Examples of the documents
This page provides samples and descriptions of the documents required for a visa application.
Passport
The passport should not cause doubts about its authenticity and that it belongs to its owner. It should not contain any marks, erasures, corrections or any other records which are not certified by the competent authorities of a foreign state and should not have any torn pages. It should contain at least two blank pages.
Photograph
The size of the photo should be 3,5 x 4,5 cm it should be printed on a good photo paper (color) with a clear frontal facial image. The photo must be taken within the last 6 months before the date of application and must show the full front view of the head, with the face in the middle of the photo, and include the top of the shoulders. The background should be plain white or light-colored.
Travel insurance certificate
When applying for a Russian visa you should provide a health insurance certificate or a clear letter of confirmation from your insurance company stating your name, period of validity and coverage area.
The medical insurance should ensure the coverage of the following types of medical care and medical transportation:
- medical assistance provided by medical stations, ambulances;
- medical care at outpatient departments and hospitals in case of a sudden decay of health or accident to the extent necessary to eliminate threat to life and/or pain;
- transportation by medical transport or other vehicle including the costs of medical assistance (medical team, nurse, etc.) from the place of accident to the medical institution, as well as transfer to another medical facility;
- repatriation in case of death;
Attention: An insurance company should have a reinsurance contracts with Russian insurance companies to be able to provide certificates of medical coverage valid for an application.
Direct letter of invitation
It can be issued by a Russian company, an organization, offices or branches of international companies or by government bodies and local authorities of the Russian Federation or by organizing committees of trade and industrial exhibitions, conferences and symposia which are registered in the territory of Russia and have a Taxpayer Identification Number.
Letter of invitation issued by the Federal Migration Service of Russia
A Russian citizen or a Russian company, an organization, offices or branches of international companies or government bodies and local authorities of the Russian Federation or organizing committees of trade and industrial exhibitions, conferences and symposia which are registered in the territory of Russia and have a Taxpayer Identification Number should request the Federal Migration Service of Russia to issue such an invitation.
Tourist voucher and confirmation of acceptance of a foreign tourist
These two documents can be obtained either from a Russian travel agency or from a hotel in Russia which are accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia to accept foreign tourist and registered in the Unified Federal Register of Travel Agencies.
Tourist voucher usually contains the following information: name, nationality, date of birth, passport number of the invited person, duration of stay, route of journey, stamp of the accepting organization and signature of an authorized employee, the reference number of the organization in the Unified Federal Register of Travel Agencies
Receipt of payment
Once an application is accepted and the payment has been done a receipt of payment will be given. Please keep it until you pick up the visa. The first date for picking up the visa is stated on the receipt.
Visa
Some inscriptions in your visa might seem strange to you. But it does not necessarily mean that it is incorrect. Please, study a visa example.