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.
Tourist Voucher vs Visa Support Letter: What UAE Applicants Actually Need
For visa applications at the Russian missions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, "tourist voucher" and "visa support letter" are two parts of one document issued together by a registered Russian tour operator: the Confirmation of admission of a foreign tourist and the Tourist Voucher. Expatriate residents of the UAE order a single tourist invitation containing both. Emirati citizens need neither — UAE passport holders travel to Russia visa-free for up to 90 days.
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
Understand the document terminology
The country guide explains local filing context. Use the generic comparison for the difference between a tourist voucher, confirmation of reception and the market term “visa support letter”.
Compare tourist voucher and visa support letterFirst, who needs any of this in the UAE
Citizens of the United Arab Emirates travel to Russia without a visa for stays up to 90 days, so for Emirati passport holders the voucher-versus-support-letter question simply does not arise for tourism. The terminology matters for the UAE's expatriate residents — Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian and other passport holders — who apply for Russian visas at the Russian Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General in Dubai using their UAE residence status.
For those applicants, the required "visa support" is the standard tourist document set: a Confirmation of admission of a foreign tourist plus a Tourist Voucher, issued together by a tour operator registered in Russia's federal register. The two parts share one confirmation number and sit on one sheet; "visa support letter" is simply the consular English for the confirmation part.
Common confusion in the UAE market
The UAE's crowded visa-agency market amplifies the terminology confusion. Agencies in Dubai advertise "Russia visa support", "invitation letters" and "vouchers" at widely varying prices, sometimes implying these are different items to be purchased together. They are not: a complete tourist invitation includes both the support (confirmation) element and the voucher element. What varies between offers is the issuing operator's registration status, the speed, and the price — not the document structure.
A separate, genuine distinction exists for business travellers: a business visa requires a support letter from the Russian organisation being visited, with no voucher involved. Gulf-based professionals attending Russian trade events need that document rather than a tourist voucher, and it must come from the Russian host: our business invitation service covers only citizens of Schengen Area countries, the United States and Japan.
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
Comparison at a glance
The mapping for applications lodged in the UAE.
| Term | What it is | Do you order it separately? |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist voucher | Confirmation of paid tour services; half of the invitation sheet | No — included in every tourist invitation |
| Visa support letter / confirmation | Confirmation of admission of a foreign tourist; the other half | No — included in every tourist invitation |
| Tourist invitation / LOI | Umbrella name for the voucher + confirmation set | This is the product you order (from $19) |
| Business invitation | Separate document for business visas, obtained from your Russian host company | Not available through us for this nationality |
Practical guidance for UAE-based applicants
Order one tourist invitation from an issuer whose documents carry a verifiable PTO number — it arrives by email after payment and data checks, wherever you are in the Emirates. Enter your name exactly as in the machine-readable zone of the passport you will submit (not as on your Emirates ID), verify the document's check code online, print it full-size, and bring it to your appointment in Abu Dhabi or Dubai together with your Emirates ID and residence visa. Decline any offer to sell a "support letter" as a separate add-on to a complete invitation — it is already included.
Frequently asked questions
Do Emirati citizens need a voucher or support letter?
No. UAE passport holders travel to Russia visa-free for up to 90 days for tourism. The documents concern expatriate residents applying on other passports.
Are the voucher and support letter sold separately?
No. They are two parts of one tourist invitation sheet issued by a registered Russian tour operator. Any complete invitation includes both.
Can UAE expats apply in Dubai with this document?
Yes. The Russian Consulate General in Dubai and the Embassy in Abu Dhabi accept applications from UAE residence-visa holders with the standard tourist invitation.
Does a Dubai travel agency booking count as visa support?
No. Only a confirmation and voucher from a tour operator registered in Russia's federal register qualify. UAE agency bookings or hotel reservations do not substitute.
What does the correct document cost?
A tourist invitation costs from $19 and is issued online after payment and data checks. A business visa support letter is a different document that comes from your Russian host company, and it cannot be ordered through us on a UAE passport.
Which name spelling goes on the invitation?
The machine-readable zone of the passport you will submit — not the Emirates ID spelling, which often differs in transliteration.
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
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Last updated: 2026-07-23. Information verified against consular requirements current at the date of update.