To receive a tourist invitation to Russia, please indicate your citizenship. You will be provided with a registration form. Fill in all the fields carefully, then proceed to the next step to confirm and pay for your invitation.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Russian Visa Invitation for Argentines?
Most Argentine citizens do not need a Russian visa invitation: Argentina and Russia maintain a visa-free regime allowing stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. An invitation matters for work, study, stays beyond the allowance, and for foreign-passport residents of Argentina. When required, a tourist invitation is issued online after payment and data checks from $19.
Need a tourist invitation for a regular Russian visa? Order only after checking that this is the correct route for your trip.
Order a Tourist Invitation — from $19Official tour operator (PTO 015681) · PDF by email · Verify the current filing rules for your location
Who in Argentina actually needs an invitation
Argentina belongs to the group of Latin American countries whose citizens enter Russia without a visa. The bilateral agreement, in force since 2009, allows Argentine passport holders to spend up to 90 days in Russia within any 180-day period for tourism, family visits and general business. For a holiday in Moscow, a World Cup-style football trip or a business meeting in St Petersburg, an Argentine needs only a passport valid for six months beyond the return date — no visa, no invitation.
The invitation becomes relevant in defined cases: employment in Russia (work visa), study at a Russian university (student visa), stays longer than the visa-free allowance, and accredited journalism. It is also the standard requirement for residents of Argentina who hold passports of countries without a visa-free arrangement — they apply at the Russian Embassy in Buenos Aires (Rodríguez Peña 1741) with an invitation issued against that foreign passport.
Timelines by invitation type (2026)
When a visa — and therefore an invitation — is required, issue times depend on the invitation type. Tourist invitations are electronic and near-instant; work and study invitations follow a petition process measured in weeks.
| Invitation type | Issue time | Price | Who typically needs it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist invitation (single entry) | after payment and data checks | from $19 | Foreign-passport residents of Argentina |
| Tourist invitation (double entry) | after payment and data checks | from $29 | Foreign-passport residents of Argentina |
| Work / study invitation (MVD petition) | several weeks | employer/university files | Employment or study in Russia |
Need a tourist invitation for a regular Russian visa? Order only after checking that this is the correct route for your trip.
Order a Tourist Invitation — from $19Official tour operator (PTO 015681) · PDF by email · Verify the current filing rules for your location
Argentina-specific practicalities
Dual citizens — a large group in Argentina, where Italian and Spanish passports are common — should plan around the passport they travel on. Entering Russia on the Argentine passport uses the visa-free regime; entering on an Italian or Spanish passport requires a visa (or an e-visa for short trips) because EU passports have no visa-free arrangement with Russia. An invitation is always issued against a specific passport number, so decide which document the trip runs on before ordering anything.
The 90-in-180 rule is cumulative. Argentines making repeated long visits — common among families with ties to the Russian-speaking community — can exhaust the allowance, after which the next trip requires a visa from the Buenos Aires embassy, with 10-15 working days of consular processing on top of the invitation lead time.
One note for business travellers: a business visa requires a support letter from the Russian organisation being visited, arranged by that company. Our invitation service covers tourist invitations for Argentine applicants, so business documentation should be requested from the Russian host early, since its timing is outside our control.
Recommended schedule when a visa is actually needed
For cases that do require a visa from Argentina: allow 10-15 working days for consular processing in Buenos Aires, a day for the application pack and appointment, and the invitation lead time for its type — after payment and data checks for tourist, 7-12 working days for business, several weeks for work or study petitions. A tourist-visa application for a foreign-passport resident is comfortable with four to five weeks of lead time; work-visa cases should start two to three months before relocation.
A tourist invitation ordered early carries no risk — it is valid for the dates printed on it — while petition-based invitations run on the employer's or university's clock, so the traveller's job is mainly to supply passport data promptly and accurately.
Frequently asked questions
Do Argentine citizens need a visa or invitation for Russia?
Not for most trips. Argentine passport holders enter Russia visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Visas and invitations apply only to work, study, longer stays and special categories.
When does an Argentine need a Russian visa invitation?
For employment, university study, stays beyond the 90-in-180 allowance, and accredited journalism. Foreign-passport residents of Argentina need one for any visa application at the Buenos Aires embassy.
How fast is a tourist invitation issued when needed?
after payment and data checks online, from $19. The PDF arrives by email and is accepted in printed form at the Russian Embassy in Buenos Aires.
I also hold an Italian or Spanish passport — what changes?
EU passports have no visa-free regime with Russia. Travelling on the EU passport requires a visa or e-visa, with any invitation issued against that exact passport. Travelling on the Argentine passport is visa-free.
How is the 90-day allowance counted?
Cumulatively across trips: up to 90 days of total presence within any rolling 180-day window. Exceeding it means the next trip needs a visa.
How long does the visa take at the Buenos Aires embassy?
Standard consular processing takes about 10-15 working days after submission, on top of the invitation lead time for your visa category.
Need a tourist invitation for a regular Russian visa? Order only after checking that this is the correct route for your trip.
Order a Tourist Invitation — from $19Official tour operator (PTO 015681) · PDF by email · Verify the current filing rules for your location
Related guides and services
Last updated: 2026-07-23. Information verified against consular requirements current at the date of update.