Having a Child Who Is a Citizen of the Russian Federation

Residence permit based on having a child who is a citizen of the Russian Federation

Attention!
Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated 05.11.2025 No. 821 “On the Temporary Procedure for Admission to Citizenship of the Russian Federation and Issuance of a Residence Permit in the Russian Federation”* has been in effect since November 5, 2025.

Certain categories of foreign nationals are entitled to submit an application and the required set of documents for a residence permit (hereinafter referred to as a residence permit) in the Russian Federation without first obtaining a temporary residence permit. These include persons who have a child who is a citizen of the Russian Federation and permanently resides in Russia.

Under legislative amendments introduced on 25.01.2025, the following categories of foreign nationals may apply for a residence permit based on having a child:

1. A foreign national married to a citizen of the Russian Federation and having a minor child together.

Condition: Having a minor child born or adopted in an officially registered marriage to a citizen of the Russian Federation who permanently resides in Russia.

Practical example: 

A German citizen entered into an officially registered marriage with a Russian citizen in 2020, and they had a child together who holds Russian citizenship and is registered at a place of residence in one of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The foreign national is entitled to apply for a residence permit. In this case, registration at the place of residence in the Russian Federation at the address of the spouse, a Russian citizen, will be required.

2. A foreign national who is not married to a Russian citizen but has a child together with them.

• Condition: Having a child who is a citizen of the Russian Federation and permanently resides in Russia, whose other parent is also a Russian citizen. A court judgment confirming the following facts must be provided:
• Living together with the child in the Russian Federation and participating in the child's maintenance and upbringing OR
• Living together with the child's mother (father) in the Russian Federation and sharing a household with her (him).
• The stated facts must have existed for at least three years before the date of application for a residence permit.

Practical example: 

A German citizen who is not married to a Russian citizen has a child with her who is a citizen of the Russian Federation. He can apply for a residence permit only if he proves in court that he lived together with the child and the child's mother in Russia for three years and participated in the child's maintenance and upbringing.

3. A foreign national who is the sole parent (adoptive parent) of a child who is a citizen of the Russian Federation.

• Condition: The foreign national is the sole parent (adoptive parent) of a child who is a citizen of the Russian Federation and permanently resides in Russia. Sole-parent status is confirmed where the other parent is unknown, has been declared legally incapacitated by a court, has died, has been declared dead, has been declared missing, has been deprived of parental rights, or their whereabouts have not been established.

Practical example: 

A German citizen is widowed, or his spouse (a Russian citizen) has been declared legally incapacitated or missing. In this case, as the sole parent, he is entitled to submit documents for a residence permit based on his child, a citizen of the Russian Federation.

4. A foreign national who has an adult child who is a citizen of the Russian Federation.

Condition: Having an adult child who is a citizen of the Russian Federation and permanently resides in its territory (registered at a place of residence). The requirements for submitting documents on this basis have not changed. In this case, it is sufficient for the adult child to hold Russian citizenship and be registered at a place of residence.

*Under Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated 05.11.2025 No. 821 “On the Temporary Procedure for Admission to Citizenship of the Russian Federation and Issuance of a Residence Permit in the Russian Federation”, legally competent foreign male citizens and stateless persons aged 18 to 65 applying for a residence permit in the Russian Federation on the following grounds:

Paragraph 4 of Part 2 of Article 8 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ dated 25.07.2002 (having a parent, adoptive parent, guardian, custodian, spouse, or child (including an adult child) who is a citizen of the Russian Federation and permanently resides in Russia);

Subparagraph 23 of Part 2 of Article 8 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ dated 25.07.2002 (having a child who is a citizen of the Russian Federation while not married to the other parent, a Russian citizen, with cohabitation confirmed),

may do so only if one of the following conditions is met:

• a) entering into a contract for military service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation or the rescue military formations of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia for a period of at least one year;
• b) discharge from military service on the grounds provided for in subparagraphs “a”–“d” of Paragraph 1 of Article 51 of Federal Law No. 53-FZ dated 28.03.1998 “On Military Duty and Military Service”;
• c) being found unfit for military service upon entering into a military service contract.

This requirement does not apply to citizens of the Republic of Belarus.

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

List of documents for a foreign national applying for a residence permit who has a child born (adopted) in a marriage to a citizen of the Russian Federation permanently residing in the Russian Federation, or an adult child who is a citizen of the Russian Federation and permanently resides in the Russian Federation

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, erasures, or unofficial abbreviations. All fields that are mandatory must be completed.

If the application does not provide enough lines, additional information may be set out on a separate sheet attached to the application, following the format of the relevant application field and specifying the applicant's first name, last name, and patronymic (if any).

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

2. A document proving the applicant's identity.

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

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

4. Birth certificate.

5. Documents confirming changes to personal details (full name).

(Marriage certificate, divorce certificate, or a certificate from the civil registry office in cases 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 offense for which the applicant was convicted.

Must be submitted by foreign nationals aged fourteen or older; the certificate is 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. A document confirming that the foreign national is able to support themselves and their family members in the Russian Federation at no less than the subsistence minimum, without relying on state assistance (except for foreign nationals recognized as unable to work), in an amount of at least 4 regional subsistence minimums (if using a Sberbank certificate, this is 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 whom the applicant is dependent;

- certificate confirming a bank deposit, indicating 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, and a certificate confirming that the applicant does not have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

9. The following are exempt from confirming proficiency in Russian and knowledge of Russian history and the fundamentals of Russian law when applying for a temporary residence permit or residence permit:

    • 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.

10. If applying based on a minor child (under 18):

- The child's birth certificate listing the parent

- Registration of the child's place of residence if under 14 (Form No. 8)

- Marriage certificate.

If applying based on an adult child:

- Passport of the adult child, a citizen of the Russian Federation, with a place-of-residence registration stamp in the passport.

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

Stateless persons must submit two photographs.

12. Receipt for payment of the state fee.

13. A document confirming that the foreign national has residential premises on grounds provided for by Russian law, where the right has not been 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 listed documents must be submitted as photocopies together with the ORIGINALS.

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

The public service processing period is 4 months.

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

If acceptance of the residence permit application is refused, a certificate stating the reason is issued.

    • If documents (passport, birth certificate, etc.) contain different spellings of geographical names, documentary confirmation of a name change may be required. Such a certificate can be obtained, including by proxy, from the Russian State Library.

All official documents issued by foreign government 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 must undergo consular legalization through the consular offices of the Russian Federation 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 notarial law.

Pursuant to Article 8, Paragraph 2, Subparagraph 4 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation