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                                                           December 30, 2004
                                                                  SUPPLEMENT
[MORGAN STANLEY LOGO OMITTED]
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            SUPPLEMENT DATED DECEMBER 30, 2004 TO THE PROSPECTUS OF
                   MORGAN STANLEY VARIABLE INVESTMENT SERIES
                              CLASS X AND CLASS Y
                         THE EUROPEAN GROWTH PORTFOLIO
                               Dated MAY 1, 2004


Effective immediately, the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Variable
Investment Series European Growth Portfolio (the "Portfolio") approved changing
the name of the Portfolio to the "European Equity Portfolio." All references to
the "European Growth Portfolio" in the Prospectus are hereby replaced with
"European Equity Portfolio."

      Concurrent with the name change, paragraphs one through four of the
   section of the Prospectus titled "Principal Investment Strategies" are
   hereby deleted and replaced by the following:

      The Portfolio will normally invest as least 80% of its assets in equity
      securities issued by issuers located in European countries. A company is
      considered located in Europe if (i) it is organized under the laws of a
      European country and has a principal office in a European country; (ii)
      it derives at least 50% of its total revenue from business in Europe; or
      (iii) its equity securities are traded principally on a stock exchange in
      Europe. The principal countries in which the Portfolio invests are
      France, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden,
      Switzerland and Italy. The Portfolio invests in at least three separate
      countries.

      The Portfolio generally invests principally in equity securities (which
      may include depositary receipts or convertible securities).

      The "Investment Manager," Morgan Stanley Investment Advisors Inc., and/or
      the "Sub-Advisor," Morgan Stanley Investment Management Limited,
      generally invest Portfolio assets in companies they believe have a high
      rate of earnings growth potential. They also select securities which in
      their view possess, both on an absolute basis and as compared with other
      securities around the world, attractive price/earnings, price/cash flow
      and price/revenue ratios.

      The Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its assets as follows:

         o Fixed-income securities (including zero coupon securities) issued or
           guaranteed by European governments.

         o Equity securities issued by non-European issuers, and government and
           convertible securities issued by non-European governmental or
           private issuers.

         o Forward foreign currency exchange contracts, which involve the
           purchase or sale of a specific amount of foreign currency at the
           current price with delivery at a specific future date. The Portfolio
           may use these contracts to hedge against adverse price movements in
           its portfolio securities and securities it intends to purchase and
           the currencies in which they are denominated. The Portfolio may also
           use forward foreign currency exchange contracts to modify the
           Portfolio's exposure to various currency markets.




              PLEASE RETAIN THIS SUPPLEMENT FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.




                                                         LIT SPT VAR EUGBX 12/04




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                                                             December 30, 2004
                                                                    SUPPLEMENT
[MORGAN STANLEY LOGO OMITTED]
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                      SUPPLEMENT DATED DECEMBER 30, 2004
                 TO THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OF
                   MORGAN STANLEY VARIABLE INVESTMENT SERIES
                              CLASS X AND CLASS Y
                         THE EUROPEAN GROWTH PORTFOLIO
                               Dated MAY 1, 2004


Effective immediately, the name of the European Growth Portfolio is changed to
the "European Equity Portfolio." All references to "European Growth Portfolio"
in the Statement of Additional Information are hereby replaced with "European
Equity Portfolio."





              PLEASE RETAIN THIS SUPPLEMENT FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.