Frequently asked questions
An invitation is a document that serves as the basis for obtaining a student visa to Russia. You can only apply for a student visa with an official invitation issued by an educational institution.
Citizens of Azerbaijan, South Ossetia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Armenia, and Uzbekistan do not require a visa or an invitation to enter Russia.
Yes, you can enter Russia without an invitation, for example, on a tourist visa. However, studying is only permitted with a student visa, which can be obtained only with an official invitation from an educational institution. You cannot study if you have a tourist visa: it is limited in duration (maximum of 6 months) and cannot be extended. Once the visa expires, you will have to leave the territory of the Russian Federation.
To receive an invitation, follow these steps:
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Send an email to: indekanat@gnesin-academy.ru with the subject «Приглашение на обучение» («Invitation for study»), and attach a notarized translation of your passport into Russian.
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In response, the staff of the Department of Visa and Migration Support of Foreign Students will send you an application form to complete.
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Fill out the form and send it back to indekanat@gnesin-academy.ru
Invitations are processed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. The processing time is at least 15 working days. Invitations are issued only in electronic format. Once your invitation is ready, the staff of the Department of Visa and Migration Support of Foreign Students will send it to the email address that you used for requesting the invitation.
Important! We strongly recommend not to purchase your tickets until you have received your invitation.
Invitations for student visas for those enrolled in main academic programs (bachelor’s, specialist, master’s, assistantship/internship, or postgraduate program) are issued free of charge.
Students enrolled in additional education programs (music school students, preparatory course participants, internship program participants) at the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music must pay a state duty of 960 rubles to receive an invitation.
Immediately contact the staff of Department of Visa and Migration Support of Foreign Students by emailing indekanat@gnesin-academy.ru or messaging them via WhatsApp or Telegram at +7 (903) 708-07-48, and wait for further instructions.
You must contact the Embassy or Consulate of the Russian Federation in your country with your electronic invitation to apply for a single-entry student visa.
If you were admitted under the Rossotrudnichestvo quota, you should apply for the visa at the Russian Embassy in your country using the number of your personal visa instruction.