VISA AND REGISTRATION

Check your passport: it must be valid. It should also have space for entry and exit stamps. The period of stay in Russia is limited to the period of validity of the passport and the period of study.

When you cross the border, you must have your passport and a migration card. The migration card will be given to you at the checkpoint, on the airplane, train or bus.
Be sure to check that the information on your migration card is correct.
The purpose of your entry must be: STUDY.
If you find any mistake on your migration card, contact the checkpoint staff immediately.

If you are entering through Belarus, pay attention to the specifics of crossing the border. Citizens of Belarus do not need a migration card.

After each entry to the Russian Federation foreign citizens must get migration#registration. Violation of these rules can lead to a fine of up to 7,000 rubles, expulsion from Russia and a ban on entry for up to 3 years.
The procedure of migration registration will differ depending on the place of residence.

I will be living in a hostel: the migration registration will be done at the address of the hostel you live in. You will need to present your passport and migration card to the Visa and Registration Office the next working day after your arrival.

I will be living in the apartment: the owner of the apartment will take care of the migration registration. Go to him the next working day after your arrival with your passport and your migration card.

I will be staying in a hotel: the immigration registration will be done by the hotel manager.

If your studies end later than the term of your migration registration, you need to extend it.
It is necessary to apply for extension of migration registration not earlier than 3 months and not later than 25 days before its expiry date. Extension of the migration registration is processed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs within 20 days.
The migration registration is renewed for a maximum of one calendar year per time period of your study and ends with# the validity of your passport.
If you have received a new passport, you must apply within 7 days to have your immigration registration re-issued.

If you are studying fee-based:

— a copy of your passport;
 — copy of migration card, migration registration (both sides);
 — copy of the contract for educational services.

If you study for free:

— copy of passport;
— copy of migration card, migration registration (on both sides);
 — copy of the Ministry of Education and Science referral.

If you live in a dormitory.
With documents prepared in advance (copies of passport, migration card, migration registration), contact the staff of the Office of Visas and Registrations. Find out when you can get a new migration registration. On the appointed day, get it and carefully check your personal data.

If you live in an apartment.
With documents prepared in advance (copies of passport, migration card, migration registration) go to the owner of the apartment. Find out from him when to pick up the ready migration registration.

Contact the Office of Visas and Registrations.

Before departure

If you are going to travel in Russia, be sure to inform the staff at the Visa and Registration Office twice: before your trip and upon your return.


Upon return


If you are living in a dormitory:
Contact the Visa and Registration staff the next working day after you arrive with your passport, immigration card, and immigration registration from all of the places you were living during your trip.

If you are living in an apartment:
Go to the owner of the apartment the working day after you arrive with your passport, migration card, and immigration registration from every place you lived during the trip.

Before leaving Russia

Before traveling abroad, be sure to inform the Visa and Registration Office/owner of your departure date and your planned return date.

After returning to Russia

After each entry to Russia, foreign citizens must get a migration registration. For more information, see "Migration registration".

What should I do when finished studying?

If you have successfully completed your studies, you must leave# Russia no later than the end date of your migration registration.
If you are expelled, you must leave Russia within 3 working days of the expulsion order.

What if I want to continue my studies at the PGUPS?

If you are planning to continue your studies at PGUPS, take care of your migration registration on time.
Contact the Visa and Registration Office for advice on this matter.

To apply for a study visa you must be accepted to the PGUPS program for Bachelor's, Specialist's, Master's or Postgraduate studies.

Please check your passport: it should be valid for at least 18 months from your planned arrival in Russia. Your passport should also have at least four pages to include your visa and arrival and departure stamps. If your passport does not have all four blank pages, you will need a new one.

For a 90-day, single-entry study visa, you will need an invitation letter. Please email your request to inter@pgups.ru.
The multiple-entry study visa will be issued after your entry to Russia.

You need to visit the website of the Embassy or Consulate of the Russian Federation where you are planning to apply for the visa and read the list of required documents in advance.
A full list of Russian embassies and consulates can be found here.
After you apply for a visa, please verify that you have the correct information and also the purpose of your entry. The purpose of your entry must be for STUDY.
If you find any errors, contact the embassy or consulate where you applied for your visa immediately.

When you cross the border, you must have your passport and a migration card. The migration card will be given to you at the checkpoint, on the airplane, train or bus.
Be sure to check that the information on your migration card is correct.
The purpose of your entry must be: STUDY.
If you find any mistake on your migration card, contact the checkpoint staff immediately.

