List of documents for obtaining a Schengen visa

What is a guest entry permit?

Entry into foreign countries is strictly regulated by immigration rules, the severity of which depends on the diplomatic relations between the two governments. Today, Russians can cross the border of some territories using an electronic visa stamp or sticker pasted into their passport right at the airport of arrival, and in other cases, to visit they will need to request a visa, which, in fact, is a permit allowing them to stay in a foreign country.

According to the classification of visa stamps based on the purpose of stay, all stickers can be divided into several groups:

• tourist;
• transit;
• guest;
• business;
• workers;
• student

One of the most pressing questions is what a visitor visa is. According to the migration regulations, this group of visa permits includes those issued to persons who have received an invitation from a private or legal entity with foreign citizenship to visit his country.

You can obtain a guest stamp for the following purposes:

• visiting relatives;
• visiting friends;
• business trip to conclude contracts;
• participation in conferences and forums;
• education.

The reason for putting such a stamp in your passport is a special invitation letter. Thus, answering the question of what is an invitation for a visa, we can say that this is a paper drawn up by the receiving party, which stipulates the specifics of the invitee’s trip.

The stamp itself confirms that its owner has a specific purpose of travel - making a guest visit to a specific person or organization that is responsible for the foreigner - primarily financial. It is for this reason that we will use another option, as the invitation visa is called - a guest visa.

What is an invitation in different countries?

The invitation letter must be drawn up in accordance with the requirements of the country where the invited citizen is heading. But it goes without saying that for different states the appearance of such a document, and sometimes its content, will differ.

In some consulates, a simple letter written by hand and certified by an authorized authority is sufficient, while others will require you to draw up an invitation according to a strictly established template.

Responsibility of the inviting person

In addition to the fact that some differences may be observed in the way the visa invitation looks, significant discrepancies can be found in its text itself. In a number of countries (for example, Germany or Austria) they will certainly require that the author of the letter undertakes to provide the entering citizen with everything necessary:

• housing;
• financial means;
• health insurance;
• transport for movement.

However, this guarantee does not oblige the visitor to reside at the address indicated in the invitation. The latter only implies that the resident of the designated state promises that if his guest encounters financial difficulties, he will take upon himself all the burdens of solving them.

These obligations apply only to the financial part of the trip; there is no talk of any administrative or criminal liability.

USA

A visa invitation to visit the United States allows you to obtain a visit stamp for a three-year period, with one visit lasting no more than six months. The invitation letter itself contains complete information about the American resident who can confirm his citizenship or legal residence in the States.

He can also act as a sponsor of the visit of a foreign guest, which is a great advantage for the latter, since it relieves him of the need to provide financial documents to the consulate, and increases the chances that a visa sticker will be affixed to the applicant’s passport.

Canada

In general, the text of the letter is very similar to the American version. In addition, it is allowed to be drawn up by hand, and not in printed form. You can send a message to the invitee either by fax or by e-mail.

Another feature that distinguishes a Canadian-style invitation from, say, a German one is that it does not require notarization. You just need to write the document according to the requirements and send it to your guest.

The invitation specifies who is inviting, who is inviting, when and for how long. In addition, it is necessary to indicate which party is financing the trip and medical insurance.

Schengen

To obtain a guest permit to enter the Schengen zone on the basis of an invitation, you will need to draw up a letter of the required form; In some countries, registration with certain government agencies or notarization of the inviting signature is also provided. A prerequisite is that the period for processing the document should not exceed 6 months before contacting the consular department.

The initiator of drawing up such a letter may be:

• citizen of one of the Schengen member states;
• a foreigner legally residing on its territory (for example, on the basis of a residence permit).

It is important to remember that if the author of the document is not a relative, but a friend, then the letter must also be certified by the authorized bodies (police, department for foreigners).

We must not forget that within the Schengen area one can observe some differences in approaches to obtaining visas in different countries, despite the fact that visa rules have been unified. So, for example, the French consulate easily issues guest stamps to close relatives of the French, but all other invitees will receive such a stamp only if the receiving party has sufficient funds and suitable living conditions.

The representations of Italy and Sweden are more loyal in this matter and, not only do they allow the letter to be sent in any available way, but they also do not object to the fact that the document appears as a copy and not as an original.

Private (Visitor) visa

A private (Guest) visa to Russia is intended for foreign citizens planning to visit the Russian Federation in order to visit their relatives, acquaintances or friends living in Russia.

A private visa to Russia is the only type of Russian visa for which an invitation can be issued upon application from an individual: an adult citizen of the Russian Federation or a foreigner residing in the territory of the Russian Federation. In this case, the purpose of the trip is indicated - private. Also, an invitation for a private visa can be issued upon application from a legal entity - a company accredited by the Main Directorate for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation at its location. If the inviting party is an organization, the purpose of the trip in accordance with the law is guest. In exceptional cases, a private visa can be issued without an invitation, based on a decision of the Russian consulate abroad, for example, the purpose of the trip is “special cases” - which is intended for foreign citizens traveling to Russia for emergency treatment, or in connection with a serious illness or death of a close relative .

The inviting party can issue an invitation for a private visa in two ways:

• On the letterhead of the Main Administration for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation - in this case, the invitation will be issued by the department of the Main Administration for Internal Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation in the form of a special secure state-issued form, which, after reviewing the application from the inviting party, will be handed over to the inviting party for sending it to a foreign citizen;

• In electronic form - in this way it has become possible to issue an invitation to obtain a private visa since 2015. When issuing an invitation in electronic form, the inviting party does not need to contact the Main Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation a second time to receive an invitation, and also look for ways to send or transfer the original to a foreign citizen, since the invitation will be sent to the Russian consulate indicated by you via a special communication channel.

Issuing an invitation for a private (guest) visa to Russia by an individual.

In this case, the inviting party is a citizen of the Russian Federation who has reached the age of majority, or a foreign citizen permanently residing in Russia.

To issue an invitation, an individual must contact the local branch of the Main Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation at the place of residence with an identification document and provide the necessary documents:

• A copy of the passport of the invited foreign citizen.
• Application for issuing an invitation for a private (guest) visa.
• A letter of guarantee confirming the consent of an individual to provide material and medical support, a place of residence for the invited foreign citizen and to bear financial responsibility for the forced expulsion (deportation) of a foreign citizen in case of violation of the legislation of the Russian Federation.
• Certificate of income (to confirm material guarantees).
• Paid state fee for consideration of an application for issuing an invitation.
• In the case of inviting a citizen from the list of migration-risk countries, the inviting person will also need to undergo an interview with the leadership of the department of the Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.

In the territorial offices of the Main Directorate for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, the period for issuing a private invitation may differ, but in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, the registration period cannot exceed 30 days from the date of acceptance of properly executed documents.

Issuing an invitation for a private (guest) visa to Russia by a legal entity

The legislation of the Russian Federation allows the issuance of a private invitation by a legal entity if for some reason a foreign citizen needs a private visa, but relatives or friends living in Russia do not have the time or opportunity (citizenship, permanent registration, etc.) to process an invitation to Russia. The invitation is issued by the relevant government agency at the place of accreditation of the inviting company. The processing time is much faster than in the territorial offices of the Main Directorate of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation and is 12 working days (17 calendar days) or 7 working days (11 calendar days) with the accelerated option for issuing an invitation.

Our company’s specialists will help you issue an invitation for a private visa; for this we need:

• A completed application form for an invitation.
• A copy of the passport of the invited foreign citizen.
• A copy of the previous visa to Russia (if available, any will do: tourist, private, business, etc.)

Unlike business and work, a private visa can be issued to a minor foreign citizen who wishes to visit the Russian Federation (in all other cases, a minor citizen must enter with his parents and can only be an “accompanying family member”). It should also be noted that the validity of the invited citizen’s passport must be at least 180 days (6 months) longer than the expiration date of the proposed visa.

According to the validity period, a private or guest visa to Russia for foreigners can be:

— For 30 days (single or double entry)

— For 90 days (single or double entry)

Invitation letter

An invitation from a foreigner for a visa is also divided into several categories based on the type of sticker requested and the inviting person.

From a private person

In this case, the text of the letter should contain:

• all personal data about the author of the document (full name, address, telephone numbers, place of work);
• the purpose of the foreigner’s visit;
• the duration of his stay in the country;
• the nature of the relationship with the person entering.

Documents confirming the fact of ownership of real estate and availability of funds are attached to the letter.

From a business partner

Before you learn how to write an invitation for a visa from a business partner, you should remember that the initiator of such a message can only be an organization that is officially registered in its country. The document must contain all her details and indicate the type of business relationship with the invitee and the purpose of his visit:

• signing a contract;
• participation in the conference
• experience exchange.

The document must necessarily indicate the person who is responsible for the invitation and stay of the foreigner.

From the educational institution

In this case, the invitation is issued only by the university where the invitee will study. In this case, we can talk not only about a long educational process. An invitation can be issued for courses, advanced training, or exchange studies.

In addition to indicating the university, the letter must confirm that the designated person is already enrolled as a listener or student. Mandatory information – tuition fee, residential address, course name, responsible person.

Documentation

Documents for a visa by invitation require careful attention, since they include a list required not only from the invited person, but also from the receiving party. To submit to the consulate you will need:

1. The guest's foreign passport valid for at least 3 months after the expiration of the visa.
2. Copy of internal passport.
3. Application form.
4. Insurance.
5. Tickets.
6. Certificate issued at the place of work.
7. Invitation.

