How & why should a foreigner register in Russia?
In Russia, the registration procedure at the place of stay is mandatory for all foreign citizens. We explain in what cases it is necessary to do it yourself below.
What is the ‘registration of foreigners’?
A woman police inspector receives foreign citizens at the migration department of the Frunzensky District Office of the Russian Interior Ministry.
Registration at the place of stay confirms the legality of your stay in Russia. If it is not done, then, according to Russian laws, you will be subject to fines and even deportation. However, as a rule, the registration of foreigners is the responsibility of the host party.
If you are staying in a hotel or hostel
This is the most common case for foreign tourists and entrepreneurs. The hotel registers guests within 1 working day after check-in and passes all the necessary data to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The guest does not need to do anything. The registration is valid for the entire period of stay at the hotel.
If you are staying in a private apartment
If you decide to rent an apartment or just stay as a guest, then you need to remember that:
- You must register with the migration service within 7 working days after arrival. The exception is citizens of Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, who have 30 days (if the visit is shorter, registration is not required).
- Registration is the responsibility of the landlord, but you can register yourself.
- You will need to either sign a lease agreement or have an application from the landlord (in Russian) and a copy of their passport.
- You will also need to fill out a notice of arrival in Russian.
- Have your passport, its copy (filled pages, including visa) and migration card with entry stamp ready.
Please note that if you rent apartments through online booking services, in some ads, owners may write that they do not register foreigners. In this case, this option will not be right for you.
How to submit documents for registration
You can register online through the 'Gosuslugi' website. This is convenient and fast, but you and your homeowners must have accounts on this site.
You can also do it in multifunctional 'Moi Dokumenty' centers in person (there are branches in every city).
Or register at a department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Verification at the Ministry of Internal Affairs usually takes place on the same day. However, with MFC and ‘Gosuslugi’ it takes up to 6 working days.
The service is provided free of charge.
After the documents have been checked, the foreigner will receive a stamped document, which must be carried with them at all times and shown together with their passport, if necessary. The period of registration depends on the purpose of the visit: up to 90 days for tourists, up to 1 year for business-related trips.
A foreigner is automatically deregistered after leaving Russia.
What happens if you do not register?
- Fines of up to 5,000 rubles (approx. $60) for the foreigner, up to 7,000 rubles (~$90) for the host party and up to 800,000 rubles (~$10,000) for legal entities.
- Potential deportation with a ban on reentry from 3 to 10 years.
- Problems at departure with delays and additional checks possible.
