The terms you'll meet when applying for a Russian visa — invitation letters, telex, vouchers, migration cards and more — explained in plain English.
A Letter of Invitation (LOI), also called 'visa support', is an official document that confirms the purpose and details of your trip to Russia. Russian consulates require an LOI for tourist, business and private visas — but not for the e-Visa. Tourist LOIs are issued by registered Russian tour operators; business LOIs are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, by Telex, or through the Migration Service.
A Telex is a business invitation transmitted electronically by Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs straight to the specific Russian consulate where you will apply. Instead of receiving a paper document, the consulate retrieves your invitation by its Telex reference number. Telex invitations are common for business visas and for applicants in countries where paper invitations are not accepted.
A tourist invitation has two parts: the 'confirmation of acceptance of a foreign tourist' and the 'tourist voucher'. Both are issued by a Russian tour operator listed in the Federal Register of Tour Operators. Together they form the tourist LOI you submit with a tourist visa application. They can usually be ordered online and delivered by email within minutes.
A migration card is a small form you complete on arrival in Russia (often handed out on the plane or available at the border). One half is stamped and returned to you — keep it safe, because you must surrender it when you leave and present it during migration registration. Losing the migration card can cause problems at departure.
Every foreign visitor must be registered at their place of stay. Hotels do this automatically at check-in; if you stay in a private home or apartment, your host (the 'receiving party') must notify the local Migration Service, usually within 7 working days of arrival. You receive a detachable registration slip — keep it with your passport and migration card.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (MFA, or MID in Russian) oversees Russia's consulates, embassies and the unified e-Visa system. Official visa portals such as evisa.kdmid.ru are operated under the MFA's Consular Department. It is the authoritative source for current entry rules.
GUVM (Glavnoye Upravleniye po Voprosam Migratsii), part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, replaced the former Federal Migration Service (FMS). It issues private and business invitations inside Russia and is responsible for migration registration and residence matters.
The unified electronic visa (e-Visa) is issued online by the MFA to citizens of 64 eligible countries. It needs no invitation, allows a single entry and a stay of up to 30 days, is valid for 120 days from issue, and is valid throughout Russia. The consular fee is about USD 52.
RuID is an electronic travel authorisation that, from 30 June 2025, citizens of visa-free countries must obtain through Russia's official app before crossing the border. It does not replace a visa but adds a pre-arrival step for travellers who previously needed nothing. Always confirm current rules before departure.
The consular fee is the official government charge for issuing a visa. It varies by nationality, visa type and reciprocity agreements — for example, the e-Visa fee is about USD 52, while US citizens pay roughly USD 185 for a standard visa. It is separate from any visa-center service fee.
A visa application centre, such as VFS Global, is an authorised company that accepts Russian visa applications, collects biometrics and forwards documents to the consulate. Using a centre is often more convenient than the consulate itself but adds a service fee (frequently around USD 30) on top of the consular fee.
A single-entry visa lets you enter Russia once. A double-entry visa allows two separate entries, and a multiple-entry visa allows unlimited entries within its validity period. Business and private visas are most often available as multiple-entry; the e-Visa is single-entry only.
'Visa support' is the everyday term agencies use for the invitation letter (LOI). When a tour operator advertises 'visa support from $19', they mean they will issue the tourist confirmation and voucher (or a business invitation) that you submit with your consular application.
Now that the terms make sense, check exactly what your nationality needs to enter Russia — visa-free, e-Visa or standard visa.
Tourist and business invitations (visa support) accepted by every Russian consulate. Trusted by 500,000+ travellers worldwide — delivered by email.
