PhD student: visa-free
1. What should I do when crossing the border to enter Russia?
You will be required to provide your passport, and a migration card. You will receive a migration card on the plane/train/bus, or at the actual border checkpoint. If you are crossing the Russian border from Belarus, please note the special procedure. Citizens of Belarus shall not be issued a migration card.
Please refer to our guide to make sure that you or the checkpoint officer have filled in your migration card correctly. Make sure the purpose of travel highlighted is "education".
If you find an error in your migration card while crossing the border, contact the checkpoint officer.
If you find an error in your migration card after you left the checkpoint, most likely, you will have to leave Russia and come back.
3. How soon should I get registered upon arrival?
Within 3 business days. We recommend to do it on the next day after entering Russia.
Please note, in case you fail to get registered upon arrival, you will be subject to a state penalty of 7000 rubles and might be deported and rejected further entry to Russia.
Do not buy registration services from untrustworthy companies, it is provided by the MIA of Russia free of charge. You must be registered strictly at the address of your actual stay in Russia.
5. When should I obtain the medical insurance policy?
Upon arrival to Russia you should obtain the medical insurance policy. Find the list of available medical insurance programs here. After obtaining the medical policy, you should send a scan of it to the manager of your study program.
2. What should I do after crossing the border into Russia?
Foreign citizens are required to get a migration registration every time they cross the border to enter Russia. If you violate this rule, you may be subject to a fine of up to 7,000 roubles, deportation from Russia, and a ban on entry for up to three years. What you may need to do to get your migration registration will depend on your place of residence in Russia. The procedure depends on your place of staying and has no fee.
Please make sure that you keep your registration slip and migration card on your person up until your departure from Russia as these documents may be requested at the border checkpoint when leaving the country.
I will be staying in the dormitory
The dormitory passport officer will help you obtain your migration registration. Please visit him/her on the next business day after arrival with your passport and migration card.
You may need a petition on an HSE University letterhead. To obtain the petition, send a request to the HSE Visa and Registration Centre at visa-registration@hse.ru. If your local office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (or Multifunctional Public Services Centre ‘My Documents’) requests the petition which is different from the standard one, attach a file with the relevant template form (it is usually displayed on an information board at the Ministry of Internal Affairs office/ Multifunctional Public Services Centre ‘My Documents’ or can be provided by the officer upon request).
As soon as your petition is ready, you will be informed by e-mail about when you can collect it from the outgoing mailbox at the HSE Visa and Registration Centre at a convenient time. It usually takes 3 working days to process your application for the petition.
You can ask the passport officer when your migration registration will be ready. Please refer to our guide to check your registration slip when you get it. If you find an error in your registration slip, contact your dormitory passport officer. You will receive a new registration slip within a few days. Until you do, please keep the registration slip with the error.
I will be staying at a private flat
The owner of your flat will help you obtain a registration slip. Please visit him/her on the next business day after arrival with your passport and migration card. The owner of the flat can refer to our guide.
You may need a petition on an HSE University letterhead. To obtain the petition, send a request to the HSE Visa and Registration Centre at visa-registration@hse.ru. If your local office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (or Multifunctional Public Services Centre ‘My Documents’) requests the petition which is different from the standard one, attach a file with the relevant template form (it is usually displayed on an information board at the Ministry of Internal Affairs office/ Multifunctional Public Services Centre ‘My Documents’ or can be provided by the officer upon request).
As soon as your petition is ready, you will be informed by e-mail about when you can collect it from the outgoing mailbox at the HSE Visa and Registration Centre at a convenient time. It usually takes 3 working days to process your application for the petition.
Furthermore, please note that at all times you must apply for a migration registration as soon as possible.
You may ask the owner of your flat when your extended registration will be ready. Please refer to our guide to check your registration slip when you get it. If you find an error in your registration slip, contact the owner of your flat. You will receive a new registration slip within a few days. Until you do, please keep the registration slip with the error.
I am staying in a hotel/hostel
Your hotel receptionist will help you obtain your migration registration. Do not forget to get it from them.
Please refer to our guide to check your registration slip when you get it. If you find an error in your registration slip, contact your hotel receptionist. You will receive a new registration slip within a few days. Until you do, please keep the registration slip with the error.
4. Which other procedures should I undergo after arrival to Russia?
All foreign students* are obliged to undergo the following compulsory procedures within 90 days since their arrival:
- Medical examination carried out at State hospital of Moscow #3 (in case you need assistance, contact Visa and Registration Centre). A sample of the medical check-up certificate can be seen here.
- Biometric photography and obligatory fingerprinting made at the territorial department of migration of the MIA of Moscow (MVD). Find a sample of the fingerprinting certificate. Do not confuse it with a voluntary fingerprinting where you do not get any certificate.
Read further information here.
* Citizens of Belarus, as well as holders of Russian temporary and permanent residence permits are exempt from these procedures.
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