Russian visa for US citizens: how to obtain and apply for it in 2021

Citizens of other countries often come to the Russian Federation in order to expand their business connections, sign contracts, and hold meetings with business partners. There is currently a steady flow of foreigners visiting Russia for business, commercial, commercial or maintenance purposes.

In all these cases, to enter Russia, foreign citizens must first obtain a business visa, which requires a business invitation. Our company offers services for issuing business invitations for foreigners to Russia. Business invitations to Russia come in various types depending on the purpose of a foreigner’s visit to the Russian Federation and the method of issuing them.

Invitation for a business visa to Russia: registration rules, prices and procedures for foreigners

Validity:	From 30 days to 5 years
Visa frequency:	Multiple
Deadline:	5-10 minutes
Cost of visa invitation:	from 3390 RUB - Get it online!

Key questions to consider before ordering a business visa:

Business invitations to Russia for EU countries
Business invitations on FMS letterhead (original). FMS electronic invitation with barcode
Telex of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation business invitation. Telexes for migration-risk countries
Business visa to Russia. Registration procedure
Types of business invitations to Russia

Business invitations to Russia for EU countries

To obtain a business visa to Russia for citizens of European Union countries, you need to have a business invitation from a legal entity registered in Russia. Our company can issue such an invitation (it is suitable for citizens of those EU countries that have signed an agreement with Russia on the introduction of a simplified visa processing system).

Study in Russia

To get an education in Russia, you need to receive an invitation from a university to obtain a visa.

For students who do not know the language, an additional preparatory course is provided. Here the Russian language and some disciplines from the chosen specialization will be studied. At the end of the academic year, graduation tests are provided. Those who successfully pass the exam are enrolled in basic training.

List of documents required for American citizens to enroll in a Russian university:

application for admission with a precise indication of the specialty. Must be filled out in Russian;
certificates of education already received with copies and translation into Russian;
copy of ID;
a copy of the entry document;
the required number of photographs; requirements for them may vary at universities.

If all entrance tests are successfully completed, the educational institution will send an invitation letter for a student visa. When moving to the next course, it is extended. If for some reason your studies are interrupted, your visa will be cancelled.

Business invitations on FMS letterhead (original). FMS electronic invitation with barcode

To obtain a business visa, a business invitation to Russia can be issued on the form of the Federal Migration Service. Such invitations are issued for foreigners who want to come to Russia for business negotiations, to visit an exhibition or participate in a conference.

Read more: Form of the Federal Migration Service

Based on a business invitation on the form of the Federal Migration Service, you can obtain a single or double-entry Russian visa for 30 or 90 days or a multiple-entry business visa for 180 or 365 days. Moreover, today foreign citizens can obtain a multiple-entry visa, even if they did not have Russian visas before.

A new type of business invitation for foreign citizens includes a business invitation in electronic form. Issuing an invitation electronically allows you to save time and money when sending an invitation to a foreigner, which significantly simplifies the process of obtaining a business visa to Russia.

To issue an invitation electronically, you will need to fill out a form and send a copy of the passport of the foreigner for whom the invitation is being issued. The term for issuing a single or double invitation for a business visa for 30 or 90 days is 10 calendar days, and for issuing a multiple electronic invitation you will need to wait 17 calendar days.

As soon as the invitation is ready, an employee of our company will send it to the client’s email. The form of such an electronic invitation contains a barcode, which encrypts all the information necessary to obtain a business visa to Russia. The foreigner must attach a copy of this invitation to the package of documents for obtaining a visa and submit it to the Russian consulate.

Issue a business invitation to Russia for foreign citizens on the form of the Federal Migration Service

Proceed to issue a business invitation

Procedure for obtaining a visitor visa

The application for a visitor visa may vary depending on the country you are planning to visit. The invitation must be issued by the receiving party. So, it is initially recommended to find out what a letter template looks like, and then prepare it in accordance with the established requirements. The letter is supplemented by a package of documents. A copy of the papers is required. The invitation and a package of documents are sent to the consulate of the state to which the entry request will be submitted. Papers can be submitted in the following way.

Then the applicant for a visitor visa must act. He prepares a package of documentation that is required to obtain an entry permit. Sometimes you need to translate papers and have them certified by a notary. Usually an invitation is not provided. It is sent immediately to the consulate. However, it is recommended to first discuss all the nuances with the receiving party. Special attention needs to be paid to booking accommodation and financial documentation.

Typically, a visitor visa requires an interview. The likelihood increases if the invitation is given to a friend, partner or student. Visa Application Center representatives will want to make sure that the information provided on the invitation is accurate.

In order for the application procedure to be successful, you need to understand what is needed to obtain a visa. Otherwise, the risk of failure increases. Substantial grounds must be present. It is mandatory to prepare a package of documents. The procedure will also entail a number of financial costs.

Documentation

Initially, you need to prepare documents for a visitor visa. The list is relevant for Schengen registration. Relationship must be documented. If a person invites a friend, it is recommended to supplement the list with joint photos. Real estate documents are required. They are included in the list if it is planned that the guest will stay with the host. In another situation, the list is supplemented by a hotel room reservation.

