Whats this telex number business about?

Whats this telex number business all about?

I still need to apply for my visa because i'm going away for two months to study russian at moscow state.

I'm just a little worried because i had a friend stay from croatia recently and i had to send an official invitation to him. I'm a little suspicious at just having this number because i thought that Russia was supposed to be very bureaucratic.

Basically what i want to know is, Is this number all i need from the university i'm staying with to be able to stay in Russia?

What do you mean by telex number?

From mi memory telex is a telegraph network/device used in old happy Soviet times for exchanging information between plants and enterprises (like fax or email). I'm sure this network and such devices are completely outdated and not used anymore. There are more convenient ways of communication now.

But I still don't understand what he wants to ask. Sounds like “do I need a phone number to stay in the USA?”

A telex number applies to certain kinds of visa and serves during the application process as an alternative to a written invitation. It is sent (how?) from a Russian organisation (travel agency/corporation) to the Russian Consulate in the foreign city in which the visa is being processed.If you have a telex no., you don't - as far as I know - need an invitation. You do, of course, still need a visa.

thankyou joysof

You set my mind at rest.

I would normally of just gone to the russian consulate in london to ask but i'm studying quite far away from London at the moment in Southampton.

I'm going for my visa application tommorow i hope everything goes smoothly.

cheers everyone for getting back to me.

Of course, Telex number is still used nowadays. Some consulates allow you to give just the numbers of that telex (given by the host organization) while applying for your visa. In Barcelona's Russian Consulate they do!!
Only the numbers doesn't entitle you to obtain your visa. Is only a reference to be known by your consulate/ambassy.