Obtaining a residence permit
A residence permit (hereinafter RP) is a document issued to a foreign citizen in confirmation of his right to permanent residence in the Russian Federation, as well as his right to freely leave the Russian Federation and enter the Russian Federation. A residence permit issued to a stateless person is also a document proving his identity.
A residence permit is issued for an unlimited period of time, with the exception of a residence permit for a highly qualified specialist and his family members, which is issued for the period of validity of a work permit issued to the specified highly qualified specialist.
A residence permit can be issued to a foreign citizen who has lived in the Russian Federation for at least one year on the basis of a TRP. An application for a residence permit is submitted no earlier than eight months of the first year of residence in the Russian Federation on the basis of a temporary residence permit and no later than four months before the expiration of the temporary residence permit.
Without obtaining a TRP, a residence permit is issued:
1. A foreign citizen who was born on the territory of the RSFSR and in the past was a citizen of the USSR;
2. A foreign citizen who has not reached the age of eighteen and whose parent (adoptive parent, guardian, trustee) is a foreign citizen and permanently resides in the Russian Federation;
3. A foreign citizen who has not reached the age of eighteen years old, who receives a residence permit together with a parent (adoptive parent, guardian, trustee) – a foreign citizen;
4. A foreign citizen who has a parent (adoptive parent, guardian, curator), son or daughter who is a citizen of the Russian Federation and permanently resides in the Russian Federation;
5. A foreign citizen who has reached the age of eighteen years, in accordance with the legislation of a foreign state recognized as incapable or limited in ability, receiving a residence permit together with a parent (adoptive parent, guardian, trustee) – a foreign citizen;
6. A foreign citizen who has reached the age of eighteen years, in accordance with the legislation of a foreign state, is recognized as incapable or limited in ability and the parent (adoptive parent, guardian, trustee) of which is a foreign citizen and permanently resides in the Russian Federation;
7. A foreign citizen recognized as a native speaker of the Russian language in accordance with Article 33.1 of the Federal Law of May 31, 2002 No. 62-FZ “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation”;
8. A foreign citizen who himself or a relative in a direct ascending line, whose adoptive parent or spouse was subjected to illegal deportation from the territory of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, as well as a relative in a direct descending line, adopted children or the spouse of the specified foreign citizen who presented a certificate of rehabilitation issued by an internal affairs body, a prosecutor’s office of the Russian Federation or a court;
9. A highly qualified specialist and his family members in accordance with Article 13.2 of the Federal Law of July 25, 2002 No. 115-FZ “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation”;
10. A foreign citizen who has worked in the Russian Federation in a profession (specialty, position) included in the list of professions (specialties, positions) of foreign citizens and stateless persons – qualified specialists who have the right to be admitted to the citizenship of the Russian Federation in a simplified manner, approved by the federal executive body in charge of developing and implementing state policy and legal regulation in the field of employment and unemployment. At the same time, during the specified period of employment in respect of such a foreign citizen, the employer must accrue insurance contributions to the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation;
11. A foreign citizen who has successfully mastered a state-accredited educational program of higher education in full-time education in the Russian Federation and has received a certificate of education and qualifications with honors;
12. A person who lives in the Russian Federation and whose citizenship of the Russian Federation has been terminated;
13. A person who lives in the Russian Federation and in respect of whom the decision to acquire citizenship of the Russian Federation has been canceled, with the exception of persons in respect of whom the said decision has been canceled on the basis of a court verdict that has entered into force, which established that a person has committed at least one of the crimes (preparations to a crime or attempted crime), provided for by Articles 205, 205.1, part two of Article 205.2, Articles 205.3 – 205.5, 206, 208, part 4 of Article 211, Articles 281, 282.1 – 282.3 and 361 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, or at least one of crimes (preparation for a crime or attempted crime) provided for by Articles 277 – 279 and 360 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, if their commission is associated with the implementation of terrorist activities;
14. The person specified in part one or three of Article 41.1 of the Federal Law of May 31, 2002 No. 62-FZ “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation”;
15. A citizen of the Republic of Belarus specified in paragraph 1 of Article 4 of the Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus on ensuring equal rights of citizens of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus to freedom of movement, choice of place of stay and residence in the territories of the member states of the Union State.