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Legislation  Russian Federation  Legislation on departure from the Rusian Federation and entry to the Russian Federation and on legal status of foreign citizens and stateless persons in the Russian Federation 

Federal Act dated August 15, 1996 ¹ 114-FZ

“Of the procedure of departure from the Russian Federation and entry to the Russian Federation”

(Amended on July 18, 1998, June 24, 1999, January 10, June 30, 2003, June 29, 2004)

Approved by State Duma on July 18, 1996

     Anyone can freely leave the borders of the Russian Federation. A citizen of the Russian Federation has the right to return freely to the Russian Federation.

Chapter I. General provisions

     Article 1.

      Departure from the Russian Federation and entry to the Russian Federation (including transit) is regulated by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, international treaties of the Russian Federation, this Federal Act, other Federal Acts, Resolutions adopted by the Government of the Russian Federation according to these Federal Acts.
     If the international treaty of the Russian Federation establishes diverse rules than those, stipulated by this Federal Act, the rules of the international treaty are in force.

     Article 2.

     Citizen of the Russian Federation can not be limited in his (her) right to depart from the Russian Federation but on the basis and by procedure provided by this Federal Act.
     Citizen of the Russian Federation can not be deprived of the right to enter the Russian Federation.
     The departure of citizen of the Russian Federation from the Russian Federation does not attract any limitations of the rights guaranteed by the legislation of the Russian Federation and the international obligations of the Russian Federation for him(her), his(her) marital partner or close relatives.

     Article 3.

     Procedure of intersection of State Border of the Russian Federation while departing from the Russian Federation and entering the Russian Federation is regulated by the Act of the Russian Federation “Of State border of the Russian Federation” and this Federal Act.

     Article 4.

    Citizens of the Russian Federation outside the Russian Federation are under protection and patronage of the Russian Federation.
     Diplomatic missions and consular offices of the Russian Federation are obliged to provide protection and to render patronage to citizens of the Russian Federation according to the procedure instituted by the legislation of the Russian Federation and international treaties of the Russian Federation.

     Article 5.

     In case of an extraordinary situation on the territory of the foreign state, the Russian Federation guarantees provision of diplomatic, economical and other measures provided by international law to ensure safety of citizens of the Russian Federation on the territory of this foreign state.
     If circumstances arise on the territory of any foreign state severely handicapping the provision of measures to protect and to render patronage to citizens of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Russian Federation informs citizens of the Russian Federation of the undesirability of entry to this state. Such guidelines can not be considered as temporary limiting the right to depart from the Russian Federation.

     Article 6.

     Departure from the Russian Federation and entry to the Russian Federation is executed by citizens of the Russian Federation with original documents identifying them outside the Russian Federation. The procedure of legalization, issue and withdrawal of these documents is determined by this Federal Act.
     Foreign citizens or stateless persons must provide original documents identifying them and recognized by the Russian Federation and visa when entering the Russian Federation and departing from the Russian Federation if diverse is not stipulated by the international treaty of the Russian Federation.
     Stateless persons enter the Russian Federation and departure from the Russian Federation according to rules for foreign citizens provided by this Federal Act, if diverse is not provided by this Federal Act, other Federal Acts or international treaty of the Russian Federation.
     The control for availability of visas or other forms of foreign state entry permits for citizens is the responsibility of the transport company if diverse is not provided by international treaty of the Russian Federation.
     This Federal Act does not evaluate as departure from the Russian Federation and as entry to the Russian Federation the intersection of State Border by citizen of the Russian Federation or foreign citizen with valid visa while traveling from one part of the Russian Federation to another and transiting the territory of a foreign state or crossing by ship the exclusive economic area of the Russian Federation or the open sea without visiting foreign ports.

Chapter II. Procedure of legalization and issue of documents for departure from the Russian Federation and entry to the Russian Federation of citizens of the Russian Federation

     Article 7.

     Main documents identifying the personality of a citizen of the Russian Federation and used for departure from the Russian Federation and entry to the Russian Federation, are the following:
     Passport;
     Diplomatic passport;
     Service passport;
     Seaman’s passport (seaman’s identification card).

     Article 8.

     Citizen of the Russian Federation receives passport upon his(her) written request personally or through his(her) legal representative in the local office of Ministry of the Internal, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Russian Federation, and diplomatic mission or consular office of the Russian Federation outside of the Russian Federation when it is provided by this Federal Act.
     Citizen of the Russian Federation receives passport from the date of his (her) birth and up to the age of 18 years upon the written request of at least one of the parents, adopters, trustees if diverse is not provided by the Act.
     Citizen of the Russian Federation living outside the Russian Federation receives passport in diplomatic mission or consular office of the Russian Federation in the receiving state of indicated citizen.
     Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation can legalize and issue the passport to the citizen of the Russian Federation living in the Russian Federation, upon his(her) written request conveyed through organization, sending him(her) abroad and registered in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation by the procedure established by the Government of the Russian Federation.
     Diverse federal executive bodies where military service is stipulated and that act to fulfill their functions outside of the Russian Federation can also issue the passport to the citizen of the Russian Federation serving as enlisted personnel or a member of civil staff in the indicated federal executive bodies, according to a list approved by the Government of the Russian Federation and by procedure and on conditions established by the Government.

