Registration of a migration card is a mandatory procedure for those who would like to stay in Russia for permanent residence and legally get a job. A migration card is issued to all foreign citizens who enter the country through checkpoints, regardless of whether they have a visa or are traveling under a visa-free regime.
A migration card is an ordinary piece of paper with a unique number and series, which contains basic information about the person and the purpose of the visit. Since migration registration on the territory of the Russian Federation is carried out by the Federal Migration Service, all information from the cards is stored in its databases, and a stamp is placed on the card itself about legal border crossing, and it is issued to a foreign citizen.
What is a Russian migration card
A migration card, or migration card, is a document that contains all the basic information about a foreigner entering Russia: full name, date of birth, gender, citizenship, passport and visa number, purpose of visit, receiving party, length of stay in Russia.
Each Russian migration card has a unique serial number; upon entry into Russia, a border guard officer enters it into the electronic database for registering foreign citizens. Data in the database is updated every hour. Thanks to this database, information about visitors becomes available to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Here is when a foreigner needs to present a migration card:
- If he registers for migration at his place of residence, he is registered.
- If you apply for a patent or work permit.
- When he receives a temporary residence permit - TRP, or a residence permit - residence permit.
Possible reasons for refusal of visa-free entry
A visa-free regime does not guarantee entry into Russia. Possible reasons for refusal of entry:
- If your passport is about to expire. To eliminate this reason, change your passport in advance so that it is valid for at least three to six months after the end of your stay in Russia.
- If previously a foreigner violated the terms of stay in the country, smuggled something illegal through customs, ended up with the police, and violated the laws of the Russian Federation.
- If a foreigner has an outstanding or unexpunged conviction for committing a serious or especially serious crime.
- A foreigner leaves a country where there is a dangerous epidemic. In this case, he will not be allowed in to prevent the spread of the disease.
When and where do you get a migration card?
Migration is mandatory for all foreigners with rare exceptions. For example, citizens of Belarus do not need it. And if a foreigner came to Russia from Belarus, there is no need to get a new migration card - you can use the one issued at the Belarusian border.
The absence of a migration card is a violation of migration legislation. This will result in a fine of 2,000 to 5,000 rubles, and they may also be deported from the country.
In some cases, the need for a migration card for some reason raises questions. I will analyze the most common of them. Here's who needs to fill out a migration card and when:
- Residents of the DPR and LPR with Ukrainian documents or documents from unrecognized republics need to fill out a migration card when entering Russia, like other foreigners.
- Citizens of Ukraine living in Crimea also need a migration card. They are required to receive it upon entry into Russia.
- Citizens of Kazakhstan need to fill out a migration card if they come to Russia for more than 30 days with a foreign passport. If they enter with an internal passport, which cannot be stamped with a border crossing stamp, they will have to fill out a migration card regardless of the length of stay in the Russian Federation.
If you have a temporary residence permit and residence permit
If a foreigner has a temporary residence permit or residence permit, he still needs to fill out a migration card when crossing the border.
Requirements for filling out a migration card
Green Card
The card form contains 2 main points - A (information about entering the Russian Federation) and B (information about crossing the border on the way back). The document is prepared personally by each traveler in accordance with the following rules:
- Filling out is carried out only in the national language of the host country, however, for persons who do not speak it, the use of Latin letters is allowed.
- The design of the card must be in clear and even handwriting, without any errors, adjustments or blots.
- Indication of personal data must be done only with a blue or black ballpoint pen.
- The form must have blank fields to be filled out by border guards inspecting incoming citizens.
Important! In case of incorrect completion or corrections, the candidate for entry into the country should contact the transport company employees with a request to transfer a new document form, and in special cases, if they do not understand the language or do not know the registration procedure, ask the carrier employee for an example of the finished document.
How to fill out a migration card?
The migration card has two different forms. Form “A” remains with the border guards, and form “B” must be stamped with a stamp indicating legal entry into the Russian Federation, after which it will be issued to a foreign citizen. Filling out both forms is mandatory.
