That depends on the embassy and visa type. Common requirements include your full name, job title, employment dates (hire date and current status, or departure date if you have left), and sometimes salary or leave entitlements. Many embassies provide a template or checklist of what the letter must include — if you have it, send it to us and we will draft a request that matches those exact requirements. If you do not have a template, we can advise based on the visa type and destination country.

A work record book (трудовая книжка) is a complete career history covering all your jobs across decades; it is used mainly for pensions, immigration, and proving total seniority. An employment certificate (справка с места работы) is a current-employer letter focusing on one job and what the receiving office needs right now. A 2-НДФЛ is a tax certificate proving your annual income from your employer. For a visa application, you typically need an employment certificate. For a pension claim, you need the work record book and sometimes employment certificates from individual employers. For a bank mortgage check, you often need both an employment letter and a 2-НДФЛ.

Most foreign visa offices and banks accept an employer letter on the company's official letterhead, signed and stamped by the HR department, without notarization or apostille. However, some countries or specific institutions may require a notarized copy or apostille on the notarial act. We advise based on your destination country and receiving institution — tell us where the letter is going and we will confirm whether notarization or apostille is needed.

We draft the request letter in clear Russian explaining what is needed and why, which often helps HR understand the request and process it faster. We also offer to arrange delivery so the letter can be sent to you or us directly, rather than the employer having to send it internationally. If the employer is truly unresponsive or no longer in business, we can help you request an employment certificate from the relevant regional archives instead, though that process takes longer and requires additional fees.

For translation purposes, a clear scan or email copy is sufficient — most foreign offices accept a translated copy of a scanned letter. If the receiving authority specifically requires an original or a notarized copy, we can arrange that, but it will cost more and take longer. We advise on what your specific institution usually accepts.

If we draft the request and arrange retrieval, expect 7 to 15 business days depending on how quickly your employer's HR responds. Translation adds 3 to 5 days. Once the translation is ready, we email you a scan the same day, and if you need the original by courier, that typically adds 2 to 5 weeks to the EU or US, depending on routing.