The Soviet government has denied a passport to a dissident writer who has been invited to speak at Harvard by the Russian Research Center.

Andrei Amalrik, a Russian historian recently returned from exile in Siberia, has complained publicly about his government's refusal to grant him a passport to come to the United States.

Amarlik is one of eight Soviet writers who have been invited by Harvard to speak. Omeljan Pritsak, director of the Ukranian Research Institute, said the institute has invited seven dissident writers to speak, "but none of them has been able to get a passport."

Adam Ulam, director of the Russian Research Center, which invited Amarlik, said yesterday the first invitation sent to Amarlik was delivered three years ago while he was still in exile. The center has not had correspondence with Amarlik, but his public statements indicate that he would like to accept Harvard's invitation.

Professional Historian

Ulam said the center invited Amarlik to speak at Harvard, "because he is a professional historian, not because he is a dissident." He added that the center's "interest in him is as a scholar, though we welcome certain comments about the political situation in the Soviet Union."

Soviet writers must receive an invitation from another country before their application for a passport will be considered. Ulam said the center is "glad to extend invitations so some writers could apply for a passport."

Ulam said he is not sure of Amarlik's area of expertise but believes it to be medieval Russian history.

False Claims

In addition to being refused a passport. Amarlik has been ordered to leave his home in Moscow. He has been speaking out against the Soviet government, which he said this week claims to help reunite separated families, yet forces people away from their wives.

Amalrik was arrested in 1970 for allegedly slandering the government in his book, "Will Russia Survive Until 1984?" In that book Amarlik cites the hostility between Russia's different ethnic groups and the eventual war with China as factors that will tear the USSR apart.

The invitations to the dissident Soviet writers were requests to speak at a seminar, or public forum, Ulan said.

Included in the group of writers invited by the Ukranian Institute is Valentine Moroz. He has been imprisoned for speaking out against the government, and went on a much-publicized hunger strike two years ago to protest his treatment by the government.