Here you can
The fields on form “A” that need to be filled out do not differ from the fields on the other form and look like this:
- FULL NAME. – these are three required fields, where the person crossing the border must write his last name, first name and patronymic (if there is one). You can write in both Cyrillic and Latin;
- The date of birth is the same as on your passport or visa. The date is entered in the format dd.mm.yy;
- Check the box next to your gender;
- Please indicate your nationality;
- In the “Identity document” column, indicate your civil passport number;
- If you have any Russian visa, then it is also advisable to fill in the “Visa number” field;
- In the next field, you need to highlight the purpose of your visit - official, tourist, commercial, educational, work, private or transit. Do not deceive the border guards under any circumstances for the purpose of your visit (for example, you are going to the country to earn money, but you indicated in the column that you are a tourist). If your deception is discovered, you will be fined and, most likely, expelled from the country;
- If you were invited to the country by any organization, you must provide its details. Most often, only the name and address of the company's main office is sufficient;
- Finally, you need to sign in a special field.
A sample of filling out a migration card can be downloaded here:
What does a migration card look like: form and sample filling
These certificates are required to be completed by everyone who enters the territory of Russia, regardless of age and other parameters. However, if a person is not able to fill out these papers on his own due to certain circumstances (age, health, illiteracy, etc.), then his fellow travelers can do this for him. The same form is issued for a child as for adults, which can be filled out by the child himself or his accompanying persons.
What to write in the “Purpose of visit” column
There are 7 options to choose from, you need to mark the correct one. At a minimum, mistakes will prevent you from obtaining a work patent or enrolling in a university, and at maximum, they will lead to fines and deportation.
What may be the purpose of the visit in the migration card:
- official - for diplomats, participants of government delegations;
- work - for employment;
- tourism - for recreation, excursions, inspection of cultural and historical sites;
- study - for admission to educational institutions;
- commercial - for holding business meetings, negotiations with business partners;
- transit - for entering other countries through the territory of the Russian Federation;
- private - for visiting relatives and friends, treatment and for other reasons.
Entry-exit to update a migration card - does this method work?
Previously, residents of countries with which Russia has a visa-free regime actively used the following algorithm for updating the migration card
:
- We went to the border region of the Russian Federation.
- They crossed the border at the nearest checkpoint in any convenient way (on foot, by bus, by personal transport, etc.), while the old migration card with an expiring date was handed over at the border.
- After spending some time at home, the foreigner returned (usually through the same checkpoint).
- At the border control he was given a fresh migration card with a new validity period.
Now this method no longer works. More precisely, if the goal is precisely to obtain a new migration card, it can be used. However, the FMS database will still contain both information about the time of departure and new entry, as well as data about the time already spent in Russia. As a result, the total permitted period, calculated according to the “90/180” formula, does not change, and this does not give the migrant anything new except a fresh form of migration card.
Validity period and is it possible to extend it?
With this card you can stay in the country for no more than 90 days. To extend their stay in the Russian Federation, many foreigners (we are talking about countries with a visa-free regime) use a certain trick - after the expiration of the MK, they leave the Russian Federation and, a day later, enter again, receiving a new migration card.
It is worth remembering that this method is not entirely legal and if you use it often, you will attract the attention of FMS employees and border guards.
An exception is made only if you have received a job offer. Then you can legally stay in the country for up to 12 months from the date of entry, even if your migration card has already expired.
Extension of the validity period of the card can be carried out either at the request of the inviting party or at the request of the foreign citizen himself. Extension is possible for the following reasons:
- If a foreign person has received a temporary residence permit or has just submitted documents to receive it;
- If a foreigner submits documents to obtain citizenship (then the validity period of the MK will be extended until a decision is made on the issuance/non-issuance of a passport);
- If the employer has submitted an official request to the migration control authorities to extend the person’s stay on the territory of the Russian Federation. In this case, the extension is for 12 months, after which the employer will have to send a second request;
- A foreigner must obtain political asylum in Russia;
- If a foreign person has an official work permit or a patent, then the validity period of the MC is extended until the expiration of the patent/work permit.
