By country
Russia invitation letter from Germany
Not needed for a 30-day unified e-visa. Required if you apply at a consulate (double entry, longer stay, or you prefer a sticker visa).
- E-visa open to this passport
- Yes, within the scheme's limits
- Invitation required
- For consular visas only
- Consular fee
- Consular tariff of the Russian missions in Germany; the invitation fee is separate.
- Processing
- E-visa: up to 4 calendar days on the MFA portal. Consular visa: appointment plus several working days in Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Leipzig or Munich.
Section 1How the invitation is used in Germany
Decide the path first. If e-visa covers the trip, skip the invitation. If you need two entries or more than 30 days, order the invitation and file at the consulate.
German visa centres are used to PDF tourist vouchers. Bring a printout anyway.
The invitation is not a Schengen document and should not be uploaded to a Schengen file.
Section 2Where to file
Russian missions in Germany 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Berlin | Embassy | Use the invitation when you file a regular visa, not when you only apply for e-visa. |
| Frankfurt am Main | Consulate General | Common for western Germany. |
| Hamburg | Consulate General | North German jurisdiction. |
| Munich | Consulate General | Bavaria. Same PDF invitation standard. |
| Leipzig | Consulate General | Eastern jurisdiction. |
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 |
|---|---|
| Einladende Organisation | Host name |
| Referenznummer | PTO |
| Bestätigungsnummer | Invitation ID |
Section 4Mistakes that recur here
- Buying an invitation “just in case” for a trip that will go through e-visa only — wasted, and dates can confuse you later.
- Entering umlauts inconsistently (Müller vs Mueller). Match the passport machine-readable zone.
Section 5Which route applies to you
Holders of this passport have two routes into Russia, and only one of them needs an invitation.
- Before you commission anything, compare the two routes on invitation versus the unified e-visa — for short stays the e-visa removes the invitation entirely.
- 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 also qualify for the unified e-visa, so the same choice between routes applies.
Important
An invitation letter is a supporting document. It does not guarantee a visa: consular officers decide every application.
Questions
I am eligible for e-visa. When do I still order an invitation?
When you need a double or multiple entry, a stay longer than 30 days, or a visa category the e-visa does not cover (work, study, journalism).
Sources
Rules and fees on this page are checked against the primary authorities below. Where they disagree with us, they are correct.