The Migration Service of Armenia advises to follow the rules of entry, stay and work in the Russian Federation

New FMS laws 2021 for citizens of Armenia from September 1

A mandatory stage of legalization on Russian territory is registration with migration authorities.
Residents of different states are subject to different conditions for undergoing this procedure; more precisely, the time frame by which it is limited differs. By the way, it will be noted that the registration of Armenian citizens in Russia in 2015 was significantly simplified. It has long been a tradition that diplomatic relations between two different states bring some mutual preferences to their residents, especially if the issue concerns crossing borders, staying in mutual territories, recognition of documents and conditions for legalization of status.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j19JRDM1c90

A big event was the entry of Armenia into the Eurasian Economic Union in 2015, which immediately affected migration rules. Together with Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are members of the EAEU.

A new agreement, which regulates the stay of Armenian citizens in the Russian Federation, was signed in July 2014 in Sochi.

And if for all other citizens arriving from countries that are not included in the EEC, registration remains mandatory within the first 7 working days after arrival, then for Armenians some benefits are now provided.

Based on the signed agreement, residents of the Armenian Republic can stay in Russia without registration for 30 days.

If the trip involves a longer stay than 30 days, then after this period it will be necessary to undergo migration registration in the region in which the Armenian migrant is located.

Employment

It is important to remember that the procedure for the stay of Armenian citizens on the territory of the Russian Federation no longer involves obtaining a labor patent. This means that Armenians can get a job without any permits. Prolongation of registration in this case will occur on the basis of an employment contract concluded with the employer.

In this case, the mark on the migrant’s card in the column “purpose of entry” – “work” remains mandatory. Moreover, if he purposefully goes to Russia to realize his professional potential or improve his well-being, then he needs to find a job during the period while the migration card is valid.

Thus, the main documents for Armenian citizens in Russia are:

general passport;
migration card;
tear-off coupon for registration;
agreement with the employer.

Please note that the last document must be signed before the entry migration card expires. If this period is delayed by at least one day, the violator will face a fine of 5 thousand rubles, and therefore it is better to leave some time reserve for this procedure.

The employment agreement will allow you to stay in the Russian Federation for two years, after which your status will have to be renewed again.

TRP for Armenians

Temporary registration for citizens of Armenia will provide broader rights. It is issued for three years with mandatory annual confirmation of your presence in Russia.

What does RVP give? There are many advantages. Firstly, the migrant will no longer be tied to his employment contract. Secondly, it will be possible to enjoy some of the benefits of Russian society.

Obtaining temporary resident status today, however, is not so easy. We should not forget that, although Armenia joined the single economic space, residents of this country did not receive any benefits in terms of acquiring citizenship. Thus, the procedure for obtaining a temporary residence permit remains the same as for all other citizens.

The list of documents looks like this:

Statement.
Photo.
General passport.
Migration card.
Confirmation of migration registration.
Certificate from a medical institution confirming absence of illness.
Certificate of no criminal record.
Certificate of passing an exam in the Russian language, history and legislation of Russia.

There is no possibility of extending the temporary residence permit, but after one year of residence in the Russian Federation, on the basis of this permit, you can prepare documents for a temporary residence permit. Although a permanent residence permit is issued for a five-year period, it already provides for the possibility of extension an unlimited number of times.

according to which foreigners from “visa-free” countries (which includes Ukraine) cannot stay without a “migration status” for more than 90 days in a six-month period. And the popular “entry-exit” technique completely loses its meaning.

In addition, the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation is beginning to closely monitor Ukrainian labor migrants, and in order to work in Russia they will need to obtain a labor patent (or some other status with which they can work, for example, temporary residence permit).

According to the agreement, Armenian citizens temporarily staying in Russia are exempt from the obligation to register (register at their place of stay) with the Federal Migration Service for 30 days. A similar rule will apply to Russians in Armenia, Rossiyskaya Gazeta writes.

From 2021, an additional state fee will be introduced for migrants. For obtaining a certificate of passing an exam allowing to work in Russia, foreigners will have to pay additionally. Ekaterina Shtukina The Ministry of Education and Science has prepared amendments to the Tax and Budget Codes of the Russian Federation, according to which it is planned to introduce a state fee for issuing certificates to foreigners about knowledge of the Russian language, the history of Russia and the basics of its legislation for working in Russia.

New laws from January 1, 2021 in Russia The second half of 2020 became productive for deputies of the State Duma: they prepared a number of laws of the Russian Federation for 2021. Innovations are aimed at protecting individual rights and freedoms, establishing specific responsibilities for certain subjects and maintaining order in society.

