Online application for an invitation
Apart from the regular documents (passport, application form, health insurance evidence, passport photo) you need an invitation/tourist voucher to apply for a russian visa.
If you plan your trip with an tourist agency or if you make a reservation for an hotel, you get the needed papers in most cases automatically. But if you prefer traveling through Russia as a backpacker staying in hostels and visiting unpopular areas you have to find other ways to get an invitation. Most of the smaller tourism agencies or hotel-/hostelmanagers are not allowed to pass invitations, so they have to buy them from authorized institutions and in the end you got to pay for them.
That is why the easiest and fastest way to get an invitation is to buy one at home. Just ask for one in a travel agency focused on Russia or run by Russians. Since we frequently achieved your requests, we looked for a partner in Russia with whom you can now apply online for an invitation which you will receive via email or fax. It doesn´t matter whether you want to spend only 30 days in Russia (then you need a tourist visa) or more (then you need at any rate a buisness visa). Don´t be concerned, the invitations are not fullfilling any use. They are part of a bureaucratic regime and shall create the illusion of a total control, but not more.
As soon as you get your invitation, you can apply for a visa at the embassy or a responsible consulate.
Online application:
> www.getrussian.com
