General

Residence permit

Residence permit (hereinafter referred to as a residence permit) is a document issued to a foreign citizen or stateless person confirming their right to permanent residence in the Russian Federation, as well as their right to freely leave and enter the Russian Federation.

A residence permit issued to a stateless person also serves as a document certifying their identity in Russia. A residence permit cannot be issued as an electronic document. After obtaining a residence permit, a foreign citizen acquires the status of a permanent resident of the Russian Federation.

A residence permit is issued without limitation of its validity period, except in the following cases:

• A residence permit is issued to a stateless person for a period of 10 years.
• A residence permit in the form of a card with an electronic carrier is issued for a period of 10 years.
• A residence permit for a highly qualified specialist and their family members is issued for the validity period of the work permit issued to the highly qualified specialist. After working in Russia for at least 2 years, such a specialist and their family members may obtain a permanent residence permit.

*A residence permit is issued without limitation of its validity period, except in the cases provided for in paragraphs four through six of clause 3 of Article 8 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ of 25.07.2002 (as amended on 08.08.2024) “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation”. *

A residence permit is a blue or green (for stateless persons) booklet, resembling a passport, or a card with a chip. The booklet contains the holder’s photograph, information about their children, basic information, and the document’s series and number. While in Russia, a foreign citizen with a residence permit must present this document whenever a passport is required.

Leaving the Russian Federation is permitted after submitting an application for a residence permit. If you are registered for migration purposes, when you leave the Russian Federation your migration card will be confiscated and your migration registration will be cancelled. A new migration card is issued upon re-entry into the Russian Federation. Within 7 working days after entering the Russian Federation, you must register for migration purposes again.

If the application processing period has expired, take the following steps (in the indicated order or simultaneously):

• Check whether a decision is ready on the website of the Main Directorate for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.
• Apply in person to the migration affairs division where the application was submitted.
• Contact the head of the department for temporary residence permits, residence permits or Russian citizenship.
• Submit an online complaint to the Main Directorate for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.
• Submit an online complaint to the Prosecutor’s Office (for Moscow, to the Moscow City Prosecutor’s Office).
• Submit an online complaint to the Office of the President of the Russian Federation for Work with Citizens’ and Organizations’ Appeals.

After receiving approval for a residence permit, you must:

• Within 7 working days of receiving the residence permit, register at your place of residence (a stamp in the residence permit) or at your place of stay (on a separate sheet) if registration at your place of residence is not possible. Failure to comply with this requirement within the prescribed period entails an administrative fine of at least 5 thousand rubles (Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 9 of 15.01.2007 (as amended on 25.04.2024) “On the Procedure for Migration Registration of Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons in the Russian Federation”).
• A foreign citizen may change their place of residence within the Russian Federation at their own discretion. Within 7 working days of arriving at the new place of residence, they must register for migration purposes with the territorial department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at their place of residence.
• Obtain a medical insurance policy (compulsory medical insurance), an individual taxpayer number (INN) and a certificate of compulsory pension insurance (SNILS).
• At the end of each year of residence, submit a notice of residence under the residence permit within 2 months, stating information about income. Late submission of the annual notice is an administrative offense.

A residence permit must be replaced in the following cases:

• The holder reaches the age of 14, 20 or 45 (replacement must be completed no later than one month after the relevant event).
• The document is damaged or no longer fit for use (for example, due to wear or deterioration).
• Personal data changes (full name, date of birth, citizenship, gender).
• Erroneous entries are discovered in the document.

What should you do if your residence permit is lost?
If a residence permit is lost or stolen, you must contact the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ migration affairs division at your place of residence within three days and submit a written application for the document to be restored.

Advantages of a residence permit:

• It is valid indefinitely (except in the cases listed above).
• It does not restrict the choice of region of residence or employment; no work permit or patent is required.
• It allows you to apply for Russian citizenship after five years of permanent residence in the country (or use the simplified procedure if you qualify).
• It provides a preferential customs clearance procedure for personal property and a car within eighteen months of obtaining the residence permit.
• It gives the right to claim social benefits and a social pension upon reaching a certain age, provided the person has permanently resided in the Russian Federation for at least 15 years.
• It ensures free entry to and departure from the Russian Federation (without a visa).
• It guarantees free medical care under the compulsory medical insurance system.
• It provides the opportunity to elect and be elected to local self-government bodies, as well as to participate in referendums.

Note: Residence permit holders must submit an annual notice of residence. Read more here.

