Migration Card and Registration
Migration Card
Upon entry to Russia you will be given a migration card, which is usually distributed to passengers on incoming flights while passing through a passport control. At land border crossings, the migration card is provided by the border control officers.
For details please check Step 2 on this page.
How do I complete a migration card?
Fill out two identical sections (A and B) of the migration card. The card should be completed using an ink pen without blots or corrections in Russian or English block letters according to your travel document data. Indicate gender in the corresponding column with an "X". Please be sure to indicate the inviting party and the duration of the stay as stated on your current visa.
What should I do with a migration card?
The migration card and passport with visa are handed over to a migration control officer for checking and further endorsement. Section A is taken by the migration official and section В is given back to you. The stamp date is considered the first day of your stay in Russia. Make sure that it is legible. A migration card must be carefully kept as long as you stay in Russia and is given back upon departure. A new migration card must be filled out each time a foreign national enters Russia.
What happens if I lose my migration card?
You should inform your coordinator and follow the procedure outlined at the Visa and Registration website within 1-2 days of the loss of migration card. We advise you to keep copies of your migration card, passport, visa and registration slip in your files in addition to the originals. After your migration card is re-issued, please mind that you should apply for registration (see below).
Registration
As a foreign national, you must be registered by the migration office of Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs upon arriving in Russia. The registration should be handled by either the owner of your rented accommodation, the HSE Guesthouse staff, or the hotel management. FForeign nationals must present their registration slip along with their passport and migration card to police officers when asked.
Each time you leave the country, your registration is cancelled. Upon return to Russia you must register again.
How quickly do I need to be registered?
|
Category of foreign nationals |
Deadline for getting registered if a non-Russian citizen comes to Russia from abroad |
Deadline for getting registered if a non-Russian citizen comes back to Moscow from other Russian cities/villages |
Deadline for getting registered if a non-Russian citizen moves from one place of living to another one within Moscow |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Visa-free |
7 business days, except for citizens of Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan (up to 30 days) and citizens of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan (up to 15 days) |
3 business days |
|
|
HQS This category includes foreign nationals who arrive in Russia with an HQS visa or who have converted their visas to HQS visas while in Russia. |
90 calendar days Note: As registration is still needed for some formalities (obtaining a bank card, a work permit, etc.), it is recommended that HQS status holders, including HQS family members, submit the documents for registration within 3 business days of their first arrival in Russia. |
30 calendar days |
3 business days |
|
Other visas |
7 business days |
7 business days |
3 business days |