Business invitation for foreigners to Russia

A visit to the Russian Federation by foreign guests for the purpose of carrying out professional and commercial activities on its territory, as well as for the purpose of conducting negotiations and participating in business meetings, will require a business visa. The basis for its issuance is an invitation for a foreigner to Russia from the company. There are several ways to design it in 2021.

What is a business invitation?

The final version of the document depends on the method of its execution: the original on a standard form or its electronic copy. An application for registration is submitted only on behalf of a legal entity registered in the Russian Federation or from a branch of a foreign company operating in Russia. The validity period of the document is the entire period of stay of the foreign citizen in Russia.

A ready-made business invitation for a foreign citizen to Russia by a legal entity contains:

• information of the inviting party;
• information about the invited foreign guest;
• information about the purpose of the visit;
• information about the route (points of visit);
• indication of the length of stay of a foreign guest on the territory of the Russian Federation;
• if necessary, information about minor children traveling with the foreign guest and additional information.

Each invitation is assigned a number. It can be issued both for citizens of foreign countries and for stateless persons.

Documents required to receive a business invitation

To issue a business invitation to Russia you need to provide:

• A completed business invitation form;
• A copy of the foreigner’s passport, preferably in color with a full spread of the passport;
• For a multiple-entry visa to Russia, you must additionally provide a copy of your latest visa to Russia;
• For a business visa to Russia for 3-5 years, you need to provide copies of the last two multiple-entry visas to Russia.

In some cases, for migration-risk countries, information is additionally requested about the company in which the foreigner works, a letter of guarantee about the reception of the foreigner in Russia.

Types of business invitations for obtaining a Russian visa:

1. Electronic invitation from the FMS, Ministry of Internal Affairs;
2. Telex MFA business invitation;
3. Original invitation on the letterhead of a legal entity of the Russian Federation;
4. Original business invitation on the letterhead of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Design methods

There are several ways to submit documents for a business invitation to a foreign guest in the Russian Federation:

• by personal appeal of the legal representative of the receiving party to the representative offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation or the Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation and providing the necessary package of documents;
• online on the State Services website;
• by telex from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, upon application of the receiving party;
• online through an intermediary company.

You can find out how to issue an invitation to a foreigner to Russia from a legal entity through an intermediary on the official websites of specific companies.

Contents of the business invitation

The document contains the following information:

• information about the inviting party: name of the organization, its legal address, contact phone number, full name of the inviting person;
• citizenship and country of residence of the foreigner;
• category of permitting document;
• multiplicity of the permit document;
• route (visit points) of a foreigner during his stay in Russia;
• length of stay;
• purpose of arrival.

Methods for applying for visa support

Let's look at how to submit visa support for a business visa for a foreigner. There are 4 serving methods:

1. On the form of the Federal Migration Service. The inviting organization submits an application to the Federal Migration Service for issuing an invitation with a package of documents. After receiving an invitation for a business visa to Russia, it is sent to the foreigner by regular mail. Such a document is usually issued to foreign guests for participation in conferences, negotiations, etc.
2. Electronic invitation. In this case, an application is submitted to the Federal Migration Service, after which the business invitation is sent electronically. An electronic invitation form is also available on the State Services portal.
3. A letter of invitation from an organization accredited by the Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation to a foreign citizen. Issued on the accredited organization’s own letterhead. This invitation is issued only to citizens of the European Union and the United States.
4. Telex. The document is an invitation in the form of a visa instruction. The inviting party, which has been accredited by the Department of Consular Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, applies to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. Information about the foreigner is sent through a special communication channel to the Consular Department.

You can see a sample business invitation for a foreigner to Russia below:

Sample invitation

To facilitate the procedure for obtaining the document in question, you can use the services of an intermediary company. In this case, the cost of visa support for a business visa to Russia depends on its frequency and duration, as well as the method of submission.

The minimum cost is for visa support via telex and electronically. Accordingly, the price for the FMS form and letter will be higher. It varies from 3390 to 8000 rubles.

To obtain a visa, a foreigner with the received invitation applies to the Russian consulate in his country. If the specified document is issued electronically, a foreigner only needs his passport and visa call number.

Types of business invitations for foreign guests in the Russian Federation

Currently, you can draw up a document in one of three available ways, ultimately receiving one or another type of it at your disposal. The choice depends on your capabilities and needs.