A residence permit may be issued to a foreign citizen who has resided in the Russian Federation for at least one year on the basis of a temporary residence permit.
Residence permit / Temporary residence permit

A residence permit may be issued to a foreign citizen who has obtained a temporary residence permit for education (TRPE), after completing a bachelor's, specialist's, master's, residency, assistantship-internship program with state accreditation at a state educational or state scientific organization, or a postgraduate program for training scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel.

A residence permit is issued without obtaining a temporary residence permit to:

• A foreign citizen who is a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Moldova or Ukraine. Processing time – 4 months.
• A foreign citizen who is a citizen of the Republic of Belarus. Processing time – 3 months.
• A foreign citizen relocating to the Russian Federation for permanent residence under the international treaties of the Russian Federation governing relocation and the protection of the rights of resettlers (under the Agreement). Processing time – 4 months.
• A foreign citizen born in the territory of the RSFSR who was formerly a citizen of the USSR. Processing time – 4 months.
• A foreign citizen who has direct-line ascendants born or permanently residing in the territory of the RSFSR or in territory that belonged to the Russian Empire or the USSR, within the State Border of the Russian Federation. Processing time – 4 months.
  A foreign citizen under the age of 18 whose parent (adoptive parent, guardian or custodian) is a foreign citizen permanently residing in the Russian Federation (holds a residence permit). Processing time – 4 months.
• A foreign citizen under the age of 18 obtaining a residence permit together with their foreign citizen parent (adoptive parent, guardian or custodian). Processing time – 4 months.
  Residence permit / Together with parent
• A foreign citizen whose parent (adoptive parent, guardian or custodian) is a citizen of the Russian Federation and permanently resides in the Russian Federation. Processing time – 4 months.
  Residence permit / Through parent
• A foreign citizen who has a child born (or adopted) in a marriage to a Russian citizen permanently residing in the Russian Federation, or an adult child who is a Russian citizen permanently residing in the Russian Federation. Processing time – 4 months.
  Follow the link: Category: Residence permit / Through children
• A foreign citizen aged 18 or over who has been declared legally incapacitated or has limited legal capacity under the laws of a foreign state and is obtaining a residence permit together with their foreign citizen parent (adoptive parent, guardian or custodian). Processing time – 4 months.
  Follow the link: Category Residence permit / Legal incapacity
• A foreign citizen aged 18 or over who has been declared legally incapacitated or has limited legal capacity under the laws of a foreign state, and whose parent (adoptive parent, guardian or custodian) is a foreign citizen permanently residing in the Russian Federation (holds a residence permit). Processing time – 4 months.
  Follow the link: Category Residence permit / Legal incapacity
• A foreign citizen who, or whose direct-line ascendant, adoptive parent or spouse, was unlawfully deported from the territory of the Crimean ASSR, as well as a direct-line descendant, adopted child or spouse of that foreign citizen, who has submitted a certificate of rehabilitation. Processing time – 3 months.
  Follow the link: Category Residence permit / Deportation
• A highly qualified specialist and their family members. Processing time – 3 months.
• A foreign citizen who, continuously for at least one year before the date of applying for a residence permit and on the date of submitting the application, has been employed in the Russian Federation in a profession (specialty, position) included in the list of professions (specialties, positions) of foreign citizens and stateless persons who are qualified specialists eligible to obtain a residence permit in the Russian Federation without a temporary residence permit, approved by the federal executive body responsible for developing and implementing state policy and legal regulation in the field of employment and unemployment. During this period of employment, the employer must have accrued insurance contributions for the foreign citizen to the Social and Pension Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation. Processing time – 4 months.
• A foreign citizen who has successfully completed a state-accredited full-time higher education program in the Russian Federation and received a diploma with honors. Processing time – 4 months.
  Follow the link: Category Residence permit / Education competition
• Persons in the territory of the Russian Federation whose citizenship has been terminated on the grounds provided for in paragraphs 1 and 4 of part 1 of Article 22 of Federal Law No. 138-FZ of 28.04.2023 “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation”.
  Follow the link: Category Residence permit / Refusal Cancellation Loss
• A stateless person aged 18 or over who has legal capacity and resides in the Russian Federation; foreign citizens aged 18 or over who have legal capacity, if before the effective date of this Federal Law they received a passport or other document indicating Russian citizenship but did not acquire it in accordance with the established procedure; as well as a person who received such a document and did not hold citizenship of a foreign state, and their son or daughter.
  Follow the link: Category Residence permit / Stateless persons
• A foreign citizen who is a finalist or winner of the national competition held by ANO “Russia – Land of Opportunity” and has submitted supporting documentation. Processing time – 3 months.
  Follow the link: Category Residence permit / Education competition
• A foreign citizen who is an information technology specialist and has entered into an employment or civil law contract to perform work (provide services) with an organization operating in the field of information technology and having received, in accordance with the procedure established by the Government of the Russian Federation, a state accreditation document as an organization operating in the field of information technology (except for organizations that have resident status in a technology and innovation special economic zone), and their family members (spouse, children, including adopted children, children’s spouses, parents, including foster parents, parents’ spouses, grandparents and grandchildren). Processing time – 3 months.
  Follow the link: Category Residence permit / Highly qualified specialists
• A foreign citizen who has made investments in the Russian Federation and their family members (spouse, children, including adopted children, children’s spouses, parents, including foster parents, parents’ spouses, grandparents and grandchildren). The criteria and procedure are determined by the Government of the Russian Federation. Processing time – 3 months.
  Follow the link: Category Residence permit / Investments
• A foreign citizen who, during the special military operation, entered into a contract for military service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation or military formations for a period of one year, and their family members (including in the event of the service member’s death).
  Follow the link: Category Residence permit / Contract with the Ministry of Defense
• A foreign citizen who is a compatriot and has obtained participant status in the State Program to Assist the Voluntary Resettlement to the Russian Federation of Compatriots Living Abroad, as a repatriate.
  Follow the link: Category Residence permit / State Program
• A foreign citizen who has obtained the status of a family member of a participant in the State Program to Assist the Voluntary Resettlement to the Russian Federation of Compatriots Living Abroad – as a repatriate.
  Follow the link: Category Residence permit / State Program
• A foreign citizen who has a child who is a Russian citizen permanently residing in the Russian Federation, whose other parent is also a Russian citizen, provided that court-confirmed facts establish that the foreign citizen lived together with the child in the Russian Federation and participated in the child’s maintenance and upbringing (or lived together and shared a household with the child’s other parent) for at least three years before applying.
  Follow the link: Category Residence permit / Through children
• A foreign citizen who is the sole parent (adoptive parent) of a child who is a Russian citizen permanently residing in the Russian Federation.
  Follow the link: Category Residence permit / Through children
• A person granted political asylum by the Russian Federation, as well as their family members. Processing time – 15 working days.
• Stateless persons, persons who held citizenship of the LPR and DPR, and citizens of Ukraine who permanently resided in the Zaporizhzhia or Kherson regions or the LPR and DPR on 30 September 2022 or earlier and do not intend to acquire Russian citizenship. Processing time – 20 working days.
  Follow the link: Category Residence permit / New territories

