Immigration Lawyers in Russia

Updated on Friday 05th November 2021

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In 2002, Russia enabled the federal law on the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation that was meant to define the statute of foreigners in Russia who do not have permanent or temporary residence permits. In order to enter the Russian territory, foreign persons must obtain a visa that will be issued based on an invitation. Citizens of the Russian Commonwealth (CIS) states do not need a visa to enter Russia, with the exception of Georgia and Turkmenistan.

For details about the living and working conditions, you can ask our immigration lawyers in Russia. We can also advise on how to obtain various types of Russian visas.

Who needs to obtain a visa for entering Russia?

Russia is not an EU or EEA member state, which is why both EU and non-EU citizens are required to apply for one of the available types of visas when coming for short or long periods of time or simply immigrate to Russia. Each case is treated individually which means special conditions apply based on the citizenship of the applicant and this is why specialized advice from our immigration lawyer in Moscow is recommended.

Types of visas in Russia

Foreign citizens can obtain different types and subtypes of visas when going to Russia. The main types of visas are diplomatic, official, ordinary, transit and temporary residence visa. The ordinary visa is divided into:

private visa, for visiting relatives or friends;
the business visa that must be obtained for commercial and business purposes;
tourist and group visa;
study visa;
work visa;
humanitarian visa;
asylum visa.

The infographic below present the main services provided by our immigration lawyers in Russia, mentioning that we can help you move to Russia:

Services provided by our Russian immigration lawyers

The temporary residence permit in Russia

A foreign citizen is allowed to obtain a temporary residence permit before a permanent residence permit is granted. It usually takes about six months to obtain a Russian temporary residence permit and it has a three-year period of validity. In order to obtain a temporary residence permit, a foreign citizen must follow the next steps:

applying for a visa as a temporary resident;
applying for a Russian temporary residence permit;
after receiving the permit, the visa must be prolonged;
if the foreign citizen wants to leave Russia, an exit visa must be obtained.

Foreign citizens in possession of a Russian temporary residence permit must know that they are not allowed to change residency within or outside the region where the residence permit is valid. Also, foreign citizens with a temporary residence permit are not allowed to work outside the region where the permit was obtained.

Those who want to obtain a temporary residence permit in Russia must file the following documents with the Directorate of Migratory Affairs:

the valid passport which must bear the Russian visa issued by the authorities;
a medical document attesting to the good health of the applicant;
one passport-size photograph must also be enclosed in the application file;
the receipt issued after paying the residence permit application fee;
the prescribed application form which must be duly filled;
a declaration of good behavior which must be accompanied by a clean criminal record;
proof of speaking the Russian language and knowing the country’s culture.

All documents must be translated into Russian by a sworn translator and must be apostilled. More about how to immigrate to Russia can be discussed with us.

The permanent residence permit in Russia

Foreign citizens must reside in Russia for at least one year before applying for a permanent residence permit. The Russian residence permit has a five years validity and it can be renowned for another five years. The permanent residence permit in Russia allows freedom of movement inside and outside the country without a visa. Obtaining a permanent residence permit usually takes about four weeks.

In 2015, a new immigration legislation was enabled which provides for new criteria related to foreigners applying for a permanent residence permit for Russia. Under these regulations, the following categories of individuals are allowed to apply for a Russian permanent residence permit:

persons who are at least 18 years old and maximum 60 years old;
students who were accepted by Russian accredited universities;
foreign specialists working in various industries and who can prove their qualifications and who speak Russian;
foreign family members of Russian citizens with documents issued before 1991 and who can prove they speak Russian.

Foreign citizens who are married to Russians are also allowed to apply for permanent residence permits. Also, those who were adopted by Russian citizens are also entitled to Russian permanent residency.

Given the fact that each case is treated separately by the authorities, our immigration lawyer in Russia can help you establish if you are a right candidate for permanent residency or for another type of visa. You can talk to us about how to relocate to Russia.

Obtaining residency by investment in Russia

The good news about the changes brought the Immigration Law is that Russia has aligned with other countries and now permits foreign individuals to move to Russia based on investment in one of the strategic economic sectors acknowledged by the government.

Under the Russian Investor Visa Scheme, any foreign individual is allowed to relocate to Russia by investing around 100,000 US dollars in specific industries. Among these are, agriculture, oil and gas, energy, healthcare, information technology (IT), mining, and research and innovation to mention some of them.

The following aspects need to be considered if you plan on immigrating to Russia under the Investor Visa Program:

the minimum investment in a business in one of the industries above must be a company which generates at least 10 million rubles or 170,000 USD per year for at least 3 years;
the businessman is also allowed to set up a business worth at least 35 million rubles or 600,000 USD;
donations to a state-owned fund can also be made – the minimum value of the donation is 7,5 million rubles or approximately 130,000 USD;
invest at least 15 million rubles or around 260,000 USD in a real estate investment project.