The latter must certainly be accompanied by a copy of the host party’s passport and financial documents.

If we are talking about close relatives, then you should attach proof of relationship for a visa to the package of papers. If the invitation comes from friends, then the text of the letter itself should describe the circumstances of the acquaintance and the duration of the friendship.

If available, you can attach joint photos.

Financial documents are presented by the party that will pay for the trip. If a resident of the visiting country is expected to live on the territory, then he needs to confirm his living conditions with a document on ownership of real estate. Otherwise, the invitee will have to attach a hotel room reservation to the set of documents.

Registration of a visa document

A visitor visa does not give a resident of a foreign country the opportunity to find a job on the territory of the Russian state. It is also not possible to extend this document. If a foreign person has been invited by a business partner or organization, then he needs to take care of obtaining a tourist or business visa document.

How to act

It is not difficult to obtain a guest visa to visit the Russian state. To do this you need to do the following:

1. Get detailed information about the pros and cons of this type of visa document.
2. Select the type of visa document.
3. Receive an official invitation (this document can only be issued by an organization that has been officially registered with the federal tourism agency).

Invitation form to the Russian Federation

1. Contact the Russian diplomatic office on the territory of your state and obtain more detailed information.
2. Collect a package of certificates necessary for obtaining a visa document.
3. Pass an interview with the Russian consul.
4. Fill out the application form.
5. Pay the consular fee.
6. Receive a completed visa document.
7. Carefully study the rules for crossing the state border.
8. Register for migration on the territory of the Russian state.

If you receive a refusal, you should not despair. To solve this problem, you need to find out the reason for the failure. If a complex or controversial situation arises, the applicant must contact a higher authority.

What information needs to be collected

The package of certificates required to obtain a Russian visa includes the following documents:

• application form of a foreigner;
• officially issued invitation;
• medical insurance policy;
• an unexpired foreign passport;

  

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  Visa application form for the Russian Federation

• high-quality color photographs;
• certificate of employment (this document indicates the position and amount in the account);
• bank receipt;
• round trip tickets;
• hotel room reservation (if the foreigner will live in the inviting party’s house, this will be indicated in the invitation).

Sometimes diplomats request additional documents. One such document is a bank account statement. A few years ago, the amount in the account to obtain a Russian guest visa should not have been less than 1.0 thousand US dollars. What should be the amount in the account today must be clarified in advance.

Algorithm for obtaining a guest visa

The receiving party begins the process of applying for a visa upon invitation. To do this, you need to find out exactly what the invitation letter should look like and compose it according to all the requirements. Copies of the documents specified above should be attached to the letter and all this should be sent to the consulate of the country where the potential guest will request entry permission in one of the ways provided by the diplomatic mission:

• by fax;
• by mail;
• by email.

Further, the applicant himself continues to receive a visa by invitation. For his part, he prepares a package of papers that are required directly from him, translates them and, if necessary, notarizes them.

In most cases, he does not receive an invitation in hand, since it is sent directly to the consular department of his country. But first he must discuss all the nuances with the receiving party regarding the preparation of financial documents and housing reservations.

The cost of obtaining a visitor visa does not depend in any way on who will pay for the visit. But it should be remembered that this responsibility rests with the applicant, and not with the receiving person or company.

Most often, the procedure for obtaining a guest visa is accompanied by an interview. Usually this fact occurs when the inviter is not a close relative, but a friend, educational institution or partner. Representatives of the target state will want to ensure that the facts presented in the invitation match those you present.

In general, the process of obtaining a visitor visa is not the easiest today, since cases of fraud and the provision of fake invitations have become more frequent.

US Visitor Visa: Video

In the USA and Canada

Until recently, to issue an invitation to American relatives (friends, etc.), it was advisable to contact a notary for a “visit.” Otherwise, the document might not have had the desired weight in the eyes of consulate staff. The notary wrote down the corresponding text of the invitation on the stamped form, certified it with a seal, etc. In this form, the document looked extremely convincing, and such an invitation practically served as a guarantee of a positive decision to issue a visa.

In 2021, the situation has been simplified, and now a paper or email letter in free form can be used as an invitation for a visa. A mandatory requirement for the invitation text is the presence of detailed personal and contact information about the receiving party. These are your full name, phone number, address, email.

At the same time, experienced people recommend avoiding “loud” wording in invitations about readiness to control subsequent departure from the country (guarantees to cover all expenses, etc.) and insist that mistakes made in an invitation for a visa can be fatal role in deciding whether to provide it.

The invitation form for a visa to Canada, as well as to the USA, is arbitrary. The inviting party decides whether this letter should be notarized or not (from a legal point of view, this is not necessary). Mandatory in the text of the invitation for a visa are the personal data of the person acting as the host, his address, and the duration of the proposed trip. Additionally, the document should indicate who exactly is willing to bear the costs for it. The invitation is sent by mail - e-mail or regular mail - or by fax.

Responsibility of the inviting person from the Schengen countries

A Schengen visitor visa, obtained on the basis of an invitation sent, means the fact of providing basic elements of protection for a foreigner visiting the Schengen zone and imposes certain obligations on the receiving party. They are of a material nature and imply providing the foreigner with the necessary amount of funds to receive medical care, as well as a guarantee that he will have a place to live.

That is, we are talking here about a kind of voluntary insurance for critical emergencies. Although the receiving party does not bear administrative or criminal liability for its guest, whose passport contains a Schengen visa by invitation.

Features of issuing an invitation to Russia

Many Russians, in turn, are interested in how to get a visa to Russia for a foreigner. As in other countries, a guest visa in the Russian Federation can be obtained if you have an invitation. An invitation letter for a visa is issued at the territorial department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. An alternative option is the issuance of this document by a legal entity accredited by the Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. When contacting the appropriate service to receive an invitation, you must have with you:

• internal passport;
• request for an invitation letter;
• a photocopy of the foreign passport of the foreigner for whom the invitation is issued. It is important that this copy is of high quality;
• document confirming a sufficient level of financial solvency. This is a certificate confirming that in the bank account of a Russian citizen there is an amount equivalent to 1 thousand US dollars or more;
• warranty deed, which must be notarized.

An invitation can be issued in one of two ways.

1. Registration on a special (secure, state-issued) form of the migration department. The completed invitation form is then sent to the foreigner.
2. Issuing an invitation in electronic form.

In the second case, a person will not have to visit the organization preparing the invitation twice, and will also not have to look for a way to transfer this document to the addressee. It will be transmitted electronically by the Russian consulate through its own communication channel.

Validity period of a guest visa

Most often, a visitor visa stamp is issued for multiple trips, usually for 1 year. But close relatives of foreign citizens who can confirm their relationship usually have a better chance of obtaining such permission.

A guest visit on a friendly basis or for the purpose of participating in a conference may be limited by the duration of the trip itself. But if you comply with all visa rules and have an established reputation, you can count on a multiple visa - first six months, then an annual one and then three or five years.

The training stamp can also be short-term or long-term. The first one is usually received by students of short courses, but university students become owners of an annual stamp, which can be extended upon successful passing of exams.

Guest stamp cost

The cost of obtaining a guest visa is usually no different from the popular tourist entry permit. For example, the US consulate will ask you to pay a fee of 160 dollars, but in the Schengen zone the fee is 35 euros, the same as for a permit sticker for a tourist.

Relatives of EU citizens enjoy special benefits; upon confirmation of their family ties, they are generally exempt from paying the visa fee. The same rules apply to children under 6 years of age and people with disabilities. In any case, in this matter you should always focus on a tourist visa, since the target orientation of a guest visa is not much different from it, namely, it does not provide the right to work or permanent residence.

Example of a visa by invitation

In the process of preparing for travel, it is very important to know how to fill out a visa invitation. So, for example, to visit close relatives you will need to provide the following information:

1. Full name of the inviter.
2. His residential address.
3. Passport details.
4. Place of work.
5. Full name of the invitee.
6. His citizenship and permanent residence address.
7. Passport data.
8. The address where the guest will reside in the country of visit.
9. His route around the country.
10. Length of stay.
11. The nature of family relationships.
12. Trip sponsor.

The indicated information is supported by the above documents.

Russian Economic UNIVERSITY Timeni G.V. Plekhanov

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​Multiple entry visas

Simultaneously with migration registration, foreign students from countries with a visa regime submit documents for multiple-entry (multi) visas, which are the basis for staying in the Russian Federation. The visa is issued for an academic year and provides the right to an unlimited number of entries into Russia and exits from the country.

A month before the expiration of an existing (single or multiple) visa, foreign students from countries with a visa regime submit documents to extend their visas, which are the basis for staying in the Russian Federation. A multiple-entry visa is issued for a period of no more than a year and provides the right to an unlimited number of entries into Russia and exits from the country.

To obtain a multiple-entry visa, you must submit to the Organizational and Visa Department:

- original passport; — a copy of the passport (1 page and pages indicating expiration dates, if they are not indicated on 1 page);

- a copy of your existing visa;

- a copy of the migration card

— a copy of the notice of arrival of a foreign citizen on both sides;

— a receipt confirming payment of the state fee for registration/extension of a multiple-entry visa;

— 1 photo (3x4).

- a copy of the training agreement and receipt of payment for training (for foreign students studying on a non-budgetary basis).

Transit visas

Transit visas are issued if a foreign student is expelled from the University. To obtain such a visa, a foreign citizen must present a ticket with the date of departure from the country to the department of international activities.