Deportations from the Crimean ASSR

Residence permits for rehabilitated foreign nationals who were unlawfully deported from the Crimean ASSR, and their family members

Certain categories of foreign nationals are entitled to apply for a residence permit (hereinafter — residence permit) in the Russian Federation and submit the required documents without first obtaining a temporary residence permit. These include foreign nationals who personally, or whose direct-line ascendant relative, adoptive parent, or spouse, was unlawfully deported from the territory of the Crimean ASSR. This right also extends to direct-line descendants, adopted children, and the spouse of that foreign national.

Key requirement and required document
To obtain a residence permit on this basis, a foreign national must provide a certificate of rehabilitation for the person who was deported. This document is issued by authorized government bodies: an internal affairs body, a prosecutor's office of the Russian Federation, or a court.

Where can you obtain a certificate of rehabilitation?

1. Contact the Department of Regime, Classified Information and Documentation Support of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Republic of Crimea: 4 Bogdana Khmelnitskogo St., Simferopol, tel.: +7 (3652) 55-69-93.

2. Seek assistance in obtaining archival certificates from:
- Department for Interethnic Relations of the Simferopol City Administration
- Interethnic Relations Section of the Feodosia City Administration has initiated efforts to assist in obtaining archival certificates of deportation

Legal framework:
Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 268 dated 21.04.2014 (as amended on 12.09.2015) “On measures to rehabilitate the Armenian, Bulgarian, Greek, Crimean Tatar and German peoples and state support for their revival and development” 

Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia No. 93 dated 01.03.2021 “On approval of the Administrative Regulations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation for the provision of the public service of issuing certificates of rehabilitation in connection with exile, expulsion, assignment to special settlements, involvement in forced labor under conditions of restricted freedom, and other restrictions on rights and freedoms imposed administratively” 

Practical example: 
A citizen of the Kyrgyz Republic has a court certificate rehabilitating his grandfather, who was deported from the Crimean ASSR. Having documented the family relationship, this citizen may apply for a residence permit. His spouse, children and grandchildren may claim the same right.

Procedure for applying for a residence permit
To submit documents for a residence permit in the Russian Federation on the basis of subparagraph 8 of paragraph 2 of Article 8 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ dated 25.07.2002 “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation”, you must contact the territorial office of the Main Directorate for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia (GUVM MVD) at your place of actual stay .
The application processing period on this basis is 3 months from the date the complete set of documents is submitted. 

The current list of required documents in .pdf format can be downloaded here

List of documents to apply for a residence permit for a foreign national who personally, or whose direct-line ascendant relative, adoptive parent, or spouse, was unlawfully deported from the territory of the Crimean ASSR, and for a direct-line descendant, adopted child, or spouse of that foreign national, provided they submit a certificate of rehabilitation issued by an internal affairs body, prosecutor's office of the Russian Federation, or court

1. Application in 2 copies (printed double-sided).
The application must be completed electronically or by hand in legible block letters, in black, blue or violet ink, without corrections, marks or unofficial abbreviations. All fields that are required to be completed must be filled in. 
If there is insufficient space on the application form, additional information may be provided on a separate sheet attached to the application, following the format of the relevant application field and indicating the applicant's first name, surname and patronymic (if any). 
If the application is submitted on paper directly to a Russian migration affairs office, the applicant must sign it in the presence of the official accepting applications.

2. A document proving the applicant's identity.
(On the date of application, the document must remain valid for at least the application processing period). 

3. Migration card and detachable section of the notification of arrival of a foreign citizen or stateless person at their place of stay — migration registration.

4. Birth certificate.

5. Documents confirming changes to the applicant's full name.
(marriage certificate, divorce certificate, or registry office certificate in the event of multiple surname changes, or a certificate of name change).

6. A document confirming the absence of a criminal record or, if applicable, containing information about the offence for which the applicant was convicted. 
Must be submitted by foreign nationals aged fourteen or older; the certificate must be valid for 3 months on the date of application. 
This document is not required from a foreign national who entered the Russian Federation under a visa-free procedure.
(If applying for a residence permit after a temporary residence permit, this certificate does not need to be submitted again).

