Private visa
Why not apply for such a visa. Three main reasons.
This type of visa is issued to foreigners who enter the Russian Federation on a guest visit at the invitation of a citizen who has received a residence permit in the Russian Federation, or a legal entity, or on the basis of a decision of the head of a diplomatic mission or consular office of the Russian Federation. It is also issued if emergency treatment is necessary or due to a serious illness / death of a relative or beloved. The FIRST main disadvantage of such a visa is that it is issued at the private request of a limited number of persons. Actually, that is why it is called "private". In order to obtain a guest visa, a person living in Russia who has invited a foreigner must spend about a month (!) Waiting for the issuance of a private invitation or refusal to issue it. [tourist invitation is issued in just 5 minutes (online)].This also includes a huge package of documents that must be processed at many stages of obtaining a private visa.
The SECOND major downside is the cost.
Validity periods
Invitation cost
Private visa
up to 90 days
800 rubles
Tourist visa
up to 30 days
900 rubles
Business visa
up to 5 years
from 1600 rubles
As you can see, the price of a private invitation is lower and allows you to extend your stay in the country. BUT! At the same time, a business invitation for 3 months will cost 2,500 rubles, and you can get it online in 5 minutes.
Finally, the THIRD significant downside is the duty of the homeowner to register the foreigner. If the homeowner, who has temporarily settled a foreigner, does not register him for any reason, then a fine of 2500-5000 rubles will be imposed on him. A tourist visa requires assistance from a travel company during registration.Thus, if you want to visit friends or relatives living in Russia, it is best to go through the process of obtaining a tourist or business visa without the ties of bureaucratic procedures.