By country
Russia invitation letter from Australia
Always required for tourist and business visas. Australia is outside the e-visa list.
- E-visa open to this passport
- No
- Invitation required
- Always, for every consular category
- Consular fee
- Quoted locally in AUD by Canberra / Sydney — confirm before payment at the post.
- Processing
- Often 10–20 working days after the appointment, plus courier time if you do not live in those cities.
Section 1How the invitation is used in Australia
Because there is no e-visa, the invitation is step one — before flights you cannot change.
Australian posts are strict on passport validity (commonly 6 months beyond the trip). The invitation dates cannot run past passport expiry.
If you add New Zealand to the same journey, that is a separate visa regime. The Russian invitation only covers the Russian segment.
Section 2Where to file
Russian missions in Australia accept the invitation as part of the consular file. Check which post covers your place of residence before booking, because jurisdiction is by address and not by convenience.
| City | Post | Notes on the invitation |
|---|---|---|
| Canberra | Embassy | National capital filings. Attach the invitation PDF to the MFA form before you travel to the appointment. |
| Sydney | Consulate General | Same invitation standard. Colour print recommended. |
Section 3What to copy into the application form
Four fields move from the invitation to the application form. Transcribe them character for character; mismatches here are the most common reason a file is returned before it is assessed.
| Field on the application form | Where it sits on the invitation |
|---|---|
| Host organisation | Left column |
| Reference number | PTO line |
| Confirmation number | Top of the page |
| Cities | Itinerary line on the voucher |
Section 4Mistakes that recur here
- Ordering the invitation with preferred-name spelling that does not match the passport bio page.
- Putting only Moscow on the invitation when you will enter via Vladivostok — list the cities you will actually visit; travel inside Russia is then free.
- Treating a cruise manifest as visa support.
Section 5Which route applies to you
Holders of this passport have one route into Russia, and it always needs an invitation.
- An invitation is mandatory for this passport in every consular category, so the document is the first thing to secure.
- Choose the category that matches your trip: tourist confirmation and voucher for leisure travel, or a business invitation for meetings and contracts.
- Budget with the breakdown of invitation and consular fees and plan around current issuing times.
- When the document arrives, verify its registry number before you book a consular appointment.
Section 6Countries in the same position
These passports are also outside the e-visa scheme, so an invitation is required for every trip.
Important
An invitation letter is a supporting document. It does not guarantee a visa: consular officers decide every application.
Questions
Can I use an invitation issued for different dates if my flight moved?
If the consulate has not yet taken the file, ask us to reissue. After stamping, dates are locked to the visa.
Sources
Rules and fees on this page are checked against the primary authorities below. Where they disagree with us, they are correct.