recommendations of the Belarusian MFA require one 35 × 45 mm photograph taken within the previous 6 months.

What is checked when submitting a visa application

The Visa Regulations establish requirements for the photograph and the document package. Paragraph 46 stipulates submitting documents as a complete set; the date of application, from which the visa processing time is calculated, is considered the day of submission of all properly executed documents.

• Photograph size. Paragraph 49 establishes the visa photo size at 3×4 cm. This differs from the 35 × 45 mm size for a Russian foreign passport and the 30 × 40 mm size for a patent photograph, as indicated in the comparative data.
• Processing time. Paragraph 11 sets a timeframe of no more than 20 working days from the date of application. The application date is considered the day of submission of all required properly executed documents.
• Headcover. Under paragraph 49, an exception applies if constant wearing of a headcover is mandatory due to national or religious affiliation, provided the person is pictured wearing it in their passport photo.
• Passport verification. Paragraph 47 establishes requirements for the passport into which the visa is glued: it must not raise doubts about its authenticity or ownership, nor contain unauthorized marks, reservations, entries, erasures, corrections, or torn or unstitched pages not certified by competent authorities.
• Blank pages and passport validity. Under paragraph 47, the passport must have at least 2 blank pages for visas. Its validity period, as a rule, must not expire earlier than 6 months from the visa's expiration date.

State fees: processing costs inside the Russian Federation

Article 333.28 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation establishes the state fees for issuing or extending a visa for a foreigner temporarily staying in Russia, for the MFA's decision to issue a visa sent to a consulate, and for an entry invitation. These are separate payments.

The state fees for the visa itself are as follows:

• For issuing or extending a visa to leave the Russian Federation — 2,000 rubles.
• For a visa to leave the Russian Federation and subsequently enter the Russian Federation — 2,000 rubles.
• For a visa for multiple crossings of the State Border of the Russian Federation — 6,000 rubles.

A separate state fee for providing the MFA's decision to issue an ordinary single-entry or double-entry visa, directed to a diplomatic mission or consular office, is 650 rubles. For a decision to issue an ordinary multiple-entry visa — 1,000 rubles.

The state fee for issuing an invitation to enter the Russian Federation to a foreign citizen or stateless person is 8,000 rubles per invited individual.

Step-by-step process: what happens to the photographs next

1. Filling out the visa application form abroad. Decree No. 335 provides for one 3 × 4 cm photograph on the form; additional photographs are provided in the case specified in subparagraph "c" of paragraph 52.
2. Waiting for a decision. The visa processing time is no more than 20 working days from the date of submission of all properly executed required documents.
3. Entering Russia and preparing for the RVP. To submit an application for a temporary residence permit (RVP), MIA of Russia Order No. 407 of 06/08/2020 applies.
4. Photographs for RVP. According to subparagraph 30.2 of the MIA Administrative Regulations, two personal 35 × 45 mm photographs are required for the RVP, black-and-white or color, with a clear full-face image without a headcover. They are placed on the application, one on each copy. Stateless persons submit five photographs, two of which are placed on the application.
5. Issuing a biometric Russian foreign passport. For a passport containing an electronic storage medium, a printed photo is not submitted. Under paragraphs 28 and 88 of MIA Order No. 996, a personal visit to a migration unit is required for digital photographing by an MIA officer; this rule applies to applicants of any age. The photograph attached to the application on Gosuslugi under paragraph 35.1 must correspond to the applicant's age on the day of submission, be black-and-white or color, and measure 35 × 45 mm. The distance from the crown to the chin must not exceed 80 % of the entire image size. Under paragraph 35.7, the background must be white and plain, without stripes, spots, foreign objects, and shadows; the eyes must be open, and hair must not obscure them.

Legislative changes and repealed norms

The Visa Regulations have been amended. The text of the Regulations indicates that paragraph 50 became invalid on July 28, 2020. Russian Federation Government Decree No. 1110 of 07/24/2020 amended paragraph 13 of the Regulations; the publication number on the official portal is 0001202007280026, publication date — 07/28/2020.