Please note that the law “On Migration Registration of Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons in the Russian Federation” requires all foreign citizens to register within seven working days from the date of arrival at their place of stay.

The "Caucasian Knot" reported that in February, Secretary of the National Security Council of Armenia Artur Baghdasaryan sent a letter to his Russian colleague Nikolai Patrushev with a request to ease the visa regime for Armenian migrants, taking into account Armenia's accession to the Customs Union.

In addition to the general scheme, residents of Armenia can obtain Russian citizenship in a simplified manner. In this case, time will be significantly saved, since there is no need to live for 5 years with a residence permit status in the Russian Federation. The period of residence when obtaining citizenship under a simplified procedure for Armenians is reduced.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the Debt Write-off Law: what debts can be written off in 2021?

To stay up to 30 days from the date of entry into Russia, an Armenian does not need any additional papers other than an employment agreement. During this time, there is no need to cross the border; registration of Armenian citizens in Russia is necessary for a longer stay within the country.

If a citizen of Armenia registers in Moscow under an employment contract, he will have the right to live wherever he wants, and not just at a specific address.

Responsibility lies with the receiving party, the firm or employer.

If a foreign citizen does not settle in an apartment, but in a hotel, inn or somewhere else, then he will not have the right to submit documents to receive:

First of all, the employer needs to check on what basis this citizen is in Russia, that is, the legality of his stay, what status he is in, namely temporary residents, temporary residents and permanent residents.
If he permanently resides in Russia, he must provide a residence permit
Migration card confirms temporary stay
Temporary residents have a residence permit

A citizen’s passport or other document that confirms identity and is recognized on the territory of our state; if it is not in Russian, then its translation, certified by a notary, is required
SNILS is a mandatory document for employment, it must be issued, and in case of its absence, the employer himself can submit documents for its production by contacting the Pension Fund
Russian or Soviet-style work book
TIN – issued one-time to pay taxes
Employee personal card
A medical certificate is issued for a fee, free of charge only for citizens with a permit or residence permit, while the validity period of the voluntary health insurance policy that a foreigner presents when applying for a job must be no less than the term of the employment contract. If the validity period of the insurance policy is shorter than the period of the employment contract, the voluntary health insurance policy will have to be extended - otherwise the employee cannot be hired
A military ID is not required, since citizens of Armenia are not registered with the military in Russia
Document on education (not subject to legalization on the territory of our country, unless it is in the pedagogical, legal, pharmaceutical and medical fields, then it must be confirmed)

And if for all other citizens arriving from countries that are not included in the EEC, registration remains mandatory within the first seven working days after arrival, then for Armenians some benefits are now provided. Based on the signed agreement, residents of the Armenian Republic can stay in Russia without registration for 30 days. The total permissible period of stay is 90 days in each current half-year.

Why did the Armenians rush to this “damned Russia”?

In early February, the Russian government allowed citizens of Armenia and Belarus to enter the country for a month. There are two conditions: they must present identification documents, as well as a negative coronavirus test result.

Yerevan Zvartnots Airport is overcrowded. Let us note that we are talking about people, a significant part of whom angrily accuse “this damned Russia” of returning the occupied territories to Azerbaijan. Departing travelers take one-way tickets, and their prices reach $900. On the first day of border opening alone, 6 flights were carried out from Yerevan to Russia.

A deputy from the opposition party “Prosperous Armenia” Naira Zohrabyan shared her observations with Vestnik Kavkaza: “There has never been such a rush of demand for flights to Russia. Armenia is facing the largest migration in the last 30 years. … Judging by the general atmosphere, there will be … a demographic crisis in Armenia.” She does not condemn the desire of her compatriots to leave, save and feed their families: “The authorities are to blame for closing all opportunities for Armenians to live in Armenia.”

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“Dad said your parents are newcomers”

The population of the Republic of Armenia, according to official data, is slightly less than 3 million people. According to unofficial estimates, about 2.5 million. The fact that the migration of Armenians to Russian spaces is predominantly labor is not a new fact. Citizens of Armenia are good at finding “clean” jobs and doing business. There are few of them on construction sites, and even more so in the housing and communal services system - in any case, they are not noticed among the janitors.

The coronavirus pandemic forced many Armenians to return from Russia to their homeland, closer to family. But not only was the economic situation at home not conducive to their employment, but internal political divisions also worsened and the Karabakh war broke out. That is, in addition to the problem of “feeding”, the issue of security arose. Where to go? And in Russia there is a fairly large and influential Armenian diaspora. Many people in the Russian Federation have relatives who have already linked their future with this country. So everything is logical. Moreover, for citizens of Armenia, as a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, in the republics of the bloc, including Russia, which is the largest labor market in the EAEU, there are good preferences, including those of a social nature.

