Russia

Russian visa is a document in your passport, permitting to stay in Russia for a certain period of time. A visa shows entry & exit dates, your travel information, passport details and sometimes has a photo stapled to it. It is issued by Russian Embassies or/and Russian Consulates.

The required document for obtaining Russian visa is a Russian Visa Invitation Letter (or simply Invitation for Russian Visa). An invitation letter for visa might be issued by a Russian organization that has a special reference-number and accreditation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Since foreign citizens are required to obtain a Russian visa in order to enter the Russian Federation, visa invitation is required to apply for a Russian visa. Exceptions exist for citizens from countries with which the Russian Federation has established a visa-free entry agreement.

What is the difference between Russian Visa voucher and invitation?

Example russian visa invitationА Russian tourist voucher for a visa is exactly the same document as Russian Visa Invitation. Sometimes, it is also called "Russian visa voucher". So if you are looking for a guide on how to get Russian tourist voucher for visa, you have come to the right place.

We provides hassle-free and reliable Russian visa invitation letter service at reasonable prices. If you are ready to start the process, please choose your citizenship in the form below

Types of Russian Visa Invitations

The type of Russian Visa Invitation that you require depends on the length of your planned stay in Russia and the purpose of your visit. Whether you plan to leave the country and return during the period that your visa is valid is also a factor in choosing the type of visa to apply for. Below you will find explanations of the conditions and requirements of the main types of Invitations for Russian visa, and how to apply for them.

Tourist Visa Invitation

A tourist invitation for Russian Tourist Visa is the easiest and cheapest type of Russian visa to get.A single or double-entry tourist visa for up to 30 days, a single or double-entry tourist visa for up to 3 months (up to 90 days) or a multiple-entry tourist visa for up to 6 months (up to 180 days) can be issued on the basis of the tourist «Confirmation» (which goes along with the «Voucher»).  Visa support documents for Tourist Visas (Tourist Confirmation and Tourist Voucher) are accepted by most Russian Consular Departments as faxed or scanned copies. However, for some nationalities and some departments, the original invitation is required. This should always be specified in the nearest Russian Consulate or Embassy. Visa invitation prices depend on tourist citizenship and migration risk . You can read more about migration risk here and check the prices for your country in our Get Russian Visa support online form.

Private Visa Invitation

A Private Visa Invitation for a private visa valid for up to 90 days. It is for those who wish to visit family or friends in Russia. Private Visa Invitation can be obtained in Russia by private individuals, and are not normally available through agencies. The official invitation for a Private Visa is issued through the Russian Foreign Ministry or its regional representatives. Migration Service. The original invitation is required to apply for a Private Visa.

Business Visa Invitation

Business Visa Invitation for Business or a commercial visa valid for 90 days, six months, or one year and give you the right to do business in Russia, but not to take up full-time employment. Business visas can be single, double or multi-entry. However, travelers on a Russian Business It is possible to stay in Russia for no more than 90 days out of each six month period. This means that those wishing to work full-time in Russia will have to ensure that their employers are licensed to provide them with a work visa.

In most cases, you will need to present the original invitation to apply for a Russian Business Visa. Sometimes, the invitation must be telexed to the consular department where you are applying. You should specify the info in the nearest Russian Consulate or Embassy.

If a business visa invitation is what you need, start by choosing your citizenship in our Get Russian Business Visa support online form

Transit Visa

Transit Visa is issued to those who travel through the Russian Federation to a farther destination. If you are on a transit flight, will be spending less than 24 hours in Russia, and do not intend to leave the airport transit area, then you will not need a Russian Visa for your trip. In all other circumstances, you will need to apply for a Russian Transit Visa, normally valid for up to three days if you are traveling by air or ten days if you are traveling by train.

Visa-free travel to Russia

The countries the citizens of which can travel to Russia without visas are divided into four groups with different requirements and different limitations on the length of stay. Even if you do not need a visa to enter Russia, you will certainly need a passport valid for at least six months after the date of your proposed exit from Russia, and you may require other official documents. Also bear in mind that, even if you don't require a visa to enter Russia, you will still need to register with the Federal Migration Service upon arrival.