7. Documents confirming the authority of an adoptive parent, guardian or trustee.

8. Documents confirming that the foreign national does not have drug addiction or infectious diseases that pose a danger to others, as well as a certificate confirming that the applicant does not have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

9. One of the following documents confirming the foreign national's proficiency in Russian, knowledge of Russian history and the fundamentals of Russian legislation: *
- certificate of proficiency in Russian, knowledge of Russian history and the fundamentals of Russian legislation at a level corresponding to the purpose of obtaining a temporary residence permit or residence permit;
- a state-issued education document (at a level no lower than basic general education), issued by an educational institution in a state that was part of the USSR before 1 September 1991;
- an education and/or qualification document issued to persons who successfully completed state final certification in the Russian Federation from 1 September 1991
- a decision recognizing the applicant as a native Russian speaker, adopted before 26 October 2023 by a commission of the federal executive authority in the field of internal affairs or its territorial body for recognizing a foreign citizen or stateless person as a native Russian speaker.

10. Marriage certificate — if an application for a residence permit is submitted by a direct-line ascendant relative of a foreign national whose adoptive parent or spouse was unlawfully deported from the territory of the Crimean ASSR.
   •  Documents confirming the degree of relationship (birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce certificate, adoption certificate, name-change certificate) — if an application for a residence permit is submitted by a foreign national who personally, or whose direct-line ascendant relative, adoptive parent or spouse, was unlawfully deported from the territory of the Crimean ASSR.
   • Certificate of rehabilitation issued by a prosecutor's office of the Russian Federation or a court.

11. Personal photographs 35х45mm — 4 pcs. (matte, black and white or color).
Stateless persons must provide two photographs.

12. Receipt for payment of the state fee.

All listed documents must be submitted as photocopies together with the ORIGINALS.

Copies made from original documents must be of good quality, easy to read, and contain all the information in the original document. Copies must be made on standard A4 sheets and must not be cut with scissors to match the dimensions of the original.

The public service processing period is 3 months. 
 
When residence permit documents are accepted, a certificate confirming that the application has been accepted for consideration is issued.
If the residence permit application is not accepted, a certificate stating the reason is issued.
 
   • If documents (passport, birth certificate, etc.) contain different spellings of geographic names, documentary confirmation of the renaming may be required. Such a certificate can also be obtained by proxy from the Russian State Library.
 
All official documents issued by foreign authorities in a foreign language must be legalized, translated and notarized.
    For countries party to the 1961 Hague Convention:

• The original document must be apostilled in the country where it was issued.
• The document and the apostille affixed to it must be translated into Russian.
• The translation must be certified by a notarial endorsement by a notary in the Russian Federation.
      For countries that are not parties to the Hague Convention:
   • Documents are subject to consular legalization through consular offices of the Russian Federation abroad or the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.

Documents drawn up in a foreign language must be translated into Russian. If a document is drawn up in several languages and none of them is Russian, a translation from one language chosen by the applicant must be submitted. The accuracy of the translation or the authenticity of the translator's signature must be notarized in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of the Russian Federation on notaries.

* The following applicants are exempt from confirming proficiency in Russian, knowledge of Russian history and the fundamentals of Russian legislation when applying:
   • foreign nationals who are legally incapacitated or have limited legal capacity; 
   • foreign nationals under the age of eighteen;
   • male foreign nationals aged sixty-five or older; 
   • female foreign nationals aged sixty or older; 
   • foreign nationals who have obtained participant status in the State Programme to Assist the Voluntary Resettlement to the Russian Federation of Compatriots Living Abroad, or the status of a family member of a participant in that State Programme; 
   • highly qualified foreign specialists and their family members who have applied for the residence permit specified in paragraph 27 of Article 13.2 of this Federal Law; 
   • foreign nationals who are citizens of the Union State formed by the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus;
   • foreign nationals applying for a residence permit who have a parent (adoptive parent, guardian or trustee), son or daughter who is a citizen of the Russian Federation and permanently resides in the Russian Federation; 
   • foreign nationals who are citizens of Ukraine; 
   • foreign nationals referred to in subparagraph 8 of paragraph 3 of Article 6 of Federal Law 115 (who have entered military service) and subparagraph 20 of paragraph 2 of Article 8 of Federal Law 115 (foreign nationals who, during the special military operation, have entered into a contract for military service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation or military formations for a term of one year (hereinafter — military personnel), and their family members, including in the event of the military personnel's death. Family members of military personnel are their spouse, children (including adopted children) and parents (including foster parents). 
   • Highly qualified foreign specialists working under the procedure established by Article 13.2 of this Federal Law, and foreign journalists working for organizations established specifically to produce and publish mass media in foreign languages, are exempt from confirming proficiency in Russian, knowledge of Russian history and the fundamentals of Russian legislation when applying for a work permit.

On the basis of subparagraph 8 of paragraph 2 of Article 8 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation