For entry into the Russian Federation a foreign citizen must submit a current identity card valid in the Russian Federation and a visa unless another order of entry into the Russian Federation is foreseen under an international contract.

The order and terms of visa issue, prolongation, its restitution in case of loss and the order of annulment is established by the resolution of Government of the Russian Federation dated 9 June, 2003, №335 (according to the resolution of Government of the Russian Federation dated 27 February, 2010, №98 About Amendments to the Existing order of Resolution regarding the form of a visa, order and terns of its issue, prolongation, restitution in case of loss and order of visa annulment).

To obtain a visa a foreign citizen should address a diplomatic mission or consulate of the Russian Federation personally or via his/her duly authorized representative and submit the following documents:

• an identity card valid in the Russian Federation;
• a filled in visa application form with one photograph;
• a photograph sized 3x4 centimeters;
• medical insurance policy unless other documents is foreseen by international contracts of the Russian Federation;
• in case the foreign citizen applies for obtaining a visa for a period of more than 3 months, he should additionally submit a certificate stating that he/she does not have a HIV infection.

The size of the consular dues for issuing a Russian visa is determined on a reciprocal basis. For citizens of the European Union the dues for obtaining a visa is €35, and in case of urgent obtaining a visa (no more than 3 days) it is twice as expensive.

For obtaining a visa it is necessary to have an invitation for entry into the Russian Federation which is issued in departments of Federal Migration Service. The application to obtain an invitation can be written by local government authorities, juridical persons, a citizen of the Russian Federation as well as by foreign citizens living in the Russian Federation or apartrides.

Upon invitations granted by departments of Federal Migration Service ordinary visas of the following types are issued:

• private;
• business;
• humanitarian;
• educational;
• working.

According to the quantity of permitted entries and exits visas can be of single entry, of double entry and of multiple entry.

A foreign citizen who is allowed to enter the territory of the Russian Federation for temporary residence upon the decision of a local Federal Migration Service department, diplomatic mission or consulate of the Russian Federation is granted a visa of temporary residence for a period of 4 months. Such visa is prolonged by a local Federal Migration Service department where the foreign citizen is registered. A multiple entry visa is issued for a period of temporary residence to a foreign citizen who obtained temporary residence permit during his/her temporary residence on the territory of the Russian Federation. Multiple entry visa is issued to a person of temporary residence by a local Russian Federal Migration Service department for a period of the temporary residence permit.

It is necessary to know that the actual entry goal of a foreign citizen into the Russian Federation should meet the type of the visa issued to him.

On entering the Russian Federation a foreign citizen fills in a migration card stating the visa data.

On reaching the place of destination in the Russian Federation he/she presents the documents to be registered by Migration Service.

The foreign citizen’s period of stay in the Russian Federation is determined by the visa granted to him/her.

The foreign citizen is obliged to leave the Russian Federation when the allowed period expires. To extend the visa validity one should apply to the migration authorities before the period expires.

In this case, foreign citizens who have multiple business or multiple annual humanitarian visas are allowed to stay in the Russian Federation for not more than total 90 days during each period of 180 days.

If a foreign citizen needs to leave the territory of the Russian Federation, his visa should be prolonged by the representation of Foreign Affairs Ministry situated within the frontier territory (including the checkpoints on the State Boarder) or by a frontier body for not more than three days.

In all other cases the prolongation of the ordinary visa validity lies within competence of Federal Migration Service or its territorial bodies.

The visa validity can be prolonged to 10 days if the foreign citizen stays on the territory of the Russian Federation for not more than 90 days during each period of 180 days.

Under the circumstances of humanitarian character (need for emergency treatment, serious illness or death of a close relative who lives in the Russian Federation), the visa can be extended for a necessary period to take measures and organize the foreign citizen’s departure from the Russian Federation (on submitting a document confirming the existence of these circumstances).

In case of force majeure (extraordinary and unavoidable under these conditions circumstances) and calamities the visa can also be extended for a period required for leaving the Russian Federation.

The visa extension is carried out by the above state bodies that have a file on the foreign citizen at the place where he/she is registered or where he/she actually lives or at a checkpoint on the State Border of the Russian Federation under the foreign citizen’s written application and a petition of the organization or the individual who invited him/her, and also the documents confirming the necessity of such extension.

If the foreign citizen has an annual multiple working or educational visa he/she can stay on the territory of the Russian Federation on a continuous basis during the whole period of the visas validity.

Under the circumstances being the reason for visa extension, the foreign citizen personally applies to a territorial body of Federal Migration Service before his current visa expires and makes an application to extend it. Simultaneously with the application, he/she should present a current document proving his identity, a detachable part of notification about his arrival at the place of destination, the petition of the organization or the individual who invited him, two photos sized 3×4 centimeters and the state duty payment receipt.

The amount of the state duty for the visa extension is set by Tax Code of the Russian Federation and depending on the visa multiplicity ranges from 300 to 400 roubles. On a reciprocal basis and in compliance with international agreements, certain categories of foreign citizens are exempt from paying the state duty for the visa extension. Currently, this rule applies to the citizens of the European Union.

The term to consider the visa extension applications cannot exceed 20 days.

If the foreign citizen fails to leave the territory of the Russian Federation when his visa expires or does not apply to prolong its validity, he/she can be fined (2,000 to 5,000 roubles) or ordered out of the country without a permit to enter the territory of the Russian Federation for the period of 5 years.

Extra information can be obtained from Department of Federal Migration Service for Tyumen Oblast at: ulitsa 50 let Octyabrya, 63/1, telephone: + 7 (3452) 794 412.

www.ufms72.ru