Visa to enter Russia to obtain a temporary residence permit: innovations

There are several types of visa to enter Russia. It can be ordinary private, commercial, tourist, work or transit. A visa to enter the Russian Federation for the purpose of obtaining asylum is also a type of ordinary visa.

According to a certificate from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Resolution No. 1400 of November 20 comes into force. 2017. This legislative act provides for the introduction of a new type of visa, called an “ ordinary visa to enter Russia in order to obtain a temporary residence permit in the Russian Federation .”

The signed resolution became the reason for making appropriate amendments to the Regulations on determining the type of visa document, the conditions and procedure for its execution and delivery, extension of the valid period, restoration in case of loss, as well as the procedure for invalidating a visa.

Features of issuing a new document

• Validity of a visa for the purpose of obtaining a temporary residence permit in Russia: no more than 4 months. Such a visa document for foreigners is intended to be valid for a single entry without the possibility of further extension.
• A foreign citizen (stateless person) receives a temporary resident visa from the Russian consulate or diplomatic mission. This is possible subject to a documentary temporary residence permit (TRP) in Russia, which is issued by the territorial office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
• The stay of a foreigner in the Russian country is limited by the validity period of the above-mentioned permit. In this case, the visa document becomes multiple entry.

Who needs a visa to enter Russia?

Citizens of non-CIS countries, including citizens of Germany and Turkey, must obtain a visa to enter Russia. Entry to Georgians is also granted according to the visa regime.

From 01/01/2015, the visa-free entry regime into Russia applies to most CIS countries that are not part of the Customs Union (Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan). Residents of these states have the right to cross the Russian border upon presentation only of a foreign passport.

Residents of the countries that are part of the EAEU (Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan), as well as Ukrainians, have the right to enter the territory of the Russian Federation if they have an internal passport. The stay of persons from the CIS is limited and does not exceed 3 months (90 days) based on one half-year. It is mandatory to fill out and keep a migration card. In the future, it will be needed to formalize departure from the country.

If the period of stay is exceeded without good reason (funeral, work, study), the citizen will be denied entry to Russia for 3 years from the date of departure. A valid reason must be documented.

Citizens from Ukraine and the CIS are not required to report their arrival to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Federal Tax Service. This is only possible if their arrival does not exceed 90 consecutive days.

Procedure for obtaining an entry visa

Residents of Georgia, Turkmenistan and non-CIS countries are required to present the following documents upon arrival in Russia:

• international passport;
• issued invitation;
• a completed application form (2 copies) with the citizen’s own signature;
• photos.

Depending on your nationality, type and duration of the visa document, additional information may be required.

The main stages of registration are:

1. Determination of timing and duration of arrival . This applies to crossing the border and choosing the number of days to stay in the country (single/multiple entry visa).
2. Reasons for obtaining a visa document . This could be a travel voucher, an entry visa, or a telex number.
3. Filling out a visa application (form) on the official website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the future, the document should be printed and signed.
4. Submitting a package of documentation to a special visa center or Russian consulate.
5. Obtaining a passport with a Russian visa.

Dates of issue

The period for issuing a visa depends on its type. Below is a table with types of visa documents and processing periods:

A foreign citizen should carefully check the correctness of the information provided: number of days to visit, validity period, frequency of trips. Once you cross the Russian border, it will be impossible to correct the error. The basic rule states that entry on a visa obtained is the foreigner’s consent to all the conditions specified in it.