When you arrive in Russia and move into accommodation, you must be registered for migration purposes. This is done by submitting an arrival notification.
Simply put, the government needs to know where you live.
Who submits the notification?
Usually, this is done by the receiving party:
- the apartment owner;
- the employer (if they provide housing);
- a hotel or hostel.
In some cases, the foreign citizen can submit the notification themselves—for example, if they live in their own apartment or through Gosuslugi with the owner’s consent.
Deadlines
The general rule is within 7 working days after moving in.
However, there are exceptions:
- citizens of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan — up to 15 days;
- citizens of Armenia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan — up to 30 days.
Important: missing the deadline is a violation of migration law.
What is important for a foreign citizen?
Even if you do not submit the documents yourself, responsibility may still affect you.
Be sure to:
1. Check that you have been registered;
2. Obtain the detachable part of the notification (or a copy) and keep it — this confirms your registration.
Departure notification
A departure notification is not always required.
If you move and are registered at a new address, or if you leave Russia, you will be automatically removed from the register.
However, if you no longer live at the address where you are registered, the receiving party must submit a departure notification.
Migration registration is not just a formality. Without it, your stay may be considered a violation.
It is better to check that everything is оформлено correctly in advance than to deal with problems later.
To be sure that you comply with migration laws, you can check your status in the RKL database through the Migrant ID service — it helps you understand whether you have any violations.
