State Program – Repatriate

Residence permit for participants in the State Program to Assist the Voluntary Resettlement of Compatriots Living Abroad to the Russian Federation as repatriates

Certain categories of foreign citizens are entitled to apply for a residence permit (hereinafter, a residence permit) in the Russian Federation and submit the necessary documents without first obtaining a temporary residence permit. These include foreign citizens—compatriots who have received participant status in the State Program to Assist the Voluntary Resettlement of Compatriots Living Abroad to the Russian Federation as repatriates, as well as their family members.

From the launch of the State Program in 2006 until 2024, it included the status of “compatriot.” In 2024, a new concept was introduced— “repatriate.” Persons who meet this definition are entitled to apply to participate in the State Program with this status.

A State Program participant who has received repatriate status may apply for a residence permit without going through the stage of obtaining a temporary residence permit (TRP), if for any reason they do not plan to acquire Russian citizenship in the near future.

Practical example: 

A citizen of Turkmenistan who has received repatriate status may not be ready to acquire Russian citizenship, since Turkmenistan’s legislation requires renunciation of previous citizenship. To retain the ability to visit relatives without a visa, they may apply for a residence permit under subparagraph 21 of paragraph 2 of Article 8 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ of 25.07.2002 “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation.”

Important conditions:

• Not only the primary applicant—the program participant—but also their family members listed on the participant certificate are entitled to apply for a residence permit.
• The program participant (repatriate) and their family members are exempt from proving knowledge of the Russian language, Russian history and the fundamentals of Russian legislation when submitting residence permit documents.

How to submit documents: To obtain a residence permit under subparagraphs 21 and 22 of paragraph 2 of Article 8 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ of 25.07.2002, the program participant (repatriate) and their family members must apply:

1. To the territorial office of the Main Directorate for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the constituent entity of the Russian Federation indicated on the State Program participant certificate.
2. Or to a diplomatic mission (consular office) of the Russian Federation abroad.

Document package
The current list of required documents can be downloaded here

List of documents for a foreign citizen who is a compatriot and has received participant status in the State Program to Assist the Voluntary Resettlement of Compatriots Living Abroad to the Russian Federation as a repatriate when applying for a residence permit.

For a foreign citizen who has received family-member status of a participant in the State Program to Assist the Voluntary Resettlement of Compatriots Living Abroad to the Russian Federation—a repatriate

An application for a residence permit may also be submitted to a diplomatic mission or consular office of the Russian Federation in the country where the application to participate in the State Program was submitted.

1. Application in 2 copies (printed double-sided).

The application is completed electronically or by hand in clearly legible block letters, in black, blue or purple ink, without corrections, alterations or unofficial abbreviations. All fields that are required to be completed must be filled in.

If the application does not have enough lines, additional information may be provided on a separate sheet attached to the application, following the format of the relevant application field and stating the applicant’s first name, last name and patronymic (if any).

If the application is submitted on paper in person to a migration unit or to a diplomatic mission or consular office of the Russian Federation, the applicant must sign it in the presence of the official receiving applications.

2. Document identifying the applicant.

The document must be valid for at least the period required to consider the application at the time it is submitted. 

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. (For applications submitted in Russia)

4. Birth certificate.

5. Documents confirming changes to the full name.

(Marriage certificate, divorce certificate, or civil registry office certificate in cases of multiple surname changes, or a certificate of change of name.)

6. A document confirming the absence of a criminal record or, if applicable, containing information about the crime for which the applicant was convicted.

Must be submitted by foreign citizens aged fourteen or older; the certificate is valid for 3 months on the date the application is submitted.

This document is not required from a foreign citizen who entered the Russian Federation under a visa-free regime.

(If applying for a residence permit after a TRP, this certificate does not need to be submitted again.)

7. Documents confirming that the foreign citizen 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.

The following are exempt from proving knowledge of the Russian language, Russian history and the fundamentals of the legislation of the Russian Federation when applying for a temporary residence permit or residence permit:

    • foreign citizens who have received participant status in the State Program to Assist the Voluntary Resettlement of Compatriots Living Abroad to the Russian Federation, or family-member status of a participant in that State Program.

9. Certificate of participation in the State Program to Assist the Voluntary Resettlement of Compatriots Living Abroad to the Russian Federation (repatriate notation).

For a family member—a copy of the State Program participant certificate.

10. Personal photographs, 35х45mm – 4 pcs. (matte, black and white or color).

Stateless persons must submit two photographs.

11. Receipt for payment of the state fee.

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

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

The period for providing the public service is 4 months.

When residence permit documents are accepted, a receipt confirming that the application has been accepted for consideration is issued.

If the application for a residence permit is not accepted, a receipt stating the reason is issued.

    • If documents (passport, birth certificate, etc.) show different spellings of geographical names, documentary proof of the renaming may be required. Such a certificate can be obtained, including 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 made by a notary in the Russian Federation.

  For countries that are not parties to the Hague Convention:

    • Documents must undergo consular legalization through Russian diplomatic missions abroad or the Consular Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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.

Under Article 8, paragraph 2, subparagraphs 21, 22 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation