Citizenship of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine

Residence permit on the basis of citizenship of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine

Certain categories of foreign nationals are entitled to apply for a residence permit (hereinafter referred to as a residence permit) in the Russian Federation and submit the necessary documents without first obtaining a temporary residence permit, solely on the basis of their citizenship. These persons include citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

Practical example: 
A citizen of the Republic of Moldova who has arrived in Russia and decided to reside permanently in its territory is entitled, on the basis of their citizenship, to submit an application and the required documents for a residence permit to the authorized territorial body of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs in the constituent entity of the Russian Federation where they are temporarily staying and physically present.

The processing time for applications and documents for a residence permit for citizens of the aforementioned countries, from the date they are submitted to the territorial body of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, is 4 months. Citizens of the Republic of Belarus are an exception, for whom the processing period is 3 months.
After obtaining a residence permit, citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Moldova may apply for admission to citizenship of the Russian Federation in accordance with Clause 9 of Article 16 of Federal Law No. 138-FZ of 28.04.2023 “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation”. 

This simplified basis is not available to citizens of Ukraine.

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

List of documents for applying for a residence permit on the basis of citizenship of the Republic of Belarus
List of documents for applying for a residence permit on the basis of citizenship of the Republic of Kazakhstan or Moldova
List of documents for a foreign national who is a citizen of Ukraine applying for a residence permit

List of documents for applying for a residence permit on the basis of citizenship of the Republic of Belarus

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, errors or unofficial abbreviations. All fields that are required to be completed must be filled in. 
If there is insufficient space in the application, additional information may be provided on a separate sheet attached to the application, following the details of the corresponding application field and indicating the applicant’s first name, surname and patronymic (if any) on the attachment. 
If the application is submitted on paper directly to a migration division of the Russian Federation, the applicant must sign it in the presence of the official accepting applications.

2. Identity document of the applicant.
(At the time of application, the document must remain valid for at least the application processing period).\

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

4. Birth certificate.

5. Documents confirming changes to personal details.
(marriage certificate, divorce certificate or civil registry office certificate in the event of repeated surname changes, or a certificate of name change).
6. A document confirming that the foreign national can support themselves and their family members in the Russian Federation at no less than the subsistence minimum, without recourse to state assistance (except for foreign nationals recognized as unable to work), at least 4 regional subsistence minimums (if the certificate is from Sberbank, it must be Form 297).*
    * Such documents include:
- certificate of income and personal income tax amounts (formerly 2-NDFL);
- pension certificate;
- certificate from the territorial body of the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation confirming that a pension has been granted;
- confirmation of receipt of alimony;
- income certificate for the person on whose support the applicant depends;
- certificate confirming a bank deposit, stating the account number and deposit amount;
- another document confirming income from an activity not prohibited by law or inability to work.

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. The following are exempt from providing proof of Russian-language proficiency and knowledge of Russian history and the fundamentals of the legislation of the Russian Federation when applying:
   • foreign nationals who are citizens of the Union State formed by the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus.
10. A document confirming that the foreign national is a citizen of the Republic of Belarus.

11. Personal photographs, 35х45мм – 4 pcs. (matte, black-and-white or color).
Stateless persons must submit two photographs.

12. Receipt confirming payment of the state fee.

13. A document confirming that the foreign national has residential premises on the grounds provided for by the legislation of the Russian Federation, if the right to them is not registered in the Unified State Register of Real Estate, 
- if the foreign national applies for a residence permit more than three years after entering the Russian Federation.

All the 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 the information included 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 state service is provided within 3 months. 
 
Upon acceptance of residence permit documents, a receipt confirming that the application has been accepted for consideration is issued.
If the application is not accepted, a receipt stating the reason is issued.
 
   • If documents (passport, birth certificate, etc.) contain different spellings of geographical names, documentary confirmation of a renaming may be required. This 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 certified with an apostille 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 inscription by a notary in the Russian Federation. 

      For countries that are not parties to the Hague Convention:
   • Documents must undergo consular legalization through Russian Federation consular offices 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. 
 
On the basis of Article 8, paragraph 2, subparagraph 19 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation 

List of documents for applying for a residence permit on the basis of citizenship of the Republic of Kazakhstan or Moldova

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, errors or unofficial abbreviations. All fields that are required to be completed must be filled in. 
If there is insufficient space in the application, additional information may be provided on a separate sheet attached to the application, following the details of the corresponding application field and indicating the applicant’s first name, surname and patronymic (if any) on the attachment. 
If the application is submitted on paper directly to a migration division of the Russian Federation, the applicant must sign it in the presence of the official accepting applications.

2. Identity document of the applicant.
(At the time of application, the document must remain valid for at least the application processing period). 

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

4. Birth certificate.

5. Documents confirming changes to personal details.
(marriage certificate, divorce certificate or civil registry office certificate in the event of repeated surname changes, or a certificate of name change).
6. A document confirming that the foreign national can support themselves and their family members in the Russian Federation at no less than the subsistence minimum, without recourse to state assistance (except for foreign nationals recognized as unable to work), at least 4 regional subsistence minimums (if the certificate is from Sberbank, it must be Form 297).*
    * Such documents include:
- certificate of income and personal income tax amounts (formerly 2-NDFL);
- pension certificate;
- certificate from the territorial body of the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation confirming that a pension has been granted;
- confirmation of receipt of alimony;
- income certificate for the person on whose support the applicant depends;
- certificate confirming a bank deposit, stating the account number and deposit amount;
- another document confirming income from an activity not prohibited by law or inability to work.

