Every person at least once in his life encounters various troubles, the actions of scammers and criminals, and force majeure. As a result, not only money and things are lost, but also documents. Citizens are losing their passports and entry papers. And these are not only Russians, but also guests who came to the country. Migrants quite often encounter the loss or damage of their migration card. Let's figure out what to do in such a situation. What actions need to be taken urgently in order not to face deportation from the country. The consequences can be quite serious, but the situation is not hopeless. If you follow the instructions provided, you can quickly get a duplicate.
general information
Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 413 states that in the event of damage or loss of a document, a foreigner is obliged to notify employees of the territorial body of the federal executive power within three days.
In other words, you need to report to the authorities immediately after discovering a loss, theft or damage. To do this, you should contact the nearby department of the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In this case, you need to draw up and submit an application.
There is no strict legal form for such an application. It is written in free form. The main thing is that the text contains the purpose and reason for receiving the duplicate. It is equally important to indicate in the application the circumstances that contributed to the loss of the document.
Konstantin Frolov
Lawyer, ready to answer your questions.
If you have difficulty obtaining a duplicate, consult our specialists. Experienced lawyers will help you solve all problems with migration documents for a minimum amount.
Lost migration card: what to do if you lost it?
Anything can happen in life. If you lost your migration card in Russia, what should you do? Loss is not a reason to panic, but measures must be taken immediately. Remember that you are in a foreign country, which means there should be no negligence on your part.
For those who need to read the law, specifically on the issue of losing the MK, look at Article 11 of the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of August 16, 2004 N 413 “On the migration card.”
According to the decree, if your migration card is stolen, damaged or you lose it, you, as a foreign citizen, must come to the nearest migration office within 3 days after the loss. Do this as soon as possible as the lines are long and the matter is urgent.
Come to the OVM and present your main document. Usually this is a passport. The exact document you used to enter Russia is required. If you arrived with a foreign passport, present it. You should be given a duplicate after they check your passport details.
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- 180 days of stay in Russia for Ukrainians: for citizens of the DPR and LPR
What you need to bring with you:
- passport + copy of completed pages;
- notification of arrival, migration registration;
- an application to be issued a duplicate instead of your migration card.
What to write in the application? I will give an example of how to write a statement for the loss of an MK. The sample is approximate and may differ depending on the requirements of the regional migration office.
After the header (see examples of header design at the stands of the migration department) you write:
Statement
I, a citizen of Ukraine Ivan Vasilyevich Ivanov, born in 1970, crossed the state border through the Domodedovo checkpoint on January 11, 2019, using a passport VK 457891 and a migration card (indicate the number and series of MK, if there is information on it). I unintentionally lost my migration card on January 14, 2019.
In connection with the above, I ask you to give me a duplicate migration card.
01/15/2019 (Signature)
Why is this so important and why should you not delay resolving this issue? According to the Federal Law “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation,” all foreigners and stateless persons who stay in Russia for more than 3 days are required to obtain a migration card.
This is important to know: 180 days of stay in Russia for Ukrainians: for citizens of the DPR and LPR
MK is a document to control the duration of your stay in Russia. By the way, if you came to Russia for a few days on a visit or vacation and lost your migration card right before leaving Russia, for example, on the day of your flight home, then there is no point in taking a duplicate. When leaving at the border, tell the border guards that you have lost your MK. You will be asked to fill out a form for a new migration card and will be allowed to leave without any problems.
But the option proposed above is only suitable for those who are passing through Russia and intend to go home in the near future. If you plan to apply for a patent, for example, or a quota, nothing can be done without a migration card.
Do I need to go to the police to report the loss of MK? No, you need to go straight to the migration department and resolve this issue only there.
So, if you lost your migration card in Russia, what should you do? — Take a duplicate from the inspector by applying in person. The loss of a migration card, as you can see, is not the biggest problem, but if it arises, it must be resolved quickly, without delay.
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Document recovery procedure
So, wanting to receive a duplicate, and applying to the federal service, a foreigner must perform the following sequential actions:
- The first thing you should do is go to the police station. As noted above, this needs to be done in three days. An official certificate of loss or damage will be issued here.
- With the received certificate, your passport and a well-written application, you need to contact the Federal Migration Service. This must be a branch located near the place of official registration.
- The FMS will conduct an inspection of its internal databases over a period of time. This is necessary in order to confirm the fact of arrival in Russia.
- A duplicate migration card is issued.
Expert opinion ! If the arriving citizen’s migration card has expired on the date of submission of the application, you should not count on receiving a duplicate.
If a person who came to Russia for one purpose or another discovered the absence of a migration card immediately before leaving, you need to request a blank form, that is, a new card, from the responsible persons. But at the same time, a corresponding entry is made in the document.
