Dear CERBA Members and Partners,

According to the information kindly provided by CERBA Corporate Member – Intermark Relocation, please be informed that the suspension of terms for stay of foreigners in Russia and duration terms for some of their documents has been prolonged, as prescribed by newly published decree by the president of Russia No. 364 dated June 15, 2021.

Full text of the decree is available at the following link (in Russian).

What are the changes?

Starting from June 16 and until 90 days after resuming regular transport communication  (List of countries and dates when the restrictions for them are lifted is approved by the Russian government in the relevant decree) with the foreign citizen’s country of citizenship/residence the following terms are suspended:

– Permitted terms of stay in Russia

– Terms of valid migration registration (i.e. notification on arrival of foreign citizen at the place of stay)

– Terms for temporary / permanent residence permit and highly qualified specialist’s work permit termination in case if foreign citizen stays outside of Russia for more than 6 months

– Duration terms for the following documents:

From June 16 until September 30, 2021 inclusive:

– no decisions are made on expulsion / deportation / ban on entry in relation to foreign citizens who are in the territory of the Russian Federation

– foreign citizens who arrived in Russia before March 15, 2020 and are illegally in the country as of June 16, 2021, have the right to apply to state authorities to settle their legal status or to leave the Russian Federation

From June 16 until December 31, 2021 inclusive:

– duration terms are suspended for:

– citizens of the EAEU countries can conclude labor or civil law contracts without taking into account their purpose of entering the Russian Federation (as stated in their migration cards)

– visa-free foreign citizens have the right to issue (re-issue) a work patent without taking into account the period of application and their purpose of entry into the Russian Federation

– employers (companies) with a corporate work permit have the right to apply for an extension / issuance of personal work permits without taking into account the purpose of the foreigner workers’ entry into the Russian Federation

– work permits / patents issued during the above period, labor or civil contracts concluded during the above period are to remain valid in accordance with the terms specified in them

Intermark comment

This extension of the "migration amnesty" is unique in that for the first time it lacks a clear end to the suspension of periods of stay, as well as the duration terms of visas and migration cards. Now it is even more important follow the official reports on the resumption of regular transport communication with certain countries. This should be helped by the publication of a list of countries approved by the Government of the Russian Federation, in which the dates for lifting the restrictions will be clearly stated.

Traditionally, we would also like to remind that the "migration amnesty" does not cancel the obligation to submit migration notifications, as well as to do migration registration upon arrival of foreigner citizen in the Russian Federation or at a new place of stay, or when the information contained in the migration registration changes.

_____________________________