According to Armenian sources, in 2021, 816 thousand people entered the Russian Federation from the Republic of Armenia, half of them for “private purposes.” And to work - a little more than 170 thousand. We are talking about the so-called “registered” citizens. How many were and are “not taken into account”? It is also tempting to obtain Russian citizenship, and over the past three years 80 thousand Armenians have achieved it. And, interestingly, according to data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, cited by Sputnik, last year, that is, at the peak of the pandemic, 30 thousand people received it - more than in the previous two years.

In Armenia they are already sadly joking about the “great migration”. “I can say for sure that next month there will be unprecedented emigration,” Narek Malyan, head of the VETO socio-political movement, wrote on his Facebook page. According to him, “the largest migration in the history of Armenia” is beginning.

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"Take care of the Jews!"

In principle, there is nothing wrong with migration if it suits both the receiving party and the individual who has decided to leave their homeland temporarily or permanently. Russia is happy with migrants, if they are, of course, law-abiding; it is experiencing a major shortage of workers. Imported labor is also beneficial for Russian business - it, as a rule, reduces its costs. The question, however, is the reasons for changing the country of residence. Moreover, if not for happiness, then for a better life (in this case we are talking about citizens of the Republic of Armenia), they go to a state that, as many of them believe, helped “enemy” Azerbaijan win the Karabakh war and recapture the “original Armenian lands.”

Paradox? Rather, the instinct of self-preservation is triggered. Arrests of dissidents are underway in Armenia; At rallies there are calls for a forceful seizure of power. The government is in complete chaos, the laws don’t work. Not everyone is ready to survive another revolution. The country's economic situation does not provide hope for employment and wages that will allow people to crawl out of poverty. Plus the problem of refugees. And also the unknown - is another war coming? Moreover, in conditions when the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army, by the decision of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the head of the Armenian defense department Vagharshak Harutyunan, will be disbanded. In any case, this is the information disseminated by wanted Mikael Minasyan, the former Armenian ambassador to the Vatican and the son-in-law of ex-President Serzh Sargsyan.

But what kind of “fuss” is going on around Russia in the Armenian leadership? As the Past newspaper writes, citing an anonymous source, Pashinyan took up the task of changing ambassadors, including those in the Russian Federation. It will be some kind of “political figure” - which one is not named, although the candidacy of the former head of the Armenian Foreign Ministry Zohrab Mnatsakanyan is not excluded. After the Karabakh war, Pashinyan announced his decision to dismiss him, and he himself wrote a letter of resignation. But even if Mnatsakanyan is still in Pashinyan’s circle, and his reputation as a “representative of the Soros school” is correct, will Russia agree to host him as an ambassador?

Interesting information was published by the Haqqin.az portal, which referred to the Weekblad Elseveir publication, which was interviewed by the Armenian Ambassador to the Netherlands Tigran Balayan. In it, he positively assessed the introduction of sanctions by the West against Russia in connection with the case of the “poisoning” of Alexei Navalny. These are the statements regarding the “ally” to whom the population of Armenia is now flocking.

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Pashinyan is being pestered for making concessions to Aliyev and Putin

The above-mentioned Azerbaijani portal also recalled the story when the issue of extending sanctions against Russia was raised in PACE, and “there were deputies from Armenia who abstained and did not vote against.” And further: “Any alliance with Armenia is “the path until the first turn,” until Yerevan decides that there is nothing more to suck from this partner, it’s time to move onto the neck of another. Membership in the EAEU, the CSTO, concrete guarantees from Moscow in the form of a military base - for the Armenian elites it does not matter if they ... only think that by “taking sides” they can get more.” It is unfortunate that this kind of reasoning is difficult to attribute to the malice of the Azerbaijani media - they reflect the real situation in the camp of the powers that be in Armenia and even in certain layers of the “ordinary” population.

Meanwhile (or despite this), the idea of moving to the format of a union state with Russia began to be heard more and more often in Armenia. Currently, his active lobbyist is the leader of the Alliance party, parliament member Tigran Urikhanyan. At the same time, he said at a press conference, Armenia must remain independent. The politician explained: “We have no alternative: no other country offers us cooperation, especially the formation of a unified security system, the creation of a new format of joint troops, and the protection of the border with Azerbaijan.” He emphasized that neither NATO nor any other organization or country has offered or is offering Yerevan such terms of cooperation. The Alliance leader, in addition, recalled that more than 100 thousand labor migrants from Armenia annually go to Russia to provide for their families.