Procedure for losing your migration card
After a foreigner reports the loss, theft or damage of a migration card, he must complete the following steps:
- Obtain a certificate from the police about the loss of the document.
- With a certificate, passport or other identification document, as well as an application for a duplicate, contact the Federal Migration Service department. It is better to go to the branch at the place of registration.
- Receive a duplicate migration card after a FMS employee has checked the fact of a foreign citizen’s arrival in the Russian Federation using the database.
It is worth immediately warning that if you submit an application for restoration of an expired migration card, a FMS employee has the right to refuse to issue a duplicate. An application for document restoration is required, so you should approach its completion responsibly.
Documents for obtaining a duplicate
To obtain a duplicate card, you should contact the territorial office of the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Among the documents you need to have an application, as well as an identity card. The second document must be the one with which the person entered Russia.
This requirement is based on the fact that the migrant’s entry information can be verified. It was also necessary to clarify certain information prescribed by him. If the period of application has not expired, if a fine has not been imposed on the foreign citizen, no receipts will be required. There is also no need to pay a state fee.
What is a migration card
A migration card is a small form that contains some personal information about a foreign citizen who entered the Russian Federation:
- Last name, first name and patronymic (in full).
- Date of Birth.
- Citizenship.
- Series and number of passport and visa, if available.
- Purpose of entry.
- Place of stay in the country.
- Border crossing date.
- Date of expected departure from the country.
- Border control stamp.
A foreign citizen arriving in the Russian Federation needs to keep this important document until leaving the country, since the border guard will definitely ask you for it when going through control.
On the reverse side – side “B” – information about the registration of a temporary place of stay and its extension, if any, is entered.
Read more about why you need a migration card.
Migration doesn't work
In modern legislation, there is no such thing as “restoration” of a migration card. All that can be obtained in such a situation is a duplicate.
But what to do if the loss is discovered, the document is needed urgently, and the migration service office is closed. In such a situation, you need to send a registered letter to the organization’s address. The service must be issued with notice. The statement should describe the specifics of the situation that occurred. You also need to attach a certificate of loss, which was issued by the police.
Purchasing a migration card
Important ! A migration card can only be obtained during the border crossing process. There are no other options.
On the Internet you can find quite a lot of advertisements and offers for issuing a document. Don't trust them, they are scammers. For a relatively small amount, they are allegedly ready to sell a migration document.
If you believe such scammers and purchase a “migration card,” you may encounter quite serious problems. First of all, this is a loss of money. But more seriously, if you have a false document in your hands, you can incur administrative liability. This is easy enough to discover:
- A person crosses the border with such a paper in his hands.
- Border control officers check the document using the unified FMS database.
- It immediately becomes clear that the paper is fake; there is no information about it in the list of issued migration cards.
As a result, a person gets a number of problems. In particular, if he managed to obtain other documents using a fake card, they will automatically be cancelled. The foreign citizen receives a fine. And, if the situation is complicated by other illegal actions, he will be deported and issued a ban on visiting Russia in the next 1-3 years.
Professional advice ! If you don’t have a migration card, you shouldn’t try your luck and try to move without a document. It is better to honestly contact a government employee and request a duplicate. Otherwise, the attempt to pass will be regarded as illegal border crossing.
If you encounter difficulties and need free legal advice to clarify your specific case, call any toll-free number or leave a request on the website. Moscow and region: +7
St. Petersburg and region:+7
Federal number:+7
The need for a migration card, what is it for?
A migration card is issued to a foreigner when he passes through the customs control zone at the state border. In different situations, based on what type of transport
you cross the border, different people give it to you:
1.if a foreigner uses sea, air or river transport, it is issued by the crew members
2. if you are traveling by train, then with a conductor or crew members
3. in the case when the trip takes place by bus, then the driver
4. when a foreigner travels independently by car or on foot, he must take the card from customs control
Important! Regardless of where it is filled out, it is important that the document is filled out correctly.
Sanctions for breaking the law
If for some reason a person, when leaving Russia, did not hand over the migration card required at the border, or who refused to fill out the card again, he will most likely be deported to his homeland.
This form of punishment is also relevant for persons who entered false information in the entry field for the purpose of entry. For example, upon entry, a citizen indicated tourism, but in fact was engaged in labor activities.
It is necessary to understand that deportation from the country is a rather expensive undertaking. For this reason, authorities mostly use self-supervised exits. Due to the lack of strict controls, you can travel to some neighboring countries without providing a migration card.
But despite such loyalty, it is worth being careful. If you do not provide a document, the departure data will not be entered into the accounting database. Accordingly, the legal period of stay in the Russian Federation will be significantly exceeded. And this threatens with an official ban on entry for a certain amount of time.
The period of the established ban depends on the number of days of delay. Here are some examples:
- up to 120 days – ban for three years;
- from 120 to 270 days – entry will be closed for five years;
- a year or more - permission to enter Russia will be given no earlier than in 10 years.