Video guide:
An exclusive guide from the “Put Domoy” project. A complete video guide to completing an application for a Russian residence permit. How to correctly complete the application and prepare documents yourself, and what to pay attention to in order to avoid mistakes.

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Procedure for applying for a residence permit:

The prepared documents and their copies must be submitted in person together with the residence permit application to the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ migration affairs division at the intended place of residence, or to a diplomatic mission or consular office of the Russian Federation in the country of residence (only for participants in the State Program as repatriates and their family members).

For the period during which the application is considered, the validity period of the visa and the period of stay in the Russian Federation may be extended.

A foreign citizen who has received notice of a positive decision must contact the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ migration affairs division at their place of residence. If, after approval, they are absent from the Russian Federation for more than 6 months in a calendar year without a valid reason, the decision will be annulled.

It is important to understand that obtaining a residence permit in Russia is a serious step that requires responsible compliance with the law. Not only may a residence permit be refused, but an existing status may also be annulled. The law clearly specifies the grounds for refusing or annulling a residence permit. A decision may be made only if there are specific grounds provided for by law.

A foreign citizen will not be issued a residence permit, and a previously issued residence permit will be annulled, if the foreign citizen:

1. Advocates the forcible change of the foundations of the constitutional system of the Russian Federation or, through other actions, creates a threat to the security of the Russian Federation or its citizens.

• Finances or plans terrorist (extremist) acts, assists in their commission or commits them, or otherwise supports terrorist (extremist) activity.
• During the five years preceding the date of application for a residence permit, was subject to administrative expulsion from the Russian Federation, deportation, or transfer by the Russian Federation to a foreign state under an international readmission treaty of the Russian Federation; or, during the ten years preceding that date, was repeatedly (two or more times) subject to administrative expulsion from the Russian Federation, deportation, or transfer by the Russian Federation to a foreign state under an international readmission treaty of the Russian Federation.
• Submitted forged or fraudulent documents or knowingly provided false information.
• Was convicted by a court judgment that has entered into force of committing a serious or especially serious crime, or a crime related to the illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their analogues or precursors, plants containing narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances or their precursors, or parts thereof containing narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances or their precursors.
• Has an outstanding or unexpunged conviction for committing a serious or especially serious crime in the Russian Federation or abroad (recognized as such under federal law).
• Was repeatedly (two or more times) held administratively liable within one year for an administrative offense encroaching on public order and public safety, violating the rules for the stay (residence) of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation or the procedure for their employment in the Russian Federation, or committed an administrative offense related to the illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their analogues or precursors, plants containing narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances or their precursors, or parts thereof containing narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances or their precursors.
• Cannot provide evidence that they are able to support themselves and their family members in the Russian Federation at or above the subsistence minimum without state assistance (except where they have been recognized as unable to work).
• Does not have legally owned residential premises in the Russian Federation three years after entering the country.

1. Left the Russian Federation for a foreign country for permanent residence.
2. Was outside the Russian Federation for more than six months in total during a calendar year (except in cases of emergency medical treatment, serious illness or the death of a close relative abroad, or official necessity).
3. Previously entered into a marriage with a Russian citizen that served as grounds for obtaining a temporary residence permit and then a residence permit, and that marriage has been dissolved or declared invalid by a court.
4. Uses narcotic drugs without a doctor’s prescription, suffers from a dangerous infectious disease, does not have a certificate confirming the absence of HIV infection (except in cases established by paragraph three of clause 3 of Article 11 of Federal Law No. 38-FZ of 30 March 1995 “On Preventing the Spread in the Russian Federation of the Disease Caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV Infection)”), or has not submitted the required medical documents.
5. Submitted an application to cancel their residence permit.
6. For any two consecutive calendar years after obtaining a residence permit, failed to notify the territorial body of the federal executive authority in charge of internal affairs of confirmation of their residence in the Russian Federation.
7. Is subject to a decision, adopted in accordance with the established procedure, declaring their stay (residence) in the Russian Federation undesirable, including where such a decision has been suspended, or a decision prohibiting that foreign citizen from entering the Russian Federation.

Important clarification: specific grounds for refusal of a residence permit
The grounds for refusing or annulling a residence permit may vary depending on the category under which it is obtained.

• Residence permits for highly qualified specialists and their family members may be annulled on grounds 1–7 and 16 (see the list above), and upon expiry.
• Residence permits for resettlers under the State Program and their family members may be annulled on grounds 1–7, 10, 11, 14–16, and also if resettler status is lost.
• A residence permit obtained through a child is also annulled if parental rights are terminated or restricted, an adoption is cancelled, or information is removed from the child’s birth record.
• A residence permit based on employment in a profession included in the approved list is annulled on all the grounds listed above, and also if a new contract for a profession on the list approved by the Ministry of Labour of the Russian Federation is not concluded within 30 working days after termination of the employment contract.
• A residence permit based on unlawful deportation from the Crimean ASSR may be annulled on grounds 1–7 and 10–16.
• A residence permit based on an ancestor who lived in the territory of Russia before the dissolution of the USSR may be annulled on grounds 1–7, 10, 11, 13–16.
• A residence permit for an IT specialist and their family members may be annulled on grounds 1 and 2, and also if a new contract with an accredited IT organization is not concluded within 30 working days after termination of the contract with the organization, or if the organization’s accreditation is revoked.
• A residence permit based on investment may be annulled on grounds 1–8, 10, 13–16.
• A residence permit based on a contract with the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation may be annulled on grounds 1–7, 10–16, and also in the event of early discharge.

Consider the situation of repatriates as an example:

A residence permit obtained by a repatriate under the State Program cannot be annulled on the grounds of insufficient income (paragraph 8).

If a residence permit issued to a stateless person is annulled, that person is issued a temporary identity document for stateless persons in the Russian Federation.

A decision by a territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia refusing to issue or annulling a residence permit may be appealed to a higher authority within three working days of the foreign citizen receiving the notice, or to a court within three months of receiving the notice.