What entry route applies to holders of an ordinary passport issued by South Africa?
Short answer
South African ordinary-passport holders may enter, stay, or transit through Russia without a visa, subject to a general limit of 90 days in total during a calendar year.
Verified answer
The visa-free route applies when the trip is not for work, study, or residence. From 1 January 2025, the general temporary-stay limit is 90 days in total during a calendar year, subject to applicable statutory, treaty, or officially granted extension exceptions.
This answer is supported by the current published entry Rule Version and the Embassy of Russia in South Africa's guidance on both the bilateral visa-free route and the general temporary-stay limit effective from 1 January 2025.
What to do next
Use the traveler checker with South Africa as nationality and enter all planned travel dates and the purpose. If the trip is for work, study, residence, or would exceed the permitted annual aggregate, check the appropriate regular-visa route with the responsible Russian mission.
Open traveler checker