The Consulate reserves the right to request other documents. They are required to confirm the information contained in the application form. If a person refuses to provide them, the application may be rejected.

Documents for obtaining a guest visa:

Paper	Explanation
Questionnaire	To be filled out in advance.
Photos	Color photographs that meet the requirements will be acceptable.
Foreign and national passport of the applicant	Copies of completed pages are required.
Insurance	Issued for the entire period of stay abroad.
Financial guarantees	You may not provide it if the host takes care of the guest.
Travel documents	Must be valid at the time of application.

Validity

A visitor visa by invitation can be long-term or short-term. In the second situation, the duration of the entry permit varies from 3 to 90 days. When figuring out how many days a long-term visa is valid, a citizen of the Russian Federation will find out that the document allows you to stay in another country for more than 3 months. It may provide for single or multiple entries. Such a document is usually issued for work or study. The exact validity period of a visitor visa depends on the duration of the planned trip and a number of other factors.

A short-term entry permit allows you to enter the country only once. Having left it prematurely, a person will not be able to return to the state. If a multiple visa is issued, the length of stay is limited. However, it is permissible to cross the border multiple times.

Important! The period of stay cannot be extended. The citizen is obliged to leave within the prescribed period. The exception is the occurrence of unforeseen circumstances beyond the control of the guest.

Registration price

The cost of a visa is influenced by the state to which the person is traveling, the type of document and its validity period. Thus, guests of the European Union are required to pay 35 euros. This is a consular fee. It must be provided at the time of submitting documents. If you plan to visit the USA, the visa price increases to $160.

If an EU resident wants to invite a close relative, you can count on the process being carried out on preferential terms. A number of states allow you to cancel the payment of the consular fee. The rule applies if the resident documents his family ties with the guest. There is no need to pay a fee for children under 6 years of age. A number of countries allow disabled people into their territory under similar conditions. You need to check the availability of benefits at the consulate.

Telex of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation business invitation. Telexes for migration-risk countries

An invitation to Russia in the form of a telex from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs can be issued for citizens of countries such as Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland , France, Croatia, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Sweden.

For what purpose?

The purpose of visiting the Russian Federation is an important criterion that determines the advisability of obtaining a particular type of visa. Recipients of a business visa to Russia usually indicate in the application the following purposes of their stay in the country: participation in conferences, seminars, symposiums, exhibitions, search for business partners, representation of the interests of the company, business meetings for the purpose of signing important financial documents, providing advisory assistance within the framework of their professional activities , inspecting the work of a branch of one’s own foreign company in Russia, etc.

For how long?

The length of stay on a business visa in Russia varies from 1 day to 3 years. With a single-entry visa, a foreigner has the right to enter the territory of the Russian Federation once and stay in the country from 30 to 90 days. A double-entry business visa allows you to cross the border of the Russian Federation 2 times, and the total period of stay in the country can also be from 30 to 90 days. If the business interests of a foreigner require constant business travel, he needs a multiple-entry business visa to Russia, which does not limit the number of entries into the country. The total period of stay in the Russian Federation on such a visa is from six months to a year. However, in each half-year, a foreigner has the right to stay in Russia for no more than 90 days.

Business visa to Russia. Registration procedure

To obtain a business visa, a foreign citizen must contact the Russian consulate in the country of his citizenship. The basis for obtaining a business visa is a business invitation issued in accordance with the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation.

Read more: Business visa to Russia for foreigners

When submitting a package of documents for obtaining a business visa to the Russian consulate, you will need to pay a consular fee. If the review of the package of documents is positive, a business visa to Russia will be added by consular officers to the foreign citizen’s passport.

Conclusion

Now you know how to get a visa to Russia in the USA. We hope that our article was useful to you, and if so, we ask you to share the link to it with your friends. We wish you to receive a 3-year Russian visa and go on many pleasant trips around our country!

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Types of business invitations to Russia

The timing of issuing a business invitation for foreigners depends on the type of invitation, the citizenship of the foreigner, the length of stay in Russia and the required visa frequency. It will take from 1 to 30 working days to issue a business invitation. Business invitations to Russia are issued to foreign citizens for a period of up to 1 year.

When submitting documents for a Russian visa, you must have the original business invitation in hand, but in some cases stipulated by the laws of the Russian Federation, consular officers have the right to make an exception.

Depending on the method of execution, the following types of business invitations to Russia are distinguished:

1. Letter of invitation from the organization, written on the letterhead of a legal entity registered in the Russian Federation. Such business invitations can only be issued to citizens of the EU and US countries as part of the simplified procedure for obtaining visas between the EU and the Russian Federation, the EU and the US. It only takes 1 day to issue such an invitation.

2. Business invitation on FMS letterhead. When issuing such an invitation, a legal entity registered in Russia submits a petition to the FMS, in which it asks to issue an invitation for a specific foreigner, about whom all the necessary information is provided. After receiving such an invitation, it is sent by the inviting party to a foreign citizen, who can check its authenticity using the automated database of the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation. A business invitation on FMS letterhead can be valid from 30 to 365 days. It can be single, double or multiple.