     Article 9.

     To receive a passport a citizen of the Russian Federation must fill the request of a due form where he(she) should indicate surname, name, patronymic (including previous ones), sex, birth date and birth-place, place of residence, place of work (service, studies) during the last ten years and to present the main document identifying his(her) personality. Personal photos and documents confirming payment of state tax (in case passport is received in the Russian Federation) or consular due (in case passport is received outside the Russian Federation) for the issue of passport are attached to the request together with document confirming payment of passport blank cost.
     In request for receiving the passport citizen of the Russian Federation indicates the absence of circumstances, foreseen by the this Federal Act that can prevent him (her) from departing from the Russian Federation.

     Article 10.

     Passport is legalized by the proper state power body in terms, provided by this article, and is issued for the period of five years.
     The day when all the documents listed in article 9 of this Federal Act are submitted in the proper form is considered to be the date of submission of the request.
     When the request is submitted domiciliary the term of legalization should not exceed one month from the date of submission of the request.
     When the request is submitted in a place of stay the term of legalization should not exceed four months from the date of submission of the request.
     When the passport is legalized by a diplomatic mission or consular office of the Russian Federation the term should not exceed three months from the date of submission of the request.
     In case of confirmed circumstances, connected with necessity of emergency treatment, serious illness or death of close relative and requiring departure from the Russian Federation, term of legalization of the passport should not exceed three working days from the date of submission of the request.
      In case of circumstances, listed in article 15 of this Federal Act, or in case of refusal of one of the parents, adopters or trustees to let the departure of citizen under age from the Russian Federation the passport of this citizen is not legalized and the proper notice with the reasons of the refusal is given to the person who submitted the request.

     Article 11.

     In case the citizen of the Russian Federation has lost his (her) passport (diplomatic passport, service passport, seaman’s passport) outside of the Russian Federation the temporary document identifying his (her) personality and providing the right to return to the Russian Federation is given to him(her) by proper diplomatic mission or consular office of the Russian Federation or representative office of a federal executive body charged with foreign affairs, which is within the border limits including the point of State Border of the Russian Federation intersection. The procedure of legalization and the form of this document are provided by the Government of the Russian Federation.
      The issue of new passport without withdrawal of previous one in case it is still valid or without announcing it invalid in case of loss (except provisions of part 3 of this article) is not allowed.
     In case the activity of the citizen of the Russian Federation is connected with regular (not less than once per month) departures from the Russian Federation, and this citizen has no right to obtain diplomatic or service passport, he (she) may be provided with the second passport which is valid in concordance with the validity of the first one upon request of organization, sending him (her) abroad.
     Provision of part one of this article is applied also to stateless persons permanently living in the Russian Federation, and also to persons recognized by the Federal Act as the refugees.

     Article 12.

     Diplomatic passport is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation to citizens of the Russian Federation that enjoy diplomatic immunity while fulfilling their official duties outside the Russian Federation according to Viennese convention of 1961 on the diplomatic relations and other international treaties of the Russian Federation, to the President of the Russian Federation, to members of Federation Council and deputies of State Duma of Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation (for the term of their authorities), to members of the Government of the Russian Federation, to Judges of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, to Judges of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, to Judges of Supreme Arbitration court of the Russian Federation, to Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation, to Chairman of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation and to persons substituting the state offices of the Russian Federation or the state offices of the subjects of the Russian Federation, referred by the Federal Act " Of the fundamentals of public service of the Russian Federation " to state offices of "А" category, and also diplomatic employees and diplomatic couriers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
     Diplomatic passport is also issued to the members of family (marital partner, infant children, invalid adult children) of a citizen of the Russian Federation who has diplomatic passport and who has been sent outside of the Russian Federation to official representation office of the Russian Federation or to representation office of the Russian Federation attached to international organization, if they live or travel together with him (her).
     The service passport is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation for the term of no more than five years to employees of state offices of Russian Federation or the state offices of the subjects of Russian Federation referred by the Federal Act " Of the fundamentals of public service of Russian Federation " to state offices of "B" and “C” category and to persons accompanying them during business trips outside of the Russian Federation: to workers of administrative - technical services and employees of special services of Administration of the President of the Russian Federation, Apparatus of Federation Council of Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Apparatus of State Duma of Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Apparatus of the Government of the Russian Federation, Apparatus of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, Apparatus of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, Apparatus of Supreme Arbitration court of the Russian Federation, to employees of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (The Bank of Russia) and to citizens of the Russian Federation passing military service outside of the Russian Federation, to the permanent members of staff of administrative - technical services of diplomatic missions and consular offices of the Russian Federation outside of the Russian Federation, and also administrative - technical services of official representative offices of the Russian Federation or official representative offices of the Russian Federation attached to international organizations outside of the Russian Federation.
     Service passport is also issued to the members of family (marital partner, infant children and invalid adult children) of citizen of the Russian Federation who has received service passport according to part 3 of this article if a term of a business trip outside the Russian Federation exceeds one year.
     Diplomatic passport and service passport are the property of the Russian Federation and after the completion of term of service business trip outside of the Russian Federation are to be returned to organization which has sent citizen of the Russian Federation to service business trip outside of the Russian Federation

     Article 13.

     Seaman’s passport (seaman’s identification card) is the valid document for departure from the Russian Federation and entry to the Russian Federation on a ship, where the owner of the seaman’s passport (seaman’s identification card) is included in a crew list.
     For the purposes of the Convention of 1958 on seaman's identity documents (Convention N 108 of International Labor Organization), the owner of the seaman’s passport (seaman’s identification card) has the right to leave the Russian Federation and to enter the Russian Federation by any kind of transport personally or in group with the properly certified statement from a crew list.
     The seaman’s passport (seaman’s identification card) is legalized by federal executive bodies in charge of sea and river transport and fishery and is issued to citizen of the Russian Federation working on Russian vessel of overseas sailing or sent by the Russian ship-owner for activity on a foreign vessel, and also to the cadets of educational institutions included in a crew list and to the workers of firms, entities and organizations managed by federal executive bodies in charge of sea and river transport and fishery, other federal executive bodies, or to a citizen of the Russian Federation considered to be a seaman according to the Convention of 1958 of seaman's identity documents (ILO Convention N 108).

     Article 14.

     Payment of medical care to citizen of the Russian Federation departing from the Russian Federation, except for the citizen of the Russian Federation sent to service business trip, is implemented according to conditions, provided by the policy of medical insurance or alternative document, valid for obtaining medical care outside of the Russian Federation, or if there is the warranty of a natural or legal person who invited the citizen of the Russian Federation to reimburse the expenses on medical care (treatment in medical facility) to the citizen of the Russian Federation.
     In case of absence of documents listed in part 1 of the present article, expenses for medical care outside the Russian Federation are suffered by the citizen.
     Assistance to the citizens of the Russian Federation abiding in a foreign state with accidents which are subjects to the insurance is provide by a diplomatic mission or consular office of the Russian Federation by the procedure set by the Government of the Russian Federation, if diverse is not stipulated by the international treaty of the Russian Federation with the conforming foreign state.

Chapter III. Procedure of departure of the citizen of the Russian Federation from the Russian Federation

     Article 15.

     The right of citizen of the Russian Federation to depart from the Russian Federation can be temporarily limited in cases if:
     1) Upon receiving the excess to information of special relevance or to a classified information referred to as the state secret by Federal Act of the Russian Federation “Of the state secret”, this citizen has made an employment contract witch makes provisions for temporary limitation of the right to depart from the Russian Federation, provided that the limitation period can not exceed five years from the date of last familiarization of a person with information of special relevance or completely classified information, - the right to depart is limited according to the terms of an employment contract or according to the present Federal Act.
     In case there is a conclusion of Interdepartmental Commission on protection of the state secret that the information of the special relevance or classified information, became known to the citizen at the date of submission of the request on departure from the Russian Federation, still has the same degree of secrecy, then the terms of limitation of right to depart from the Russian Federation indicated in the employment contract can be prolonged by an Interdepartmental Commission formed by the procedure established for the creation of interdepartmental coordination and deliberative bodies formed by federal executive bodies. The limitation period of the right to depart should not exceed in general ten years, including a limitation period established by the employment contract, from the date of last familiarization of a person with information of special relevance or classified information;
     2) According to the legislation of the Russian Federation the citizen is drafted to military service or is directed to alternate civil service, - the right to depart is limited up to the termination of military service or alternate civil service;
     3) Citizen is detained as suspected in committing a crime or is accused, - the right to depart is limited up to the court decision or coming of sentence into force.
     4) Citizen is condemned for committing a crime, - the right to depart is limited up to the end of punishment or up to the redemption of punishment;
     5) Citizen evades the obligations imposed on him (her) by the court; - the right to depart is limited up to the discharge of the obligation or up to the achievement of agreement by the parties;
     6) Has notified false information about him(her)self during the legalization of documents for departure from the Russian Federation, - the right to depart is limited up to a solution of the problem within no more than one month by a body which is in charge of legalizing such documents.

     Article 16.

     In all cases of temporary limitation of the right to depart from the Russian Federation, provided by article 15 of this Federal Act, the law-enforcement body notifies the citizen of the Russian Federation in written form where indicates the reasons and duration of limitation period, date and registration number of a decision of limitation, full naming and legal address of the organization which has taken up the responsibility for limitation of the right of citizen to depart from the Russian Federation.

