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.
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.
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.
Where is the date of issue written on the migration card?
The procedure for using a migration card by a foreign citizen on the territory of the Russian Federation is established by the rules for using a migration card approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of August 16, 2004 No. 413. A sample of a migration card can be seen in the image below.
consists of two parts: Foreign citizens arriving on the territory of the Russian Federation are issued FREE OF CHARGE!
If they demand money from you for extradition, then this is a direct violation of the legislation of the Russian Federation. issued:
- when arriving by train.
- when arriving by plane or arriving by sea.
- upon entry by bus or other public transport.
- when entering by personal car or when crossing the border on foot.
A sample of filling out a migration card by a foreign citizen arriving in the territory of the Russian Federation.
If the foreign citizen who fills out the form does not speak or speaks little Russian, then he is allowed to fill out the card in Latin letters as indicated in his passport or other document that identifies him.
is filled out for every foreigner entering the territory of the Russian Federation, regardless of his age.
Only border guards can make marks in the Entry/Exit fields and it is prohibited for a foreign citizen to make any entries there.
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).
Rules for renewing a migration card
Each document has a time period during which it is valid. The validity period of the migration card is equal to the duration of the visa or the number of days of stay allowed by law, if a visa is not required. But, according to Federal Law-115, it is possible to obtain a special legal status that allows you to extend this number of days. If a person does not have the opportunity or desire to leave, and the card is running out, then it is necessary to go through the procedure.
One of the easiest ways was previously considered to be re-crossing the border. Entry and exit for a migration card can still help those who do not intend to stay in the country continuously for a long time. For the rest, the rules have been changed; now you can stay in the country for no more than three months within six months. The question arises about how to renew a migration card without leaving Russia? Is there a way?
To do this, you need to contact the FMS office located where the foreigner lives in Russia. Those who want to apply for citizenship should also apply there. Find out more about the list of documents for obtaining citizenship by following the link. There must be serious reasons that justify the extension of the migration card.
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.
Validity period of the migration card
First, it’s worth understanding exactly when the migration card expires. Having lived in the Russian Federation for a long period, I was not aware of the deadlines in detail, which is why such an unpleasant situation as the expiration of the expiration date happened.
- The validity of the migration card for visa-free foreigners is 3 months, taking into account the fact that the citizen will register in the first few days.
- The maximum validity period of the card is 365 days.
Important: to obtain a card for such a significant period as a year, a citizen must complete a number of actions.
A prerequisite is the need to register, which will allow you to stay in the state for 3 months. To extend for the remaining 9 months, the person wishing to do so must have an official job.
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.
