Registration of foreigners for migration purposes in Russia

One of the things a foreigner must do while in Russia is to notify immigration authorities of his or her place of stay, i.e., register. How this is done and when it's required, we'll discuss today. So, let's get started.

First of all, I want to warn you that registering for migration purposes in Russia should not be confused with registration at the place of residence. The latter resembles permanent registration at the place of residence for Russian citizens, and it is a stamp in the passport or residence permit. Plus, it is only available for Russian residents. But today, we will talk about registration for immigration purposes. This is not a stamp but a separate document with an address, and it is issued mostly to foreigners with a visa or, in some cases, to foreigners with residency. This document is a must for foreign nationals when they are in Russia.

Who registers a foreigner?

As a rule, it’s their inviting party: university if they’re a student, employer if they’re an employee, or a person who invited the foreigner on a work patent. The landlord registers a non-citizen who rents their apartment, medical facilities and various hotels register their patients and guests. However, a foreigner is responsible for their own registration if they are going to live in an apartment or house they own.

But does it mean that if the property is not yours, you don’t need to watch this video? Not really. Here we will cover some very important points to keep in mind.

Where does it get done?

A non-citizen can be registered through the migration department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs or through intermediaries, namely the multifunctional center or the state services website. In case of initial registration, you can also apply by mail.

What does it look like?

Registration is a part of the arrival notification form. It's a document with seals in which the foreign national’s name, passport data, address, and the period until which this registration is valid are written. We will talk about this period later in this video. Please note that this is an important paper, and you shouldn’t throw it away until you get a new registration or fly out of the country.

What documents are needed to register someone?

Of course, a passport with a valid visa or residence permit is always required. The exemption from the visa requirement applies to visa-free foreigners if the period of visa-free stay in Russia hasn’t expired, but there are few such countries. You will also be asked to provide an immigration card and previous registration if this is not the initial registration. The remaining documents depend on where the non-citizen lives and on what basis. For instance, the owner of the dwelling where you will be living provides proof of ownership.

What is the expiration date of the registration?

Please note that registration is issued not just to a certain person, but to a specific passport, visa or residence permit, work patent, and address. In other words, the date you or your inviting party can and will indicate in the registration is limited by the date of your permit documents. If you were given a new one-year visa, your registration card will expire in one year as well. But if your visa is valid for 1 year and your passport expires in 8 months, for example, the expiration date in the registration will be in 8 months. That is, the shortest period is indicated when you move to another place, the registration is also to be reissued. The same applies to situations where you change your passport, whether because the old one expired, you lost your previous passport, or some personal data has changed. If you come from a visa-free country without a visa, just as a tourist, your registration will be valid for no more than 3 months.

How fast should a foreigner register?

It depends on the type of registration. Initial registration means that a foreign national has just arrived from abroad and must report their arrival to the Ministry of Internal Affairs within seven working days after crossing the border. There are exceptions to the rule: citizens of Belarus, Ukraine, and highly qualified specialists and their family members, regardless of their origin, can register within 90 days. Foreigners from Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and citizens of the Eurasian Economic Union member states working in Russia must register within 30 days. Those who come from Uzbekistan or Tajikistan can undergo this procedure within 15 days.

Registration at a new place of residence.

If you already have a registration, it must also be completed within seven working days, with the exception of highly qualified specialists. They have the right to do this within 30 days. Please note that this includes hospitalization and hotel accommodation. Hotels and hospitals register non-citizens at their address. So, once you are discharged or check out, you will have to re-register at home. Such facilities submit information to the Ministry of Internal Affairs quickly, within a day, through a special program. So, if you are staying at a hotel for only a couple of days, don’t think that this doesn’t apply to you.

Registration is not required for sailors and crew members of air and other transport who make stops in Russia as part of the crew or participate in international traffic and are at work. And if you stay in Russia for no longer than 7 days, their registration isn’t required either.

To extend registration, a foreigner has only three working days, or, if the current registration expires early, then until its expiration. As I said, registration is limited by the validity of the permit documents. So, a new one is obtained, for example, when renewing or receiving for the first time a visa or work permit, receiving a residence permit, or getting a new passport.

Recommendations.

Usually, foreigners invited by companies or universities don’t encounter problems related to registration. Although situations vary, the same is true for hospitals and hotels, but it's very easy to run into a landlord who simply doesn’t want to register you. So, I recommend you ask the potential landlord about it before moving into the apartment. Also, make sure that the arrival form that you or your friend who invited you fills out is up to date. They do change from time to time, even if only slightly.

Another thing that may seem obvious is to keep your inviting party informed about your movements and changes in documents.

For violations of the immigration registration rule, a fine from 5,000 to 7,000 rubles is provided for both the non-citizen and their inviting party. And if the foreigner was invited not by an individual but by an organization, the fine can reach half a million rubles for one violation. Additionally, the foreign national can be deported from the country for two fines within a year. So, take it seriously.