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 US Applicants Actually Need
For a U.S. tourist-visa application, the formal supporting document is a tourist voucher or confirmation issued by a registered Russian hotel, travel agency or tour operator. Providers often use “visa support letter,” “invitation” or “LOI” as informal names for the same tourist-support package. A separate second support letter is not normally purchased for the same tourist application.
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
Where to submit your Russian visa application
After preparing your tourist voucher and application, choose the city where you will file. Each page explains the confirmed local submission route and links to the official source.
Continue with the United States visa route
Use the country hub to choose between the e-visa and regular tourist visa. Order an invitation only when the regular visa route requires it.
Official sources for this guide
Visa rules and local procedures can change. Check the responsible Russian mission or MFA service before filing.
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 letterUntangling the terminology
The Washington Embassy asks for a tourist voucher issued by a registered Russian hotel, travel agency or tour operator. Commercial sites may call that document a tourist invitation, visa support, support letter or LOI. The label is less important than the actual document fields and the issuer’s registration.
A complete tourist-support document should identify the traveller and trip, the receiving organisation and its PTO registration. Check the document against the passport and the chosen mission’s current checklist instead of buying multiple products with different marketing names.
Tourist and business routes use different support
A tourist voucher supports a tourist-visa application. A business-visa application uses the host or authority-sponsored documentation required for that category. The two routes are not interchangeable, and a tourist voucher should not be used to describe employment, study or substantive business activity.
iVisa’s business-invitation service is available to eligible U.S. citizens, but applicants should select that product only when the trip purpose and receiving mission’s rules require a business-visa route.
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
Use the table to translate commercial wording into the document role relevant to a U.S. application.
| Term | Typical meaning | Action for a tourist application |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist voucher / confirmation | The registered issuer’s tourist-support document | Check that the required sections and fields are present |
| Visa support letter | An informal commercial name that may refer to the tourist-support document | Inspect the document rather than relying on the label |
| Tourist invitation / LOI | An umbrella marketing term for tourist visa support | Do not buy a duplicate document under another name |
| Business invitation | Support for a business-visa category | Use only when the declared purpose and consular route are business |
What U.S. applicants should do
Choose Washington, New York or Houston, read that mission’s current tourist-visa instructions, and order one tourist-support document from a registered issuer. Compare the passport data, dates, entries and trip details before filing. The document is sent by email after payment and any required review; local acceptance and visa issuance remain with the receiving mission.
Frequently asked questions
Is a visa support letter separate from the tourist voucher for a U.S. application?
Providers often use visa support letter, invitation and LOI as informal labels for the tourist-support document. Inspect the issued voucher or confirmation and follow the chosen mission’s checklist rather than purchasing a duplicate under another name.
Which document is used when a U.S. citizen requests a three-year tourist visa?
The Washington Embassy requires tourist visa support and instructs U.S. applicants to enter the requested three-year period in the application beginning with the first voucher entry date. The mission decides the validity actually issued.
Can I use a tourist voucher for a business trip?
No. The document and declared purpose must match the visa category. A business route uses the host or authority-sponsored documentation required by the responsible mission.
Does an accommodation booking replace the tourist voucher?
A booking confirmation is not the registered issuer’s tourist voucher. Follow the chosen mission’s current supporting-document list and keep the declared itinerary consistent.
Where should I check current timing and price?
Use the live order page for the invitation price and review conditions, and the responsible U.S. mission for appointment, processing, payment and passport-return details.
How do I know the document is complete?
Check the traveller and trip data, the required tourist-support sections, and the issuing operator’s PTO registration against the federal register.
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: 2026-09-04. Information verified against consular requirements current at the date of update.