Letter of invitation on letterhead from an accredited organization

An invitation on the letterhead of an accredited company can be issued only for citizens of countries that have concluded an agreement with the Russian Federation on a simplified procedure for issuing Russian visas. In particular, for citizens of the USA and most EU countries. In addition, the inviting company must be accredited by the Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.

The appearance of such a document can be arbitrary. But without fail, the invitation letter must contain information about the company registration number, the frequency and validity of the required business visa, the passport details of the invitee and the specific purpose of his visit.

A standard sample of an invitation from a foreign citizen on the letterhead of the host organization can be downloaded on the Internet or drawn up with the help of a notary.

The advantages of this option are high speed of registration and minimal costs. The main disadvantage is the need for additional checks to determine the admissibility of entry of a particular subject into the territory of the Russian Federation after submitting documents for a business visa.

Invitation on the standard form of the Main Directorate of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation

The standard form contains all the necessary information about the foreign guest, the purposes and time of his stay in the Russian Federation, and the receiving party. Issued at the request of an organization accredited by the Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.

The invitation is assigned a number. It is certified by the signature of the official and the seal of the department of the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation that issued the paper. You can submit an application online through the State Services portal or directly at the regional division of the Migration Office.

The main advantage of this solution is that all necessary checks are carried out in advance to determine the possibility of a foreign guest entering the territory of the Russian Federation, even before submitting a package of documents for a visa. The disadvantage is that it costs more time and money than when writing an invitation letter.

In addition, an invitation for a foreigner to Russia from a legal entity on the letterhead of the Main Directorate of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (formerly the Federal Migration Service) is the only way to issue an invitation for a guest from a country included in the list of migration risk countries. The current list of such countries can be found on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Electronic invitation with barcode

The procedure for issuing an electronic version of a document does not differ from that provided for issuing a document on paper by the Main Directorate for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. The difference is that when submitting an application, you indicate that you want to receive an invitation in electronic form with a barcode. But remember that in this case an invitation on the established form is not additionally issued.

The electronic invitation has two forms: full and short. The short form does not contain personal data of the invited person.

The completed document is sent to the applicant by email. In its absence, the applicant is notified of the result of consideration of the application by mail or by notification in his personal account on the State Services portal.

The advantage of this option is the reduction of time spent on document preparation. The disadvantage is the need to assemble a set of several required documents.

Invitation via telex

Perhaps this is the fastest way to issue an invitation, which is its advantage. The disadvantages include the need for accreditation in the DCS of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation of the receiving party.

An invitation by telex is issued at the request of the organization. The result of a positive decision is an instruction transmitted via a special communication channel from the Russian Foreign Ministry to a specific embassy or consular office where it is planned to obtain a business visa.

When submitting documents for a business visa, in this case only the telex number and details of the receiving party are indicated.

How quickly can you make a business invitation for a business visa to Russia?

The fastest option to make a business invitation is to receive an invitation through the Ministry of Internal Affairs (FMS) - for 7 working days. days or through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - 6 working days.

This is the period for issuing invitations for 1 or 3 months for one or 2 entries.

If you need an invitation for 1 year, then the processing time is 13 business days. lney.

To save time, you can order an invitation in electronic form (Ministry of Internal Affairs, Federal Migration Service) or by telex (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

In this case, the invitation is immediately sent directly to the consulate. And you send an invitation number to a foreigner by email. This is enough to obtain a visa. Those. There is no need to send from DHL the original paper invitation on the letterhead of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (FMS) or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In some cases - when time is short - you can do it in a few minutes

Invitation for business tourism - Target Tourism.

According to the joint order of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ministry of Internal Affairs and FSB invitations for a Target Tourism visa are issued for participation in business meetings, negotiations or attending business events (seminars, exhibitions, symposiums, congresses, etc.)

A Target Tourism invitation can be issued in a few minutes, and today a foreigner can go and get a visa to Russia.

It is enough to simply send a scanned copy of the invitation by email to a foreigner. No original required.

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What purposes of the trip can be indicated in business invitations?

A business visa to the Russian Federation for foreign guests is issued for a limited list of purposes of the visit. The corresponding purpose must be indicated in the business invitation. The purpose is indicated in the invitation in free form in the appropriate column. The main thing is that it corresponds essentially to one of the possible categories.

