A: To apply for a Russian visa you need an invitation or a tourist voucher (not only a reference number). The invitation is an offical document sealed and issued from a licensed Russian travel agency or a hotel. The invitation contains the so called reference number. Normally you get the invitation from the hotel. Some hotels do not issue invitations (Please note, that the booking confirmation of the hotel is not sufficient for the visa application!) In case the hotel is not able to issue the invitation you can apply for the invitation through us (click here). You will receive all required documents within a few hours. Afterwords you can apply for the visa at your local consulate without any hassles.
Q: Can we get the visa through your company?
A: No, we only provide all needed documents for your visa application.
Q: Do you also issue visas to Belarus and other C.I.S. states?
A: No, we provide visa support only for the Russian Feeration.
Q: How much time will it take to get the invitation?
A: Normally we send the scanned documents via email within a few hours. If you order off working hours or on public holidays you will get the invitation on the following working day.
Q: Can you also organise invitations for 6 months?
A: At the moment Russian-Visa.com only provides tourist invitations. With those invitations you can apply for a tourist visa with a validity of max. 30 days. If you plan to stay longer than one month send us an email and we will try to help.
Q: I heard that you can only apply for a Russian visa with the original invitation. Is that correct?
A: No, tourist invitations are also accepted as fax or printout.
Q: Where can we apply for the Russian visa with the invitation from your company?
A: You can apply for the visa at your local embassy or consulate. Foreigners can only apply for a visa in a foreign country if they have their permanent residence there (e.g. if you are Swiss and live in Germany you can only apply for the visa in Germany if your permanent residence is in Germany. Otherwise you have to apply for Russian visa in the Russian Embassy in Switzerland.)
Q: Do I have to book a hotel to get a tourist invitation?
A: No, you do not need a hotel booking to travel as tourist (e.g. Transsib-Tours, Trekking-Tours etc.).
Q: How can I register once in Russia?
A: The rules for registration are often subject to changes and differ from region to region. Together with the invitation you will get all information and addresses of your partners in the main Russian towns for your registration. There you can register your visa without problems if you do not stay at a hotel. If you stay at a hotel you will get the registration from the hotel. You can find general rules on our website under "registration in russia".
Q: How much will a 2-week-visa cost all in all?
A: Invitation (see our price list) plus consular fee (between 35 and 120 Euro depending on the processing time) plus "visa service charges" (only if you engage a Visa service agency) The cheapest way is to order your invitation through us and apply for the visa yourself at the Russian consulate. Please note, that it takes time to hand in all paperwork at the consulate and pick up the visa. We therefor recommend to engage a Visa Service Agency. In Germany we recommend our partner VOSTOK Reisen.
Q: Do I have to apply for the visa in person?
A: No, you only have to make sure, that all paperwork is handed in in time.
Q: I would like to visit a friend in Russia who lives in a small town. I cannot stay at her place and it is difficult to get a suitable hotel. Can I start this trip without a fixed hotel booking? I´ve heard that I have to fill in a migration card at the airport where I also have to fill in my adress in Russia. I will not know in which hotel I am going to stay at that point. Will this be a problem?
A: Most of our clients have a similar problem. They do not want to book a hotel because they are staying with friends or want to look for a hotel when they are in Russia. With the invitation provided by us you can apply for a Russian visa and travel to Russia. How you spend your time there and where you live is up to you.There is a requirement to state a hotel address in the invite though this does not imply that you actually have to book it. If you get questioned by the authorities upon arrival in Russia just mention the hotel-name or any other (don't forget that there is always the possibility that you might have cancelled a previoues reservation and booked something else).
Q: My friend and I have been invited to a wedding in Russia during summer. We have already booked a flight. Because we have private accommodation we are not in the posession of any hotel vouchers. What's the easiest way of getting an invitation? Could my Russian friend send us one?
A: Yes, you can get an invitation through your Russian friend. The costs differ regionally and the bureaucratic hurdles can be huge.This so called ‚private invitation' has to be send to you in its original form. It is not advisable to send it through the normal postal system, hence we would recommend to use a trustworthy courier-company. Another option: You will travel as a tourist (you are allowed to visit your friends of course) on a tourist visa issued on the bases of a tourist invitation. You can order this tourist invitation via us. We will then issue your invitation and send it to you by email. Using the printout you can then apply for a tourist visa. (Tourist invitations are accepted as fax or printouts.)
Q: I would like to ask if it is possible to re-enter the country several times on a 2-week visa?
A: Yes, but you have to choose the "double entry" option when you order the invitation. Please check that the visa (issued by the Russian Consulate) will have the "double entry" remark as well. Russian Consulation often make mistakes in this point.