Since 15th January 2007 the Russian law has required that foreign citizens traveling to Russia for other purposes than tourist register their visas within 3 business days of their arrival. Travelers staying in Russia for less than 3 business days do not require a registration. Travelers who do not register their visas are sometimes required to pay fines when they attempt to exit Russia, or are sometimes forced to miss their flights.

Tourists do not have to register their visas. 

ERS provides you with a free registration in St. Petersburg if you ordered visa support through ERS.

If you are staying in a rental apartment or other establishment, ERS can help register your Russian visa in St. Petersburg for a fee of 40 units (up to 1 month registration) and 70 units (up to 3 months registration). 1 unit is 30 rubles. The procedure normally takes 3 days. 

If you don't know what kind of visa you need it is better to choose one for the whole period of your stay and according to the frequency of entries. If you are not sure don't hesitate to contact us.

ERS is always available to answer your questions regarding Russian visa support. Please call at +7 812 702 72 22; +7 812 702 72 23 or write [email protected]

Morу about amendments to Russian migration law

Federal Act “On Immigration Registration of Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons” Passed


Federal Act No. 109 dd. July 18, 2006 “On immigration registration of foreign citizens and stateless persons in the Russian Federation” came into effect on January 15, 2007:

- The rights and obligations of foreign citizens and stateless persons in the course of immigration registration, the basis for such registration, and the list of information recorded upon immigration registration are defined;

- The basis and procedure for registering foreign citizens and stateless persons at their residence is established, and the list of documents needed for registration is defined;

- The categories of foreign citizens and stateless persons, both those subject and not subject to registration at their sojourn, are defined, as well as the basis for registration at place of sojourn and the procedure for registering and de-registering at place of sojourn;

- Notice registration has replaced permit registration of foreign citizens at their place of sojourn (the inviting party shall notify the immigration registration authority of his/her arrival personally or by mail); a foreign citizen can also notify the authority in person, but only with documented good reason preventing the inviting party from doing so independently;

- Foreign citizens registered at their place of sojourn prior to January 15, 2007 shall be considered registered at their place of sojourn until expiry of the temporary sojourn term or the visa term of validity and is subject to immigration registration if the place of sojourn within the Russian Federation changes.


2. Increased Liability for Violating Immigration Legislation


The Russian President has signed a federal act to increase the consequences for hiring foreign workers in the Russian Federation in violation of the procedure established by the legislation of the Russian Federation, and also to establish liability for non-fulfillment of obligations stipulated by Federal Act “On immigration registration of foreign citizens and stateless persons in the Russian Federation.”


In accordance with the act, the Russian Federation Administrative Infringements Code shall be amended with new articles establishing administrative liability for:

- illegal hiring of foreign citizens and stateless persons in the Russian Federation,

- violation of the rules for hiring foreign citizens and stateless persons for work in commercial facilities (including shopping centers),

- noncompliance with restrictions on certain types of work, as established in accordance with the federal legislation relating to foreign citizens, stateless persons and foreign organizations.


The conditions of the act place liability on the legal entity, its branch or representative office, a commercial facility manager (including a shopping center manager), corporate officers and private entrepreneurs for granting a place of trade or commercial, warehousing or other production, service or auxiliary facilities to a foreign citizen or stateless person illegally hired at commercial facilities (including shopping centers).


The act increases the amount of administrative fines for violating immigration rules and rules for hiring foreigners in the Russian Federation. Thus, violation by an employer or purchaser of labor (services) of the rules for hiring foreign employees in the Russian Federation is punishable by an administrative fine on citizens of 10 to 20 minimum wages, on corporate officers of 25 to 200 minimum wages, and on legal entities of 100 to 3,000 minimum wages.


The act also establishes the possibility of administrative suspension on the business of private entrepreneurs and legal entities for up to 90 days for administrative infringement of the rules for hiring foreign citizens for work at commercial facilities (including shopping centers).


The basic conditions of the act came into effect on November 9, 2006, but certain conditions of the act stipulating liability for non-fulfillment of the obligations stipulated in the Federal Act “On immigration registration of foreign citizens and stateless persons in the Russian Federation” did not come into effect until January 15, 2007 (simultaneously with said Federal Act).


3. The important amendments to the Federal Act “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation” Passed


The important amendments to the federal act came into effect on January 15, 2007, which governs issues of immigration legislation: “On the legal status of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation.”


The amendments introduced by this act concern granting legal guarantees to citizens of foreign states with which Russia has concluded agreements on mutual transit of citizens without visas, simplifying immigration procedures by obtaining temporary resident status in Russia, and the method of job placement of foreign citizens and stateless persons within the Russian Federation.


The conception of the immigration card has been expanded. This is a document containing information on a foreign citizen or stateless person entering or arriving in the Russian Federation and on the term of his/her temporary sojourn in the Russian Federation. The immigration card confirms the right of a foreign citizen or stateless person who entered the Russian Federation following a procedure that does not require a visa to temporary sojourn in the Russian Federation, and also serves to control the foreign citizen or stateless person’s temporary sojourn in the Russian Federation.


Changes:


- A foreign citizen on temporary sojourn can stay in the Russian Federation if his/her visa has expired but it is extended or the temporary sojourn is extended, or he/she is issued a new visa or permit for temporary residence, or he/she submits documents required to obtain a permit for temporary residence;

- A simplified procedure for obtaining a work permit in the Russian Federation has been established for foreigners who have entered the Russian Federation visa-free (primarily citizens of the CIS countries): such citizens shall have the right to apply independently with the necessary documents to the Federal Migration Service for work permits. In addition to application in person, the act stipulates application by a foreign citizen through an organization.


The Federal Migration Service must issue a work permit within ten days. Employers shall have the right to hire such foreign employees without obtaining permission to hire foreign employees under the condition of mandatory notification of such hire and use to the territorial authority of the federal executive body on immigration and the executive body handling employment issues in the applicable constituent of the Russian Federation;


- In the case of administrative deportation of a foreign employee who worked in the Russian Federation without a work permit, the cost of deportation shall be borne by the employer.

- Foreign citizens temporarily or permanently residing in the Russian Federation must register at their residence within the Russian Federation if they have usufruct in residential facilities, and the migration authority must make note of registration in the form of residence or temporary residence permit on the date of the foreign citizen’s application;

- A foreign citizen with temporary residence must present documents in person confirming his/her residence in the Russian Federation not later than 2 months from the expiry of the year following his/her temporary residence; the procedure for issuing temporary residence permits to foreign citizens who entered the Russian Federation visa-free has been simplified.


Further amendments to immigration legislation are currently under consideration. According to the Assistant Director of the Federal Migration Service, Vyacheslav Postavnin, a ‘three in one’ procedure may be introduced (on August 2): simultaneous registration of a permit to hire foreign employees, a plastic card and an invitation for a foreign employee to the Russian Federation. There are also plans for legislation to reinforce opportunities for branches or representative offices of foreign countries in the Russian Federation to process invitation for entry of foreigners to the Russian Federation in their own names. Preparations are underway for a remote access system of submitting documents for permits to hire foreign employees, and the term for such permits may be extended to three years.

Information kindly provided by our partner Smithbridge Advisory Services Ltd.