DOCUMENTS NEEDED TO ENTER RUSSIA (NO VISA REQUIRED)

Citizens of the following countries do not require a visa or an invitation:

• Azerbaijan
• Armenia
• Belarus
• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Moldova
• Tajikistan
• Uzbekistan
• Ukraine
• Georgia

You are required to:

1. fill out your migration card

Important: upon arrival to Russia, you are obligated to obtain a migration card (with 'education' listed as the purpose of your stay) and a migration registration!

A migration card is a document containing information about a foreign citizen entering the Russian Federation. Just like a personal ID, it is a mandatory document for all international citizens in Russia. For instance, it is impossible to obtain a migration registration without a migration card.

You can get a migration card form on the plane/train or at a special desk near passport control.

When crossing the border, you will need to show both your ID and migration card to the Federal Migration Service official.

Important: please hold on to your migration card for the length of your stay in Russia!

2. obtain a migration registration at ITMO’s Migration Services Office

On the day of your arrival or the next business day (excluding weekends and holidays), you have to visit ITMO’s Migration Services Office (Lomonosova St. 9, room 2139d) and register your stay in Russia.

In order to obtain your migration registration, you need to provide:

• your passport (or another ID document that you used to enter the country);
• your migration card (except for citizens of the Republic of Belarus);
• an accommodation registration (if staying at a hotel before the university’s dorm).

Important: please inform the university’s Migration Services Office if you are planning to travel within or outside Russia, as well as if you lose your migration documents!

Important: all hospitals, hotels, and hostels in Russia provide registration for foreign citizens. If you decide to reside at a hotel or hostel (for any duration – even one day) or you need to stay at a hospital, the registration provided to you by the university will be annulled. Once you leave the hotel (hospital), you will have to apply for another migration registration on the address of your actual residence. If you’re staying at the university’s dormitory, you need to contact the Migration Services Office no later than the day after you leave the hotel (hospital).

3. obtain medical documents

Important: you need to have a valid health insurance policy for the duration of your stay in Russia!

Important: your insurance policy has to be valid starting from the first day of your stay in Russia!

All foreign applicants must have valid medical insurance. You can obtain a health insurance policy at any insurance company in St. Petersburg. When applying for a medical plan, pay attention to the type of insurance policy (for foreign students) and its coverage territory (St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast). You can get a consultation on choosing medical insurance at the International Students Learning and Support Center (int.students@itmo.ru, +7 (981) 158-97-78, Lomonosova St. 9, room 2139b).

Starting June 30, 2025, all visa-free nationals (except for citizens of the Republic of Belarus) need to complete the following steps before entering Russia:

• register and create an account on the Gosuslugi RuID app;
• upload your photo and fill out your personal data;
• submit an application indicating your period of stay no later than 72 hours before your arrival.

Your application will be valid for 90 days. To enter the country, you need to show a QR-code that will appear in your Gosuslugi account. If you’re underage, the application details must be filled out by your parents or legal guardians. If your legal guardian is a foreign citizen or stateless person, they can submit your application only if they have a valid application for entering the country.

In your personal account on Gosuslugi, you will find information on the status of your applications, as well as your permission or prohibition to enter the Russian Federation.

Important: this entry regime will be valid until December 31, 2027.