Contract with the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation

Residence permit based on a contract with the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation

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, during the special military operation, entered into a contract for military service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation or other military formations for a term of at least one year. This right also extends to the service member’s family members, including in the event of the service member’s death.

Under current legislation, a service member’s family members are their spouse, children (including adopted children), and parents (including adoptive parents).

Practical example: 

A Lithuanian citizen entered into a contract for military service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation for a term of at least one year during the special military operation. In this case, they are entitled to apply for a residence permit. The same right applies to their close relatives (family members) listed in the law, and they retain it even in the event of the service member’s death.

How to submit the documents: To obtain a residence permit on this basis, the foreign national (contract service member) and their family members must apply to the authorized territorial office of the Main Directorate for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia at their place of stay.

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

List of documents to apply for a residence permit by a foreign national 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, and by their family members, including in the event of the service member’s death. The service member’s family members are their spouse, children (including adopted children), and parents (including adoptive parents).

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

The application must be completed electronically or by hand, legibly in block letters, in black, blue, or violet ink, without corrections, erasures, or unofficial abbreviations. All fields required to be completed must be filled in.

If the application does not contain enough lines for completion, additional information may be provided on a separate sheet attached to the application, using the same details as the corresponding application field and making sure to state the applicant’s first name, last name, and patronymic (if any) on the attachment.

If the application is submitted in paper form directly to a Russian migration office, the applicant must sign it in the presence of the official receiving applications.

2. Document proving the applicant’s identity.

(At the time the application is submitted, the document must remain valid for at least the application processing period.) 

3. Migration card and detachable portion of the arrival notification form for a foreign national 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 a certificate from the civil registry office if the surname has been changed more than once, or a certificate of change of name.)

6. A document confirming the absence of a criminal record or, if there is one, containing information about the offense for which the applicant was convicted.

Must be provided by a foreign national 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 national who arrived in 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 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 confirming their 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:

- a foreign national 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 adoptive parents).

9. The contract for military service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation or military formations, entered into by the service member for a term of one year, or a duly certified copy of that contract (for family members of a foreign service member).

10. Personal photographs, 35х45мм – 4 pcs. (matte, black-and-white or color).

Stateless persons must submit two photographs.

11. Receipt for payment of the state fee.

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

Copies of original documents must be of good quality, easy to read, and include all the information contained 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 state service is provided within 3 months.

When documents for a temporary residence permit, residence permit, or Russian citizenship are accepted, a receipt confirming acceptance of the application for consideration is issued.

If an application for a temporary residence permit or residence permit is refused for acceptance, a certificate stating the reason is issued.

    • If documents (passport, birth certificate, etc.) give different spellings of geographical names, documentary proof of the 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 notary in the Russian Federation.

  For countries that are not parties to the Hague Convention:

    • Documents must undergo consular legalization through Russian 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 Russian Federation legislation on notaries.

Pursuant to Article 8, paragraph 2, subparagraph 20 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation