When going abroad on a business trip or to visit relatives, in many cases you should take care of obtaining a visa: with it you can freely cross the border and live in the state for the entire period of validity of the permit. A visitor visa is issued at the invitation of the host party and does not provide the right to work or conduct business.
Features of a visitor visa
There are several types of visas, which are divided according to the length of stay in the country and the purpose of the trip. To visit relatives, study courses, relax and negotiate, citizens of the Russian Federation need a short-term visa. According to the purpose of the trip, they can be divided into:
- tourist,
- transit,
- guest,
- educational,
- business.
Before planning a visit, it is worth finding out what a visitor visa is and under what conditions you can obtain it. This is a document that gives the right to stay in the country at the invitation of a foreigner.
A visitor visa is easy to obtain for travel to most countries in the world. If relatives live in the European Union, then a Schengen visitor visa is required, which requires a guarantee from the inviting person.
Requirements for entry applicants at embassies of different countries may differ. Some consulates closely examine the visa invitation, others carefully check the identity of the applicant and are more strict when issuing permission.
Germany is one of these Schengen countries and places strict requirements on applicants to ensure that they are not seeking to immigrate or engage in commercial activities illegally. To obtain a document, it is important that a person has reasons for returning to his homeland.
When planning a trip based on a letter from a private person, you need to find out what the invitation visa is called in order to properly prepare the documents. For such a trip you should open a guest permit. In some countries, such as Canada, an invitation written by hand and certified by a notary is sufficient. Other states require a letter on a special form, issued when visiting the police station.
Invitation for a visa in various countries of the world
The conditions for obtaining the necessary documentation differ in different countries. The specifics of the procedure depend on the political relations between governments.
USA and Canada
The permit is issued for a period of up to 3 years. This is a multiple type permit. The length of stay is determined by the authorized border service on an individual basis.
First, a guarantee is issued by a person legally residing in the United States. The inviter, if desired, becomes a sponsor of the trip, which is convenient for the guest. The foreigner will not need to provide documents on his financial situation. The consulate in most cases approves the extradition.
The list of certificates required to obtain a permit includes:
- international passport;
- statement;
- receipt of payment of the fee;
- document confirming the legality of residence;
- certificate of relationship or personal acquaintance;
- confirmation of material well-being.
To travel to Canada, you need a citizen's passport, an extract from your place of work about your salary or from a bank. The invitation is written by hand or provided in printed form. It is sent to the guest by mail or electronically.
Schengen Area
A unified document is drawn up for the entire zone. Schengen is obtained at the consulate of one country, which provides the right to move throughout the entire zone. You will have to cross the border of the Schengen zone through the country in whose consulate the permit was issued.
A standard invitation requires certification. The guarantee is often issued in any form. Some states use official forms.
Germany
This country has strict rules for issuing sureties. The application is certified by the migration service. The inviter bears financial responsibility, as well as expenses due to some of the actions of the foreigner. For example, it is the responsibility of a German citizen to pay for the services of rescuers if the need arises. The original invitation is provided to the consulate.
France
Example of a short-term visa to France.
It is easier to obtain a guest permit if you want to visit family members. This includes relatives other than brothers and sisters. The application is written by hand by a French citizen or a foreigner who has received a residence permit.
The document is sent to the guest by mail. A copy of the identity document and residence permit is attached. The certificate is provided for up to 90 days.
If you invite a friend to visit, the procedure will require you to contact the city hall. The French citizen confirms the existence of appropriate material conditions. A document confirming the legal residence of the applicant in the country and a certificate of absence of debts are presented. A state fee of 30 euros is paid.
Italy
The appropriate form is filled out. The document contains information about the foreigner and the inviting person, the period and purpose of the visit. If the guarantee is issued by an official organization, the application is drawn up on letterhead with the company’s corporate design. The document indicates who pays the visitor's expenses during the travel period. A certificate issued by the Chamber of Commerce is attached.
Switzerland
In addition to the letter of guarantee, a guarantee is provided to the consulate. If the guest does not have sufficient funds, it is allowed to submit guarantees to the consulate. The document is filled out by the inviter. The review lasts up to a month. Instead, a citizen legally residing here has the right to bear the costs himself.
Sweden
The application is prepared in printed form and sent to the foreigner. A copy of the inviter’s passport is attached to the document.
Poland
The invitation is registered in the Voivodeship Office and certified by a notary. A copy of the identity document of a person legally residing in Poland is attached. If the guarantee is issued by a legal entity, the organization’s letterhead is used.
Greece
The application is filled out according to the established form and certified by the country's police. Attached is a copy of an identification document, a rental agreement or a certificate of ownership of your own home. The financial ability to support the guest is confirmed.
Latvia and Lithuania
To obtain permission, the inviter applies to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The applicant is sent the registration number of the document.
Czech Republic and Estonia
Example of a visitor visa to the Czech Republic.
The guarantee is certified by a notary. The Police Department has similar powers.
If the document is drawn up by a legal entity, the company provides an extract from the register on the right to carry out business activities in the country.
In Estonia, a business trip plan is provided to the consulate.
Spain
The represented state is loyal to the guests of the country. The petition may be written by hand. An extract obtained from the private property register is drawn up.
What responsibility does the inviting party take on?
An invitation for a visa can be written by an individual or a legal entity. The petition serves as a reason for the foreign citizen to be issued a document for entry and stay in the country.
In most countries, the inviting party must guarantee that the guest will be provided with housing and funds for accommodation and payment for medical services. This condition does not oblige you to live with the person who invited you, but acts as a kind of guarantee that in an unforeseen difficult situation there will be someone to take care of the visitor.
An invitation from a foreigner for a visa imposes financial responsibility on him, but he has no obligation or right to control the actions of the guest, limit his freedom or bear responsibility if he commits a criminal offense or administrative violation.
Types of visa invitations
The invitation letter must be written by a person legally residing in the territory of the country to which entry is being issued. It confirms the purpose of the visit and is an additional guarantee that the information submitted by the visa applicant to the embassy is accurate.
The type of application depends on the purpose of the trip and varies depending on the type of permission requested. The most popular are invitations for short-term study, for a private or business visit.
Private invitation
The document must include the personal data of the person inviting the foreigner to visit.
Passport details and residential address are required. The letter must indicate the date of entry into the country and the purpose of the intended trip. It is important to know what a visa invitation looks like and draft it correctly. An invitation from close relatives must be confirmed with documents that indicate such a relationship. When friends invite you to visit, you need to write down how many years the acquaintance has lasted and, if possible, provide evidence of friendship.
If the letter is prepared by a close relative, most often it is enough to have the document certified by a notary. When the paper is drawn up by friends, it is signed at the police station.
The inviting party assumes financial obligations towards the guest, and therefore is obliged to provide its financial documents. This could be a bank statement or salary certificate.
Business invitation
A business travel visa invitation must be filled out by a company officially registered in the country of visit. The document includes:
- company name;
- legal and physical addresses;
- Bank details.
The letter must indicate for what purpose the trip is planned. This could be an exchange of experience, a visit to sign contracts, attending a conference and other similar events.
The applicant’s address must be indicated, the approximate travel route is described, and information about the employee who is responsible for inviting a foreigner to the country is provided: contact phone number, passport details, address.
Study invitation
An invitation to study is issued by the institution where you plan to receive education. Such a letter is necessary for:
- attending courses;
- advanced training;
- internships;
- studying at a higher educational institution.
It must be sent on official letterhead. The document contains the student’s personal data, length of stay, name of the course that the foreigner will take, and confirmation of his enrollment. The amount of tuition fees, the address of residence during studies and information about the employee who signed the application for a visa are also indicated.
Invitation requirements
The main document for a guest visa is an invitation. The requirements for this letter differ in different countries.
What is this
An invitation is a letter indicating the need for a foreigner to visit another state. This document confirms that a foreign guest is expected and contains the conditions for his reception.
Basic condition
A private person inviting a foreign guest must document the legality of residence in the country (residence permit, permanent residence or citizenship). Only in this case the invitation will be legal.
A business, educational or medical organization must be officially registered in the state where the foreign citizen is invited. The relevant papers are submitted to the migration service when issuing an invitation.
Form
Requirements for invitations differ depending on the legislation of the visiting country. In some states, the invitation document is drawn up by hand and accompanied by a personal signature. Some countries require the use of a special form and notarization.
