Russia: Temporary Residence Permit for Students Forthcoming

Details of the new permit include:

• Full-time studies. Foreign nationals must be enrolled full-time in a bachelor’s degree, specialist degree (a five-year degree that is typical in Russia), master’s degree, medical residency program, or a two-year postgraduate internship program for teachers and creative workers ('assistant internship' program). The program must have state accreditation or be a scientific or science-teacher program in a graduate school at a state educational organization or a state scientific organization within Russia.
• Duration of stay. The temporary residence permit will be issued for the duration of the foreign national’s program plus 180 days after the program ends.
• Application process. Applications are submitted to the migration office in the region where the applicant is studying. The processing time is officially two months. Applicants are subject to a medical examination and fingerprinting procedures, but are exempt from Russian language tests. More details are expected to be published in the near future.
• Processing time. Temporary residence permits will be adjudicated and issued within two months of the application submission date.
• Exemption from yearly notifications. Foreign nationals on this temporary residence permit will be exempt from the requirement to file yearly notifications of their stay in Russia.
• Temporary to permanent residence. Graduates will become eligible for permanent residence immediately upon the start of their study program and will remain eligible for three years after their graduation.

Eligible foreign nationals will be able to reside and study in Russia as temporary residents (which provides benefits such as not having to extend their student visa every year of study and being able to work without a work permit directly after graduation), and will have a faster path to permanent residence through this new program.

The Russian government is seeking to offer an easier immigration process for foreign students, to promote their integration into Russian society and to encourage Russia’s professional and scientific potential.

Previously, visa national students had to obtain a study visa and extend it every year. For visa-exempt students, their stay was dependent on their student status. Though these routes will remain generally available, temporary residence will be a new option, to which they may choose to switch after they arrive in Russia.

The new temporary residents permit for students will enter into effect on January 1, 2023. Foreign nationals can begin applying for the permit on this date.