7. 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. 
8. One of the following documents confirming that the foreign national has Russian-language proficiency and knowledge of Russian history and the fundamentals of the legislation of the Russian Federation: *
- certificate of proficiency in Russian and knowledge of Russian history and the fundamentals of the legislation of the Russian Federation at a level appropriate to the purpose of obtaining a temporary residence permit or residence permit;
- a state-standard 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 September 1, 1991;
- an education and/or qualification document issued to persons who successfully passed the state final assessment in the Russian Federation from September 1, 1991;
- a decision recognizing the person as a native Russian speaker, adopted before October 26, 2023 by a commission of the federal executive body responsible for internal affairs or its territorial body for recognizing a foreign national or stateless person as a native Russian speaker.

9. A document confirming that the foreign national is a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan or Moldova.

10. Personal photographs, 35х45мм – 4 pcs. (matte, black-and-white or color).
Stateless persons must submit two photographs.

11. Receipt confirming payment of the state fee.

12. A document confirming that the foreign national has residential premises on the grounds provided for by the legislation of the Russian Federation, if the right to them is not registered in the Unified State Register of Real Estate, 
- if the foreign national applies for a residence permit more than three years after entering the Russian Federation.

All the 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 the information included 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 state service is provided within 4 months. 
 
Upon acceptance of residence permit documents, a receipt confirming that the application has been accepted for consideration is issued.
If the application is not accepted, a receipt stating the reason is issued.
 
   • If documents (passport, birth certificate, etc.) contain different spellings of geographical names, documentary confirmation of a renaming may be required. This 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 certified with an apostille 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 inscription by a notary in the Russian Federation.
 
      For countries that are not parties to the Hague Convention:
   • Documents must undergo consular legalization through Russian Federation consular offices 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.

* The following are exempt from providing proof of Russian-language proficiency and knowledge of Russian history and the fundamentals of the legislation of the Russian Federation 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 over; 
   • female foreign nationals aged sixty or over; 
   • foreign nationals who have received participant status in the State Programme to Assist the Voluntary Resettlement of Compatriots Living Abroad to the Russian Federation, or the status of a family member of a participant in that State Programme; 
   • foreign nationals who are highly qualified specialists and their family members, who have applied for the residence permit specified in Clause 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 custodian), 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 entered military service) and subparagraph 20 of paragraph 2 of Article 8 of Federal Law 115 (foreign nationals who, during the special military operation, 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, a service member), and their family members, including in the event of the service member’s death. A service member’s family members are their spouse, children (including adopted children), and parents (including foster parents). 
   • The following are exempt from providing proof of Russian-language proficiency and knowledge of Russian history and the fundamentals of the legislation of the Russian Federation when applying for a work permit: foreign nationals who are highly qualified specialists and work in accordance with the procedure established by Article 13.2 of this Federal Law, and foreign nationals who are journalists working for organizations engaged in the production and publication of mass media established specifically to disseminate information in foreign languages.

On the basis of Article 8, paragraph 2, subparagraph 18 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation 

List of documents for a foreign national who is a citizen of Ukraine applying for a residence permit

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, errors or unofficial abbreviations. All fields that are required to be completed must be filled in. 
If there is insufficient space in the application, additional information may be provided on a separate sheet attached to the application, following the details of the corresponding application field and indicating the applicant’s first name, surname and patronymic (if any) on the attachment. 
If the application is submitted on paper directly to a migration division of the Russian Federation, the applicant must sign it in the presence of the official accepting applications.

2. Identity document of the applicant.
(At the time of application, the document must remain valid for at least the application processing period). 

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

4. Birth certificate.

5. Documents confirming changes to personal details.
(marriage certificate, divorce certificate or civil registry office certificate in the event of repeated surname changes, or a certificate of name change).
6. A document confirming that the foreign national can support themselves and their family members in the Russian Federation at no less than the subsistence minimum, without recourse to state assistance (except for foreign nationals recognized as unable to work), at least 4 regional subsistence minimums (if the certificate is from Sberbank, it must be Form 297).*
    * Such documents include:
- certificate of income and personal income tax amounts (formerly 2-NDFL);
- pension certificate;
- certificate from the territorial body of the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation confirming that a pension has been granted;
- confirmation of receipt of alimony;
- income certificate for the person on whose support the applicant depends;
- certificate confirming a bank deposit, stating the account number and deposit amount;
- another document confirming income from an activity not prohibited by law or inability to work.

7. 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.

8. The following are exempt from providing proof of Russian-language proficiency and knowledge of Russian history and the fundamentals of the legislation of the Russian Federation when applying:
   • foreign nationals who are citizens of Ukraine.

9. A document confirming that the foreign national is a citizen of Ukraine.

10. Personal photographs, 35х45мм – 4 pcs. (matte, black-and-white or color).
Stateless persons must submit two photographs.

12. No state fee is charged for issuing a residence permit.

13. A document confirming that the foreign national has residential premises on the grounds provided for by the legislation of the Russian Federation, if the right to them is not registered in the Unified State Register of Real Estate,
- if the foreign national applies for a residence permit more than three years after entering the Russian Federation.

All the 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 the information included 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 state service is provided within 4 months. 
 
Upon acceptance of residence permit documents, a receipt confirming that the application has been accepted for consideration is issued.
If the application is not accepted, a receipt stating the reason is issued.
 
   • If documents (passport, birth certificate, etc.) contain different spellings of geographical names, documentary confirmation of a renaming may be required. This 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 certified with an apostille 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 inscription by a notary in the Russian Federation.
 
      For countries that are not parties to the Hague Convention:
   • Documents must undergo consular legalization through Russian Federation consular offices 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. 
 
On the basis of Article 8, paragraph 2, subparagraph 18 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation