Guidance note 12
Visa support, LOI, voucher: one document, many names
Travellers meet half a dozen names for the same paperwork and reasonably assume they are different products. They are not. Knowing which word belongs where saves you from ordering something twice.
Section 1The vocabulary map
Visa support, invitation letter, letter of invitation, tourist confirmation, voucher and priglashenie all describe the host document required for a consular visa. The differences are in register and context, not in the paperwork.
| Term | Where you meet it | What it refers to |
|---|---|---|
| Visa support | Travel forums, agencies | The whole host document |
| Letter of invitation, LOI | Application forms, business contexts | The same document |
| Invitation letter | Everyday English | The same document |
| Tourist confirmation | The left half of the tourist page | One part of the tourist invitation |
| Tourist voucher, putevka | The right half of the tourist page | The other part |
| Priglashenie | Russian | Invitation, generic |
| TELEX | Business visas | Invitation transmitted to a consulate |
Section 2Terms that mean something else
Some words that appear in the same conversation belong to different stages entirely, and treating them as invitation synonyms leads to missing documents at the appointment.
| Term | What it actually is |
|---|---|
| Migration card | Filled at the border on arrival |
| Registration | Notification of your stay after arrival |
| Consular fee | Payment for processing the visa |
| Visa centre | An outsourced office that accepts applications |
| E-visa | A separate route that uses no invitation |
Section 3How to read an agency's offer
When a service lists visa support, invitation and voucher as separate priced lines, ask which single document you receive. Reputable issuers explain that the tourist invitation is one page containing both halves.
If nobody will name the issuing organisation or show its registry number, the wording on the price list is the least of the problems.
Important
An invitation letter is a supporting document. It does not guarantee a visa: consular officers decide every application.
Questions
Is a visa support letter the same as an invitation?
Yes. The terms are interchangeable for the host document Russian consulates require.
Is the voucher separate from the confirmation?
They are two halves of the same printed tourist invitation, issued together.
What does priglashenie mean?
It is simply the Russian word for invitation, used for all categories.
Do I need both a voucher and a letter of invitation?
No. For tourism, one document containing both halves is what you file.
Sources
Rules and fees on this page are checked against the primary authorities below. Where they disagree with us, they are correct.