Another question, and Urikhanyan rightly asks it: does Russia want to create a union state with Armenia - after all, it has its own interests. But this issue, he is convinced, should be discussed, but the RA authorities are not able to do this. The politician announced the Alliance’s readiness to participate in early elections, and if it enters parliament, to negotiate on the above topic. But for this, he emphasized, certain changes must take place in Armenia’s foreign policy, including taking into account the interests of Russia. In particular, Yerevan’s relations with a number of countries, including Ukraine, that have demonstrated an unfriendly approach to Armenia - for example, during the war in Karabakh - are subject to revision.

It is against such a chaotic external and internal political background that Armenians are leaving their country. Not for the first time, and it was forced. Who will throw a stone at them? After all, we are talking about survival, which the authorities of the republic did not take care of on a national scale. And here angry speeches about the lack of patriotism, “desertion” and other shaking of the air are inappropriate. It would be better for the authorities and the nation as a whole to clearly define: where you are going, why you are going, who you are going with, and what you will do next. This determines what you end up getting.

Irina Jorbenadze

How to obtain Russian citizenship for a citizen of Armenia

The Russian government has established a certain standard for the number of people to complete this paper. If this figure is reached, the acceptance of applications is suspended and you must wait for the next calendar year. But at the same time, compelling arguments are spelled out when it is possible to issue this document bypassing the quota.

For all foreign citizens arriving in the Russian Federation on a private visit, the 90/180 rule applies. This means that they can stay on its territory for 3 months within six months, after which they must leave the country. Extension of this period is allowed for several reasons.

The conclusion suggests itself - you need to think through your further actions in advance, since it is necessary to submit an application for a residence permit after two and a half years of residence under a temporary residence permit. This means that 6 months are allotted for consideration of the application, which expires at the end of the validity period of the temporary residence permit mark in the passport of the Armenian citizen.

Also, starting from 2021, foreigners receiving or renewing a residence permit must obtain a certificate of proficiency in the Russian language, knowledge of the history and legislation of the Russian Federation. Some categories of citizens are exempt from the need to obtain this certificate.

Thanks to a residence permit, you can live in the Russian Federation for 5 years; before receiving it, a foreigner is required to apply for a temporary residence permit (TRP).

It gives the right to stay on Russian territory for three years. Six months after receiving the temporary residence permit, the migrant has the opportunity to apply for a residence permit.

Citizenship opens up even more prospects for a representative of another country.

Armenia is among the TOP 5 countries from which the most migrants move to Russia. However, when applying for a residence permit for Armenian citizens, no benefits are provided. We'll tell you later in the article how to get the status.

The article provides information in accordance with amendments to migration legislation, which come into force on November 1, 2021.

Some Armenians, upon arriving in Russia, have the opportunity to immediately begin the procedure for obtaining a residence permit. This option is available to those who were born in the RSFSR and have close relatives among Russians... We will tell you more about those who will not need a temporary residence permit later in the material.

But most often, in order to obtain a residence permit, an Armenian citizen must first obtain a temporary residence permit. Having a temporary residence permit will become the basis for applying for a residence permit.

Let us note that all procedures related to legalization in Russia, including obtaining a temporary residence permit/residence permit, are carried out through the migration department, which now operates as part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

An Armenian, like a representative of any other nationality, can receive a temporary residence permit for only three years. The status cannot be extended, and you cannot move freely to other Russian cities with it. Therefore, most often, Armenians consider a temporary residence permit only as a step that allows them to obtain a more comfortable residence permit.

As we noted above, a temporary residence permit imposes a number of restrictions in terms of the choice of place of residence and validity period. It is quite understandable that, having done it, you want to get to a residence permit as quickly as possible. But the Armenian will not be able to immediately transfer the documents to the new status.

According to the law, after receiving a permit you need to live in Russia for 8 months. Only after this period do representatives of the migration authority have the right to accept a migrant’s application for a residence permit.

So, the main task at the first stage is to make yourself a temporary residence permit and live with this status for 8 months. After the expiration of this period, a foreign citizen is free to apply for permanent resident status, that is, a residence permit.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the Law on Secondary Housing

The main advantage that has made life easier for all migrants is that from November 1, 2021, Armenia and all other states receive a residence permit without an expiration date. That is, if you receive a status, then, in theory, it can last for the rest of your life.

Other features because of which migrants seek to obtain a residence permit:

the opportunity to receive a pension, which is calculated according to the same rules as for Russians;
right to work - patents, permits, and other permits are not needed for employment;
a residence permit gives a citizen of Armenia the right to use free medical care in state clinics and hospitals - for this, a compulsory medical insurance policy is issued (you will not have to pay to obtain the policy);
a citizen with a residence permit has the right to work in Russia as an individual entrepreneur;
public schools and kindergartens are ready to accept children of Armenians who have a residence permit;
a person with a residence permit is free to choose which city to live in and can freely move to any constituent entity of Russia;
in 90% of cases, obtaining Russian citizenship requires a residence permit.