     Article 17.

     The decisions on limitation of the right of citizens with access to information of special relevance or classified information, referred to as the state secret and also of citizens granted with this access before coming of this Federal Act into force, to depart from the Russian Federation can be appealed against by the citizens in an Interdepartmental Commission formed by the procedure established for the creation of interdepartmental coordination and deliberative bodies formed by federal executive bodies. The latter must consider the petition and to give the answer not later than within three months. The refusal to the citizen of the Russian Federation in his(her) right to depart from the Russian Federation can be appealed against in the court.

     Article 18.

     In case when the right of citizen of the Russian Federation to depart from the Russian Federation is limited according to subitems 1 and 2 of article 15 of this Federal Act, his(her) passport is subject to transfer for storage to a state body which issued the passport before the term of temporary limitation expires.
     In case when the right of citizen of the Russian Federation to depart from the Russian Federation is limited according to subitems 3-5 of article 15 of this Federal Act, his(her) passport is subject to withdrawal by the competent bodies and to transfer for storage to a state body which issued the passport.
     The withdrawal of passport of citizen of the Russian Federation according to this Federal Act is executed by the court, Prosecutor's Offices, law-enforcement bodies, border departments of Federal Security Service, customs offices, diplomatic missions and consular offices of the Russian Federation.

     Article 19.

     Enlisted personal of Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and also the personal of federal executive bodies, where the military service is foreseen, except for draftees, leave the Russian Federation by the sanction of headquarters legalized according to the procedure established by the Government of the Russian Federation.

     Article 20.

     Infant citizen of the Russian Federation, as a rule, leaves the Russian Federation together with at last one of his (her) parents, adopters or trustees. In case the infant citizen of the Russian Federation leaves the Russian Federation without escort, he (she) should have together with passport the written approval of indicated persons to the departure of the infant citizen of the Russian Federation certified by the notary with the notice of duration of the departure and a list of states planned for visiting.

      Article 21.

      In case when one of the parents, adopters or trustees will declare his (her) disapproval of the departure of the infant citizen of the Russian Federation from the Russian Federation, the problem of possibility of such a departure is authorized judicially.
     The procedure for submission of the request of disapproval of the departure of the infant citizen of the Russian Federation from the Russian Federation is established by the Government of the Russian Federation.

      Article 22.

     The responsibility for life and health of the infant citizens of the Russian Federation leaving the Russian Federation, protection of their rights and legitimate interests outside of the Russian Federation is assigned to the parents, adopters or trustees.
     In case of organized departure of groups of the infant citizens of the Russian Federation without the escort of the parents, adopters or trustees the chiefs of leaving groups are responsible for the legal representation of the infant citizens of the Russian Federation.

     Article 23.

     Citizen of the Russian Federation recognized incapable by the court, by the petition of the parents, adopters or trustees can depart from the Russian Federation escorted by an adult person who is capable to ensure the safety of the incapable citizen of the Russian Federation and safety of the ambient people.

Chapter IV. The procedure of legalization and issue of documents for entry to the Russian Federation and departure from the Russian Federation for foreign citizens and stateless persons

     Article 24.

     Foreign citizens can enter the Russian Federation and depart from the Russian Federation if they have the visa and valid documents identifying their personality and recognized by the Russian Federation, if diverse is not stipulated by the international treaties of the Russian Federation.
     Stateless persons can enter the Russian Federation and depart from the Russian Federation if they have the visa and valid documents identifying their personality, issued by the competent bodies of the state of their residence and recognized by the Russian Federation, if diverse is not stipulated by the international treaties of the Russian Federation.
     Foreign citizens with residence permit of the Russian Federation can enter the Russian Federation and depart from the Russian Federation if they have valid documents identifying their personality and recognized by the Russian Federation and their residence permit.
     Stateless persons with residence permit of the Russian Federation can enter the Russian Federation and depart from the Russian Federation if they have their residence permit.
     Foreign citizens and stateless persons may not be allowed to enter the Russian Federation and depart from the Russian Federation by the provisions of this Federal Act.
     Foreign citizens and stateless persons recognized as the refugees on the territory of the Russian Federation by the procedure established by the Federal Act can depart from the Russian Federation and enter the Russian Federation if they have a travel paper of the refugee.
     Foreign citizens and stateless persons against whom it was decided to remove them from the Russian Federation by administrative methods or to execute a deportation must leave the Russian Federation according to that decision.

     Article 25.

