Proving Foreign Income for a Russian Bank or Mortgage

Bank statements and employer income letters both prove foreign income. The difference is practical: one is typically flat-rate, the other depends on page count. We translate either in full, notarize it in Russia, and you get it within 2–3 business days.

When you apply for a Russian mortgage, open a bank account in Russia, or file a tax return, you may need proof of foreign income. Two documents can serve that purpose: a bank statement, issued by your bank and showing account activity, and an employer income letter, issued by your employer and stating your job title and salary. Banks do not always specify which one they want—or whether they want both. The two documents serve different purposes, they are priced differently, and knowing the difference saves time and money. The practical difference comes down to page count.

What a Bank Statement Proves and Shows

A bank statement shows the movement on your account over a period you specify—deposits, withdrawals, balances. It proves you have funds and that money flows into your account regularly. The statement you submit might cover two months, six months, or a year, depending on what the recipient asks for. A longer statement runs to many pages. How many pages that comes to depends on the period, on how many transactions there were and on how detailed your bank’s format is — which is exactly why we do not guess at it and neither should you. Every one of those pages must be translated in full—every column, every balance, every transaction line. Nothing is omitted. A partial translation is not acceptable; if the recipient has expressly agreed to an excerpt in advance, tell us before we start so we can document that agreement, but the standard approach is complete full translation of the entire statement.

Because translation time follows page count—we must read, translate, and proof-read every single page—the cost of translating a bank statement varies with length. This is why we do not publish a flat fee for bank statements, the way we can for an employer letter. We quote your exact price once we see your actual scans, within 2 hours during working hours. That price is fixed before you pay, not adjusted afterward. Both bank statements and employer letters take the same 2–3 business days from the moment we receive clear scans and all required information, plus any apostille pages if they are needed.

What an Employer Income Letter Proves and Shows

An employer income letter shows your job title, the dates you worked (or “to present” if current), and your salary. Employers format these letters in different ways—some use formal letterhead, some issue a brief memo, some print an extract from an HR database. Regardless of format, a standard letter is usually one page. It should include the employer’s signature and company stamp, though we translate it exactly as issued, even if those are missing. Translating a standard one-page employer letter costs €49, notarization included. If your document is multi-page—such as a detailed employment contract—we quote the exact cost from your scans, within 2 hours during working hours.

The employer letter is predictable in length: almost always one or two pages. This is why we can publish a flat price for it. A bank statement is not predictable in the same way, because length depends on the time span and transaction volume, and we cannot know those until you show us the scans.

Full Translation Is Required for Both Documents

We translate every document in full. For a bank statement, that means every page, every column, every balance and every transaction line—not a single transaction omitted, not a single column skipped. For an employer letter, that means the entire text, exactly as written, including any missing elements. A Russian bank, mortgage lender, or tax office will not accept a statement where some transactions are missing or some columns are left in the original language. If the receiving office has expressly agreed to see only an excerpt of the statement, tell us before we start so we can document that agreement and adjust the scope. But full translation is the default and the standard. This is especially important if you are buying property in Russia, where a mortgage lender or notary handling the transaction will review the complete statement as part of their assessment of your financial capacity.

Apostille, Notarization, and the Article 81 Requirement

Neither your bank nor we issue an apostille. An apostille is placed by the authority your country designates for that purpose, in the country where the document was issued—before it reaches us. A bank statement is often treated as a private commercial document rather than a public one, so in many countries it must be certified by a local notary first, with the apostille then going on that certification. Whether an apostille is needed at all is a question for the Russian office that will receive the file. Ask both before you order: ask your designated authority whether an apostille is required, and ask the Russian office whether they actually want one.