In some situations, the difficult stage of RVP can be skipped. That is, a citizen comes to Russia, completes migration registration here, and then immediately collects and submits papers for a residence permit. But there must be good reasons for such a simplification. All of them are listed in Article 8 of Federal Law-115 “On the Legal Status...”.

A residence permit is issued for an Armenian without a temporary residence permit if:

one of the applicant’s immediate relatives is Russian. This could be mother/father, son or daughter;
the foreigner’s place of birth indicated on the birth certificate is the RSFSR, and in the past he had Soviet citizenship;
the foreigner has a profession that is important for the Russian Federation, which is included in a special list. In this case, the citizen must work in this specialty for six months before applying for a residence permit. The work must be in Russia, and the employment must be official;
the Armenian graduated from a Russian university with honors, provided that he studied full-time;
the applicant was deported from the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (relatives of such a citizen can also apply for a residence permit);
a person has the status of a native Russian speaker or a highly qualified specialist.

The application and papers must be submitted to the migration office at the place of registration. This is in the regions. And in Moscow there is a Migration Center (Sakharovo), where you need to apply for a residence permit.

An Armenian citizen will have to collect the following list to obtain a residence permit:

Statement. Prepared in two copies. You can draw it up on a computer or write it by hand. There are many requirements for filling out, which we wrote about here.
Photos. You will be required to take 4 photographs, 35 x 45 mm. There are often reports that inspectors require photos to be taken on matte paper. The resulting photographs do not need to be cut and pasted. Carry them in the same condition as you received from the photographer.
Passport. An Armenian passport must be translated, and all pages are translated, from cover to cover. The translation is certified by a notary. A set of these services will cost an average of 1,000 rubles.
Certificates of passing a medical examination. Before issuing a residence permit, the applicant is checked for the presence of tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases, drug addiction, and HIV. You only need to apply for certificates from medical institutions that have a license to conduct medical examinations for migrants. For a medical examination you will have to pay approximately 3,500 - 5,000 rubles. Read more about the medical board.
Document on knowledge of the Russian language. Even if you speak Russian perfectly, migration authorities require confirmation. To do this, the migrant will have to pass an exam. Again, it’s paid, costing on average 2,600 - 5,300 rubles. Applicants with Soviet or Russian education do not need to undergo testing. It is also not required for children, incapacitated citizens, or people of retirement age;
Income certificates. The Russian state is sensitive to the issues of migrants' income. It is important that the recipient of the residence permit is able to provide for himself and his family members. Therefore, when submitting documents you will need certificates. Working people officially bring 2 personal income taxes, entrepreneurs and the unemployed - 3 personal income taxes or a certificate of contribution. You can also register as a dependent and bring information about the income of the person who supports you.
State duty. The fee for obtaining a residence permit will increase to 5,000 rubles from November 1, 2021. Usually paid through a branch of any bank. Be sure to very carefully check the information specified in the payment receipt - bank operators often make mistakes. The line “Country that issued the document” should indicate Armenia, and not Russia, as bank employees often write. The state fee is paid upon translation of the passport.

You will receive a decision on issuing permanent resident status within 6 months. Find out how to check if your residence permit is ready from the article.

When the residence permit document is in your hands, you shouldn’t relax too much. Foreigners permanently residing in the Russian Federation have several obligations, failure to comply with which leads to fines and even revocation of their residence permit.

Here are the mandatory actions that status holders perform:

Registration. Having made a residence permit and received the corresponding document, you need to register at your place of residence or, in extreme cases, register for migration registration. By law, this procedure is given 7 days. You should not neglect registration, since failure to comply with deadlines is an administrative offense for which a fine is imposed.
Notification. Every year, the holder of a residence permit needs to register with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. To do this, the citizen fills out a special notification form and submits it along with income certificates and other documents to the migration department. This must be done after each year of residence under a residence permit, within two months. Simply put, you received a residence permit, lived in the status for a year, and after a year you have two months to register with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. This must be done every year.

Grant the President of the Russian Federation the authority to determine, for humanitarian purposes, categories of foreign citizens who have the right to acquire Russian citizenship in a simplified manner (draft bill No. 527255-7). At the same time, humanitarian purposes mean the granting of citizenship to persons from countries with a complex socio-political and economic situation, where armed conflicts and/or changes in political regime occur.
Simplify admission to Russian citizenship for participants in the state program to assist the voluntary resettlement of compatriots living abroad to Russia (same bill).
Exempt citizens of Ukraine from completing a written renunciation of their existing Ukrainian citizenship in order to obtain Russian citizenship (draft bill No. 507208-7).