Purpose of visitCategories of foreign guests

List of documents for issuing a business invitation to a foreign guest in the Russian Federation

Standard list of documents:

1. The original receipt of acceptance of documents issued during the provision of services.
2. Original receipt for payment of state duty.
3. The original letter of guarantee on behalf of the inviting party, confirming its acceptance of obligations for the medical, material, medical and housing support of the foreign guest for the period of his stay in the Russian Federation.
4. Original application from the receiving party: organization or department.
5. Identification document of a representative of the receiving party acting as the applicant.
6. Identity document of the foreign guest.

In addition, a special permit / appropriate approval may be required from the FSB of Russia or its territorial agency to enter the territory for which a special permit is required.

Identity documents are provided at the beginning of the service for making copies. The necessary document templates are presented on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and on the website of the State Services.

If you receive a document through intermediaries, fill out a form to issue a business invitation for foreign citizens. As a rule, it is accompanied by a copy of the passport and a copy of the previous visa to the Russian Federation.

How to issue a business invitation online

An intermediary company is an ideal solution for those who do not have time to personally contact the relevant authorities. After providing the required package of documents, filling out the application form and paying for the intermediary’s services, all you have to do is wait for the result. The finished document, depending on its type, can be sent to you by email, post or courier.

Using the State Services website will save not only time, but also money, since you will not have to pay for the services of an intermediary company.

The website contains detailed instructions on how to issue an invitation to a foreigner from a legal entity online. To do this, you will need to fill out an application electronically. Electronic copies of the necessary documents are attached to it. All necessary templates can be downloaded from the website.

Processing times and cost of services

The final cost and time frame for issuing a business invitation for a foreign guest in the Russian Federation depend on the specific method of issuance and type of invitation.

Type of document / Who issues it Deadlines Cost

Possible grounds for refusing to issue a business invitation

The reason for refusal to issue an invitation may be violations in the execution of submitted documents, negative facts in the biography of a foreign guest that prevent entry into the territory of the Russian Federation, or identified violations in the activities of the receiving party.

• Violations in the execution of submitted documents. Incomplete data, incorrect names and dates, lack of a complete package of documents. When submitting paper versions, these are corrections or incorrect filling methods.
• Lack of confirmation of payment of state duty.
• Lack of confirmation of state registration of the inviting foreign guest-legal entity or accreditation of a branch of a foreign legal entity in the territory of the Russian Federation. Failure to register the inviting legal entity with the tax authorities.
• A foreign guest is refused a business invitation to the territory of the Russian Federation if: this is required by ensuring the defense capability or security of the Russian Federation, maintaining public order or protecting public health;
• less than five years have passed since the administrative expulsion of the foreigner from the Russian Federation, deportation or transfer to another state;
• there is a decision on the undesirability of a specific person’s stay on the territory of the Russian Federation;
• there is an unexpunged or outstanding conviction for committing grave, especially grave and intentional crimes on the territory of the Russian Federation and other states;
• bringing to administrative responsibility on the territory of the Russian Federation more than twice over the last three years, in some cases, one-time bringing to administrative responsibility;
• the presence of unpaid taxes and administrative fines, as well as administrative expenses for deportation outside the Russian Federation or deportation;
• if over the past five years a specific person has been on the territory of the Russian Federation in connection with his deportation from the territory of another state;
• within three years from the date of the last departure from the territory of the Russian Federation, a specific person violated the terms of temporary stay for more than 30 days in the absence of reasons established by law (death of a relative, urgent treatment, natural disaster or emergency);
• false information was provided about the purpose of stay or the identity of the foreign guest;
• a foreign guest is convicted of financing terrorist organizations and involvement in organizing terrorist acts.

Validity periods and conditions for obtaining a business visa

A Russian business visa can be obtained for a period from 30 days to a year , and in the case of EU citizens - even up to 5 years . It can be single, double or multiple, but in any case it obliges you to comply with the 90/180 day rule. This means that a foreigner with a business visa, even one issued for a year, has the right to stay in Russia for no more than 3 months within six months. If you are going to live and work here on a permanent basis, then it makes sense to apply only for a work visa.

