Please note that it is possible to hold refugee status and temporary asylum simultaneously, along with either a temporary residence permit or a permanent residence permit.
Temporary Residence Permit
Temporary Residence Permit (TRP/RVP) is a document confirming a right to live in Russia for up to 3 years before applying for a permanent residence permit. TRP is valid for 3 years and cannot be extended.
TRP is issued either:
- As a stamp in the passport/identity document of a foreigner.
- As a separate document for stateless people without an identity document.
TRP is subject to receiving a quota place (each region issues a quota/set number of available TRPs each year), unless you qualify for an exemption from the quota system (exempt categories are listed below).
Applying for a TRP Quota
You must submit the following to the relevant MOI’s territorial branch or designated migration center:
- Application for a quota
- Passport or other identity document
- Document confirming legal stay, including migration registration, migration card
- Photo 35×45 mm
As per usual procedure, a receipt confirming acceptance is issued and quota results are published within one month.
Documents required for obtaining TRP as per general procedure:
- Application for TRP (2 copies)
- Passport or other identity document, including temporary ID of stateless persons, refugee certificates, temporary asylum certificates
- Two personal photos 35×45 mm. Stateless people submit 5 photos.
- Document confirming legal stay, including migration registration, migration card
- Medical certificates
- Certificate of Russian language, history, and law proficiency (men who reached the age of 65, women who reached the age of 60, children, incapacitated foreign nationals and some other categories of those who are eligible to apply for TRP under simplified procedure are exempted from this requirement.)
- State fee payment receipt
- Criminal record check
The consideration period of application for TRP is 4 months.
Who Can Apply for TRP Without a Quota?
- Minor child of a foreign parent holding TRP.
- Minor applying together with the foreign parent.
- Adult declared legally incapable or with limited capacity applying together with the foreign parent/guardian or if a foreign parent/guardian holds TRP.
- Spouses of Russian citizens married for at least 3 years or with a common child (application is submitted in the region of spouse’s residence).
- Citizens of Kazakhstan, Moldova, or Ukraine.
- Stateless people with a Russian temporary ID, or stateless people who are former permanent residents of Ukraine holding refugee status or temporary asylum in Russia.
- Those who have a close family member who is a Russian citizen and resides permanently in Russia (parent, guardian, child).
- People born in the RSFSR (Russia within USSR) and previously a USSR citizen.
- Foreign national who has an ancestor who was born or permanently resided in the territory of the RSFSR or in a territory belonging to the Russian Empire or the USSR within the State border of the Russian Federation.
- People who were deported from the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR) and their relatives.
- Highly qualified specialists and their families.
- Specialists working in Russia continuously for at least one year prior to the day of application in professions (specialty, position) included in the list of professions for foreign citizens and stateless persons – qualified specialists who are entitled to obtain a residence permit in the Russian Federation without obtaining a temporary residence permit.
- Graduates with Russian diplomas “with distinction” (full‑time higher education).
- Certain categories of people staying in Russia whose Russian citizenship has been terminated.
- People serving under a military contract.
- Former citizens of a republic of the USSR with Russian higher/professional education.
- Finalists or winners of the “Russia – Land of Opportunity” competition.
- IT specialists and their family members – requires a contract with an accredited IT company and proof of qualifications.
- Foreign nationals who have made investments in the Russian Federation.
- Participants of the State Compatriot Voluntary Relocation Program and their family members.
- Minor or incapacitated children whose parent has a permanent residence permit (VNZh).
- Persons arriving in Russia for permanent residence under Russia’s international agreements.
- Persons sharing Russian spiritual and moral values and wishing to relocate to Russia.
Annual Notification Requirements for TRP Holders
- Within 2 months from the date of expiration, TRP holders must submit a living in Russia notification and proof of income.
Financial documents may include salary statements, tax declarations, pension certificates, social benefits statements, bank statements, inheritance documents, etc. Family income may be counted if the applicant has no personal income.
Temporary Residence Permit for Education (RVP‑O)
Only full‑time study programs in state accredited educational institutions qualify (bachelor, specialist, master, postgraduate study) for the issuance of an RVP-O.
