How much does a residence permit cost in Russia

A residence permit confirms the right of a foreigner to permanently live in the country, work or do business. This document gives almost the same amount of rights as Russian citizens have and imposes very few restrictions. In addition, a residence permit is a prerequisite for obtaining Russian citizenship.

How much does a residence permit cost in Russia: independent registration

Most often, before applying for a residence permit, you must obtain a temporary residence permit. There are exceptions to this rule, for example, for valuable professionals or participants in federal resettlement programs. However, most migrants receive a temporary residence permit first. This document does not allow to move freely within the country, since it is valid only in a particular region. But it can be difficult to get it, as most often you need to get quota for this.

Accordingly, if you do not have a temporary residence permit, and you do not belong to the privileged categories of foreigners, the cost of a residence permit must include the costs of obtaining a temporary residence permit. Please also keep in mind that after receiving it, at least 8 months shall pass so that you can apply for a residence permit.

Regarding the question of how much a residence permit in Russia costs, take into account the amount of state duty and other mandatory costs associated with the procedure for issuing a document. Such expenses, for example, include fees for passing a medical examination, fees for passing an exam in Russian language proficiency, knowledge of the history of Russia and the basics of legislation. If you complete the paperwork yourself, consider only the mandatory costs. But in addition, you may need the help of a lawyer.

To calculate the cost of a residence permit in Russia, add up all the mandatory payments associated with the preparation of a package of documents for the migration service. We will consider them in more detail below. However, it should be borne in mind that if your application is rejected due to errors in documents or other formalities, no one will return the fees paid to you. Therefore, it is better to additionally use the advice of a lawyer or request legal support, but to be sure that the package of documents and the application is completed correctly, than to pay all the fees several times by submitting requests to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Obligatory expenses: payment of the state duty for a residence permit in Russia

One of the main duties of a foreign citizen when obtaining a residence permit in the Russian Federation is to pay the state duty for a residence permit in Russia. Due to new legislative amendments that came into force in November 2019, the amount of the state fee for issuing a residence permit has been increased and currently amounts to 5000 rubles.

As for passing the Russian language proficiency exam, knowledge of the history of Russia and the basics of legislation, its cost is on average 3000-5000 rubles. To pass the exam, you must pay for it and provide a migration card and passport of a foreign citizen. The exam is not difficult; if you are fluent in Russian, you can handle it easily. But it still might be useful to prepare for it.

A medical examination by a foreign person is usually carried out on a commercial basis. Thus, at this stage, those wishing to obtain a residence permit in Russia will have to incur certain costs. On average, the total cost of a medical examination with all the necessary procedures does not exceed 6000 rubles. Also important is the fact that certificates confirming the passage of medical examination and obtained in the homeland of a foreign person are not recognized by Russia. Thus, the cost of a medical examination cannot be avoided.

In addition to the above-mentioned costs associated with obtaining a residence permit, a foreign citizen will have to incur other mandatory costs that directly increase the cost of a residence permit in Russia. These include the payment for the services of a notary, a visit to which will be necessary in order to certify the correct translation of all foreign documents. The need is due to the fact that documents of a foreign citizen that have not been translated into Russian cannot be accepted by the relevant state bodies.

Requirements for financial state of a foreigner

Another important aspect of obtaining a residence permit in Russia is the financial support of a foreign citizen. The costs of this part can be called indirect, but do not forget about them. To obtain a residence permit, a foreigner must be obliged to prove that he has a legal income that meets the required minimum. This minimum is at least 12 times the minimum subsistence level for the year preceding the application for a residence permit. The average cost of living is from 9000 to 11000 rubles.

Penalties for lack of documents

It may seem that it is much more advisable not to obtain a residence permit at all and, as a result, not to bear the costs associated with contacting the Ministry of Internal Affairs. However, in this case, there is a risk of adverse consequences for the foreign citizen. Sanctions can be in the form of a fine, which will be obliged to pay a foreign citizen illegally staying in the territory of the Russian Federation, or in the form of deportation from the country without the right of subsequent entry for several years.

Thus, the cost of obtaining a residence permit in the Russian Federation is the sum of all necessary costs incurred by a foreign citizen in the direct execution of documents and legalization of his own stay in the Russian Federation. Neglect of paperwork is fraught with serious consequences for a foreigner, which may entail not only fines, but also deportation of the citizen.