To become a business visa holder, you must obtain an official business invitation, which can only be issued by a legal entity that has received accreditation from the Consular Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry. An invitation for a business visa to Russia can be presented in three versions:

1. Letter of invitation from the company . This formal letter can only be used by citizens of those countries with which the Russian Federation has entered into an agreement on simplified obtaining of visas (EU, USA, India, China). The letter is drawn up in free form on the organization’s letterhead and this process takes literally a few minutes. The header of the form indicates the recipient - a specific consulate or representative office of the Russian Federation in a particular country. This means that documents can only be submitted at this location.
2. Invitation on the letterhead of the State Administration for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs . This invitation will have to be issued through the Migration Department, pay a state fee of 800 rubles for it and wait up to 20-30 days for a response. But it will be valid for citizens of any country.
3. Electronic invitation or telex. It is a telegram sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation: from its department in Russia to the consulate indicated by the applicant (that is, the legal entity inviting the foreigner). In this case, no official paper is issued, and the foreigner is only given a telex number. With it, he must contact the consulate where the request was sent.

Image source: visa-russian.ru
A business visa cannot be extended, in the usual sense of the word. Its period can be increased only in emergency cases, if the owner, for one reason or another, cannot leave the Russian Federation on time. For example:

• needs emergency medical care;
• cares for a seriously ill relative or stays for a funeral;
• the borders of the Russian Federation or home state are closed due to quarantine, natural disasters, etc.;

Procedure for issuing a business invitation to a foreign guest

The original business invitation on paper is sent to the receiving organization, and then to the foreign guest by mail or courier delivery.

An electronic version of the document is sent to the receiving party’s email and then sent to the foreign guest. When applying for a visa, it is enough to provide a printed copy of the document.

If the receiving party does not have an email, the electronic version of the document can be downloaded from the State Services website or received in person through a personal appeal from an official representative of the receiving party to the territorial division of the Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.

When issuing an invitation using telex, the inviting party receives a telex number from the DCS of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation by email, fax or telephone. After this, the telex number is transmitted by any available method to the foreign guest.

Telex Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Information via telex from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of a business invitation is sent to a foreign guest in the form of a special letter by e-mail.

Single entry, double entry for a period of 30 to 90 days, 5 days registration, cost on request.

It is possible to register in 8 days, the cost is 9300 rubles.

Multiple telexes of business invitations are issued in 17-18 calendar days, the cost is 11,000 rubles. Stay on a business visa for up to 1 year.

It is possible to issue a business invitation in electronic form from the Ministry of Internal Affairs / Federal Migration Service or telex from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicating the purposes of the trip: business, commercial, maintenance.

Is it possible to enter the Russian Federation for business purposes without obtaining a business visa?

Currently, foreign guests are allowed to enter the territory of the Russian Federation for business purposes without issuing a business visa from countries with which a bilateral agreement on a visa-free regime has been concluded. A complete and current list of such states is presented on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

It should be borne in mind that in order to work in Russia, a visa-free foreigner will need to obtain a patent to work in Russia. A patent is issued by the Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation and gives the right to work in one company for a period of no more than 2 years. Registration of a new patent requires leaving the territory of the Russian Federation and re-entering.

There is no need to obtain additional permits when employing citizens of Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and Kazakhstan in the Russian Federation.

Registration of a business visa for foreign guests in the Russian Federation

A business or business visa to the Russian Federation for foreign guests can be single or double, for a period of up to 3 months, multiple - for a period of up to 1 year.

Required package of documents for visa application:

• international passport of a foreign guest;
• completed visa application form;
• two photos;
• receipt of payment of the consular fee;
• original invitation or its electronic version.

Requirements for documents and templates are presented on the website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Information on the amount of the fee can be obtained on the website of a specific Russian consular office abroad.

Within seven days from the moment of entry into the territory of the Russian Federation on a business visa, foreign guests are required to register for migration at their actual place of stay or the legal address of the host company. If a foreign guest's stay is less than 7 days, migration registration is not required.

Read more about how to obtain a business visa for foreigners to Russia.

What documents are required to apply for a business visa?

To apply for a business visa to Russia, you need to go to the nearest Russian consulate in the country where you are currently located. The following documentation must be provided to this authority:

1. A foreign passport that proves your identity.
2. The corresponding questionnaire. The applicant's signature must be present on it.
3. One photo in color and one black and white passport size. The photo must be taken no later than six months ago.
4. Medpolis with coverage of 30,000 euros.
5. A copy of visas that were previously received.
6. Invitation. It is important that it is formatted correctly. In certain situations it is permitted to provide a copy.

Read more about what documents are needed to obtain a temporary residence permit for marriage by following the link.