1

"It seems" that the old-fashioned tourist vouchers and invitations are no longer needed (or accepted)..
Are you certain about that? Looking at the official site of the Russian embassy in the US they spell out what is required for a 3 year multiple entry visa

Tourist Visa
When applying for a tourist visa in addition to the valid passport and the visa application form: confirmation of the hotel reservation, a contract for provision of tourist services, confirmation of reception of the tourist. The above mentioned documents must register number from the Uniform Federal Register of the Tour Operators of the Russian Federal Tourism Agency and the seal of the host organization.
US citizen is eligible for a 3-year multiple-entry tourist visa.
Visa fee - $ 180.00
How exactly does this apparently "new" style of invitation differ from the old?

2

In response to Michaeldunha:

Yes, they are suppose to do away with the old voucher system. It is a provision of the legislation passed by the Russian Duma several months ago (Unlike the US, the Russian legislature generally sets visa requirements). But although it was intended to make it easier, it looks like they have instead put in place a set of more irritating hotel or tourist company vouchers.

The old invitation was relatively straight forward. Though it may prove to be easier in the future, for now no one really seems to know what is going on (at least at my regional consulate).

Good luck to everyone trying for this visa.

3

5horizons, the old voucher system as you put it will still exist because every other nationality that needs to apply for a visa still needs this. Its also clear under these new rules for US citizens that a hotel booking in its self isn't sufficient, an officially recognised document is still required.
So what does this mean in practice? Under the old system two documents were required, the confirmation which was the invitation and the accommodation voucher. You now no longer require the confirmation, but in effect you still need the voucher component.

4

Yes, I just got it today. I'm, propably, one of the first US citizen who got multiple entry, 3-year visa.

Will be interesting to see how it works. It says I can be in Russian for 180 days, but there is also a Russian law which does not ellow to stay in Russia for more then 90 days on tourist visa.

Also the process is not very well defined, and I felt it up to the counsel to interpret the process.

5

Here are the texts of the diplomatic notes establishing the new visa regime:

http://www.netconsul.org/important/index.htm

The key elements are 1) "Nationals of each Party shall as a rule be issued multiple-entry visas for a stay of no more than 6 months starting from the date of each entry that are valid for 36 months from the date of issue as long as reciprocity is maintained . . . .," 2) "The diplomatic missions and consular posts of each Party shall make decisions on visa applications, as a rule, within 15 calendar days from the date of the initiation of their processing," and 3) "Nationals of each Party may, on the conditions set forth in this Agreement, apply for a visa at diplomatic missions or consular posts of the other Party that are located in the territory of third states."

As to documents for a tourist visa, the initial diplomatic note states, "The visas . . shall be issued . . . without submission of documents, required in accordance with the domestic law of the State of entry. However, diplomatic missions and consular posts of each Party may require . . .besides the visa application form, information regarding the confirmation of the purpose of travel and the availability of funds sufficient to stay in the territory of the respective State. The joint indicative list of the documents for providing such information shall be established by the Parties through diplomatic channels."

A follow-up diplomatic note then sets out the required documents for a tourist visa: "confirmation of the hotel reservation, a contract for provision of tourist services, confirmation of reception of the tourist, and register number from the Uniform Federal Register of the Tour Operators of the Federal Tourism Agency."

And just to complicate matters more, the follow-up note adds:

"The Russian Side shall also have the right to request, if needed:
- a bank statement from the applicant;
- a statement from the employer regarding the applicant’s wages for the preceding year, half year, or month;
- medical insurance valid in the country to be visited and fully covering the period of the first trip;
- documents regarding the applicant's ownership of property in the country of his citizenship;
- a certificate on the makeup of the applicant's family."

I think these notes clearly indicate the source of all the confusion: there seemed to be an initial agreement to essentially eliminate the requirement of additional documents, but there then was a considerable stepdown from that position by the Russians in the follow-up exchange of notes, which brought us back to the status quo ante document-wise, if not worse. While the initial diplomatic note limits the additional documents required to those providing "information regarding the confirmation of the purpose of travel and the availability of funds," the final Russian document requirements seem to go well beyond that. Whether this change of tack was an intentional negotiating tactic of the Russians or represented a genuine change of heart, who knows.

The agreement is certainly not reciprocal, because in addition to the visa application form, the United States agrees to ask only for

"evidence which shows:
- the purpose and length of the applicant's planned trip,
- the applicant's financial means to pay for the trip,
- the applicant’s residence outside the territory of the United States, and
- the applicant's intent to depart the United States after the trip."

