Touristengutschein (Putjowka)

A tourist voucher (Russian: путёвка, putevka) is one of the two documents that together form the tourist visa invitation for Russia. It is issued by a licensed Russian tour operator and confirms that the applicant has a planned itinerary and accommodation arrangements in Russia.

The second document, the "Confirmation of Reception of Foreign Tourists" (подтверждение о приёме иностранного туриста), accompanies the voucher and confirms the tour operator takes responsibility for the tourist's reception.

Important: The hotels listed on the tourist voucher do NOT need to be actually booked. You can list any hotel in the cities you plan to visit. Once your visa is issued, you are free to stay anywhere in Russia regardless of what the voucher says. The voucher is purely an administrative requirement for the visa application.

Tourist vouchers are valid for single-entry (up to 30 days) or double-entry tourist visas. For stays longer than 30 days, you need a business visa invitation instead.