Russian Business Visa Support
Russian business visa support allows the consulate to prepare visas for a single, double or multiple visits and may be valid from one to twelve months.
They are generally used by people who travel to Russia on official or private business and allow them to travel when and stay where they wish (within the validity of the visa).
A business visa may be issued for different reasons including cultural relationships, accompanying family members and commercial driving. Please let us know if you have specific requirements.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Russia has announced that from 10 January 2012, they can no longer process visa support documents for those who were born in any country of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Please contact us for options and any questions regarding this matter.
What is business visa support?
The visa support document takes the form of a paper invitation (a copy by email, or the original), or an electronic Telex message sent straight to the Consulate of your choice.
If you want to apply for a business visa to enter the Russian Federation then you will need to provide an official visa support document from a certified sponsoring organisation with your visa application. The visa support documents, also known as letters of invitation, are applied for by your sponsor from the central migration services in Russia and take between 1 and 18 working days to process.
How much will it cost?
We offer forty levels of service dependent upon how quickly you need your support documents and which type you need for example single, double or multiple entry. Prices start from £27.50.
How do I order?
To start the order process, simply click on the price to goto the online order form. Please take note of the “What is the Processing Time?” information below when ordering your visa. If you place your mouse pointer over a price then our system will advise you of when the visa support is expected to be issued.
What is included in the cost?
The Real Russia visa support service cost is “all inclusive” and covers everything we need to generate your visa support documents and get them to you, including:
- Preparation and management of your official letter of invitation at the UFMS
- Russian Ministry processing charges
- Local taxes (including VAT of 20%!)
- Delivery to our London office (if required).
You do not need to:
- Book a flight or hotel through us
- Be going on business with our company
- Purchase anything else from us at all
- Or provide any other details than those we ask for on our simple online form.
The price you see is the price you pay!
What is the Processing time?
Processing time is calculated in business days and excludes weekends, UK public holidays and Russian public holidays and does not include the day of order.
The visa support processing time is the number of days that it will take us to raise your visa support documents once you have paid and sent us a scan or clear fax of your passport page (and fax or scan of your last Russian visa if required).
Please note that:
- The Russian authorities will not process applications for invitations for business and multiple entry visa support documents earlier than 45 calendar days from the start date requested. If you apply more than 45 days in advance of the start date requested we will hold your application and apply at the earliest opportunity or you may change the start date to get the processing started earlier. Today we are able to submit visa support documents for processing that have a start date before: 01 July 2012.
- If you are travelling to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk or other cities on Sakhalin Island invitations may take one extra day to process. Please also see the following information with regards to working in this region.
- If you need the original document sending from Russia to your nominated address then please allow up to 3 working days for this unless you are collecting it from our Moscow or London offices or if it is a Telex visa support being sent straight to a Consulate. To assist with your planning, the time for you to receive your documents will be estimated on the order form when you select the delivery method you want.
How long can I stay in Russia using my visa?
Generally you may stay in Russia for a maximum of 3 months during any one visit and only up to the maximum validity period of the visa in any event.
Visits using a Multiple Entry visa are restricted to a maximum of 90 days in a 180 day period, though, this restriction does not generally apply to single or double entry visas.
Can I use a business visa for non-business purposes?
A business visa can also be used for non business reasons such as tourism or visiting friends, however, if you are only considering a single trip of up to 30 days within a twelve month period, it may be more cost effective to consider a tourist visa.
Can I get a business visa for my child?
In most cases, a child can get an ‘accompanying family member’ visa based on a parent's business visa. Please review the following information on taking a child to Russia.
How can I pay for my visa support documents?
You have several options to pay for your visa including:
Sounds good, how do I get my visa support?
To order your business visa support on-line, simply click on the level of service you want from the options above.
What will happen when I click the service I want?
1
When you select the visa support type and service level you want from the options above we will ask you to fill in a simple online form with details about yourself, your trip and finally you will have the option to pay using your credit or debit card through our secure servers.
2
You fax or email to us the last page of your passport (and residency proof if you are not applying for the visa in the country where you are a national) so that we may start to generate your visa support documents. For processing your multiple entry visa support we may also ask for a clear fax or scan of your last Russian visa. That's it, that's all you have to do!
3
We will complete all the necessary forms and submit your application to the Russian authorities. During the processing of your application, we will be on hand to answer any queries the authorities may have and to ensure that your application is dealt with in a timely and efficient manner.
4
The day your visa support document is ready we will collect it in person, confirm that it is correct and either email it to you, send it by courier or hold it for your collection if required. In the case of Telexes, you will receive confirmation of the details once the order has been accepted by the Russian authorities, so that you can submit your application at your chosen Consulate at the appropriate time.
You can follow the progress of your order through our online order tracking system which will detail the steps taken and the steps remaining to obtain your visa.
Remember, when you are in Russia, please ensure that you register your visa.
Is there anything else I should know about applying for my visa?
Single and double entry business visa support is generally delivered by email as a single page document and is recognised by Russian Consulates worldwide allowing you to apply for your visa with the Consulate of your choice. If the single-/double- entry visa support takes the form of a Telex, the details of the “invitation” will be sent electronically to the Consulate you are to use.
Please note that in certain countries or at certain consulates they may require the original document (or a Telex) and not a copy. If the consulate you choose to apply to requires the original paper visa support document then this can be sent to you by courier from Moscow at an additional cost.
For Multiple entry business visas almost all consulates require either a Telext or the original visa support document to be submitted with the visa application. In this case you may collect the original visa support document free of charge from either our London or Moscow offices, or we can send it to your nominated address for as little as £5.40.
Some Russian consulates may refuse to issue a multiple entry visa to applicants, even if the applicant has an official one year invitation (visa support document), if the applicant has not had a Russian visa in the previous year which they have used; please check with the consulate that you intend to apply to if they implement this rule. For processing your multiple entry visa support we may also ask for a clear fax or scan of your last Russian visa (and the entry/exit stamps).
If you are not a national of the country in which you are applying for your visa, then Russian visa regulations require that you prove you have been legally resident in the country for at last 90 days before they will issue the visa. If you cannot prove your residency then you will need to apply in your home country. Some consulates allow you to apply without the residency requirement being met, though will take a minimum of 10 working days to process the visa. Please check the local Consular requirements before ordering the visa support.
Applying for your Russian visa in the UK is a relatively straight forward process; to help ensure that you are not disappointed, please take note of the following:
| We recommend that if you are you sending your application by post that you use Royal Mail Special Delivery. |
Postal applications may take longer. |
| If you intend to apply in person, it is advisable to get to the Russian Visa Application Centre early, particularly if you are applying on the urgent service. |
Certain nationalities have additional requirements to fulfil. Please check with the consulate before you apply. |
| The Russian Visa Application Centre accepts credit and debit cards, and cash; if applying by post, only postal orders or bank drafts are acceptable. |
Check your visa carefully if collecting in person as once you leave the Russian Visa Application Centre you will need to pay for any corrections. |
Can you tell me more?
We try to give you as much information as we can to help you choose the service you need, though if you still have questions please feel free to look at our Frequently Asked Questions or contact us directly and we will be happy to help.