Selected delegates to receive visa fee waivers alongside fully funded travel and accommodation
Russia Announces Free Visas for International Youth Festival Attendees
The Russian government has officially waived visa fees for international delegates, journalists, and vloggers invited to the 'International Festival of Youth 2026' this September.
The Russian government has announced a complete visa fee waiver for international participants attending the upcoming "International Festival of Youth 2026" in September. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin recently signed an official decree directing Russian embassies worldwide to issue free visas to invited festival attendees.
The festival is scheduled to take place from September 11 to 17 in Yekaterinburg. To facilitate participation in both the core festival and regional events, these complimentary visas will be valid from September 4 to September 30.
How to Obtain the Free Visa and Benefits: To avail of the visa fee waiver, young prospects from 191 countries must first apply through the official selection process managed by the World Youth Festival Directorate under "Rosmolodezh" (the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs). Upon successful selection, the directorate will issue an official invitation letter. Candidates can then submit their visa applications to the Russian Embassy in their respective countries.
The embassies will issue the visas free of charge based on the pre-approved invitation list. This facility applies to 5,000 selected youth delegates, alongside foreign journalists, bloggers, social media content creators, and expert speakers. Furthermore, for delegates selected under the fully funded category, the Youth Festival Directorate will cover all expenses, including round-trip airfare, internal transit, hotel accommodation, and meals.
//DBTech/SSAP/EK//