During the current situation on the territory of Ukraine, citizens of this country can submit an application an unlimited number of times, even if there are no reasons from the list above. FMS employees have no right to refuse to renew a migration card for Ukrainians. But it is not recommended to abuse the special provision, since this measure is temporary. It is advisable to have time to complete all the necessary documents during this time in order to stay in the Russian Federation for permanent residence.
To extend the validity period of your migration card, you will also need the following documents (not all documents from the list are required, it all depends on the situation):
- Application from a foreigner to extend the MK. You can obtain a sample form at the branch and on the website of the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation;
- If you are employed somewhere, you will need to provide an employment contract with the employer;
- For those who are going to obtain Russian citizenship or temporary residence permit, you need to provide a special application from the passport office;
- Be sure to provide a copy of your civil passport and Russian migration card;
- Again, for those who work or intend to work in Russia, you need to provide
Extension method without leaving
First, an application is submitted to the FMS. It specifies the reasons for the extension. The application is written by the receiving party (not a foreigner).
The reasons may be as follows:
- Obtaining a working patent;
- Increasing the term of a working patent;
- Obtaining a temporary residence permit;
- Medical report on referral for treatment, advanced pregnancy, etc.;
- Start of studies (contract);
- Start of processing documents for citizenship.
The employer, medical, educational or other institution sends the application and the collected package of documents to the FMS. The service checks all documents. If a foreign citizen has no offenses in the Russian Federation and has no other reasons for refusal, service employees put a stamp on the card indicating an extended temporary stay.
Rules for visa-free entry into Russia in 2021
The legislation of our country establishes a visa-free procedure for entry into the Russian Federation for certain categories of foreigners; this is enshrined in Law No. 114-FZ, No. 115-FZ and international agreements.
What categories of foreign citizens can enter Russia without a visa:
- Travelers on cruise ships. They are allowed to stay in the Russian Federation without a visa for 72 hours.
- Traveling through Russian territory in transit without a transfer.
- Traveling by plane to another country with a transfer at a Russian airport. In this case, at the airport it is mandatory to check documents confirming the right to enter the state of the final destination. For air transfers, you are allowed to stay on the territory of the Russian Federation for 24 hours from the moment of arrival until boarding the plane. If the stop is forced, it is allowed to exceed the specified time.
- Those who have issued a residence permit on the territory of the Russian Federation.
- Those recognized as refugees enter without a visa on the basis of a refugee travel document.
- Foreigners with diplomatic or service passports.
- Citizens of states with which international agreements have been concluded (in particular, Russia - Uzbekistan, a visa-free regime was announced according to the international agreement of November 30, 2000).
- Participants in international sports, cultural, business, scientific public events.
All foreign citizens entering Russia without a visa fill out a migration card (except for citizens of Belarus) and present it when crossing the border. After arrival, it is important to register with the migration service within 7 days.
The period of legal stay without a visa depends on the citizenship of the foreigner and is equal to 30, 60 or 90 days.
Russia's visa policy is based on the principle of reciprocity. This means that, on the basis of an international agreement, a visa-free regime is valid for both a Russian citizen arriving in a foreign country and a foreigner arriving in Russia.
From 03/18/2020, the entry of foreign citizens into the Russian Federation is temporarily restricted; from 03/30/2020, movement through checkpoints across the state border of the Russian Federation is temporarily limited (Orders of the Government of the Russian Federation dated 03/16/2020 No. 635-r, dated 03/27/2020 No. 763-r).
Overdue, restoration, duplicate migration card
An expired card that is not renewed in a timely manner threatens the foreigner with a fine. This is the main type of censure, according to Art. 18.8 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation in the first part. Sometimes the violator may be sent outside the Russian Federation.