      Reasons for issuing visa to foreign citizen are:
     1) An invitation to enter the Russian Federation made according to the Federal Act by procedure established by the Government of the Russian Federation.
     An invitation to enter the Russian Federation is issued by federal executive body charged with foreign affaires under the petition of:
     a) Federal bodies of state power;
     b) Diplomatic missions and consular offices of foreign states in the Russian Federation;
     c) International organizations and their representative offices in the Russian Federation, and also representative offices of foreign states attached to international organizations located in the Russian Federation;
     d) Bodies of state power of the subjects of the Russian Federation.
     The prompt on entry in the Russian Federation is given by a federal executive body charged with internal affaires, in cases established by the Federal Act.
     An invitation to enter the Russian Federation is issued by local office of federal executive body charged with internal affaires, under the petition of:
     a) Institutions of local government;
     b) Legal persons, that have notified local office of federal executive body charged with internal affaires of their existence;
     c) Citizens of the Russian Federation and foreign citizens, permanently living in the Russian Federation;
     2) Decision adopted by federal executive body charged with foreign affaires, diplomatic mission or consular office of the Russian Federation or representative office of federal executive body charged with foreign affaires, residing within frontier limits, including the point of intersection of State Border of the Russian Federation, upon petition of foreign citizen, located outside the Russian Federation connected with the necessity of entry to the Russian Federation for emergency treatment or due to a serious illness or death of close relative;
     3) Decision of federal executive body charged with foreign affaires to issue a visa to foreign citizen addressed to a diplomatic mission or consular office of the Russian Federation;
     4) Decision of chief of a diplomatic mission or consular office of the Russian Federation to issue a visa to foreign citizen upon the written request of foreign citizen.
     5) Decision of a local office of federal executive body charged with internal affaires to grant to foreign citizen a residence permit of the Russian Federation;
     6) Contract of rendering of tourist services and prove that the foreign tourist is accepted by organization executing tourist activity;
     7) Decision of a local office of federal executive body charged with internal affaires to recognize foreign citizen or stateless person as a refugee upon his (her) request to a diplomatic mission or a consular office of the Russian Federation.

     Article 25.1.

      Depending on the purpose of entry of foreign subject to the Russian Federation and purposes of his(her) stay in the Russian Federation the visa issued to foreign citizen can be diplomatic, service, standard, transit and visa of a temporarily residing person.
     Visa is an entry and transit permit, issued by an authorized state body of the Russian Federation upon valid document identifying the foreign citizen or stateless person and recognized in the Russian Federation.
     Visa contains the following information: a surname, name (written by characters of Russian and Latin alphabets), date of birth, sex, citizenship, number of the basic document identifying foreign citizen or stateless person, date of issue of visa, allowed duration of stay in the Russian Federation, number of the invitation to enter the Russian Federation or decision of a state body, validity period of visa, purpose of trip, data about inviting organization (inviting natural person), ratio of the visa.
     Visa is issued by a diplomatic mission, consular office of the Russian Federation, by federal executive body charged with foreign affaires, by its representative office on territory of the Russian Federation, including the point of State Border of the Russian Federation intersection, and also federal executive body charged with internal affaires, or its local office.
     The form of visa, the procedure of its legalization and issue its recovery in case of loss and procedure of its cancellation are established according to this Federal Act by the Government of the Russian Federation.

     Article 25.2.

    Visa can be single-entry, double-entry and multi-entry. Single-entry visa enables foreign citizen to make one intersection of State Border of the Russian Federation on entry and one while departing from the Russian Federation.
     Double-entry visa gives the right to enter the Russian Federation twice.
     Multi-entry visa gives the opportunity for repeated (more than two times) entry in the Russian Federation.

     Article 25.3.

     Validity of the visa can be prolonged during time of stay of foreign citizen in the Russian Federation by:
    1) Federal executive body charged with internal affaires, or its local body upon written request of foreign citizen or petition of state power body, institution of local government or legal person;
    2) Federal executive body charged with foreign affaires, upon written address of foreign affairs body of other state, diplomatic mission or consular office of a foreign state in the Russian Federation or representative office of international organization in the Russian Federation (verbal note);
    3) Representative office of federal executive body charged with foreign affaires, residing within frontier limits, including the point of intersection of State Border of the Russian Federation, upon the written request of the foreign citizen or petition in writing of state power body, institution of local government or legal person, or upon the written address of diplomatic missions or consular offices of a foreign state in the Russian Federation or representative office of international organization in the Russian Federation (verbal note);
     4) Bodies of the State Boundary control according to the Federal Act

     Article 25.4.

     Diplomatic visa is issued to foreign citizen who has a diplomatic passport.
     Diplomatic visa is issued:
     1) To the Heads of foreign states, Heads of governments of foreign states, members of the foreign official delegations, members of families of indicated persons traveling together with them, and persons, accompanying them, for the term of up to three months;
     2) To the diplomatic agents of diplomatic missions and consular officials of consular offices, employees of representative offices of international organizations in the Russian Federation, that are recognized as persons with diplomatic status by the Russian Federation, members of families of the indicated persons for the term of up to three months;
     3) To foreign diplomatic and consular couriers for the term of business trip.
     In case if the Russian Federation recognizes the diplomatic status of foreign citizen without diplomatic passport diplomatic visa can be issued to this citizen.
     In case if the Russian Federation does not recognize the diplomatic status of foreign citizen with diplomatic passport standard visa is issued to this citizen.