If you are entering through Belarus, pay attention to the specifics of crossing the border. Citizens of Belarus do not need a migration card.

After each entry to the Russian Federation foreign citizens must get migration#registration. Violation of these rules can lead to a fine of up to 7,000 rubles, expulsion from Russia and a ban on entry for up to 3 years.
The procedure of migration registration will differ depending on the place of residence.

I will be living in a hostel: the migration registration will be done at the address of the hostel you live in. You will need to present your passport and migration card to the Visa and Registration Office the next working day after your arrival.

I will be living in the apartment: the owner of the apartment will take care of the migration registration. Go to him the next working day after your arrival with your passport and your migration card.

I will be staying in a hotel: the immigration registration will be done by the hotel manager.

If your studies end later than your visa, you need to extend your visa and migration registration

You need to apply for an extension no earlier than 3 months and no later than 40 days before the end of your visa. Visa renewal is processed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs within 45 calendar days.

Your visa will be renewed for a maximum of one calendar year at a time during your period of study and will terminate 6 months prior to expiry of your passport.
If you have a new passport, you will need to apply within one month to renew your visa.

List of documents required to extend your visa
If you re studying on a fee basis:
passport;
Receipt of payment of the state fee;
Copies of passport, migration card, migration registration form (both sides);
photo;
copy of the contract for provision of paid educational services.

If you study for free:
passport;
Receipt of payment of the state fee;
Copies of passport, migration card, migration registration (both sides);
photo;
copy of the Ministry of Education and Science referral.

Contact the Visa and Registration Office. You will most likely have to leave Russia and request a new invitation.

Visa processing takes about 45 days. While you are waiting, prepare the documents to extend your immigration registration.

After you receive your new visa, you will have only three working days to apply for an extension.

Check in advance with the Visa and Registration Office or your apartment owner to see what documents you need to extend your migration registration.

Check your personal information on your visa. If you find an error, contact the Visa and Registration Office immediately.

Within 3 days from the date your visa was stamped in your passport, you must apply for an extension of your immigration registration.

If your studies end later than the term of your migration registration, you need to extend it.

It is necessary to apply for extension of migration registration not earlier than 3 months and not later than 25 days before its expiry date. Extension of the migration registration is processed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs within 20 days.

The migration registration is renewed for a maximum of one calendar year per time period of your study and ends with# the validity of your passport.

If you have received a new passport, you must apply within 7 days to have your immigration registration re-issued.

If you are studying fee-based:

— a copy of your passport;
 — copy of migration card, migration registration (both sides);
 — copy of the contract for educational services.

If you study for free:

— copy of passport;
— copy of migration card, migration registration (on both sides);
 — copy of the Ministry of Education and Science referral.

If you live in a dormitory.
With documents prepared in advance (copies of passport, migration card, migration registration), contact the staff of the Office of Visas and Registrations. Find out when you can get a new migration registration. On the appointed day, get it and carefully check your personal data.

If you live in an apartment.
With documents prepared in advance (copies of passport, migration card, migration registration) go to the owner of the apartment. Find out from him when to pick up the ready migration registration.

Contact the Office of Visas and Registrations.

Before departure

If you are going to travel in Russia, be sure to inform the staff at the Visa and Registration Office twice: before your trip and upon your return.


Upon return

If you are living in a dormitory:
Contact the Visa and Registration staff the next working day after you arrive with your passport, immigration card, and immigration registration from all of the places you were living during your trip.

If you are living in an apartment:
Go to the owner of the apartment the working day after you arrive with your passport, migration card, and immigration registration from every place you lived during the trip.

Before leaving Russia

Make sure you inform the Visa and Registration Office/Homeowner of your departure date and planned return date before you travel abroad

When am I due back?

You can enter on any date during the validity period of your multiple entry visa, but#not until#45#days#before# its#expiration,#in#order#to#not#in-time#furnish#your#visa#extensions.
If you will be traveling on a single entry visa, you will need a new invitation to return to Russia.

After you come to Russia.

After every entry to Russia, foreign citizens must get a migration registration. For more information, see "Migration registration".

What should I do when finishing my studies?

If you  successfully complete your studies, you must leave Russia no# later than the date your visa ends.
If you are expelled, you must leave Russia within three working days of your expulsion order.

What do I do if I want to  continue my studies at the PGUPS?

If you are planning to  continue your studies at the  PGUPS, make sure to apply for your new study visa on time.
Contact the Visa and Registrar's Office for advice on this matter.