The Federation Council (Совет Федерации) approved a law amending the conditions for foreign nationals to obtain a temporary residence permit (РВП), a residence permit (ВНЖ), and Russian citizenship. Among the changes is confirmation of no criminal record outside Russia for applicants aged 14 and over. For HR processes, verifying the law’s current status, preparing documents, and assessing the time required to obtain them are of key importance.
What changes affect the hiring and support of foreign nationals
The new requirements apply to foreign nationals aged 14 and over who apply for a temporary residence permit (РВП), including an educational temporary residence permit (РВП для обучения), or a residence permit (ВНЖ). Changes to the grounds for refusal also apply to obtaining Russian citizenship.
An employer does not replace the migration authority when an application is reviewed, but may take the new conditions into account when planning an employee’s start date and supporting their migration status. This is particularly relevant where an employee is applying for a temporary residence permit (РВП) or residence permit (ВНЖ) and their documents involve several countries.
The notice does not state the date on which the rules take effect. Therefore, before adjusting mandatory HR procedures, the officially published text of the law and its effective date must be checked.
What document will be required and how to monitor the timeframe
When applying for a temporary residence permit (РВП) or residence permit (ВНЖ), documentary confirmation of no criminal record outside Russia will be required. The document must be issued within three months before the application is submitted.
If a foreign national holds citizenship or a residence permit in several countries, confirmations will be required for each such country. For an HR professional, this means that during a preliminary review of the document set, information from only one country cannot be relied upon if the applicant is connected to other countries through citizenship or a residence permit.
The source does not specify the type of document, the procedure for obtaining it, or translation or legalization requirements. These details should be checked against the official text of the law and the applicable filing rules.
Criminal record as a ground for refusal: what is important when assessing the situation
An unexpunged or outstanding criminal record for an offence in Russia or abroad will become grounds for refusal of a temporary residence permit (РВП), residence permit (ВНЖ), or Russian citizenship. This may affect an employee’s ability to obtain or change their migration status.
As a general rule, an expunged criminal record does not prevent an application from being processed. However, for a number of offences, the fact of conviction itself may be taken into account; the notice identifies offences related, among other things, to terrorism, extremism, and drugs among such categories.
The full list of offences and the conditions for their application are not disclosed in the source material. No conclusion should be made regarding the possibility or impossibility of obtaining status without checking the official text of the law.
What to check
- Check the official publication of the law and its final version.
- Clarify the effective date of the changes: it is not specified in the original notice.
- Compare internal guidance for foreign employees with the full text of the law.
- Take into account that the requirement applies to applicants and employees aged 14 and over who apply for a temporary residence permit (РВП), including an educational temporary residence permit (РВП для обучения), or a residence permit (ВНЖ).
- When preparing to submit an application, check whether the applicant holds citizenship or a residence permit in several countries.
- Ensure that the supporting document is issued no earlier than three months before the application is submitted.