     Article 25.5.

     Service visa is given to the foreign citizen having a service passport. Service visa is given to:
     1) Members of official foreign delegations, members of families of indicated persons, traveling with them and persons accompanying them, for the term of up to three months;
     2) Workers of administrative - technical stuff and attendants of diplomatic missions, consular workers and attendants of consular offices of foreign states in the Russian Federation, representative offices of international organizations in the Russian Federation and members of families of indicated persons for the term of up to three months;
     3) Servicemen of armed forces of foreign states and members of families of indicated persons for the term of up to one year.
     In case if the Russian Federation recognizes the official status of foreign citizen without a service passport, a service visa can be issued to this citizen.
     In case if the Russian Federation does not recognize the official status of foreign citizen with a service passport, a standard visa is issued to this citizen.

     Article 25.6.

     Depending on the purpose of entry of foreign citizen to the Russian Federation and purposes of his (her) stay in the Russian Federation standard visas are subdivided on: individual (private), business, tourist, educational, working, and humanitarian and entry visas for obtaining a shelter in Russian Federation.
     Standard individual (private) visa is issued for the term of up to three months to the foreign subject entering the Russian Federation with guest visit, upon the invitation to enter the Russian Federation which was issued upon request of citizen of the Russian Federation, or foreign citizen who received a residence permit of the Russian Federation, or legal person.
     Standard business visa is issued for the term of up to one year to the foreign citizen entering the Russian Federation in form of business trips.
     Standard tourist visa is issued for the term of up to one month to the foreign citizen entering the Russian Federation as tourist, if he (she) has proper contract on rendering of tourist services and a confirmation of acceptance from the organization executing tourist service activity.
    Standard tourist group visa is issued for the term of up to one month to the foreign citizen entering the Russian Federation as tourist with an organized group of no less then 5 persons , if he (she) has proper contract on rendering of tourist services and a confirmation of acceptance from the organization executing tourist service activity.
    Standard educational visa is issued for the term of up to one year to foreign citizen entering the Russian Federation with the purposes of studying in educational institution.
     Standard working visa is issued to foreign citizen entering the Russian Federation with the purposes of labor activity, for the term of validity of the employment contract, but for no more than one year.
    Standard humanitarian visa is given for the term of up to one year to foreign citizen entering the Russian Federation with the purpose of establishment of scientific, cultural, socio-political, sport or religious connections and contacts, pilgrimage, charity or delivery of the humanitarian help.
     Standard entry visa for obtaining a shelter in the Russian Federation is issued to the foreign citizen for the term of up to three months if there is the decision of a federal executive body charged with internal affaires that the mentioned foreign is recognized as refugee in the Russian Federation.

     Article 25.7.

     Transit visa is issued to foreign citizen for transit through territory of Russian Federation according to the present Federal Act for the term of up to ten days.

      Article 25.8.

     Visa for temporarily residence is issued for up to four months to foreign citizen, who is permitted to enter the Russian Federation for temporary residence within the limits of a quota on temporary residence, which is established by the Government of the Russian Federation, or without its limits. In case if the foreign citizen did not manage to enter the Russian Federation, but the reasons for obtaining this type of visa are still in force, a new visa for temporarily residence may be issued to this person upon the written request for the term of up to two months from the date of its issue.
     If the permission for temporary residence of the foreign citizen in the Russian Federation was not obtained for reasons not dependent on the foreign citizen, validity of visa for temporarily residence is prolonged upon his (her) written request.
     When foreign citizen obtains permission for temporary residence in the Russian Federation the local office of a federal body charged with internal affaires, renews the visa for temporarily residence according to term of validity of this permission.

     Article 25.9.

     Foreign citizen or stateless person must get and fill in a migration card when entering the Russian Federation. The migration card is subject to return to the point of intersection of State Border of the Russian Federation at departure of the foreign citizen or stateless person from the Russian Federation.
     The form of a migration card, procedure of its utilization and financing of measures to ensure the availability of migration cards are established by the Government of the Russian Federation.

     Article 25.10.

