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Visa requirements · updated Aug 2026

Do Russia citizens need a visa for France?

Visa required

Russia citizens need a visa to enter France. Apply in advance at an embassy or visa centre.

VISAXSAug 2026
Visa required
Russia → France
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Everything for your trip to France

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Russia vs France: passport comparison

Russia

81

visa-free countries

Global rank: #93 · mobility 125.4

France

126

visa-free countries

Global rank: #4 · mobility 171.5
72

countries both Russia and France can enter visa-free together

Russia + France: passport compatibility

65%

of the world — where both passports have the same visa access

Where Russia and France travel together — by entry type:

72 both visa-free
24 both visa on arrival
20 both e-visa / eTA
13 both need a visa
68 access differs

Where Russia and France can travel visa-free together

Travelling as a pair with two different passports? Here is the full list of countries where BOTH of you can enter without a prior visa — plus where your access differs.

Both visa-free (72)

Sort by max stay or the destination's passport strength (tap a header), and filter by region.

Country Max stay Passport rank
Angola30 days#168 Antigua and Barbuda90 days#61 Argentina90 days#44 Armenia180 days#129 Bahamas90 days#53 Barbados90 days#48 Belarus30 days#114 Bolivia90 days#117 Bosnia and Herzegovina30 days#88 Botswana90 days#119 Brazil90 days#43 Brunei14 days#52 Cape Verde30 days#136 Chile90 days#45 China30 days#112 Colombia90 days#74 Costa Rica30 days#62 Dominica21 days#70 Dominican Republic90 days#124 Ecuador90 days#104 El Salvador180 days#75 Fiji120 days#103 Gambia90 days#132 Georgia360 days#83 Grenada90 days#65 Guatemala90 days#73 Guyana90 days#106 Haiti90 days#175 Honduras90 days#78 Hong Kong14 days#46 Israel90 days#51 Jamaica30 days#100 Kazakhstan30 days#116 Kiribati90 days#84 Kyrgyzstan60 days#134 Macao30 days#67 Malawi30 days#127 Malaysia30 days#41 Mauritius90 days#66 Micronesia30 days#89 Moldova90 days#92 Mongolia30 days#125 Montenegro30 days#76 Morocco90 days#121 Mozambique30 days#162 Nicaragua90 days#86 Palau30 days#87 Palestine90 days#193 Panama90 days#68 Paraguay90 days#64 Peru90 days#57 Philippines30 days#128 Saint Kitts and Nevis90 days#54 Saint Lucia42 days#69 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines90 days#56 Samoa90 days#77 Sao Tome and Principe15 days#151 Serbia30 days#72 Seychelles90 days#58 South Africa90 days#97 Swaziland30 days#120 Tajikistan30 days#149 Thailand60 days#110 Trinidad and Tobago90 days#63 Tunisia90 days#131 Turkey60 days#94 United Arab Emirates90 days#1 Uruguay90 days#50 Uzbekistan30 days#142 Vanuatu120 days#105 Venezuela90 days#90 Vietnam45 days#153

Your odds of getting the visa: Russia → France

Visa guides tell you whether a visa is required. This block answers the second question — will you get it. Figures come from the European Commission's official 2025 statistics, broken down per country pair.

3,4%
of France visa applications refused in Russia
-11,1 pp below the Schengen average (14.5%) — refused less often than average
-3.6 pp year-over-year: 2024 was 7.0%, now 3.4%
167,549applications filed
156,547visas issued
5,634refusals
#92strictest of 118 countries
Where France visa applications are filed: Moscow

The Commission counts applications by where they were filed — at consulates located in Russia — rather than by the applicant's nationality. For most countries these nearly coincide, but applications filed there by other nationals are included too. 2025 data. Source: European Commission, DG HOME

How the entry rule changed: Russia → France

We keep our own archive of visa-rule snapshots and diff them against each other. Here is what changed over the observed period.

The Russia → France rule itself held steady over the observed period. The context around it did move:

4rule changes for the Russia passport, 4 of them easing
July 2024 — June 2026our archive observation window

Comparison is built from our own dataset snapshots; the date marks when we recorded the change, not the official decision date. See all changes →

France: good to know

Paris

Capital

Euro (EUR)

Currency

Central European Time (UTC+1)

Time zone

+33

Calling code

C, E

Power plug

230V / 50Hz

Voltage

Right-hand

Driving side

Where else Russia goes visa-free

Check another route

Documents you'll usually need for France

The usual basics for the trip. Always confirm exact requirements with the embassy or consulate.

Valid passport

Valid at least 6 more months

Return / onward ticket

Proof you will leave the country

Proof of funds

Enough money for your stay

Accommodation

Hotel booking or an invitation

Travel insurance

Recommended, sometimes required

Visa

Obtained at the embassy in advance

Frequently asked

Do Russia citizens need a visa for France?
Russia citizens need a visa to enter France. Apply in advance at an embassy or visa centre.
Which passport is stronger — Russia or France?
The France passport is stronger: 126 visa-free countries versus 81. Global rank: Russia #93, France #4.
Where can Russia and France citizens travel together visa-free?
Both passports get visa-free access to 72 of the same countries.
What documents do I need for France?
Usually: a valid passport (6+ months), a return ticket, proof of funds and accommodation. Plus a visa obtained from the embassy in advance. Always confirm exact requirements with the embassy.
Can visa requirements change between Russia and France?
Yes, visa rules change periodically. This data is current as of Aug 2026 — always confirm with the embassy before you travel.

Russia passport ranking

Where else the Russia passport can take you and how it ranks worldwide.

View the passport