Assistance to stateless people

A stateless person is one who is not considered as a national by any State under the operation of its law.

• The procedure of regularization of legal status of stateless people shall begin with an identity verification procedure. To do this, you should submit an application to the territorial branch of the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) of the Russian Federation in writing at the place of actual residence. A certificate is issued to confirm acceptance of the application for consideration. The MOI may request additional information, interview witnesses, as part of the identification procedure. The duration of the procedure is 3 months (can be extended by 3 months). Based on the results, the conclusion on identity verification is drawn up, and a copy is issued to the applicant.
• The temporary identity card of a stateless person (temporary ID) in the Russian Federation is a document issued to a stateless person to confirm his/her identity and temporary stay in the Russian Federation. The application is submitted to the MOI territorial branch after the completion of the identity verification procedure (for persons held in detention facilities – through the administration of the facility). The conclusion on identity verification shall be submitted along with the application including proof of the absence of citizenship of the country of origin. The term for issuing the document is 10 working days from the date of submission of the application. The temporary ID is issued for 10 years.
• Stateless people who have been issued a temporary ID and are held in detention facilities in connection with administrative procedures (deportation, administrative expulsion, or readmission) shall be released.
• The temporary ID enables its holder to work without a permit or a patent and apply for a temporary residence permit (RVP) without obtaining a quota, as well as to use the possibilities of further legal integration, including the application for permanent residence permit (VNZh) and acquisition of citizenship of the Russian Federation.

Important: Please note that Russia has introduced temporary procedures for acquiring citizenship and residence permits, which establish a requirement for certain categories of foreign nationals and stateless persons to complete military service with the Ministry of Defense or EMERCOM of Russia as a prerequisite for applying for citizenship or a permanent residence permit (VNZh).

For the acquisition of a permanent residence permit in Russia, male foreign nationals and stateless persons aged 18–65 are required to either sign a contract with the Ministry of Defense or EMERCOM of Russia for a period of at least one year, or provide confirmation of discharge from Russian military service, or submit a document certifying that they are unfit for military service. These requirements apply both to applicants under the general procedure (after one year of holding a temporary residence permit) and to those eligible for a simplified procedure based on family ties with Russian citizens, as well as to individuals whose Russian citizenship has been terminated. These requirements do not apply to citizens of Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, and Kazakhstan, nor to foreign students, highly qualified specialists, IT professionals, investors, individuals with historical ties to the former USSR, and other specific categories of foreign nationals and stateless persons.

For certain categories of foreign and stateless men aged 18–65 applying for Russian citizenship, it is required to submit confirmation of military service with the Ministry of Defense or EMERCOM of Russia completed before 24 February 2022, or a certificate stating that they have been declared unfit for military service upon enlistment for service under a military contract. These requirements apply to those who apply for Russian citizenship under the general procedure (have resided in Russia for five years on the basis of a permanent residence permit); certain categories of those who have Russian citizen family members and whose Russian citizenship was terminated. These provisions do not apply to Ukrainian citizens eligible for facilitated acquisition of Russian citizenship, citizens of Belarus and recognized refugees holding a permanent residence permit.

If you do not have a valid passport or identity document and are not recognized as a national by any State, UNHCR partner organizations may provide legal counselling and assistance to help you regularize your status. For legal assistance, please contact one of our partner organizations. Their contact details are available via this link.