Like any business letter, this paper consists of the following main parts:
- preamble – contains information about the foreigner and the inviting party, the name of the government agency through which the invitation is issued;
- main – it sets out the essence of the appeal;
- final - with the signature of the person drawing up the document, a list of attached papers.
In Poland, an invitation document is issued through the relevant Voivodeship (government body of a certain region). To invite a foreign guest to Russia, a request for an invitation is submitted in the prescribed form to the migration department of the local unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The invitation letter looks like this:
Sample invitation for visa
Language
The invitation letter for a visa is usually written in the language of the country of visit. Many states accept documents drawn up in English. To come to Russia, an invitation is prepared in Russian.
Content
The invitation is drawn up with the obligatory indication of the following information:
- information about the inviting and invited person, including their passport details;
- the presence of family ties or friendships (during a private visit);
- purpose of the trip;
- date of entry and exit from the country, duration of the visit;
- place of residence of the foreigner;
- travel route;
- financial guarantees.
If the invitation document is sent by a company or institution, the letter is drawn up on the official letterhead of the organization, certified by the signature of the head and seal. In this case, it is necessary to indicate the contact details of the person responsible for accommodating and accompanying the foreigner.
Information about the inviting person
The inviting person is required to indicate:
- last name and first name;
- passport data;
- residential addresses;
- citizenship (or other legal status in the country).
The information listed in the letter is documented.
Information about the invited person
The letter must indicate the following information about the invited foreigner:
- surname, first name;
- passport details;
- permanent residence address.
This information is necessary to identify the foreign guest.
Relationship Information
A foreigner may have family or friendly relations with the inviting person. If there is a relationship, the author of the invitation submits appropriate documentary evidence.
During a business visit, trip for work or study, the parties maintain exclusively business relations. The relevant circumstances must be written in the invitation.
Trip details
The travel information includes the following:
- entry and exit dates;
- duration of visit;
- purpose of the visit;
- travel routes around the country.
It is necessary to list the settlements that you plan to visit on each day of the trip. You can attach a map with marked locations by date of visit.
How to get a visitor visa
Obtaining a visa by invitation consists of several stages. First of all, you need to issue a letter that meets the requirements of the embassy. It is important that it is written no earlier than 6 months before the date of submission of documents for a visa stamp.
When the application is in hand, you need to collect a package of papers and submit them to the embassy in any way provided for by its rules. For this purpose the following are used:
- emails,
- Fax,
- Post office.
But it is better to take the documents to the consulate yourself, so that during a personal meeting with the employee you can find out that they were drawn up as required. Papers with errors sent electronically or by mail will not be accepted for consideration.
To get a visitor visa, you need to be a law-abiding citizen. The reason for refusal to issue a permit may be unpaid traffic police fines, utilities, alimony, or loan debt.
Documents for visa
The list of documents for a visa to different countries may differ significantly, so it is better to check it on the website of the desired embassy. For example, to obtain a Schengen visitor visa, you need:
- a foreign passport, the validity of which expires no earlier than 3 months after the end of the visit;
- photocopy and original of a regular passport;
- a correctly completed application form;
- booked tickets for travel;
- insurance policy;
- receipt of payment of the visa fee;
- original and certified copy of the invitation letter.
Documents for a visa upon invitation must include information about the receiving party: a copy of the foreigner’s passport and financial documents confirming his solvency.
You need to decide in advance where the guest will live. If the room is provided by a relative or friend, you need documents proving that the living conditions allow you to receive guests. Otherwise, you need to book a hotel room.
US Visitor Visa: Video
In the USA and Canada
Until recently, to issue an invitation to American relatives (friends, etc.), it was advisable to contact a notary for a “visit.” Otherwise, the document might not have had the desired weight in the eyes of consulate staff. The notary wrote down the corresponding text of the invitation on the stamped form, certified it with a seal, etc. In this form, the document looked extremely convincing, and such an invitation practically served as a guarantee of a positive decision to issue a visa.
In 2021, the situation has been simplified, and now a paper or email letter in free form can be used as an invitation for a visa. A mandatory requirement for the invitation text is the presence of detailed personal and contact information about the receiving party. These are your full name, phone number, address, email.
At the same time, experienced people recommend avoiding “loud” wording in invitations about readiness to control subsequent departure from the country (guarantees to cover all expenses, etc.) and insist that mistakes made in an invitation for a visa can be fatal role in deciding whether to provide it.
