How to Register Russian Visa?

What is Russian Visa Registration?

It is a form of migration control controlled by the Russian Federal Migration Service (FMS). It involves getting a stamp on your migration card or passport and getting a registration slip. These show the period during which you are registered to stay at a place, where you live, and who your sponsoring organization is.

Is there a need to register my Visa for Russia?

You must register your visa during each visit to Russia and re-register it for each city where you stay for at least seven business days. You also need to register if you want to get married in Russia.

If you have registered your Russian visa in your arrival city and then moved on to another city for less than a week, you are not required to register, but we encourage you to do so if possible.

How can I register for my Russian visa?

The registration of a Russian visa depends on the kind of visa you have, the city you are visiting, and the accommodation you are staying in.

There may be some special cases for specific restricted areas or cities, but the following rules apply to most travellers:

1. If you already have a business or tourist visa and are staying in a hotel:

Most hotels register you at the reception upon check-in. They will scan your passport and visa before returning your passport to you with a duplicate of your registration. It will not take more than a few minutes.

Although rare, some hotels may charge a fee for this procedure, the cost of which is calculated from hotel to hotel. Remember that you should always have your passport with you when traveling in Russia, so don't leave your residence without it.

2. If you already have a business or tourist visa and are NOT staying in a hotel:

When you are traveling to Moscow or any other city within Russia and want to register your visa, you would have two choices:

You can register at the local postal office.

You can register your visa with the local FMS (Federal Migration Service).

3. If you already have a private visa:

You must take your migration card and passport to the local FMS (Federal Migration Service) office when you reach the city that provided the invitation you utilized for your visa. You should not require any other documents as all your details and information is included in the visa itself.

Registration with the local FMS office:

 You can fill out the necessary forms yourself and request them directly to the local office of the Federal Migration Service (FMS). This authority should be responsible for the place in which you are living. Your landlord must accompany you to fill out the "Notification of Arrival" form.

You must submit both the original and copies of the following documents:

1. All used pages in your passport involve the photo page.
2. Your migration card with the entry stamp.
3. Your current visa with the entry stamp.
4. Internal passport of your landlord.
5. Current registration stamp of your landlord in your passport. It should match the address you register at.
6. A document that proves your homeowner owns the property you will be living in.

If you did everything right, the procedure should take almost 15 minutes.

What happens if the visa is not registered?

Although rare, your passport and visa may be randomly checked by local police, and if you have not registered your visa, you may be fined locally from 2,000 to 5,000 rubles. They can also take you to the police station to check your ID, passport, and visa and collect further fines.

How long will I stay in Russia after my visa is registered?

You can stay in Russia during the validity period of your visa. However, you may be required to renew your visa registration when it doesn't cover the entire period you intend to stay in Russia.