• Albania

• Germany

• Andorra

• Australia 

• Austria 

• Bahamas 

• Belgium 

• Bulgaria 

• Canada

• Cyprus

• Croatia

• Denmark

• Spain

• Estonia

• United States of America

• Finland 

• France 

• Greece

• Ireland 

• Iceland 

• Italy

• Japan

• Latvia 

• Lithuania 

• Liechtenstein 

• Luxembourg 

• North Macedonia 

• Malta 

• Micronesia 

• Monaco 

• Montenegro

• Norway

• New Zealand 

• Netherlands

• Poland 

• Portugal 

• Republic of Korea

• Czech Republic

• Romania 

• United Kingdom (including overseas territories and possessions of the British Crown) 

• San Marino 

• Singapore 

• Slovenia 

• Sweden

• Switzerland 

• Taiwan (China)

• Ukraine

In step 1, you need to get a visa to come to Russia

The ideal option – is to get an "ideological visa" (according to Decree № 702). If you prepare all the documents correctly, you will receive a visa for 3 months.

If you do not reside in your country of nationality, but in a country that does not participate in the Program – then you can apply for a tourist visa or any other type of visa. It's possible too, but you might have less time, so pay attention to deadlines. 

* If you are applying for a visa outside your country of nationality, you must prove your right of residence in this country for more than 6 months per year (for example, a residence permit, etc.). 

If you are already in Russia – you can proceed to the next steps.

* Provided that your visa is valid for at least another 2 weeks and that you have the necessary list of documents – for example, a certificate of non-conviction with apostille and a sufficient period of validity.

! Very important to remember !

• The "ideological visa" can only be obtained once and only for one trip.

• Correctly calculate the dates of arrival in Russia. First of all, take into account the deadline for issuing the certificate of non-conviction (with apostille) – since this certificate is valid for only 3 months, we recommend using a certificate whose date of issue does not exceed 2 months before arrival in Russia (to have at least one month remaining in Russia).

• Therefore – before coming to Russia, you must obtain a certificate of non-conviction with an apostille; the validity period of this certificate is 3 months.

First steps – be sure to do this

• Get your migration card at the border (Migration Card – a small square with your data and the date of entry), do not lose it and always keep this card with you.

• Have your passport translated into Russian at a notary in Russia.

• Within 7 working days, make your migration registration (for certain categories of migrants, the deadline may be longer)

– this must be done by your hotel, your tenant, or the owner of the accommodation where you live, etc 

– in some cases, you can do it yourself through the МФЦ (MFC, multifunctional centers) or the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD, department of migration issues)

• Get your СНИЛС number (SNILS, just remember these letters, few people in Russia know what they mean, but everyone knows that they are needed 😄) – this can be done through a multifunctional center (МФЦ).

• Get a SIM card – first without activation, activation will be done in the next step.

• Do three important things right away through Sberbank:

1. Register an account on Gosuslugi (Gosuslugi) 

2. Register your biometric data and activate your SIM card 

3. Open a bank account and a credit card

• Determine in which region (subject of the federation) you will live for the next 1-3 years

– this is important in order to get the RVP in the area where you are actually going to live, and not where "it is convenient for the lawyer"

Never do this:

• Never buy services such as "we do migration registration" and "we do registration" – there are a lot of offers on the Internet, but IT IS ILLEGAL

- fictitious registration in Russia entails criminal prosecution – study articles 322.2 and 322.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation 

 – you risk a fine, deportation or a criminal record!

• Never commit to obtaining a PR in an area where you do not intend to live permanently

 – the RVP region can be changed, but this procedure is almost as complicated as requesting a RVP again

• Without consulting with a lawyer, do not transfer large amounts of money through unknown services and cryptocurrencies

 – you may have your account blocked, have a legal action or simply lose money

For any questions, we are available on WhatsApp, Telegram or by E-mail

Mandatory procedures

• Beforehand – you must already have a certificate of non-conviction with apostille (we talked about this in step 1)

– obtaining this certificate in Russia through the consulate of your country can be long and not always possible (for example, for France, this is now impossible). 

– a translation of this certificate at a notary in Russia will be required

• Get temporary registration at your place of residence – mandatory in some regions

– this can be done by the owner of the housing where you live

•  Pass a medical examination at one of the accredited medical centers

– !Attention!: each region has its own list of accredited centers (approved by the municipal government). In some regions, accredited centers from other regions may be recognized (but not always). 

– You will have to undergo several types of tests, an X-ray of the lungs, etc. (the full list of procedures depends on age). 

- The deadlines vary in different regions (from 1 to 4 weeks). 

– After the medical tests, you will receive certificates for passing the exam.

• Pass the mandatory dactyloscopy procedure (fingerprint registration)

– this can be done at one of the MVD offices in the region where you are going to apply for the RVP

• You will also need new photographs: 35 x 45 mm – 2 piece

• Make sure that you have collected the complete list of documents necessary for the RVP (the list may vary depending on individual characteristics)

– the full list is compiled by an Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia

For any questions, we are available on WhatsApp, Telegram or by E-mail

About the essentials

• It is necessary to submit all the documents mentioned in the law at once. There is a Russian proverb: "сендров потмерь– - подрод потриь" ("measure seven times, cut once"), which perfectly suits the situation. Please check all documents carefully.

• It is essential that on the day of submission you are in Russia with a valid visa

– Sometimes it may happen that you have not been able to submit your application within the visa deadline, or that you lack documents. In this case, a leniency measure is still in force: until January 10, 2025, an amnesty is applicable to foreigners (Decree of the President of Russia № 1126). If you have problems with a visa or documents, you can legalize yourself on the basis of Decree № 1126 – an additional procedure will be required, but the rest of the process remains unchanged.

• It is also worth remembering that one should never provide false documents, which also includes fictitious registration and migration account.

• During the entire period of consideration of your RVP application (up to 4 months), you will have the right to temporary residence in Russia (even if your visa has expired). This is explicitly stipulated by law, but do not forget to get a special confirmation from the MVD.

• During the consideration of the application, you can leave Russia. But be aware that with an "ideological visa", your entry fee has already been used, so a new visa will be required for you.

Procedure:

• You must go to the MVD (Ministry of the Interior)

– You need to find an agency in the area where you plan to live and get the RVP

– You must appear in person, and you can be accompanied by a lawyer

– It is important to speak Russian well or to be accompanied by a person who speaks Russian well (to communicate with officials)

– It is necessary to make an appointment in advance or to inquire about the days and hours of reception - the rules vary from one region to another

• You submit a complete package of documents and a request for an appointment

• After that, you will be able to follow the status of your request on the MVD website

– official deadline for consideration of the application: up to 4 months

For any questions, we are available on WhatsApp, Telegram or by E-mail

Please remember the main rules of life with an RVP

• You must register at your place of residence (in the region of the RVP) or extend your migration account.

• You must reside in Russia for at least 6 months a year.

• Every year you need to confirm your residence in Russia (in person at the MVD).

• Do not violate the legislation of the Russian Federation, avoid fines and penalties in migration matters, and it is also advisable to avoid other types of fines.

• Your PRV is valid in only one region, the one where you obtained the PRV. This means that you must have a permanent place of residence in this region. However, you can travel throughout Russia, but in case of an extended stay, you must notify the MVD. Changing the region of RVP is possible, but this requires a separate procedure.

– It is known that Russia is a huge and interesting country, and many of our clients also want to travel. Traveling with the status of RVP has many peculiarities, so for any questions about this, it is better to consult with a lawyer in advance in order to avoid any violations.

• After a year of living with a RVP, you can already apply for a residence permit.

– That said, you may have to take an exam on the Russian language, history and law (some categories of citizens are exempt from this condition)

For any questions, we are available on WhatsApp, Telegram or by E-mail