Group 1
Citizens of the countries of the CIS (the Commonwealth of Independent States) are permitted to stay in the Russian Federation for up to 90 days without a visa.

Countries: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine.

Group 2
Citizens of these countries are allowed to stay in the Russian Federation without a visa for up to 90 days in each 180-day period, provided they will not be involved in any commercial or work-related activities during their stay.

Countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Israel, Nicaragua, Peru, Venezuela, Dominicana

Group 3
Citizens of the countries in this group can stay in the Russian Federation for up to 30 days without a visa. They are not entitled to work while in Russia.

Countries: Cuba, Montenegro, Serbia (with biometric passport), Thailand, Hong Kong (up to 14 days).

Group 4
Citizens of these Balkan countries can also stay in Russia without a visa for up to 30 days, but must also show tourist documents (Tourist Confirmation & Tourist Voucher) or an Official Invitation to immigration officials.

Countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia.

It is already possible to travel to St. Petersburg for up to 72 hours without a visa on cruise ships (on the condition that you are sleeping on the ship and are accompanied by an authorized tour guide) and on ferries from Stockholm, Helsinki, and Tallinn.

You can read more about the visa-free policy of Russia on Wikipedia by visiting the following link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Russia

What is a migration card and where do I get it?

Upon entering the Russian Federation, you must complete a migration card. If applicable, visitors will be required to indicate their visa information on the migration card. Upon arriving at your destination in the Russian Federation, the migration card should be presented to the host party (hotel, private accommodation owner, etc.) who is responsible for registering the spectator in the migration record.

Notice of the foreign citizen's arrival in the Russian Federation must be submitted to the local agency of the Federal Migration Service within seven working days after arrival. This procedure should be carried out by the Host Party (hotel, private accommodation owner, etc.).

Do i need to register my visa?

All foreign travelers staying in the Russian Federation must be registered with the Federal Migration Service in the city or region where they are staying within seven days of their arrival.

If you are traveling on a tourist visa and staying in a hotel, the registration process is normally completed by reception staff on the first day of your stay, and all that you will need to do is provide them with your passport and migration card The same should be true if you are renting an apartment through an agency. If you are traveling on a business visa, the company inviting you is responsible for registering you, while if you have a private visa, then the Russian citizen who invited you will need to register you. Registration can be completed by them at local branches of the Federal Migration Service or any post office, and again they will need your passport and migration card to complete the process.

If for whatever reason, your accommodation provider is unwilling to register you (despite their legal obligation) there are always agencies in large cities that will register you for a fee.

Russian business visa invitation

 An invitation letter from an organization is a document drawn up in accordance with the rules in the name of a foreign citizen, and is the reason for issuing a business visa to a particular foreigner. This document allows you to stay in Russia continuously for 90 days (also the fact that the validity of a business visa can range from several months to 5 years need to be considered). The issuance of the invitation letters can be carried out only by organizations accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

The accredited organizations can issue the invitation letters on their own branded forms only for citizens of the EU, the USA, Japan and China. This step was taken to expand business relations between Russia and these countries, within the framework of the simplified visa regime.

EU or US citizens wishing to open a Russian visa must apply to the consulate or embassy of the Russian Federation by presenting an invitation on the letterhead of an accredited organization, and also to fill out a visa application form and pay a consular fee.

The invitation on the letterhead of an accredited organization is valid for those citizens of the European Union and the United States, who plan to open a business visa.

The advantage of issuing such an invitation letter is a short term, namely 1 working day, since the process of issuing invitations on the letterheads of the Directorate of the Federal Migration Service or on telex communication will require much more time. However, the main drawback of the invitations, issued on the letterhead of an accredited company, is the fact that there are no inspections by the inviting organization of the lawfulness of the visa applicant during his last visits to Russia. All data will be checked at the consulate or embassy after the visa applicant submits the main package of required documentation.

We advise you to draw up invitations on letterhead of an accredited organization, since Russian consulates working in different countries of the world know these companies, which increases the chance to get a visa.

According to the regulations on the simplified visa regime between Russia and the EU countries, the United States, Japan and China, a business invitation on the letterhead of an accredited organization can be issued only if the foreigner plans to come to Russia with a commercial / business purpose.