3. Electronic business invitation with barcode. In order to receive such an invitation, the inviting party must submit a petition to the Federal Migration Service to issue an invitation to a specific foreign citizen and provide all the necessary data and documents. At the same time, the invitation itself is issued electronically, so there is no need to waste time and money on sending it using express mail services. This greatly simplifies the process of obtaining a business visa to Russia. The cost of an invitation from the Federal Migration Service in electronic form is lower compared to telex.

4. Telex. An invitation in this form is issued through the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this case, all information relating to the foreigner and the details of his invitation is sent through a special communication channel to the Russian consulate located in the country of which the foreigner is a citizen. Issuing a telex business invitation takes less time than an invitation on the FMS letterhead. At the same time, there is no need to waste time and money on sending it: the invited foreigner will only need to provide the telex number.

Read more: Why Telex or an invitation from the Federal Migration Service when you can take an invitation for an organization

Business invitations for foreign citizens to Russia may indicate different purposes of the trip:

business – means that a foreign citizen plans to conduct business negotiations in Russia, attend an exhibition or conference;
commercial - means that a foreign citizen travels to Russia to meet with suppliers or to enter into an agreement to conduct commercial activities with a Russian company;
maintenance - means that a foreign citizen will be engaged in technical maintenance in Russia (installation, adjustment or repair) of equipment purchased by a Russian company abroad (that is, if a foreigner comes to Russia for maintenance, he does not need to obtain a work visa and work permit);
crew member - means that a foreigner will cross the borders of the Russian Federation as a crew member of a sea or river vessel, train, regular or charter flight for passenger or cargo transportation.
accompanying family member - means that a foreign citizen is traveling to Russia as a family member of a foreigner who has received a business visa.

Issue a business invitation to Russia for foreign citizens in the form of a letter

Proceed to issue a business invitation

Issue a business invitation to Russia for foreign citizens on the form of the Federal Migration Service

Proceed to issue a business invitation

Issue a business invitation to Russia for foreign citizens by Telex

Proceed to issue a business invitation

Nuances of issuing an invitation for a visa

A person who legally resides in the state into which they plan to enter has the right to invite a guest. It confirms the purpose of the visit and ensures that the information provided in the application form is accurate. Depending on the type of trip, the application may vary.

Usually, invitations are issued for a business visit to the state, study for a short period of time and visits to private individuals.

From a private person

If an individual wants to invite a foreigner, he must indicate the following information in the letter:

Information about yourself. The full name, place of residence, organization in which work is carried out, as well as a telephone number for operational communication are indicated.
Information about the invited citizen and the purpose of his visit.
The amount of time the alien plans to stay in the state.
A relationship connecting the applicant with the person in respect of whom the invitation is issued.

The paper must be accompanied by documents confirming the availability of real estate and funds to provide for the guest during the entire trip. A salary certificate or bank account statement is provided.

If a visa is required for relatives, it is important to supplement the paperwork with a petition confirming such a relationship. When someone wants to invite a friend, they must indicate the amount of time the acquaintance lasts, as well as provide evidence, if present.

Note! If you invite a close relative, you will need to have the paper certified by a notary. If friends are invited, the document must be signed by the police.

From a legal entity (for a business trip)

An organization conducting official activities has the right to invite partners. The company must be registered. The documents will need to reflect the details of the institution and the type of business relationship with the invitee. The purpose of the visit is separately reflected. It could be:

experience exchange;
conclusion of an agreement;
participation in the event.

It will not be possible to limit ourselves to general definitions. It is important to reflect on the paper the person taking responsibility for the foreigner. It is recommended to describe the approximate route of the trip. The employee who takes responsibility for the guest is required to provide a telephone number, residential address and passport information. The location of the company that invited the foreigner is indicated separately.

From the educational institution

The document is provided if a citizen is sent to the state for the purpose of obtaining an education. Only the organization where the person will undergo training has the right to issue an invitation. The document is provided not only for a long educational process.

The organization must confirm in writing that the citizen is already enrolled in the list of students or listeners. It is mandatory to indicate the price of training, the person taking responsibility for the foreigner, as well as the name of the course that the foreigner will attend. The place in which the person will live is separately designated.

Tourist trip

Anyone wishing to come to the Russian Federation for sightseeing only needs to apply for a tourist visa. For US citizens, entry is allowed for up to 30 days. You can complete the necessary paperwork at the Russian Consulate.

To obtain a tourist visa, US citizens need a large list of documents:

Valid passport.
Photo on a white uniform background, without additional ovals and corners, size 3x4 cm.
Application form for obtaining an entry permit signed by the person leaving; You can fill it out manually in legible block letters or on a computer. You can write in both Russian and English.
Sample tourist application form for obtaining a visa to Russia
Confirmation of hotel reservation or invitation from a Russian tour operator. Only those travel companies that are registered with the Russian consulate have the right to issue invitations. It must certainly have the signature and seal of the company.
The host country travel company must issue a voucher that contains:
time of entry and exit from Russia;
name and number of the Russian travel agency;
a list of all prepaid services;
seal and signature of the responsible person.
The original insurance policy and its copy or a certificate of the last payment from the insurance company. Additionally, US citizens need an insurance card valid in the Russian Federation.