Application in 2 copies;
Notarized translation of all documents confirming the identity and status of a citizen (passport, birth certificate, marriage or divorce certificate (if any), etc.);
Copy of certificate, diploma or certificate of education / translation;
4 photos 3.5x4.5;
Original renunciation of citizenship;
Information about relatives.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the Application for Renunciation of Armenian Citizenship (sample, form, where to submit)

General procedure

Migration puzzles of Armenia and Russia

On July 22, the website of the expert and analytical online publication at the Gaidar Institute, Economy Times, published an article “Migration growth: abnormal indicators.” The authors of the article (Nikita Mkrtchyan and Yulia Florinskaya) are leading researchers at the Laboratory for Research on Demography, Migration and the Labor Market of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. The material provoked quite a lively response in Armenia and the Armenian diaspora. The fact is that the authors paid attention to Rosstat statistics, according to which there is a sharp increase in the migration influx to Russia, primarily due to Armenians and Ukrainians. Thus, the influx from Armenia accelerated from 5 to almost 13 thousand (for January-April 2021), and from Ukraine - from 7 to 16 thousand. At the same time, the rate of migration growth with Belarus and Moldova decreased. It is also concluded that the main migration donors to Russia are Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Tajikistan and Armenia.

Migration growth in all countries supposedly increased from 57 thousand to 98 thousand - and this, according to the authors, may indicate a change in the calculation methodology or some other anomalies. The authors proposed as an alternative hypothesis that we could be talking about an undercount of immigration in 2021, as a result of which these same migrants were counted now.

Publications on the topic of migration cause considerable controversy, including due to significant differences in the assessment of the same seemingly statistical data, often in recipient and donor countries. Thus, the Armenian author from the Caucasus Institute Hrant Mikaelyan expressed disagreement with the authors of the above-mentioned article on several aspects. In particular, he draws attention to the fact that:

— the increase in migration growth in 2019 is not necessarily caused by its undercounting in 2021. Since we are talking about only part of the year, seasonal factors can have a serious impact on the dynamics of the influx of labor migrants. For example, a warm spring means an earlier start of the construction season, which means an earlier arrival of workers, and a cold spring means a later one; if it is very late, then some of them simply will not arrive. Temperature difference between spring 2021 and 2021 in Moscow it was +6 degrees. And this means that many migrants this year arrived in March, and in 2018 - in April or did not arrive at all;

— there are all objective conditions for an increase in the number of migrants. Not long ago, data was circulated according to which unemployment in Russia has reached a historical low and reached 4.4%. This means that the Russian labor market is characterized by a labor shortage and needs workers from abroad, which is what is happening;

— given the unimportant migration situation last year, the author expressed confidence that this year the Russian authorities have softened or will soften informal mechanisms designed to stimulate the migration influx (in particular, we are talking about simplifying the acquisition of Russian citizenship for certain categories of Ukrainian citizens).

Now about the situation with migration from Armenia (donor) to Russia (recipient). Opponents of the current government of Armenia, seriously represented in the country’s information space (this is a somewhat non-trivial situation for countries in the post-Soviet space), are pushing the theme that under the rule of N. Pashinyan’s government, the outflow of the population allegedly increased sharply, or large-scale emigration from the country began and prices for food increased. essential goods. In this context, the government was obliged to provide official statistics on the dynamics of border crossings for the first six months of the last five years, which it did. Using this indicator, a constant record of departing/arriving citizens of the country is kept, and the migration balance is recorded accordingly.

First 6 months of the year	Balance of border crossings
2015	-75,464
2016	-66,629
2017	-37,625
2018	-6,110
2019	-2,334

Thus, purely formally, the negative balance of migration from Armenia decreased by more than 32 times. But in reality, this figure is quite deceptive, because in this case we are still talking about a reduction in labor (that is, seasonal) migration. In this context, data for the first six months do not provide grounds for adequate comparison with last year's data.

In this situation, a number of experts are using modeling to not only calculate the real population of the country (they estimate it to be 2.8 million people, while official statistics say 2.96 million people), but also to find out how many there were actually Armenian citizens in Russia. It turned out that over the past 4 years their number has been constantly decreasing (from 522,457 people to 491,767 people). These data (a decrease of 30 thousand) agree very well with Russian labor statistics and poorly with migration statistics.

