Here’s a list of Frequently Asked Questions about filming in Russia. Working for many years in the Russian filming market brought us to the fact that there’s a list of things that almost every crew needs to know.
For further information please contact us on [email protected]
Do we need a visa to travel to Russia?
For filming purposes should it be a business visa or tourist visa is enough? Or we need a journalist visa for filming in Russia? How long it takes to get a visa?
How can we bring the equipment into the country? Do you provide customs assistance?
Can we use a CARNET with a tourist visa?
Do we need a permit for filming in the city?
Can we film inside the palaces? Do we need a permit?
Are we allowed to film at Pulkovo airport? Do we need a permit?
Can we film in the metro of Saint Petersburg?
Can we film inside the public transport in Russia?
How much should we pay for any permit?
Can you book a hotel for us? Which hotel do you recommend?
Do you provide us transport services? A transfer from the airport?
Do you provide filming services in Moscow?
Do you provide filming services in other Russian cities?
Filming the Trans-Siberian and filming inside a train in Russia. What permits we need?
Can we find a busker with a balalaika in the city?
How cold it gets in Russia? Is it possible to be filming in Russia in winter?
Can you legally film in Russia? Do the sanctions have influence on filming in Russia?
WITHOUT A VISA: Citizens of ex-USSR countries (up to 90 days), most part of Latin America countries (up to 90 days), Israel (up to 90 days), South Africa (up to 90 days, Diplomatic and Service passport holders only) and Hong Kong (up to 14 days). Sometimes even for filming in Russia you can travel without a visa.
WITH A VISA: Citizens of the EU, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zeland, South Korea, Japan, etc. However special events like the World Cup sometimes allow a simplified procedure for getting the russian visa.
It depends on what exactly you plan to film in Russia. If you are not planning to sign contracts, get official payments in the country or to act in any way in the name of any foreign legal entity you DON’T NEED a business visa. A tourist visa will be 100% enough for your filming. However if you plan traveling having a carnet – we recommend having a humanitarian or business visa.
If you need a business visa we can make an invitation for you.
Contact us to find out the exact type of visa your project needs.
For filming at the streets of Saint Petersburg small filming crews (Less than 5 people) don’t need a special permit.
IMPORTANT! Filming crews bigger than 5 people need to apply for a filming permit to the Committee of Culture of St Petersburg. The procedure of getting such a permit takes 15-20 working days, depending on the complexity of the filming.
IMPORTANT! In Saint Petersburg there’s a list of places restricted for filming – areas near to factories, ports, military objects, privately owned locations, etc. Please check your filming plan and after that send us a list of filming locations you plan to use. After that we will send you a list of required permits with processing times.
Can we film inside the palaces? Do we need a permit?
The metro of Saint Petersburg is the deepest in the world and it’s considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world. As a heavy heritage of the USSR, in our city metro is still considered to be a strategic object (It’s a huge bombshelter for all the population of the city), filming there is strictly banned.
IMPORTANT! This is a paid permit. The price depends on the amount of time needed for your filming and on the exact hour. We should apply for such a permit at least 15 days before the filming.For getting a filming permit from the metro authorities we’ll need a complete list of the equipments you plan to use (including model names and serial numbers), a list of the crew members involved into the filming, the exact stations and the exact date and time of filming.
First of all it depends on what you plan filming. If you plan using a DSLR handheld – most probably you won’t need anythy paperwork. But for bigger filmings – without a permit – filming is not possible. Filming inside public transport has to be approved by the city authorities.
We recommend to apply for such a permit 10 days before the filming date.
For filming any project inside a train in Russia there are several requirements. At least part of the crew has to travel having journalist visas. Also it’s important for at least one of the foreign crew members to get the press card from the Russian ministry of foreign affairs. These rules are applicable for filming on the Transsiberian. Filming inside a train between Saint Petersburg and Moscow. Filming on any itinerary of an overnight train.
The permit-getting procedure for filming in a train or at a railroad station will take between 7 and 14 days. Filming at railroad stations or inside a train may lead to serious consequences and unpleasant contacts with the transport police.
Can you legally film in Russia? do the sanctions have an influence in filming in russia?
Yes, you can legally film in Russia. But now the process of getting film permits for foreign crews takes more time and getting journalist visas and accreditations takes twice the regular time. Nevertheless it is possible to organize a filming in Saint Petersburg, Moscow and other locations.
The sanction have influence on the ways of payment for the production services we provide. We can’t get direct payments from the UK, USA or the European Union. Your banks won’t authorize this payment, even despite the fact some rusian banks still work with the SWIFT payment system. Thus for the realization of a film or TV project in russia you need to contact our legal department and we will send you instructions on how we can accept a payment from your side.
