Tvoy Raschet

Migration card: what it is

A document a foreigner receives when entering Russia: it states the period and purpose of the visit (work, study, tourism). Keep the card until you leave.

In Russian: Миграционная карта·Migratsionnaya karta

Moving to Russia Checked by the editorial team Checked: September 2026

Key rules

Russia

The card is issued at the border and handed in when you leave. From 30 June 2026 an experiment is under way: for some visa-free foreigners (work, study) the details on the card are replaced by an electronic entry application in the “Gosuslugi RuID” app. Citizens of Belarus do not fill in a migration card. The rules change — check the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (МВД) and Gosuslugi.

Sources: Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, Main Directorate for Migration Affairs («МВД России, ГУВМ»), Federal Law No. 115-FZ on the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens («О правовом положении иностранных граждан»), ConsultantPlus

This information is for reference only and does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice. Prepared by our editorial team, last checked: September 2026. Found an error? Write to us.

Related terms

Migration registrationMandatory registration of a foreigner at the address where they live in Russia. Usually it is done by the landlord or the employer within 7 working days after arrival.Registration of residence (place of stay and place of residence)Registering a person at the address where they live. A foreigner without an RVP or VNZh registers at the place of stay; with an RVP or VNZh, at the place of residence.Work patentA document that lets a foreigner from a visa-free country work legally in one region of Russia. A fixed advance payment of personal income tax (НДФЛ, NDFL) is paid for it every month.Period of stay without a visa (the 90-day rule)How long a visa-free foreigner can stay in Russia without a patent, studies or an RVP. Since 5 February 2025, no more than 90 days in total per calendar year.

More in “Moving to Russia”

Temporary residence permit (RVP)Residence permit (VNZh)Admission to Russian citizenshipSNILS (pension insurance number)Gosuslugi (government services portal)Compulsory health insurance policy (OMS)Medical examination and fingerprinting for foreignersExam in Russian language, history and lawNotarised translation of documentsApostille and legalisationVisaNotice of a foreigner's employmentWorkers from EAEU countriesRegister of controlled personsWork for foreign studentsMain Directorate for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (GUVM)

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