The commercial / business purpose involves taking part in business negotiations, signing various contracts, finding new business partners, attending various conferences / symposia / exhibitions, etc.

Citizens who are engaged in scientific, creative or other cultural activities cannot receive a business invitation letters to open an appropriate Russian visa.

These professions include professors, teachers, philologists, deans of the university (they need to draw out humanitarian invitation letters, where the main visiting purpose will be "scientific and technical contacts"), artists, actors, singers (they need to draw out humanitarian invitation letters, where the main visiting purpose will be “cultural contacts”), athletes (they need to draw out humanitarian invitation letters, where the main visiting purpose will be "sports contacts").

Exceptions are the cases when a professor/teacher/philologist plans to visit Russia to attend/participate in a specific conference (in such a situation it is necessary to indicate the name of the conference and the dates of the conference in the detailed description of the main visiting purpose), and only upon these conditions the purpose of the trip will acquire a businesslike character.

The category of citizens who provide technical services (consulting during installation or commissioning, repair or maintenance, and equipment maintenance) cannot receive a business invitation letter for opening a visa to Russia. Such professions include engineers, installers, etc. (they must draw out invitation letters indicating the status of "maintenance" as the main visiting purpose).

The exception may be those situations in which an engineer travels to Russia as a specialist to participate in business negotiations (this information should be indicated in the detailed description of the visiting purpose), and only upon these conditions the purpose of the trip will acquire a businesslike character.

Citizens who travel to Russia as part of a crew (rail, river, sea or air transport) or work in the field of transportation business do not have the right to draw out business invitation letters to open a visa to Russia. These professions include pilots, stewards, etc. (they must draw out invitation letters indicating the status of "member of the crew of the aircraft "as the main visiting purpose), sailors, etc. (they must draw out invitation letters indicating the status of "crewmember ship" as the main visiting purpose), drivers (they must draw out invitation letters indicating the status of "driver" as the main visiting purpose).

Business invitations cannot be formalized by relatives or family members of the holder of the corresponding Russian visa.

As a rule, they mean spouses, children (including minors), aunts/uncles, grandparents and other relatives (they must draw out invitation letters indicating the status of "accompanying family member" as the main visiting purpose).

The Information We Need 

In order to successfully issue your invitation, we will need the following information:

1: your personal details: surname, name, date and place of birth, passport number, citizenship, place of permanent residence note: passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your visa expiry date 

2: details of the consulate where you will apply for the visa (country, city)
cities to be visited in Russia
3: your occupation in the country of your residency (type of business, full name of the company, its address, telephone, fax and your position there)
4: a clear scanned copy of your passport
5: your money (sorry, without your payment for the invitation up-front we can not start : processing your order. Please refer to the price guide above)
 

The Documents You Might Need

Getting the invitation does not mean getting your visa. Please, meet us half-way and submit your visa application at your local Russian Embassy!

This must be done in the country of your residency!

Your visa application might need to include the following:

1: Original or a copy of your business invitation. Please note, that multiple visas require the original letter of invitation
2: Your passport with at least two blank visa-designated pages (passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your visa’s expiry date)
3: Copy of your passport’s ID page(s)
4: Two copies of Russian visa application form, filled in and signed by yourself
5: One passport-size photo signed at the back
6: Health insurance policy Copy of an HIV test certificate (required for a visa of more than 90 days)
7: Embassy fee

A word to the wise: The Embassy rules and requirements might vary in different countries. Please ask your local consulate about the latest changes in visa applications. The above list might be a lot shorter (or a lot longer)!

Payment and Delivery

Please, pay us by any of the major credit cards: VISA, Visa Debit, Novus, Bravo, Discover Master Card, Eurocard, American Express.Your payment will be in Russian roubles and will depend on current exchange rates. Please make sure, that the card you are using is issued in the same country where you are currently using the internet.

If the fax copy of the original will do, it will be with you within 24 hours. If your Embassy requires the original, we will post it to you (Westpost service-without guarantee) within 3—9 working days for an additional fee of $30. Sending by express mail FedEx/DHL takes 3—5 working days, please contact us for details and prices . The original invitation also can be picked up in person at one of our offices during office working hours.