Russia - Australian transiting in Russia. Do I need a visa?

I am a little confused reading online about Russian transit visas. As an Australian do I need apply and pay for a transit visa to transit Russia? Or do I get one at arrival.

Do I need any visa if I don't leave the airport?

Thanks.

Shimon,

Russian transit rules are rather simple. You need visas for transit if and only if the following conditions are both true:
1. You are a visa national (Australians are).
2. You have to leave the airport's international transit area.

You need not leave the international transit area if and only if the following conditions are all true:
3. The airport has the international transit area, and you both arrive and depart into it.
4. Your layover is 24 hours or less.
5. Your baggage (if you have any) can be interlined.
6. You're not in transit to or from Kazakhstan or Belarus (members of the Customs Union).

As to question number 3:
DME has a sole international concourse where all international flights both arrive and depart. It has an international transit area.
SVO has a shared international transit area for terminals D, E, and F. There is no transit facility in terminal C.

Thanks.

I am looking to take the same plane in and out of Russia (not DME or SVO). If I don't have to deboard the plane I'll be even happier.

I'm planning to do one of these flyertalk tricks that require a transit in Russia.

Shimon,

It is not considered transit then. The airline won't let you board without a visa, and even with a transit visa either.

PS. Unless it is a 5th freedom flight with an intermediate stop in Russia. But I've only heard about SIN-DME-IAH and ULN-SVO-TXL, so it seems not to be the case.

Would a single entry be enough? Technically I should be able to stay on the plane. If I do I wouldn't have to use my entry, correct?

I would have a hard time believing that the crew would let you sit on the plane for the turnaround, if that's what you're talking about. I'm not sure how this would work if you get off the aircraft--as you say this is neither SVO nor DME, then it's hard for anyone to be able to give you specifics on the terminal layout.

I would not chance this without a visa, since as homelyboy says, it's unlikely you'd be permitted to board in the first place without one. Yes, a single entry is enough.

Shimon,

Yes, a single entry must be enough. But...

I don't have experience with turnarounds, but I second travelmad478 in his doubts that they're going to allow anyone remain aboard.

What airport are you going to? There only are few airports to have transit facility in Russia. Most airports were laid out without transit (not to mention turnaround) pax in mind. Most probably you will have to undergo passport control twice for your flight back. It seems not feasible in terms of time.

Hi,
I have a similar query and trying to figure out based on post #2 whether I need a visa, but I'm still not sure. My flight details are as follows:
IST-SVO Sun 23 Sep on SU 2131 1230hrs-1625hrs
SVO-BKK Sun 23 Sep on SU 270 1940hrs-0755hrs+1

Layover at SVO is 3hr 15 mins, and I don't know which transit facility or terminal I get into. I don't intend to leave the transit area ... just want to connect to my next flight and leave.
I hold a Singapore passport. Do I need a visa?

Thanks.

azpyre
You do not need a visa. SU operates in terminals D, E, F in SVO which share a common transit area.

azpyre
You do not need a visa. SU operates in terminals D, E, F in SVO which share a common transit area.

thanks very much