What we do in Russia is produce a notarized translation into Russian. We translate your document and have a Russian notary certify the translator’s signature under Article 81 of the Fundamentals of Legislation on Notaries. The notary certifies only that the translator holding a recognized translation diploma signed the translation—not the accuracy of the numbers or the truthfulness of the income or the figures within it. That certified signature is the exact format Russian banks, tax offices, mortgage lenders, and Rosreestr expect to see when a foreign document arrives for review. A foreign sworn or certified translation, even a professional and accurate one, is usually turned away in Russia, because the translator is not registered on any Russian notary’s register and the Russian receiving authority has no way to verify the translator’s credentials or qualifications. Our format—translator’s signature certified by a Russian notary under Article 81—is what Russian law requires and what Russian authorities accept.

Bank Statement

• Issued by your bank, showing all account activity and balances
• Covers a period you specify—typically several months to one year
• Runs many pages depending on time span and transaction volume
• We translate every page, every column, every balance and transaction in full
• Cost depends on page count; we quote your exact price from your actual scans

Employer Income Letter

• Issued by your employer, stating your job title and salary
• Usually one or two pages; includes employer signature and company stamp
• Format varies—formal letterhead, memo, or HR database extract
• We translate exactly as written, including any missing elements
• Flat price for standard one-page letter; multi-page contracts quoted per page

What to Send Us

• Clear scans or photos of all pages of your bank statement or employer letter
• An apostille or local certification if you have one—it is placed in your home country before reaching us
• Your full name exactly as it appears in your Russian passport or ID
• What you need the translation for: a mortgage application, bank account, tax filing, or another purpose
• A phone number, email, or Telegram handle so we can reach you with questions

You May Also Need

• Foreign Bank Statements and Income Documents

  Full pricing and turnaround for bank statements and other income proof, with FAQ on apostilles and page count.

• Buying Property in Russia as a Foreigner

  If your income proof is for a mortgage, see what other documents you need translated for the property purchase.

• Notarized Translation Into Russian

  Our standard service for any foreign document that needs notarization for a Russian authority—pricing by document type.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which document should I order—a bank statement or an employer letter?

Ask the office that will receive the translation. They should tell you in writing which document they need, or whether they need both. Different offices have different requirements. Guessing wastes money, so get their specific list before you order.

How many months of bank statements does the office want?

There is no single rule, and we don't set it. The bank, mortgage lender, tax office, or other office asking for the file decides what period they want to see and in what form. Ask them before you order—in writing if possible, so you have it recorded.

Why does a bank statement cost more than an employer letter?

Because we translate the entire statement in full—every page, every column, every transaction—and translation time follows page count. Longer statements cost more. An employer letter is almost always short, so it has a flat price. We quote your exact cost from your actual scans within 2 hours.

Do I need an apostille, and who decides?

It depends on your country and the Russian office receiving the file. Countries in the Hague Apostille Convention require one on the original. Countries with a legal-assistance treaty with Russia—including CIS countries, Serbia, and the Czech Republic—do not. Countries outside both need consular legalization instead. The apostille is placed in your home country before the document reaches us. Ask your designated authority and the Russian office receiving the file.

Do I have to translate every page of my bank statement?

Yes. We translate the document in full—every page, every column, every balance and every transaction line. A partial translation reads as incomplete and is not accepted by Russian offices. If the recipient has expressly agreed to an excerpt, tell us before we start.

What if my employer's letter is missing a signature or stamp?

We translate it exactly as issued, including the gap. Before you order, ask your employer to issue a corrected version with a signature, stamp, complete dates, and salary—faster and cheaper than translating twice.

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We are not a Russian government agency, a bank, or a tax authority. An apostille, where one is possible, is placed by the designated authority of the country that issued the document, never by us and never in Russia. Foreign sworn or certified translations are not accepted by Russian authorities on their own; a Russian notary must certify the signature of a registered translator under Article 81 of the Fundamentals of Legislation on Notaries, which is what we provide. We translate documents exactly as they are—we cannot add what an employer left out or select which transactions to include in a statement. We do not decide what a specific bank, mortgage lender, tax office, or other office requires—confirm the exact list with the office that will receive the translation before you order.