Foreign citizens and stateless persons must adhere fully to the migration laws of Russian Federation. The legal status of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation is defined by the following laws and regulations:
Foreign citizens (students) may only be present and move freely on the territory of the Russian Federation when in possession of the following documents:
Citizens of Uzbekistan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Ukraine and Azerbaijan do not require a visa.
Obtaining a migration registration is a mandatory procedure for foreign citizens.
During their initial visit to the Russian Federation, a foreign citizen must obtain a new registration form (a document that confirms the legality of your presence in Russia). In order to do that, submit the documents from the list below to the Migration Services Office within 3 business days from the day of your arrival.
The Migration Services Office obtains the migration registration within seven days after the foreign citizen’s arrival to the Russian Federation.
The maximum length of an initial registration is 90 days (for dormitories or private residences).
20 days before the expiration date of their registration, the student must come to the Migration Services Office to extend their registration.
Bring the following documents:
For purposes of extension of registration, the old registration form is submitted to the Main Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior, and a new copy is given in exchange. A stamp indicating that the registration has been extended is put on the reverse side of the migration card.
If you have:
you must contact the Migration Services Office within one business day to request a new registration.
ATTENTION! Before travelling, foreign citizens must notify in advance the staff of Migration Services Office of their departure from St. Petersburg (or Russian Federation).
Foreign citizens entering the Russian Federation for educational purposes are issued a regular student visa. A single-entry visa for a duration of 90 days must be obtained at a Russian Embassy or Consulate through an invitation from ITMO University or the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education.
The length of a foreign citizen or stateless person’s temporary stay on the territory of the Russian Federation is extended by way of issuing a new multiple-entry student visa for a length of up to 1 year.
In order to extend and acquire a multi-entry student visa, the foreign citizen must contact the Migration Services Offices 1.5 months prior to the expiration date of their current visa. Please bring the following:
Foreign citizens/stateless persons who do not reside at a dormitory must obtain a migration registration for the duration of their multi-entry visa using the address of their temporary residence at a local office of the Ministry of Interior (to which their address of residence is assigned) within 3 business days (See: federal law No. 109-FZ “On Migration Registration of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Russian Federation”, dated 18.07.2006)
Yes, but only if you are staying at ITMO University’s dorms.
You can get your temporary registration at ITMO’s Migration Services Office. You must acquire your registration within the first 3 days since your arrival. You must renew your registration on time and request a new one upon returning from trips, or staying at hotels or hospitals.
The invitation is drawn up upon your enrollment. A special form must be filled out specifying the place where you will receive your visa. The invitation is made in 30 business days and is sent to the enrolling student for the purpose of obtaining a student visa. Upon your arrival to Russia, your single-entry visa can be extended at ITMO’s Migration Services Office.