The invitation form for a visa to Canada, as well as to the USA, is arbitrary. The inviting party decides whether this letter should be notarized or not (from a legal point of view, this is not necessary). Mandatory in the text of the invitation for a visa are the personal data of the person acting as the host, his address, and the duration of the proposed trip. Additionally, the document should indicate who exactly is willing to bear the costs for it. The invitation is sent by mail - e-mail or regular mail - or by fax.
Responsibility of the inviting person from the Schengen countries
A Schengen visitor visa, obtained on the basis of an invitation sent, means the fact of providing basic elements of protection for a foreigner visiting the Schengen zone and imposes certain obligations on the receiving party. They are of a material nature and imply providing the foreigner with the necessary amount of funds to receive medical care, as well as a guarantee that he will have a place to live.
That is, we are talking here about a kind of voluntary insurance for critical emergencies. Although the receiving party does not bear administrative or criminal liability for its guest, whose passport contains a Schengen visa by invitation.
Features of issuing an invitation to Russia
Many Russians, in turn, are interested in how to get a visa to Russia for a foreigner. As in other countries, a guest visa in the Russian Federation can be obtained if you have an invitation. An invitation letter for a visa is issued at the territorial department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. An alternative option is the issuance of this document by a legal entity accredited by the Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. When contacting the appropriate service to receive an invitation, you must have with you:
- internal passport;
- request for an invitation letter;
- a photocopy of the foreign passport of the foreigner for whom the invitation is issued. It is important that this copy is of high quality;
- document confirming a sufficient level of financial solvency. This is a certificate confirming that in the bank account of a Russian citizen there is an amount equivalent to 1 thousand US dollars or more;
- warranty deed, which must be notarized.
An invitation can be issued in one of two ways.
- Registration on a special (secure, state-issued) form of the migration department. The completed invitation form is then sent to the foreigner.
- Issuing an invitation in electronic form.
In the second case, a person will not have to visit the organization preparing the invitation twice, and will also not have to look for a way to transfer this document to the addressee. It will be transmitted electronically by the Russian consulate through its own communication channel.
Validity and price of a visitor visa
The validity of a guest permit usually does not exceed three, six months or a year. This period depends on the rules established by the state that issued the document. If a visa is needed to attend courses or a business trip, its validity period may be limited to the period necessary to realize the purpose of the visit.
The cost of obtaining a visa by invitation to the countries of the European Union is 35 euros. This is a consular fee, which is paid when submitting documents. To open a visitor visa to the USA you need to spend $160.
Close relatives of citizens of some EU countries can take advantage of the benefits of the Schengen zone states. They have the right not to pay the consular fee if they document their relationship with the inviting party.
For example, this rule applies when applying for a visa to Germany. Children under 6 years of age and disabled people are often exempt from the fee.
What is a guest entry permit?
To obtain a visitor visa, you need to receive an invitation from a resident of the state.
When entering another country without a visa, crossing the border is recorded at the border control point. Under the visa regime, a travel permit is issued in advance and determines the legal status of the citizen for the period of his stay in a foreign country, depending on the purpose of the visit:
- transit;
- tourist;
- business;
- working;
- guest;
- student
A visitor visa allows you to get the maximum period of stay in the country at minimal cost. However, it is necessary for a resident of the state to send an invitation. It indicates the purpose of the trip and financial obligations.
What rights does an invitation visa provide?
A visitor visa allows travel of a private nature only. You cannot conduct social, political, labor or entrepreneurial activities. The visa cannot be extended in the host country and implies return with a new visa subsequently. The person who made the invitation bears only financial responsibility for the visitor’s accommodation.
The guest is not obliged to use the funds and guarantees of the inviting party if he documents his financial solvency.
An example of a visa by invitation
To visit close relatives, the entry invitation must indicate:
- Full name of the inviting person;
- his home address;
- place of work;
- passport data;
- contact phone number;
- Full name of the applicant;
- home address and nationality of the guest;
- passport details;
- address of residence during the visit to the country;
- duration of the trip;
- estimated travel route;
- papers confirming family ties;
- financial documents of the party responsible for material costs.
If the rules allow, the information can be presented in free form or you can use a special form to compose a letter.
