Applying for a Russian residence permit

In accordance with paragraph 27 of article 13.2 of the Federal Law of 25.07.2002 N 115-FZ "On the legal status of foreign nationals in the Russian Federation", highly qualified specialists and members of their families who enter the Russian Federation for the duration of their employment contract may, at their written application, be issued with a residence permit by the territorial body of the federal executive authority responsible for internal affairs. A residence permit issued to a foreign national as a highly qualified specialist and a residence permit issued to a family member can be issued for the duration of the work permit.

Advantages:

1. Opportunity to apply for a compulsory health insurance policy and receive free public health services (in accordance with federal law);
2. Obtaining residence registration (permanent registration);
3. Opportunity to apply for Russian citizenship (after residing in the Russian Federation with a residence permit for 3-5 years);
4. Additional rights in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation.

Disadvantages:

1. The period of validity of the residence permit depends on the duration of the employment contract and the work permit (maximum 3 years, then have to be renewed);
2. The requirement to submit an annual notification of proof of residence in Russia: a foreign citizen temporarily residing in the Russian Federation within two months of the expiry of the next year from the date of his/her temporary residence permit, personally or by using public information and telecommunications networks, including the Internet, shall submit to the territorial body of the federal executive authority in the field of internal affairs at the place of receiving a temporary residence permit a notification of confirmation of their residence in the Russian Federation with a certificate of income, copy of tax return or other document confirming the amount and source of income of this foreign citizen for the consecutive year from the date of receipt of the temporary residence permit (Clauses 11-16, Article 8, Federal Law of 25.07.2002 N 115-FZ "On the legal status of foreign nationals in the Russian Federation"). The form and notification procedure shall be established by the Government of the Russian Federation.
3. The requirement to stay in the Russian Federation for at least 180 days in a year (Clause 11, Article 9, Federal Law of 25.07.2002 N 115-FZ "On the legal status of foreign nationals in the Russian Federation")
4. Obligation to arrange permanent registration: a registration application shall be submitted within 7 working days from the date on which the foreign national received a temporary residence permit or a residence permit, or from the date of his/her arrival at the accommodation location (Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of 15.01.2007 No. 9).

Sample set of documents required for submission:

1. Application form (Annex No. 1 to the Administrative Regulation) in two copies. The application must be filled in by hand or by technical means (typewriter, computer), without abbreviations, corrections or dashes, and must contain the dates in the format "DD.MM.YYYY";
2. Four 35 x 45 mm personal photos in black and white or colour. Photographs must meet the following requirements:
   1. The photograph shall show a close-up view of the head and upper part of the shoulders of the applicant, with the distance from the top of the head to the chin not exceeding eighty percent of the size of the entire image (frame vertically).
   2. The face in the photograph must correspond to the age of the applicant on the day of the application. The photograph must show the applicant in full-face and looking straight ahead. The background must be white, even, without stripes, spots, foreign objects or shadows. The eyes of the applicant must be open and hair must not obscure them. Photographs with dark glasses or blindfolds may only be taken for medical reasons.
   3. A photograph may not be presented in uniform, with outerwear, scarves covering part of the chin, or with an edited image to enhance the appearance of the depicted face or to give it an artistic touch. All facial features of the person being photographed must be shown in the image.
   4. If you wear glasses all the time, it is compulsory to have your photograph taken with glasses without tinted lenses. The eyes must be clearly visible in the photograph. The frame of your glasses must not cover your eyes.
3. Passport;
4. Medical documents confirming that the foreign citizen does not use narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances without a doctor's prescription or new potentially dangerous psychoactive substances and infectious diseases that pose a danger to others, as well as a certificate of absence of the foreign citizen disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus (Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated 19.11.2021 N 1079n);
5. A document issued by the competent authority of the state of permanent residence not earlier than 3 months on the date of application, stating that the applicant has no criminal record or, if available, containing information on the offence for which the applicant was convicted. Submitted by a foreign national who has reached the age of fourteen (for those who have entered the Russian Federation on a visa);
6. An employment contract or a civil law contract for work (services) concluded with a highly qualified specialist and drawn up in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation;
7. Marriage certificate;
8. Payment confirmation of a state fee of 5,000 roubles.

The processing time depends on who is applying for a residence permit: three months for highly qualified specialists. A highly qualified specialist and his/her family members are granted a residence permit for the duration of the work permit granted to the highly qualified specialist.

Documents drawn up in a foreign language shall be translated into Russian. If the document is drawn up in several languages and Russian is not among them, a translation of the document from one language at the applicant's choice shall be submitted. The accuracy of the translation or the authenticity of the translator's signature must be certified in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation on notaries.

The documents are submitted and processed at the Multifunctional Migration Centre. More information:

1. Order dated 11.06.2020 N 417 (ed. from 02.11.2021) "On Approval of Administrative Regulations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation to provide public services for the issuance and replacement of a residence permit to foreign nationals and stateless persons" (Registered with the Russian Ministry of Justice 06.07.2020 N 58844)
2. https://www.mos.ru/otvet-dokumenti/kak-poluchit-i-proverit-vid-na-jitelstvo/
3. https://mc.mos.ru/ru/worker/mmc/residence-permit