     Foreign citizen or stateless person who has entered the Russian Federation with violation of the established rules, or without documents verifying his(her) right to stay in the Russian Federation, or who has lost these documents and has not addressed a local office of a federal executive body charged with internal affaires, or who evades the departure from the Russian Federation after expiry of his(her) terms of stay in the Russian Federation, and also foreign citizen or stateless person who equally breaks the rules of transit through the territory of the Russian Federation, are considered to be in the Russian Federation illegally and are responsible according to the legislation of the Russian Federation.
     Natural and legal persons assisting foreign citizens or stateless persons in illegal entry to the Russian Federation, illegal departure from the Russian Federation, illegal transit through the territory of the Russian Federation and illegal staying in the Russian Federation, and also transport or other organizations executing international carriages that has delivered a foreign citizen or a stateless person without proper documents or with improper documents for entering the Russian Federation are responsible according to the legislation of the Russian Federation.
     If a foreign citizen or stateless person is staying illegally in the Russian Federation, or is not permitted to enter the Russian Federation and also in case when the legal stay of a foreign citizen or a stateless person in the Russian Federation creates actual threat to the defensive capability, safety of the state, social order or health of the population, his(her) stay may be announced undesirable to protect the fundamentals of the constitutional order, morals, rights and legitimate interests of other persons. The procedure of the announcement of undesirability of stay of foreign citizen or stateless persons in the Russian Federation and the list of federal executive bodies authorized to execute it are established by the Government of the Russian Federation.
     Foreign citizen or stateless person, mentioned in such an announcement must depart from the Russian Federation according to Federal Act.
     Foreign citizen or stateless person who has not departed from the Russian Federation in due period of time is subject to deportation. The deportation of foreign citizen or stateless person, whose stay in the Russian Federation is announced undesirable, is executed by federal executive body charged with internal affaires, or its local office.
     Announcement of undesirability of stay of foreign citizen or stateless person in the Russian Federation can be the reason for refusal to the request for entry to the Russian Federation.

Chapter V. Entry of foreign citizens and stateless persons to the Russian Federation and their departure from the Russian Federation

     Article 25.11.

     Foreign citizens that are passengers onboard cruise ships, having permission to carry passengers and arriving to the Russian Federation through sea and river harbors open for the international passenger communication, can stay on territory of the Russian Federation within 72 hours without the visas by procedure established by Government of Russian Federation.

     Article 26.

     Foreign citizen or stateless person may be denied the entry to the Russian Federation in case they:
    1) Have broken the rules of intersection of State Border of the Russian Federation customs rules sanitary regulations in the point of its intersection - entry is denied until elimination of violation;
     2) Have used false documents or provide false information about themselves and the purposes of their stay in the Russian Federation;
     3) Have previous conviction for a deliberate crime, recognized by Federal Act, committed on the territory of the Russian Federation or outside its borders;
    4) Two and more times within three years were brought to administrative responsibility according to the legislation of the Russian Federation for administrative violation on the territory of the Russian Federation;
    5) Have not returned their migration card upon departure from the Russian Federation during previous stay in the Russian Federation;
    6) Have evaded the payment of tax or administrative fine or have not compensated their deportation expenses during their previous stay in the Russian Federation – entry is denied until all payments are made.

     Article 27.

     Foreign citizen or stateless person is denied the entry to the Russian Federation in case :
     1) It is necessary for the maintenance of defensive capability, safety of the state, social order or protection of population’s health;
     2) Foreign citizen or stateless person was deported from the Russian Federation during the previous stay in the Russian Federation – the entry is denied for five years from the date of deportation from the Russian Federation;
     3) Foreign citizen or stateless person have previous conviction for a deliberate grave crime, recognized by Federal Act, committed on the territory of the Russian Federation or outside its borders;;
     4) Foreign citizen or stateless person have not produced the documents necessary for obtaining the visa according to the legislation for the Russian Federation, - entry is denied until these documents are produced;
     5) Foreign citizen or stateless person have not produced the policy of medical insurance, valid in the Russian Federation, - entry is denied until the policy is produced, with the exception (on the basis of mutuality) of the employees of diplomatic missions and consular offices of foreign states, employees of international organizations, members of families of indicated persons and other categories of foreign citizens;
     6) Foreign citizen or stateless person could not confirm availability of means for residing in the Russian Federation and for subsequent departure from the Russian Federation or show the warranties of such means when requesting the visa or during the intersection of State Border of the Russian Federation according to the procedure established by the Government of the Russian Federation;
     7) It was announced that the stay of this foreign citizen or stateless person in the Russian Federation is undesirable.
     If the entry of foreign citizen or stateless person to the Russian Federation was limited according to subitems 2 and 5 of part 1 of present article, Border control bodies and federal executive body charged with internal affaires or its local office mark it in the identification document of the foreign citizen or stateless person in cases established by the Government of the Russian Federation.

Article 28.

      The departure of foreign citizens or stateless persons from the Russian Federation can be limited in case if they:
     1) Are detained according to the legislation of the Russian Federation upon suspicion in committing a crime or are accused, - departure is limited until the court decision or coming of sentence into force.
     2) Are condemned for committing a crime on the territory of the Russian Federation, - the right to depart is limited until the end of punishment or up to the redemption of punishment;
     3) Evade the obligations imposed on him (her) by the court; - the right to depart is limited until the discharge of the obligation or up to the achievement of agreement by the parties;
     4) Have not fulfilled tax obligation according to legislation of the Russian Federation, - departure is limited until the fulfillment of these obligations;
     5) Were brought to administrative responsibility according to legislation of the Russian Federation for administrative violation on the territory of the Russian Federation; - departure is limited until execution of punishment or until redemption of punishment.