The timing is pretty decent. They threaten significant problems. It's much easier to pay the fine.
Purpose of a migration card and rules for its use
Responsibility for the legality of a citizen’s presence within the Russian Federation lies with the receiving party
A migration card is a form of documentation that contains information about the entry of a citizen of a foreign state into Russia and his departure from the country.
The rules for using a document when staying in the Russian Federation are regulated by Resolution No. 413.
The front side of the official paper contains information about entry into the Russian Federation; it is handed over at the checkpoint when crossing the border at the entrance.
The reverse side of the documentation is kept by the foreigner for safekeeping during the entire stay in the country. This part is surrendered when leaving the state.
But there is a limitation, an extension, perhaps no more than 1 year from the moment of crossing the border of the Russian Federation upon entry.
This document is also a tool for recording migrants entering and leaving the borders of the Russian Federation; the FMS is notified of a foreigner’s arrival in the country when he receives a personal MK at the time he crosses the border.
At the moment of issuing the MK, a countdown of the period of 7 days opens, which are given for official registration. Responsibility for the legality of a citizen’s official presence within the Russian Federation lies with the receiving party. If she is not able to process the registration of the foreigner, he is obliged to do it himself.
During the registration process, it is important to keep in mind that the inviting party is the person who made the application for the arrival of a foreigner. And information about this person is entered into MK. When registering with a branch of a migration organization, a foreigner is transferred to the MK.
Sample migration card
Expert opinion
Mikhailov Kirill Anatolievich
Lawyer with 10 years of experience. Specialization: civil law. Extensive experience in defense in court.
Penalty for loss
Despite the possibility of quick and complete free document recovery, in certain cases you will have to pay a fine.
Due to the fact that this form belongs to the category of official documents that confirm the fact of being in the Russian Federation, its loss will be punishable by a fine. The amount of such a sanction ranges from 2 to 5 thousand rubles . It will be imposed in a situation where migration officials prove that the migrant violated the deadline for applying. That is, I did not meet the allotted three days.
There is another reason for imposing a fine. This may include untimely renewal of a migration document. The amount of the sanction in this case depends on the reason for the delay. The amount may be reduced due to the presence of mitigating circumstances.
When can a fine be imposed for losing a migration card?
Despite the fact that document restoration is absolutely free, in some cases you will still have to pay.
Since this form is included in the list of documents confirming the legal presence of a migrant on the territory of the Russian Federation, its loss is punishable by a fine of 2,000 to 5,000 rubles, which will be imposed if it is proven that the migrant applied to the appropriate federal body executive power later than the period allotted by law.
Another reason for imposing a fine may be the untimely renewal of a migration card. The amount of the fine in this case depends on the reason for the delay and the presence of circumstances mitigating the guilt of the offender.
If you violate any of the rules for using a migration card, the punishment may be expulsion from the country or a ban on entry for a certain period.
How to leave the Russian Federation without a card?
If the document is lost, but you need to leave urgently, you won’t have to do anything complicated. It is enough just to contact the authorized body, get the required duplicate and calmly travel to your country.
If the loss was discovered immediately upon departure, you can fill out the form a second time. In other words, you can leave the country if you lose your card without any problems. But at the same time, sanctions for violation will be determined by the circumstances that arise in a particular situation.
How to leave Russia if your migration card is lost
If the loss of a migration card is discovered during your stay in Russia, you should immediately contact the authorized body, get a duplicate and calmly leave the country.
If the loss is discovered immediately upon leaving Russia, you can fill out the form again, so you can still leave the country if you lose your migration card, but the punishment for violating the migration regime will be determined by the circumstances prevailing in a particular situation.
What penalties may be applied?
If for some reason, when leaving the Russian Federation, a migrant did not submit a migration card at the border control or, in the absence of the original copy, refused to fill out the form again, then he will most likely be expelled from the country. The same applies to foreign citizens who provided false information about the purpose of the visit, for example, upon entry, the foreigner indicated that he was entering the country as a tourist, but in fact to carry out illegal work activities. It is worth noting that deportation from the country is a rather expensive procedure, so authorities usually use controlled independent departure.
It is worth knowing and remembering that when leaving, you must hand over your migration card yourself, otherwise the data about your departure will not be entered into the migrant database. Thus, the legal period of stay in the country will be exceeded, and this, in turn, is fraught with a ban on entry for some time.
The duration of the ban on entry into the Russian Federation depends on the number of days of delay:
- 120 days – the Russian border will be closed for three years;
- 270 days – entry will be closed for five years;
- for more than a year - the opportunity to enter the country will not appear earlier than in 10 years.
Considering the not-so-pleasant consequences, in this case it is better to simply pay the fine.