The main advantage of the Russian Investor Visa Program is that the application procedure is quite simple, and it takes approximately 3 weeks to be processed. Also, after the 3-year mandatory investment, the foreign citizen will obtain a permanent residence permit, while after 5 years he or she can be eligible for Russian citizenship.

Citizenship in Russia

In 2002, Russia enabled the Citizenship Law that allows foreign citizens to apply for citizenship if they have lived in Russia for five uninterrupted years since the permanent residence permit was issued. Dual citizenship is also allowed according to the federal law or international treaties Russia has signed.

Short facts about the Russian tourist visa

The Russian tourist visa, as the name says, has a single purpose and that is to allow foreigners to visit Russia. Such a visa has a validity of 30 days and allows a single or double entry. In the case of American citizens, a Russian tourist visa has a validity of 3 years and allows stays of 90 days out of every 180 days. It is worth mentioning that a Russian tourist visa can be issued in approximately 10 days if one presents an invitation in this sense. You can discuss all the legal aspects of the tourist visa for Russia and the formalities involved with our immigration lawyer in Moscow.

Support for obtaining a Russian business visa

International entrepreneurs who want to start a business in Russia will have to apply for a specific type of visa. Flexibility and multiple entries are allowed with a Russian business visa, but one must follow a few requirements:

This kind of visa is valid for one year and allows multiple entries. This is a great advantage for businessmen with future operations in Russia.
In order to obtain this type of visa, one must present a business invitation to the immigration authorities in Russia, and especially the Federal Migration Department.
Companies in Russia that want to invite foreign investors or entrepreneurs can make a business invitation registered to the above-mentioned Russian institution.
The application for a Russian business visa can be made by anyone, however, it is recommended to have the legal support of a immigration lawyer in Russia.

A business visa for Russia is also needed for persons who want to attend different conferences, work for a specific company, make business negotiations, and any other related matters. Feel free to discuss further details with our immigration lawyer in Moscow.

Support for student visas for Russia

Foreign students who want to attend courses in Russia need to obtain a visa in the first place. The Russian student visa is subject to different requirements, and among these, one must provide complete personal information to the college or university and particularly to the department that manages such applications. Unfortunately, this kind of visa does not allow foreign students to work in Russia.

If you would like extra details about the Russian student visa, it is suggested to talk to an immigration lawyer in Russia who can handle all the formalities directly with the immigration authorities in this country. This is a great option that guarantees your application is correctly submitted.

Company relocation in Russia

Company relocation also enters the attention of our immigration lawyer in Moscow who has experience in this field and who can prepare all the procedures involved. The first step in company relocation implies the de-registration of the business from the country of origin, with the help of different documents, among which, a declaration stating the transfer. Once all the contracts are concluded and the authorities are notified about relocation, the company owner can commence the formalities for relocation to Russia. There are no complexities for foreign entrepreneurs who want to do business in Russia by relocating the company. Plus, they can benefit from the comprehensive support of our specialists.

Investing in Russia

Russia is an excellent business destination for those who want to develop their businesses in an optimal and protected climate. The country offers around 28 special economic zones that cater to different types of investors and their businesses. The low costs for the startup, the infrastructure support, the beneficial taxation system, the experienced labor force and the possibility to open a business in a relatively short time are just some of the characteristics of the Russian business environment. Here are some statistics that highlight the business and economic direction of Russia:

In matters of total FDIs, Russia registered around USD 464 billion in 2019.
More than 22% of the total FDIs registered in Russia in the same year were absorbed by the mining and quarrying.
The 2020 Doing Business report ranked Russia 28th out of 190 economies in the world in matters of simplified business.
Russia has great oil and gas resources that are directed in a large percent to countries worldwide.
Cyprus, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Ireland, and UK are the key investors in Russia.

Legal services offered by our immigration lawyers in Russia

No matter the way in which you decide to relocate to this country, our immigration lawyers in Russia can advise you. We offer specialized and personalized support to foreign citizens interested in relocating to Russia through a temporary or permanent residence permit.

We have mentioned above that each case is analyzed individually by the authorities, and this is exactly what our immigration lawyers do. We will channel all applicants to the right type of permits based on their situations. We will carefully prepare each candidate’s application file and we will offer support through the entire immigration process.

You may contact our immigration lawyers in Russia and ask for help with the visa application. Foreign investors can also rely on our specialists if they want to relocate here through the Investor Visa Program.