There are seven basic types of Russian visas: Commercial, Tourist, Student, Guest, Diplomatic, Transit, and visas for entry into the Russian Federation for the purpose of requesting asylum. Russian visas are issued only upon presentation of the appropriate invitation (tourist vouchers or hotel reservations will often suffice) from a Russian source. Only Russian individuals and agencies (hereafter referred to as sponsors) can invite Americans to visit Russia. In doing so, the sponsor takes full responsibility for both the welfare and actions of their American guests.
Student Visas: An invitation for a foreign national to enter Russia for the purpose of studying at an educational institution is issued by the FMS upon application from the educational institution. Student visas are unique in that they do not include an exit visa, but rather require a separate application for one to the proper Russian authorities. Often, student visas are valid only for three months, with a possible extension by the local FMS. Always stamped in passports, they allow foreigners to remain in Russia for the duration of the visa’s validity, but not to leave the country upon its expiration. It is the responsibility of your Russian school to ensure timely extensions and obtain permission to exit. If you want to leave Russia before the scheduled time implied by your contract with your school, you have to notify the school visa department long in advance to give them time to file necessary paperwork with the Russian authorities. Under law that time period can be as long as 30 days.
Work Visas: There are quotas on invitations to foreigners to enter Russia in order to work. These quotas are established by territorial agencies in the regions and are approved annually by the Russian Government. According to the law, quotas take into account the demographic situation in the relevant region of Russia and its ability to accommodate foreign nationals. This is theoretically based on the principle that priority should be given to the use of domestic labor. The prospective employer must initiate the application process for this type of visa at the FMS. Prospective employers who hire foreigners must also receive permission from the local branch of theFMS. The FMS officethen issues the foreigner a document confirming his legal employment. Please note that Russian authorities may require tests for drugs and infectious diseases for holders of work visas.
There are a few categories of foreigners who can be employed without such a permit: those who have a Russian residency permit or permanent registration with police; church employees; technical experts who come for a short period to assemble imported equipment; and those who come for educational activities.
Temporary Residence: Temporary residence is granted for a three-year term. The issuance of temporary residence permits (razreshenie na vremennoe prozhivanie) is subject to a quota established annually by the government for each separate region of Russia. Certain categories of foreign citizens are not subject to the quota, including, foreign citizens previously citizens of the USSR; foreigners married to Russians residing in Russia; and foreign investors making investments of a magnitude yet to be established.
Temporary residence permits are issued by FMS on the basis of an application filed personally by the foreign citizen. The application can be filed either with a local FMS or with a Russian Embassy outside Russia and should be reviewed within 6 months. In case of approval, the foreigner can get a visa to enter Russia (visas for person temporarily residing in Russia) with a four-month validity period, which should be extended upon obtaining a temporary residence permit for a period of validity of such permit.
The following documents are required to obtain a temporary residence permit: an application form; four photos; passport; police certificate; applicant’s income papers; HIV certificate; and documentation that the foreign citizen is not a drug addict and does not have any infectious diseases.
Foreign citizens who are not subject to the quota for the issuance of a temporary residence permits should additionally submit: marriage certificate and spouse’s passport (if the spouse is a Russian citizen); birth certificate or passport of a USSR citizen (for former Soviet/Russian citizens); document confirming that the foreign citizen has an established place to residence, or consent of Russian citizens registered in Russia at their place of residence to provide a place of residence for the foreign citizen.
A foreigner who holds a temporary residence permit is required to obtain a work permit in order to work legally in the territory of the Russian administrative component (subyekt) where the temporary residence permit was issued.
Temporary residence status also has its own particular restrictions, including mandatory fingerprint registration, restrictions on change of residence within Russia, and annual registration with the internal affairs agencies.
Evidence of temporary residence permit is a stamp “Разрешение на временное проживание,” or Temporary Residence Permit, put into the bearer’s passport. The stamp is not/not sufficient for leaving the country. Based on the stamp the local passport authorities at the stamp issuing office only should give the bearer an exit-reentry visa. The stamp is useful and mandatory to have at the time of police document checks as a visa substitute. It will also help the person get a Russian visa outside Russia in case the exit-reentry visa is lost while traveling.
Permanent Residence: Foreign citizens intending to permanently reside in Russia can obtain a permanent residence permit (vid na zhitelstvo) valid for five years that may be extended an unlimited number of times. Foreigners may apply for it at the local FMS based on their at least one-year residence in Russia. The application has to be filed no later than six months prior to the expiration of the temporary residence permit.
The advantages of permanent resident status are ability to work in any part of Russia without a special permit; ability to choose a place of residence in Russia; ability to issue visa invitations to Russia for other foreign citizens in one’s own name.