The head of the country's migration service (in Armenia it is part of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Development) Armen Kazaryan said that for the first time since 2006, an excess of the number of citizens entering the country over the number of those leaving was recorded. Over the past 12 years, a positive migration balance was observed in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2021 (last year +15,313 people). The positive trend, according to the head of the migration service, can be explained by two factors – political changes in the country and increased external interest in Armenia.

Purely formally, the border crossing balance is a mechanical figure (indicators of entry and exit), and it has been tracked in official statistics of Armenia since approximately 2000. That is, this figure does not accurately reflect the migration situation, but it gives a general understanding of the migration situation better than the migration balance. Therefore, for a general assessment of the situation, they operate with these concepts, which are more understandable to public opinion.

If you look at border crossings, then, according to 2021 data, the top leaders are Russia (the main direction of labor migration), Georgia (the main direction of tourist flow from Armenia), Iran, Ukraine, India. The list of countries whose citizens apply for a temporary residence permit in Armenia is as follows - India, Iran, Iraq, China, Russia, USA, Ukraine.

At the end of 2021, the number of Armenian citizens who sought asylum in EU countries decreased. Thus, according to Eurostat data (EU + Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein), in 2021 there were 6875, and in 2018 – only 4815. This is partly due to the fact that European migration structures are increasingly pointing out to Armenian citizens that their country is quite democratic and their complaints about political persecution by the authorities are in most cases unfounded. It is expected that in the near future Armenia will be included in the list of safe countries in various EU documents and regulations. Of course, this will reduce the outflow of citizens to these countries.

In addition, it should be taken into account that Armenia has signed and ratified a readmission agreement with the EU, which encourages the return of citizens illegally staying in Europe to their homeland. In 2018, Germany alone officially received 681 return requests from 1,385 people. Citizenship of 1,211 of them was confirmed.

If we return to the top countries in terms of border crossings by Armenian citizens and citizens of countries arriving in Armenia, several interesting circumstances will catch our eye. In particular:

— a trend of increasing labor migrants from India. In 2021, about a thousand citizens of this country received a residence permit in Armenia, in 2021 - approximately 900, and in 2021 - 2000. There is a double increase compared to 2021. As before, the main part are students, an innovation is the appearance of workers in blue-collar professions, including those performing unskilled work;

— appearance in the list of countries of Ukraine, whose citizens receive a residence permit in Armenia. Ukraine is home to the fourth largest (after Russia, the USA and France) Armenian diaspora in the world. Note that from the early 1990s to the mid-2000s. The migration flow went from Armenia to Ukraine, and in the last few years it has reversed. This is due to the difficult socio-economic situation in this country and the protracted military conflict in the southeast. Let us note that in this case we are talking not only about the arrival of Armenians from Ukraine, which is quite natural, but also Ukrainians and Russians themselves. These are mainly young people who either studied at universities located in the conflict zone or near it. Their parents either stayed in Ukraine or live and work in Russia. However, due to their difficult financial situation, they cannot always pay for their children’s education in Russian universities, but they can afford to pay for education in Russian at one of the universities in Armenia;

— we also note that residents of Middle Eastern countries - Syria (over 20 thousand refugees from this country have been accepted), Iraq and Lebanon - are asking for asylum in Armenia. Moreover, these are not only Armenians, but also Yezidis, Assyrians, Christian Arabs and others;

— Armenia’s migration legislation remains one of the most liberal in the entire post-Soviet space and, in particular, within the EAEU. Like the previous government, the current one does not yet plan to tighten it. Officials believe that stricter immigration laws will hamper development, business and tourism.

Naturally, within the framework of one article it is impossible to present the entire panorama of problems emerging in the migration sphere of Armenia. Nevertheless, it can be stated that the information presented in the article “Migration growth: anomalous indicators” can be assessed as incomplete. It seems that when preparing such materials, researchers from recipient countries should collaborate more with researchers from donor countries, which will provide a more complete reflection of the current situation, and therefore more accurate conclusions and recommendations.

Common mistakes

Error 1: Entry into Russian territory for citizens of Armenia using national passports.

– To travel to the Russian Federation for any purpose, foreigners from former Soviet republics must obtain a foreign passport. In addition, migration registration is required if the period of stay in Russia is more than 30 days. Subsequently, it is required to issue a temporary residence permit or temporary residence permit with the right to extend or apply for citizenship in a general or simplified manner if there are grounds for this.

