Russian Migration Card

On the 10th February 2003, a requirement came into force for all foreign nationals to complete a Migration card on entry to the Russian Federation.

Migration cards are given out free of charge to foreign nationals by the airline carrier for completion, or are available at the airport upon arrival. You are required to complete items for personal data, terms and purpose of your visit and the proposed place of residence for your stay in both the arrival and departure sections. At immigration the Arrival section will be removed and detained by the immigration officer who stamps your visa. The departure section must be submitted with your visa at the time of your registration in Russia for official registration marking. Anyone who has not had a registration mark on this document will be considered being in the Russian Federation illegally.

This migration card system was introduced for the purpose of migration control on the territory of the Russian Federation. Foreign nationals must hand the departure section of migratory form back to the immigration officer as they depart the country.

If you were to be unfortunate enough to lose your migratory card, you should report the loss to the regional bodies of domestic affairs domiciliary within 3 days. If a migratory card were not to be returned on the foreign national’s departure from the Russian Federation, re-entry would be restricted.