The Russian Federal Migration Service announced that they will be introducing electronic letters of invitation (e-LOIs) into the work visa process ideally speeding up the process. A letter of invitation will be electronically relayed to the appropriate consulate by the FMS which should make this process more efficient for companies applying for work visas.
Foreign highly qualified specialists applying for work visas must receive a letter of invitation from Russian immigration officials approving the visa application before they can obtain the visa from the Russian consulate.
The testing phase is still ongoing but is expected to be completed in mid-July. Once the testing phase is completed, the FMS should announce when this new process will be implemented. Once the system is finalized, applicants will ideally be able to receive their approval letters on the same day of issuance.
Please note that this is general information only and not intended as advice on a specific matter. Please feel free to contact Fakhoury Global Immigration directly with questions exclusive to your situation. This news alert may have been prepared using information from Peregrine Immigration Management, which is licensed to Fakhoury Global Immigration.