Mandatory procedures for foreign students for undergoing medical examinations, fingerprinting, and photographing
In accordance with Federal Law No. 115-FZ, dated July 25, 2002 "On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation," all foreign citizens arriving in the Russian Federation for a period longer than 90 calendar days must undergo a medical examination, fingerprinting, and photographing (hereinafter, "MEFP").
General Information
All foreign citizens arriving in Russia before and after December 29, 2021 must undergo MEFP procedures.
Foreign citizens must undergo MEFP procedures within 90 calendar days from the date of their arrival in the Russian Federation.
IMPORTANT: Please note!
In accordance with Russian Federation Government Resolution No. 1340, dated July 28, 2022 "On Amending Russian Federation Government Resolution No. 1134, dated October 31, 2014," effective July 28, 2022 citizens of Ukraine, the Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) and the Lugansk People's Republic (LNR) temporarily residing on the territory of the Russian Federation, as well as their family members (children, spouses, parents), can undergo medical examinations for free when filing an application for a temporary or permanent residence permit in the Russian Federation (known by their Russian abbreviations РВП [RVP] and ВНЖ [VNZh], respectively), or upon filing an application for Russian citizenship. The relevant expenses will be covered by federal budget funds.
The following individuals are exempt from undergoing mandatory MEFP:
- citizens of the Republic of Belarus;
- members of the families of officials of international organisations, as well as of employees of diplomatic and consular institutions in Russia;
- foreign citizens with dual citizenship, one of which is Russian citizenship;
- foreign citizens who hold a Russian temporary residence permit (in Russian: РВП, or RVP), a temporary residence permit for education (in Russian: РВПО, or RVPO), or a permanent residence permit (in Russian: ВНЖ, or VNZh);
- stateless persons who have received a temporary identification (ID) document;
- stateless persons as well as foreign citizens who have been deemed refugees or have been granted temporary asylum in the Russian Federation.
Liability for failure to undergo mandatory MEFP procedures
In accordance with Clause 23, Article 5 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ, dated July 25, 2002 "On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation," the period of temporary stay of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation may be curtailed, or a decision may be made to deem a given individual's stay (residency) in the Russian Federation as undesirable, or to prohibit a given individual from entering the Russian Federation:
- if a given foreign citizen fails to comply with the obligation to undergo mandatory fingerprinting, photographing, and/or medical examination procedures;
- if it is determined that a given foreign citizen has used narcotics or psychotropic substances without a doctor's prescription;
- if it is determined that a given foreign citizen is afflicted with a disease caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS), except for those cases stipulated under Paragraph 3, Clause 3, Article 11of Federal Law No. 38-FZ, dated March 30, 1995 "On Preventing the Spread in the Russian Federation of Diseases Caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS)";
- if it is determined that a given foreign citizen is afflicted with an infectious disease that poses a public health risk.
Recommended procedure for undergoing mandatory MEFP:
- Undergoing medical examination procedures.
- Undergoing fingerprinting and photographing procedures.
Undergoing medical examination procedures
1. Prepare the following documents for undergoing the medical examination procedures:
- your passport and a copy of it (main page with photograph);
- notarised translation of your passport into Russian (main page with photograph) and a copy of the notarised passport translation. If the data shown in your passport is duplicated in Russian, a notarised translation of the passport is not required;
- your visa and a copy of it (if applicable);
- your migration card and a copy of it;
- your registration slip and a copy of it;
- money to pay for the services (you will need to clarify the exact cost of the relevant services at the specific polyclinic providing them).
2. Select any one of the designated Moscow public polyclinics and plan your visit.
Once you have assembled the set of required documents, you will then need to visit one of the designated municipal public polyclinics.
The list of medical institutions in Moscow authorised to conduct medical examinations can be found in Clause 18, Article 5 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ, dated July 25, 2002 "On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation." *
In 2024, HSE University signed an agreement with Municipal Polyclinic No. 3 under the City of Moscow Healthcare Department (MHD) (hereinafter, "Moscow Polyclinic No. 3"), based on which adult foreign citizens admitted in 2024 as first-year students, to state-funded places under Russian Federation Government quotas, can undergo medical examination procedures free of charge, with all expenses covered by HSE University. See the link for more detailed information.
Make sure to verify the address and working hours of the polyclinic you plan to visit beforehand, as well as whether there is the option of scheduling an appointment to undergo your mandatory medical examination.
You must make sure to fast before your examination and arrive at the polyclinic on an empty stomach as you will be required to give blood samples for analysis. Before your visit to the polyclinic, it is recommended that you do not use any drugs or other products containing psychotropic, narcotic, soporific (sleeping aids), analgesic, or broncholytic substances, as well as tranquillizers or antitussives (cough suppressants). If you have a medical condition that requires taking a specific medication, you must have your prescription or medical note with you (if your prescription or medical note is in a foreign language, you will need to provide a Russian translation of it).
If your further plans include filing an application for a temporary residence permit for education (in Russian: РВПО, or RVPO), we recommend that you undergo your mandatory medical examination at the Multifunctional Migration Centre (MMC) Sakharovo (address: Varshavskoye Shosse, Kilometre 64, Premises 1, Bldg. 47, Village of Voronovskoye, Moscow), or at City of Moscow State Budgetary Healthcare Institution Moscow Applied Research Centre of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology under the City of Moscow Healthcare Department (address: 17 Leninsky Prospekt, Moscow).
The procedure for undergoing examinations by all necessary doctors will be determined by the polyclinic staff on the day of your visit. Upon completion of all examinations by the relevant doctors, you will be given a date for a follow-up visit to receive documents confirming that you have undergone your mandatory medical examination.