The U.S. State Department presumably accepted this unbalanced arrangement on the basis of the diplomatic principle that any agreement is better than none.

6

Actually I am not sure that it is so unbalanced. The things that the Russians are requesting are essentially the same. For example, the Russians are asking for
- a bank statement from the applicant;
- a statement from the employer regarding the applicant’s wages for the preceding year, half year, or month;
while the Americans are asking for
- the applicant's financial means to pay for the trip,
Sounds the same to me just spelled out as to how Russian consulate wants applicants to prove the availability of funds.

The Russians are asking for
- documents regarding the applicant's ownership of property in the country of his citizenship;
- a certificate on the makeup of the applicant's family."
while the Americans are asking for
- the applicant’s residence outside the territory of the United States, and
- the applicant's intent to depart the United States after the trip."
The US consular officials actually want to know about things like ownership of property, makeup of the applicants' family, history of travel outside the country of one's passport, etc to determine likelihood that individuals truly intend to depart the US. Again as I see it, the Russians are really only spelling out specifically what the US wants to see from visa applicants.

The only major difference I see is the requirement by the Russians to show health insurance. This is somewhat understandable since Russia has a national health insurance and the US does not.

shkolnikov73- Thanks for the update. Would you be so kind as to list what information you provided to obtain your visa? I am thinking to apply shortly and would not be staying in a hotel but rather visiting friends.

Ruth

7

Of course it's an unbalanced agreement, no matter the spin otherwise.

The fact is, the documents requested by the Americans from Russian applicants can normally be obtained in Russia by the applicants at nominal or no cost.

But the documents requested by the Russians from Americans -- "confirmation of the hotel reservation, a contract for provision of tourist services, confirmation of reception of the tourist, and register number from the Uniform Federal Register of the Tour Operators of the Federal Tourism Agency" -- can only be obtained by Americans from Russia, and like the old "invitation" requirement, at substantial additional cost in dollars and hassle.

Further, these documents are meaningless paperwork, since once you've got the visa you can make all the trips to Russia you wish without first getting "a contract for provision of tourist services," etc.

Nothing balanced about the agreement, nothing at all.

8

can only be obtained by Americans from Russia, and like the old "invitation" requirement, at substantial additional cost in dollars and hassle

Could disagree any more, what substantial cost? What substantial hassle? Also you seem to have glossed over the fact that all first time Russian applicants for US visas must still attended an interview.

9

can only be obtained by Americans from Russia, and like the old "invitation" requirement, at substantial additional cost in dollars and hassle

Could disagree any more, what substantial cost? What substantial hassle? Also you seem to have glossed over the fact that all first time Russian applicants for US visas must still attended an interview.

10

No doubt a good number of travel agents in Russia made a good living providing useless paperwork under the old system. I recall paying US$70 for a useless "business invitation." Others may have bigger wallets and more patience, but that was substantial cost and hassle for me.

Russian travel agents would not have been happy if the document requirements were eliminated.

All the new system does is keep that gravy train running, just changing the names on the cars a bit.

For it's still going to be necessary to contact someone in Russia and fork over a good deal of change for useless documents.

(And by "useless" I mean providing no other utility than satisfying a visa requirement.)

11

Without knowing exactly why you needed a business visa I can only speculate, one reason would be that previously you would have been limited to 30 days in Russia. Now this is no longer the case, both business and tourist visas are good for 6 month stays....all you need now is a accommodation voucher which are cheap and easy to obtain, at no substantial cost or hassle as you seem to think.

12

Here's precisely what the Russian consulate in Seattle requires:

"Confirmation of the hotel reservation, a contract for provision of tourist services, confirmation of reception of the tourist. The above mentioned documents shall have register number from the Uniform Federal Register of the Tour Operators of the Russian Federal Tourism Agency and the seal of the host organization."

http://www.netconsul.org/touristvisa/

If you are in fact familiar with what is now specifically required, why not tell us precisely the current procedure and the cost of complying with this requirement, so we can all then judge for ourselves if the documents are "cheap and easy to obtain, at no substantial cost or hassle." It's the specifics that count. Also, please provide the source of your information. Thank you.

13

Can someone clarify this? "a contract for provision of tourist services, confirmation of reception of the tourist"

Whatever this is, can a hotel provide me with this if I made a reservation?

shkolnikov73, since you have obtained this specific visa, can you please tell me exactly what they mean by this or to only provide the hotel reservation?