The fine for late payments in different regions of the Russian Federation varies from 2,000 to 7,000 rubles (the highest amount is for the capital).
If a document is lost, you can restore it by writing a statement about the loss. The statement is written at the territorial police station (or at the nearest one after the card is discovered missing). After submitting the application, the foreigner is issued a certificate. With this certificate, presenting your passport and a statement about the reasons for the need for a duplicate with justification, you need to contact the Federal Migration Service in your territory.
Application for a duplicate migration card
By the way. Of course, a duplicate will be issued only if all time limits for stay are met, the goals are indicated correctly, and the applicant has not committed any violations. If the document is expired, its duplicate will be refused.
The fine for loss, as well as for late payment, ranges from 2,000 to 7,000 rubles. Loss or unintentional damage must be reported no later than three days after it happened.
If the issuance of a duplicate is refused, the next step will be the expulsion of the foreigner from the Russian Federation.
Ways to travel outside the Russian Federation with a migration card
If the document expires, the easiest way to restore it is to travel outside the Russian Federation. Recently, many companies even organize bus tours for migrants to the border, for example, with Kazakhstan, where all foreigners cross it and return again an hour later, acquiring a new document for the next 3 months.
Penalty for losing a card
Thus, the migrant’s card is a one-time document, and at the next trip abroad, the border service officer marks the departure date and takes the paper into his archive, but no one prevents the foreigner from receiving the same document in a short time.
Important! Before contacting a company providing , you need to thoroughly familiarize yourself with its activities, read reviews on various sites and forums. This is done for security purposes, since the road to the border, as a rule, runs through deserted places, and the potential danger of robbery by dishonest entrepreneurs always exists. Therefore, despite the high cost, a foreigner should still choose railway or air transport to cross the border.
Finally, it should be said that a migration card is the only document that replaces a migrant’s passport while on the territory of our country, so careful handling of it and the regulations for its extension and renewal can have a positive effect on the further actions of FMS employees when a foreigner requests the next stages of documentation for legalization their residence and activities on the territory of a foreign state.
*Prices are current as of July 2021.
Migration card upon departure
This document is no less important when leaving the Russian Federation. The exit part (B) with a service mark placed on it upon entry is kept for the entire period of stay, even if it is a year. When a person leaves the Russian Federation, the document is handed over to the control officer at the checkpoint.
If a foreign national leaves the country without a migrant card, he will be asked to fill out Part B on a blank form upon departure, making a corresponding note (that he did not have a card with him) in the service column. This will be taken into account during subsequent visits and may result in denial of entry.
Changing the purpose of the visit in the Russian migration card
The period without which a foreigner can stay in the country without registering depends on his citizenship. Only the receiving party has the right to submit documents for migration registration, and specifically:
- Citizens of Russia;
- Foreigners with a residence permit in the Russian Federation;
- The organization where the foreign person is employed;
- Another foreigner who has a specialty in demand in the Russian Federation and real estate in this country.
However, in this case, documents can only be submitted for relatives; - Representatives of the hotel where the foreign citizen lives.
You can also report your stay in the Russian Federation independently, but with the written permission of the receiving party.
Purpose of visit in the migration card
Ukraine, what should we indicate the purpose of the visit in the migration card when crossing the border? read answers (2) If the purpose of the visit is different in the migration card, can I submit a document for a “Time Residence Permit”? read answers (1) Topic: Migration card If in the migration card the card indicates the purpose of the visit is “private”, do you need to register with the Federal Migration Service? read answers (2) Topic: Migration card I have already submitted documents 4 times they said that the purpose of the visit to Russia must be written, I wrote to work and then the children graduated from school here and they continued studying or did I write incorrectly what should be written. read the answers (1) If the purpose of the visit is on the migration card: work, when applying for a temporary residence permit, do you need a patent? Or you can declare that you will be dependent on your mother. read answers (2) Topic: Migration card Business trip from Ukraine to the Russian Federation for employees under an agreement between enterprises of Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