Required documents for an RVP-O include:
- Application (2 copies)
- Passport / ID document
- 2 photos 35×45 mm
- Criminal record check certificate (for visa regime countries)
- Enrollment order
- Document confirming legal stay
- Medical certificates
- State fee payment
Processing time: ~38 working days
Validity: Duration of studies + 180 days
Fingerprinting is mandatory.
Students are exempt from annual income confirmation.
If transferred to another educational institution, the student must notify the issuing MOI office within 30 days.
Permanent Residence Permit
A permanent residence permit (VNZh) grants the right to permanently reside in Russia and to enter/exit freely. For stateless persons, it also serves as an identity document.
A permanent residence permit is issued without an expiration date.
A permanent residence permit is issued to stateless persons for a period of 10 years.
As per general procedures, a foreign national who resided at least one year with a temporary residence permit (TRP) is eligible to apply for a permanent residence permit 8 months after having received his/her TRP. The consideration period is 4 months.
Who can apply for permanent residence permit without prior application for temporary residence permit?
- Minor child of a foreign parent holding VNZh.
- Minor applying together with the foreign parent.
- Those who have a close family member who is a Russian citizen and resides permanently in Russia (parent, guardian, child).
- Adult declared legally incapable or with limited capacity applying together with the foreign parent/guardian or if a foreign parent/guardian holds VNZh.
- Those born in the RSFSR (Russia within USSR) and previously a USSR citizen.
- Foreign national who has an ancestor who was born or permanently resided in the territory of the RSFSR or in a territory belonging to the Russian Empire or the USSR within the State border of the Russian Federation.
- People who were deported from the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR) and their relatives.
- Highly qualified specialists and their families.
- Specialists working in Russia continuously for at least one year prior to the day of application in professions (specialty, position) included in the list of professions for foreign citizens and stateless persons – qualified specialists who are entitled to obtain a residence permit in the Russian Federation without obtaining a temporary residence permit.
- Graduates with Russian diplomas “with distinction” (full‑time higher education).
- Certain categories of people staying in Russia whose Russian citizenship has been terminated.
- People serving under a military contract.
- Finalists or winners of the “Russia – Land of Opportunity” competition.
- IT specialists and their family members – requires a contract with an accredited IT company and proof of qualifications.
- Foreign nationals who made investments in the Russian Federation.
- Participants of the State Compatriot Voluntary Relocation Program and their family members.
- Persons arriving in Russia for permanent residence under Russia’s international agreements.
- Citizens of Moldova, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine.
Documents required for obtaining Permanent Residence Permit as per general procedure:
- Application (2 copies)
- Passport or other identity document
- Four personal photos 35×45 mm. Stateless persons submit 2 photos.
- Document confirming legal stay
- Documents (one of the documents) confirming the ability of a foreign citizen to support himself in the Russian Federation within the subsistence minimum without resorting to state assistance (except for foreign citizens recognized as incapable of work), for example a certificate from the place of work of a foreign citizen; confirmation of receipt of alimony by a foreign citizen; other document confirming the receipt by a foreign citizen of income from activities not prohibited by law.
- Medical certificates
- Certificate of Russian language, history, and law proficiency
- State fee payment receipt
- Criminal record check
Additional: A document confirming the availability of residential premises. If the foreign national has been in the Russian Federation for less than three years from the date of entry, they are not required to provide it.
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.
Annual Notification Requirements for Permanent Residence Permit Holders
- On an annual basis, it is necessary to submit a living in Russia notification and proof of income within the two-month period prior to the date of expiration.
Russian Citizenship
The requirements for acquisition of Russian citizenship as per the general procedure are:
- Age of 18 years old and full legal capacity.
- Commitment to comply with the Constitution of the Russian Federation and to take the Oath of a Citizen of the Russian Federation.
- Permanent residence in the Russian Federation for 5 years from the date of obtaining permanent residence permit.
- Proficiency in the Russian language, history and basic legislation.
- Applicant has no grounds for refusal of admission to Russian citizenship.
Refugees and holders of political asylum permanently residing in Russia for 1 year may apply for citizenship without meeting the 5‑year term of permanent residence requirement. This does not apply to holders of temporary asylum.
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 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.