3. Follow-up visit to the municipal polyclinic to receive the examination results and relevant documents
At the appointed date and time, you must make a follow-up visit to the polyclinic to obtain your documents with the results of your mandatory medical examination:
1. medical report on the presence (absence) of infectious diseases that pose a public health risk;
You can familiarise yourself with the template form of the document here.
2. medical report on the absence of evidence of the use by the given foreign citizen or stateless person of narcotics or psychotropic substances without a doctor's prescription or any new, potentially dangerous psychoactive or hallucinogenic substances, or recreational drugs, and their metabolites;
You can familiarise yourself with the template form of the document here.
3. certificate of the absence of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS).
You can familiarise yourself with the template form of the document here.
You must verify that your personal data as shown in the medical reports and certificate match your personal data as shown in your migration card, while students from countries whose citizens are required to have a visa to enter Russia must verify that their personal data as shown in their medical reports and certificate match their personal data as shown in both their student visa and migration card. If an error is discovered in your personal data, you should inform the polyclinic staff member responsible for issuing documents so that the erroneous data can be corrected.
4. Send copies of the final documents to HSE University
Within one day after receiving the results of your mandatory medical examination, you must send scanned copies (photos) of the documents confirming that you have undergone your medical examination by email to isdocuments@hse.ru, with the following subject line "Full Name_Medical Examination Documents” (in Russian: "ФИО_Документы по медицинскому освидетельствованию"), or via the HSE App X - "Migration Centre"mobile app.
5. Undergo repeat mandatory medical examination procedures upon expiration of the term of validity of your documents
The medical reports and certificate on the mandatory medical examination results are valid for one year from the date of issue. Verify the expiration date of your documents and, within 30 days after they expire, repeat the process of undergoing the mandatory medical examination procedures. For repeat examinations, follow the instructions above.
IMPORTANT: You must undergo mandatory medical examinations every year throughout the entire period of your stay in the Russian Federation.
Within one day after receiving the results of your repeat mandatory medical examination, you must send scanned copies (photos) of the documents confirming that you have undergone your repeat medical examination by email to isdocuments@hse.ru, with the following subject line "Full Name_Medical Examination Documents” (in Russian: "ФИО_Документы по медицинскому освидетельствованию"), or via the HSE App X - "Migration Centre" mobile app.
* If you are planning to apply for RVPO in the future, you should pass the obligatory medical examination only at the clinics of Mosderm - it can be done either at MC Sakharovo itself, or at some branch e.g. at Leninskiy prospekt, 17. Certificates of examination issued by other clinics will not be accepted at MC Sakharovo.
Undergoing fingerprinting and photographing procedures
You can undergo fingerprinting and photographing procedures at one of the following institutions:
- local Migration Affairs Office of the Russian Federation Ministry of Internal Affairs (in Russian: "Территориальный орган МВД России по вопросам миграции") with jurisdiction over the address where you are staying and officially registered (there is a fee for the service);
- representative office of State Budgetary Institution (SBI) Migration Centre at the following address: 18 Ulitsa Bakhrushina, Bldg. 1, Moscow (there is a fee for the service);
- SBI Multifunctional Migration Centre (MMC) Sakharovo (there is a fee for the service).
Fingerprinting and photographing procedures for minor citizens are carried out only in the presence of their parents, or trusted representative, on the basis of a notarised power of attorney drawn up in the Russian Federation.
IMPORTANT: It is required to undergo fingerprinting and photographing procedures only one time, regardless of your entries to and exits from Russia.
1. Prepare the following documents for undergoing fingerprinting and photographing procedures:
- your passport and a copy of it (main page with photograph);
- notarised translation of your passport into Russian (main page with photograph). The notarised translation into Russian should be bound together with stitching with a copy of your passport attached. The translation and its notarisation should be executed in Russia;
- your visa and a copy of it (if applicable);
- your migration card and a copy of it;
- your registration slip and a copy of it;
- original copies of documents confirming that you have undergone the mandatory medical examination (medical report, certificate of absence of HIV/AIDS, addiction psychiatrist's report) and copies of these documents;
- student ID card (for obtaining discounts when undergoing paid procedures at SBI Migration Centre (address: 8 Ulitsa Bakhrushina, Bldg. 1, Moscow).
2. Select your preferred location for undergoing the procedures and plan your visit
Depending on your actual place of stay/residence, you will need to determine which specific local Migration Affairs Office of the Russian Federation Ministry of Internal Affairs you need to visit to undergo the required fingerprinting and photographing procedures. We also recommend checking the schedule of working hours of the local Russian Federation Ministry of Internal Affairs Migration Affairs Office that you plan to visit beforehand.
During the working hours (as per the schedule), visit the local Migration Affairs Office of the Russian Federation Ministry of Internal Affairs together with all necessary documents and undergo the required fingerprinting and photographing procedures. If your local Migration Affairs Office is experiencing a heavy flow of visitors, a Ministry of Internal Affairs official may set another date for you to undergo the fingerprinting and photographing procedures.
On the next business day after or on the same day you undergo the procedures, obtain the official document for confirming that a foreign citizen or stateless person has undergone mandatory fingerprinting and photographing procedures.
You can familiarise yourself with the template form of the document here.
3. Send a copy of the confirmation document to HSE University
Within one day after receiving the official document for confirming that a foreign citizen or stateless person has undergone mandatory fingerprinting and photographing procedures, you must send a scanned copy (photo) of the document by email to isdocuments@hse.ru, with the following subject line "Full Name_Fingerprinting and Photographing Documents” (in Russian: "ФИО_Документы дактилоскопия и фото"), or via the HSE App X - "Migration Centre" mobile app.
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