Migration requirements

On December 29, 2021, Federal Law No. 274-FZ, dated July 1, 2021, came into effect, thereby introducing amendments to Federal Law No. 115-FZ “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation”. As per this document, foreign citizens residing in the Russian Federation are subject to obligatory medical examinations, fingerprinting and official photographing.

Who is exempt from these procedures?

• persons with dual citizenship, one of which is Russian citizenship;
• citizens of the Republic of Belarus, as per the agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus “On Ensuring the Equal Rights of Citizens”, dated December 25, 1998;
• children under six years of age;
• officials of international (interstate, intergovernmental) organizations; staff of diplomatic missions, consulates and embassies in the Russian Federation and members of their families – on the basis of reciprocity between Russia and respective countries;
• those with temporary or permanent residency permits, medical examinations are necessary only one time and only for the obtainment of residency documentation.

Who and what does this concern, and when shall it be done?

• If you re-entered Russia after December 29, 2021 on your current visa, you must partake in a medical examination, provide your fingerprints and get officially photographed within 30 days of uninterrupted stay as from the date of your entry.
• If you entered Russia for the first time after December 29, 2021, you must partake in a medical examination, provide your fingerprints and get officially photographed within 30 days of uninterrupted stay as from the date of your entry in order to receive a work permit (this applies to HQS employees).
• If you plan to leave the Russian Federation within 30 days of the date of your initial entry into the country, you will need to undertake a medical examination, fingerprinting and official photographing within 30 days of uninterrupted stay after your return to Russia.
• If you plan to prolong or apply for a new work permit in the Russian Federation, you must undertake a medical examination, provide your fingerprints and get officially photographed in order to be issued a new work permit (as per p. 4.6 Art. 13 of FZ-115).

What procedures need to be done and samples should be submitted?

Foreign citizens entering the Russian Federation for the purpose of employment must, within 30 days, undertake medical examinations, including blood tests for narcotic substances and possible infectious diseases (e.g., tuberculosis, Hansen’s disease, syphilis, HIV).

• examinations include:

• blood tests;
• chemo-toxicology analysis;
• X-ray or computer-assisted tomography;
• examinations by various specialists: infectious disease specialist (general practitioner), tuberculotherapist, dermatologist/venerologist and addiction psychiatrist.

Detailed information for medical examination, fingerprinting and photographing procedures 

What medical examinations are necessary for minors?

Accompanying family members of highly qualified specialists including children over 6 years old are also required to undergo fingerprinting, photographing and medical examination.

• Children 6 to 13 do not need to get tested for narcotic substances and examined by addiction psychiatrist

• Types of tuberculosis tests for children 6 to 17 have been expanded depending on age (6-7,8-14,15-17)

Where are medical examinations held?

International staff members can undertake all medical procedures in a single visit at the following location:

City Polyclinic No. 3 (22/26 Yermolaevsky Lane, Building 1)

Office hours (Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.; prior registration is not required).

How often should medical examinations be held?

Documents confirming that an individual has undertaken medical examinations shall be valid 1 year from the date of their issue. Therefore, international staff will only need to undertake medical examinations one time a year.

What happens if I fail to undertake medical examinations on time?

The following sanctions may be enacted with respect to those persons who do not undertake medical examinations or fail to do so within the set timeframe:

• annulment of their work permit, if it has already been issued or is currently being processed;
• reduction in the duration of their stay in the Russian Federation.

HSE University provides necessary administrative, informational and legal support to its staff members to avoid any instances whereby such sanctions may be applied.

What is HSE University doing to mitigate the effects of the new legislation?

• Provision of centralized information and organizational support through e-mail: intstaff@hse.ru;
• Organization of trips to clinics and migration local authorities accompanied by an HSE University staff member; the University will agree on a date and time for trips with all employees who need to partake in medical procedures on a priority basis, with due consideration of the date of their entry into Russia;
• Informational support for obtaining permanent residency: individual consultations on submission of documents, required documentation and the timeframe for processing residency applications.

Is it necessary to retake medical examinations, fingerprinting and official photography if this had already been done for the submission of documents for permanent residency (and if a permanent residency permit still has not been granted) should one’s arrival in Russia take place after December 29, 2021?

No. You must not repeat these procedures if you have previously undertaken such procedures in line with relevant Russian legislation, e.g., when obtaining a work patent, temporary residency permit, or a permanent residency permit. In such instances, you have the right to make a request with the local office of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs for the district where you are registered to obtain a document, confirming you have been fingerprinted and officially photographed.

Does the 30-day period for meeting the provisions of the new federal legislation apply every time one crosses the border of the Russian Federation? Can medical examinations be avoided if one leaves Russia every month?

The provisions of the federal law concern the period of one’s uninterrupted stay in the Russian Federation. If an international staff member leaves Russia prior to the expiration of the 30-day period from the date of their initial entry, they will need to undertake a medical examination, fingerprinting and official photographing within the uninterrupted 30-day period after their subsequent entry into Russia.

Is migration registration at one’s place of residence necessary for undertaking medical examinations? How does this work with respect to HQS staff members?

The field with one’s registration details must be filled in when completing the form for medical examination certificates. As such, prior to planning a visit to a medical institution, a registration slip must be issued, regardless of one’s type of visa (HQS or regular work visa).

Will the results of previous medical examinations and check-ups be taken into account?

Results of previous medical examinations and check-ups confirmed by medical documentation, issued by Russian medical institutions, will be taken into account only.