Differences Between Telex and Original Invitation

A telex (electronic invitation) is an invitation sent directly to the Russian consulate electronically from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). An original invitation is a paper document on an official FMS/MVD letterhead.

The telex is the most reliable type of invitation because it is sent directly from the Russian MFA to the consulate via secure communication channels, making forgery impossible.

The original invitation is issued on paper with watermarks and a barcode for authenticity verification. It must be delivered to the applicant by courier service.

The main advantage of the telex is speed (5-14 business days) and no need for physical delivery. Telex is especially recommended for citizens of countries with high migration risk.

When choosing between telex and original, we recommend checking with the specific consulate which type of invitation they prefer to accept.