All foreign citizens staying on the territory of the Russian Federation are obliged to comply with the legislation of the country. Below can see the main provisions regarding foreign citizens studying at the University.
The main laws and regulations governing the legal status of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation:
- Federal Law "On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation" dated July 25, 2002 N 115-FZ;
- Federal Law "On the procedure for leaving the Russian Federation and entering the Russian Federation" dated August 15, 1996 N 114-FZ;
- Federal Law "On Migration Registration of Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons in the Russian Federation" dated July 18, 2006 N 109-FZ;
- Other laws and regulations, as well as technical and administrative regulations of local authorities in the field of migration.
Failure to comply with the established rules of migration registration is a violation of the laws of the Russian Federation. It may entail disciplinary and administrative liability in the form of a fine in accordance with Article 18.8 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, expulsion from the university, deportation from the Russian Federation with a ban on re-entry. Please pay special attention to the issues of compliance with migration requirements.
The main requirements of migration legislation for foreign citizens:
- Purpose of entry: The declared purpose of entry (indicated on the migration card and visa) must correspond to the actual purpose. The purpose of entry into Russia in the case of full-time and part-time is “study”.
- Migration registration: It entitles a foreign citizen legally reside on the territory of the Russian Federation. A foreign citizen must apply for migration registration on the day of arrival at the place of residence (or on the next business day). Foreign citizens must put on the migration register strictly at the address of their actual residence.
- If you live in a University’s dormitory, then for registration you need to apply on the day of arrival to the Department of Migration and Visa Support. List of required documents: passport and notarized translation into Russian, agreement for accommodation in the dormitory, migration card, an extract from the enrollment order and a letter (spravka) of form No. 7 (available at the student office).
- If you live in a hotel or hostel, then for registration you need to contact the administration of the hotel/hostel. List of required documents: passport and notarized translation into Russian, migration card, extract from the enrollment order and letter (spravka) of form No. 7 (available at the student office); an application for extension of the temporary stay in the Russian Federation (available from the Department of Migration and Visa Support).
- If you live in an apartment, flat, etc., then for migration registration you need to contact the owner of the place. List of required documents: passport and notarized translation into Russian, migration card, extract from the enrollment order and letter (spravka) of form No. 7 (available at the student office); an application for an extension of the temporary stay in the Russian Federation (available from the Department of Migration and Visa Support).
The host party (University, hotel or owner of the residential premises) must give you this sheet with a signature and seal as confirmation for migration registration:
Please note: Every time you leave Russia and re-enter, your previous documents - migration card and temporary registration - become invalid. You need to re-apply for migration registration. When crossing the border of the Russian Federation, be sure to check that your personal data on the migration card are correct, the date of entry is correct on the stamp of the Border Guard Service, and the purpose of entry indicated as “study”.
- You need to register for migration on the next business day after arriving at a new place in case of a residential mobility. For this, you need to contact the property owner.
- Re-registration for migration: In case you change your place of residence (for example, you stayed for several nights in a hotel or hostel, and then returned to your previous place of residence, for example, a dormitory), you need to go through the migration registration procedure again (even if you saved your previous registration). When you change your place of stay, you always need to apply for a new migration registration. Hotels and hostels in most cases do this automatically, sometimes without notifying the resident. So the previous registration automatically becomes invalid according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It is necessary to issue a new registration on the day of arrival at a new place of stay (for example, on the day of returning to the dormitory).
- Extension of a study visa (in case you need it to stay on the territory of the Russian Federation): Visa extension carried out at least 45 days before the expiration of the current visa. If you submit the documents later, you will no longer be able to extend your visa. You will have to travel outside the Russian Federation and apply for a new visa upon invitation. You must contact the Department of Migration and Visa Support to extend the visa. Remember: it is necessary to re-apply for migration registration immediately after the extension of the visa. Here is a detailed information on the visa extension procedure for University students.
- Medical examination, fingerprinting and photography: All foreign citizens entering the Russian Federation, including students, are required to undergo a medical examination, fingerprinting and photography within 90 days from the date of entry into the Russian Federation. The detailed information about these procedures is available here.
- Valid health insurance policy: Foreign students studying at the University in Russian Federation must have health insurance. The absence of a voluntary medical insurance policy may lead to administrative liability for violation of the stay in the Russian Federation. Detailed information about the requirements for health insurance policies and possible options for obtaining them (including remotely) presented here.
- Notification of the presence or acquisition of citizenship of the Russian Federation: If you have citizenship of the Russian Federation, then you are considered as a citizen of the Russian Federation, regardless of whether you have other citizenships. If in the process of studying you received a Temporary Residence Permit (TRP), a residence permit (RP) or citizenship of the Russian Federation, you must submit copies (or photos) of the relevant documents to the University on the next business day. You must submit them to the Department of Visa and Migration Support, Student Office and to the Center for Recruitment and Accompanying Foreign Students in Telegram: https://t.me/MSUTMInternational.
- Departure from the Russian Federation: If you have graduated or stopped studying at the University (an enrollment termination order has been issued), you must leave the territory of the Russian Federation within three working days from the date of issuance. However, earlier than the validity period of the study visa or the period specified in the migration card. If you stay in Russia after being expelled (without legal grounds to be on the territory of Russia), you will violate federal law and stay in the country illegally (even if the migration registration period has not yet expired). The University sends information about all expelled students to the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation in order to reduce the period of temporary stay of the expelled citizen (including the reduction of the visa validity period).
- Important document which should always be with you when traveling, including in Moscow (the police or other representatives of law enforcement agencies may ask for these documents for verification):
- Passport of a foreign citizen (with a valid visa, if it is required to enter the Russian Federation);
- Migration card with a seal on crossing the border;
- Notification of migration registration with the current address of residence and the registration deadline.
Dear students, please note: Violation of the deadlines and/or certain procedures on the above issues may entail disciplinary and administrative liability in the form of a fine in accordance with Article 18.8 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, expulsion from the University, deportation from the Russian Federation with a re-entry ban.
Please contact Telegram for additional questions: https://t.me/MSUTMInternational (+7 995 922 02 55).
This page updated periodically. Last update was on:
- 14.09.2022: Added information about the necessary notification of obtaining Russian citizenship.