Russia Consulate General Istanbul

About the Consulate General of Russia in Istanbul

The consul general is Alexander Kalachev, according to the Diplomatic Portal of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (accessed 19 October 2026). Russia is also represented by the Embassy of Russia in Turkey, the Consulate General of Russia in Trabzon and the Consulate General of Russia in Antalya. Russia also has an honorary consulate in Izmir. Istanbul lies about 350 km in a straight line from Ankara; Istanbul Airport is about 36 km and Sabiha Gökçen International Airport about 31 km from the city centre.

Documents checklist

Prepare these documents before your appointment. The lists are taken from official Russian sources:

Russian passport for travel abroad (zagranpasport)

• Application form prepared online: zp.midpass.ru (biometric 10-year passport) or passportzu.kdmid.ru (5-year passport)
• Photo 35 × 45 mm attached to the application (one extra photo for the non-biometric passport)
• Your current Russian passport for travel abroad – or a valid internal passport if it has expired, is unusable or was never issued
• If the name has changed: marriage or name-change certificate; foreign documents need an apostille and a notarised Russian translation
• If the old passport was lost: a written statement about the loss
• Most consulates work by appointment only (electronic queue)

Sources: Consular Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry – documents for passports (kdmid.ru) (checked October 2026). Requirements and fees can change and individual posts may ask for more – confirm the current list with the consulate general.

Other consulates and embassies in Istanbul

133 other countries are represented in Istanbul, among them: Rwanda (honorary), Saint Kitts and Nevis (honorary), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (honorary), San Marino (honorary), Saudi Arabia (consulate general), Senegal (honorary), Serbia (consulate general), Seychelles (honorary), Sierra Leone (honorary), Slovakia (consulate general), Slovenia (honorary), Somalia (honorary), South Africa (honorary), South Sudan (honorary), Spain (consulate general), Sri Lanka (honorary), Sudan (consulate general), Suriname (honorary), Sweden (consulate general), Switzerland (consulate general). The full list of all 134 missions is on the overview page for Turkey.

Closing days

Under Law No. 2429, Türkiye’s public holidays are 1 January, 23 April, 1 May, 19 May, 15 July, 30 August and Republic Day on 29 October (from 13:00 on 28 October), plus the Ramadan Feast and the Feast of the Sacrifice, whose dates move each year; in 2027 they fall on 9–11 March and 16–19 May, each starting at 13:00 the day before, according to the Presidency of Religious Affairs. Holidays that fall on a weekend are not moved to a working day. The consulate general may also close on days set by its own government.

Emergency assistance

In Turkey, dial 112 for an ambulance, the fire service or the police (GOV.UK travel advice). Turkish citizens who need help in Russia can contact the Turkish Embassy in Moscow, listed by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or the 24-hour consular call centre of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (konsolosluk.gov.tr).

Diplomatic missions of Russia in Turkey

Russia in Turkey

Measured in a straight line from Istanbul, the nearest other Russian office is the Honorary Consulate in Izmir (about 330 km). Distances in brackets are straight-line distances from Istanbul.

• Ankara (350 km) – Embassy of Russia in Turkey
• Istanbul – Consulate General of Russia in Istanbul (this page)
• Trabzon (900 km) – Consulate General of Russia in Trabzon
• Antalya (480 km) – Consulate General of Russia in Antalya
• Izmir (330 km) – Honorary Consulate