Russia - Tourist Confirmation Letter

[Karen329]

Hi there. I am an Australian planning to travel to Russia in May and I understand that I need to provide a tourist confirmation letter as part of the visa application process. My questions are...

1. How did you obtain this document when booking with AirBnb?
2. Is this something that the AirBnb team can provide?
3. If you booked an apartment via AirBnb, were you able to use the tourist confirmation letter from an airline, train, or day trip tour company instead?

Thanks, Karen

[Elena87]

@Bruce462 

You should register within the first seven working days of a trip, nb not including Russian holiday days/weekends/plus not including your day of arrival. Re-registering is only required if you change addresses and the stay there exceeds seven days.

Therefore you should only register once, when you arrive in Perm and your family can register you from your arrival date to departure date. There won't be a requirement to register in either SpB or Moscow if you only stay 6 days each there.

Remember to retain your immigration slip you will receive at the customs entry point.

Your family will need a photocopy of your passport main page and passport visa sticker as well as the immigration slip to complete registration.

[Bruce462]

Thanks so much Elena, but I am still a bit confused... it will be more the 7 working days before I get to Perm... can I wait that long to register?

[Ad27]

@Elena87 

Hello elena ... been reading your replies  looking for some information for myself ...Started off as the invitation which I gathered I know how to sort it now ... from your link 

now my questions is ...
1. insurance policy for the whole period of stay ...( can this be travel insurance ?? The one you have an option to click yes or no when you book ticket ??)

2. I read that from the 1 January there will be a E visa for 53 states ... which I hold passport for one of them(Romania)  ... 
3. assuming the E visa won’t start exactly from the 1 January ....and I apply normal tourist visa ... will I be able to go again like 1-2 months after ?? Or is it time limited ?

ps : I would apply on a holiday from london to Moscow ....

with a Romanian passport (included in those 53 states )

with permanent U.K. residence

thank you in advance   

[Elena87]

@Ad27 

Yes, there will be an electronic e-visa entry to Russia commencing from Jan 1, 2021 for tourists, business, humanitarian visitors. Romania is one of the 52 countries eligible for e-visa entry.

The idea is you can apply easily online, without needing an invitation document.

It takes 4 working days for processing. An e-visa allows a 60 day window within which you can visit, you can stay up to a maximum of 16 days during the window. Visitors must obtain a new e-visa each time they plan to enter Russia.

As far as insurance goes, you should obtain a travel insurance policy that includes appropriate medical cover.

At the moment, there are restrictions to entry due to covid,  although nationals and residency holders of countries with which Russia has resumed direct air traffic links are permitted to enter. There is an air link open with the UK currently. 

[Ad27]

@Elena87 

Thank you for the quick and precise reply ... super appreciated ! 

I shall wait till January the 1st ... and hopefully the system will come into action and no delays to it ... 

if not ... I shall come back with questions probably for the normal tourist visa 😂😂😂

thanks again for the help !! 

[Elena87]

Karen

Tourist invitation/voucher letters for Russia are not issued by airbnb nor by airbnb hosts, airlines or day trip companies.

It's one of the documents needed to obtain a visa.

These vouchers are generally issued by officially registered travel companies or large hotel chains with a specialist department.

It depends on which country you stay in as different consulates apply different rules, but for an Australian applying in Australia, your best best is to simply buy an invitation from an online company. Cost is around 9 euros per person and the invitation document is sent directly to you by email. A good quality printed copy is acceptable to submit for your visa application. 

Look out for online companies that charge more though , I recommend www.travelrussia.su/en/ for an efficient and low cost option.

[Elsa64]

Thanks Elena, that's a good tip

[Allen55]

Would anyone know how this is going to work during the World Cup next year. As a fan who has tickets to the matches we are going to be required to have a "fan ID" that will allow us to enter Russia without an official visa. If we are not applying for an offical visa would we still be required to register or receive an invite?

Any help is appriciated. 

[Elena87]

@Allen55

Hello Allen

I managed to go to a FIFA Confederations Cup game played in the summer past there so I had a Fan ID pass issued then.

What it means is that you will have no need to apply for a Russian visa - Fan ID allows you visa-free entry to Russia for a prescribed period before, during and after the World Cup finals. You can check the Fan ID website for exact dates.

An invitation letter is not necessary for a Fan ID holder - it's only required for those going through the process of applying for a regular tourist visa.

As far as registration goes, there hasn't been any announcement yet about requirements during the World Cup or any temporary changes to the usual rules. 

[Allen55]

Elena,

Thank you very much for the info. Very helpful!

[Elena87]

@Allen55

I should mention too that Fan ID holders also qualify for free train transfers between cities and metro trips on match days - don't overlook that bonus!

[Leo100]

Hello Allen, 
Regarding FIFA world cup

You can check information here http://www.russianvisa-worldcup2018.com/

[Laurie255]

Hello, I am staying at an Airbnb property and we will need an invitation letter as we are UK and US citizens.  Please may i ask if anyone has had success with this company above?

[Laurie255]

Hello,

I have just booked an Airbnb in Moscow but need an invitation letter.  Will the link above provide me with an official stamped and signed invitation letter that I can use for my visa_ 

[Karen329]

Thank Elena! This is so helpful and will use the link you've provided me to purchase the letter!