Chapter VI. Procedure of transit of foreign citizens and stateless persons through the territory of Russian Federation

     Article 29.

     Transit through territory of the Russian Federation is made, as a rule, without the right for a stop.
     The transit of foreign citizens and stateless persons through the territory of the Russian Federation to the state of destination by all types of transport is permitted after the person produces Russian transit visa, entry visa of neighbor state of the Russian Federation or visa of the state of destination and tickets valid for departure from the Russian Federation or confirmed warranty of their acquisition in transfer point on territory of the Russian Federation.
     The transit visa is not required in case of transit of foreign citizen through the territory of the Russian Federation in a nonstop mode on segments of transport lines according to the list and the procedure established by the Government of the Russian Federation.

     Article 30.

     Visa with the right for a stop on territory of the Russian Federation can be issued to foreign citizens or stateless persons upon their reasoned request and if they produce the documents verifying the necessity of a stop, if diverse is not stipulated by the international treaty of the Russian Federation.

     Article 31.

     Transit without visa through the territory of the Russian Federation is permitted to foreign citizen or stateless person if they:
     1) Commit a nonstop air flight through the territory of the Russian Federation;
     2) Travel by international air line plane with scheduled transfer in an airport of the Russian Federation and have proper documents for entering the state of destination and airplane ticket with the confirmed date of departure from transfer airport of the Russian Federation within 24 hours from the moment of arrival, with the exception for emergency stop;
     3) Live in a state that has proper international treaty with the Russian Federation.

     Article 32.

     Emergency stop is a stay within the borders of a settlement for the period of more than 24 hours due to the following circumstances:
     1) Natural disasters detaining the movement of a train, a vehicle, a ship or an airplane;
     2) Necessity to repair the carrier, damaged as a result of its parts malfunction or an incident;
     3) Diseases, if it is confirmed by the physician that the continuation of travel represents danger for patient’s life and health;
     4) Unforeseen delay while transferring from one type of transport to another in the transfer point.
     In case of an emergency stop registration of stay in the Russian Federation and prolongation of transit visa of the Russian Federation are executed by the office of body in charge of internal affaires in a location of emergency stop upon foreign citizens’ or stateless persons’ request.

Chapter VII. Responsibility of the officials, of citizens of Russian Federation, of foreign citizens and stateless persons for violation of this Federal Act

      The chapter is eliminated.

Chapter VIII. Final provisions

     Article 36.

      This Federal Act comes into force from the date of its official publication.

     Article 37.

     From the date of coming into force of this Federal Act following Acts are considered:
     1) Invalid:
     Order of Supreme Council of the Russian Federation dated December 22, 1992 " Of coming into force of the USSR Law " Of the procedure of departure from the USSR and entry to the USSR for citizens of the USSR " in the Russian Federation (Reports of Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Federation and Supreme Council of the Russian Federation, 1993, ¹ 1, item 19);
     Article 37 of Federal Act "Of status of deputy of Federation Council and State Duma of Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation " (Collection of legal Acts of the Russian Federation, 1994, ¹ 2, item 74);
     2) Not valid on the territory of the Russian Federation:
     USSR Law dated May 20, 1991 " Of the procedure of departure from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and entry to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for the citizens of the USSR " (Reports of Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR and Supreme Council of the USSR, 1991, ¹ 24, item 687);
     Points 1 - 5 of the Provision of the Supreme Council of the USSR dated May 20, 1991 " Of coming into force of USSR Law " Of the procedure of departure from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and entry to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for the citizens of the USSR " (Reports of Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR and Supreme Council of the USSR, 1991, ¹ 24, item 688);
     Chapter III " Entry to the USSR and departure from the USSR for foreign citizens " of USSR Law dated June 24, 1981 " Of legal status of foreign citizens in the USSR " (Reports of the Supreme Council of the USSR, 1981, ¹ 26, item 836).

     Article 38.

     Organizations, that have access to information of special relevance or highly classified information considered to be the state secret must conclude employment contracts with the employees that already have clearance for this information or will be granted with one according to subitem 1 of Article 15 of this Federal Act within six months from the date of its coming into force.

     Article 39.

     Present procedure for departure from the Russian Federation, entry to the Russian Federation, legalization and issue of documents for departure from the Russian Federation and entry to the Russian Federation for citizens of the Russian Federation, foreign citizens and stateless persons and also distribution of authorities of state bodies in charge of legalization and issue of indicated documents, is considered to be in force within six months from the moment of coming into force of this Federal Act in a part not contradicting to it.

    Article 40.

     Offer the President of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Russian Federation, bodies of state power of the subjects of the Russian Federation to bring their legal acts in accord with this Federal Act within three months from the date of its coming into force.

The President of the Russian Federation

Boris N. Eltzin

Moscow, Kremlin
August 15, 1996
¹ 114-FZ


 
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