Registration of an Armenian citizen in the Russian Federation 2020

The legal topic is very complex, but in this article we will try to answer the question “Registration of an Armenian citizen in the Russian Federation 2020.” Of course, if you still have questions, you can consult with lawyers online for free directly on the website.

application in two copies;
migration card;
identification document of a foreign citizen;
a document confirming no criminal record, issued no earlier than 3 months before the day of submitting documents for a temporary residence permit;
certificate of absence of HIV and other dangerous diseases;
certificate of proficiency in the Russian language, knowledge of Russian history and the basics of legislation of the Russian Federation;
receipt of payment of state duty in the amount of 1600 rubles;
photographs 35x45 mm.

Violation of requirements for the content and form of the application.
The applicant made factual errors when providing personal information.
Lack of documents required by the Administrative Regulations.
The exception is filing an application electronically using the Unified Portal.
The documents do not meet the requirements established by the legislation of the Russian Federation.
A foreign citizen identifies himself with a document that is issued in accordance with his professional or official activities: a seafarer’s passport, or a document that is valid for less than six months, a document that is invalid.
The quota for issuing temporary residence permits has been exhausted.
The applicant, while on the territory of the country, violates the rules of stay (residence).

If a foreign citizen’s migration registration period has expired and his temporary registration has expired, he needs to leave the Russian Federation. If this is not done, the foreign citizen will be considered an illegal immigrant in Russia.

Migration registration of citizens of Kyrgyzstan in 2021 takes place according to the procedure for migration registration of citizens from the EAEU countries, that is, registration of migration registration of citizens of Kyrgyzstan in Russia is carried out no later than 30 days from the date of entry into Russia.

Notification of the arrival of a foreign citizen temporarily residing or temporarily residing in the Russian Federation at the place of stay must be submitted to the territorial authority for migration issues (GUVM MIA) no later than 7 working days from the date of the foreigner’s arrival at the place of stay.
Notification of the arrival of a foreign citizen permanently residing in the Russian Federation at the place of stay must be submitted to the territorial body of the Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs no later than 7 working days from the date of the foreigner’s arrival at the place of stay.

In other words, the receiving party must send a completed notification of arrival of a foreign citizen form to the migration registration authorities, and thereby inform them of the foreign citizen’s arrival at the place of stay no later than 7 days after the foreigner’s arrival.

What difficulties may arise in this regard, as well as who is limited in dual citizenship, you will learn from our article. The possibility of having dual citizenship in Russia is provided for in Art.

In your case, you can obtain Russian citizenship in a simplified manner on the basis of participation in the “State Program for the voluntary resettlement of compatriots living abroad in the Russian Federation” (clause 7, article 14 No. 62-FZ of May 31, 2002). To begin with, you should find out whether the State Program applies to the region in the Russian Federation in which your mother lives.

So, some changes have appeared in the rules regulating the stay of Armenian citizens on the territory of the Russian Federation. Entry into the country on the basis of a migration card remained unchanged. And if for all other citizens arriving from countries that are not included in the EEC, registration remains mandatory within the first 7 working days after arrival, then for Armenians some benefits are now provided.

Question answer

Question 1: Do I need to change my license to Russian if I am going to Russia to work as a minibus taxi and have an international ID issued in my homeland in Armenia. Where should I go for this?

– Citizens of the Union republics need to change their driver’s license to work in Russia in positions related to transportation. After arriving in the Russian Federation, you need to pass your driver’s license to the local traffic police department, then pass an exam based on Russian traffic rules and receive a local license.

Case Study

Agrobyan L.D. came to Russia to work. He received a residence permit, and then submitted a simplified application for citizenship as a native Russian speaker. Also, to confirm their status, they were given a diploma of education in Russia in 2001. Russian passport issued upon request. After 3 years, an application for Russian citizenship was submitted, reviewed after 6 months and a decision was issued to provide a national passport.

A preliminary renunciation of Armenian citizenship was made, since dual citizenship is not established by international agreement and the law of Armenia requires the cancellation of the first passport. The service of military duty is carried out according to the law of the Russian Federation. The issuance of a Russian Federation passport was carried out within the framework of the norm on the resettlement of compatriots who traveled abroad and confirmed knowledge of the Russian language at the native level.

Why should Armenian citizens obtain citizenship?

Today, a citizen of Armenia can obtain citizenship after fulfilling all the requirements provided for by Russian legislation. But many foreigners have a question about why it is needed. At first glance, a residence permit provides sufficient opportunities, but there is still a big difference.

Double citizenship;
Issuance of a Russian passport;
Moving to Russia.

Many foreigners mistakenly believe that a simplified procedure for processing documents is provided for citizens of Armenia. In reality it does not exist, so it is better not to hope for a miracle. Yes, after receiving a completed application with certificates, you can be sure that the end of the verification will provide ample opportunities. Surely among these points is the most important one, moving to Russia, but other nuances cannot be discounted.