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Russia: Relaxed Rules for Temporary and Permanent Residence Permits

January 18, 2023

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Country / Territory

At a Glance

The Russian government has eased the requirements related to obtaining temporary residence permits (TRPs) and permanent residence permits (PRPs). Key changes include:

  • a new rule that issues visa extensions in Russia;
  • a new TRP for foreign full-time students; and
  • a new method by which rejection notices for residence permits are issued, among other changes.

Most of the changes focus on attracting talent or streamlining processes in order to attract foreign nationals to Russia.  

The situation

The Russian government has relaxed several of the requirements for foreign nationals obtaining temporary residence permits (TRPs) and permanent residence permits (PRPs), which are effective immediately.

Key changes to the rules regarding temporary and permanent residence permits include the following:

CHANGE DETAILS IMPACT
Extension of visas when filing for residence
    • Visa required nationals whose visas expired while they await their residence permit approval can now extend their visa to be valid while their residence permit application is pending, whereas previously they had to leave Russia if their visa expired (and apply for another visa from outside Russia).
    • Foreign nationals will greatly benefit from the streamlined process, as they will not be required to leave the country to extend their legal status, while the residence permit (both PRP and TRP) application is pending with the authorities
TRP visas issued simultaneously with TRP
    • When foreign nationals receive their TRP, they will simultaneously be issued a TRP visa.
    • Previously, foreign nationals with TRPs were required to file a separate application for the TRP visa after they received the TRP.
    • As always, foreign nationals who are issued a PRP will have their existing visas canceled since PRP holders do not require a visa.
    • The TRP visa will be issued more quickly, which will allow foreign nationals the ability to travel outside of Russia sooner.
TRP for foreign students
    • Foreign nationals can apply for a student TRP with a processing time of two months. Previously, only a student visa was available, which did not provide a residence permit (and therefore, no path to citizenship).
    • Eligible students can work under this residence permit type.
    • Eligibility requirements for this TRP include that the foreign national must:
      • Study full-time in a Russian educational or a state scientific organization;
      • Their study must be towards obtaining a bachelor’s or master’s degree; specialty, residency program or assistant internship.
      • Foreign nationals receiving these TRPs will be exempt from the requirement to file yearly notifications confirming their stay in Russia.
    • Within three years of graduation, foreign nationals who have held TRPs can apply for a PRP.
    • Foreign full-time students will find a route to permanent residence and citizenship through this new PRP, allowing them to stay longer in Russia.
Medical examination
    • The government has clarified that foreign nationals applying for TRPs or PRPs at Russian consulates abroad must pass a medical examination within 30 calendar days after entering Russia (whereas previously the timing was not clear in the law).
    • If they cannot meet this deadline, foreign nationals must apply for an extension at the local office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
    • Foreign nationals should be aware of the clarified guidelines and take appropriate actions to meet them in order to ensure compliance with Russian law.
Email notification of rejection of TRP and PRP applications eliminated
    • Foreign nationals will no longer be notified of the rejection of their application for a TRP or PRP by email.
    • Instead, notifications will be handed to the foreign national in person at the responsible division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, through the Gosuslugi portal or via Russian mail.
    • The change may extend the amount of time foreign nationals need to wait to learn that their TRP or PRP application has been rejected; however, the new notification method will provide a more secure delivery method.
Russian language exam requirement eliminated for Ukrainian nationals
    • Ukrainian nationals are no longer required to pass a Russian language exam in order to apply for a TRP or PRP.
    • Most other foreign nationals remain subject to the language exam requirement, although there are some additional exceptions including Belarussian nationals.
    • The elimination of this requirement will make it easier for Ukrainian nationals to apply for TRPs or PRPs.

Over the past year, the Russian government has sought to eliminate some restrictions on foreign nationals applying to work in Russia, including introducing a new temporary residence permit for foreign nationals and relaxing medical examination requirements. These changes are intended to simplify immigration procedures to attract talent to the country.

It is expected that Russia will continue to relax its immigration laws in order to attract talent to bolster and diversify its economy and create a more competitive real estate market.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].

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