Russian Visa Registration in Novosibirsk (for foreign citizens)
(if you wish to get help with registering your Russian visa in Novosibirsk, please contact info@novosibirskguide.com)You must register at the public office responsible for your residence area during three working days after your arrival. The effective date, which the days are counted down from, coincides with the date of arrival mentioned in your airline ticket, train ticket or any other document which proves the fact of your arrival. Lately, this procedure has been facilitated, and now it’s the person or company providing you accommodation that can register you (a hotel, or a landlord, for example). The majority of hotels do it themselves straightaway, without any prior discussions. In case you rent or live in private apartment, you manage it on you own, the landlord having the right to register you at any post office. In the same time apartment rental agencies in most cases do register your visa, but for some extra payment. That's it's better to use agency, if you want to rent a flat in Novosibirsk. To find one just check out real estate websites like NovosibirskGuide.com's Find-A-Flat or posutochno24.ru (have an english section).
Take into consideration that you must renew your registration after it has expired or in case you have moved to another city. The easiest option is to obtain a tourist visa, since if you have a business-visa you are also expected to provide some proof of your business relations in the city you want to register in.
Contrary to capital city’s policemen, their counterparts from Novosibirsk seldom check documents and registration in the streets. However, the penalty for non-having a valid visa or registration is a fine and some extra troubles on departing from the country.
Some Tips for Foreigners Spending an Extended Time in Russia, with Special Attention to Visas and Registration Procedures
NovosibirskGuide.com wants to say thank you to Polina - our visitor - who wrote this really useful textThe following humble pieces of advice are based on my experiences traveling in Russia. I offer them in the hopes that future adventurers to this very large, very fascinating, and very bureaucratic country might be spared some painful interactions with Russian officialdom.
- Make photocopies of everything! Better yet, make two photocopies of everything. This includes: the page of your passport containing personal information and photo, your visa, migration card, and, after you receive it, your registration (propiska). Make photocopies of your visa and migration card with the entry stamp on them. Keep one set of photocopies in a safe location at the place where you are staying. I actually also leave the original Russian documents in the safe place and carry only photocopies of my migration card and registration with me. If you are stopped by the police and asked to show your documents, the photocopies should suffice. The reason I leave the original Russian documents at home is that, if they are lost, they are the hardest to restore. If you lose your passport, your embassy will likely be forthcoming in helping you restore it, but the process of restoring Russian documents can be long and painful.
- If - heaven forbid - your documents are stolen while you are in Russia, file a report with the police! Be sure to obtain from them a signed and stamped letter ("spravka") attesting that your documents were indeed stolen. Ask for several original signed and stamped letters if possible. These will be invaluable in helping you restore your Russian documents, that is, your visa, migration card, and registration.
- You must register your visa within 3 business days of your arrival in Russia. If you are registering your visa for the first time, you can do this at the post office. You will need to fill out a form with information about yourself and the host organization or individual that issued your visa invitation. You will need to provide photocopies of your passport, migration card, and visa. After you are successfully registered, you will receive the registration form (propisk) attesting to the legality of your presence in Russia. A police officer may ask to see this form at any time. You may also need this form to purchase a local sim-card for your cell phone.
- If you were previously registered in a different city and need to register in a new one because you are staying for longer than 3 business days, you cannot do this at the post office. You must do this at the local branch of the Federal Migration Service (FMS). FMS offices are usually attached to a police office. You can find precise addresses at the post office. At the post office, you can also pick up a form to fill out so that you can have everything ready when you visit the FMS.
- When registering, be aware that the migration service agents will read the forms and check your documentation very carefully. Do yourself a favor and double check that you have filled everything in, fully and accurately. The goal is to have an airtight case because FMS agents will look for any reason to reject your application, forcing you to come back and wait in line yet another day to submit your documents. Some agents may even appear to delight in this kind of torture. Try to anticipate their objections because they will not go out of their way to tell you anything in advance. When registering, bring both the originals and photocopies of your documents. Also bring, just in case, the original and a photocopy of your plane/train ticket attesting to the date of your arrival in the city. You must be accompanied by your host person or a representative of your host organization.
- You can help yourself navigate the quagmire of Russian officialdom - or avoid having to do it yourself altogether - by having local contacts in the cities where you be staying. This may be the people who issued your invitation, a hotel or hostel, or kind individual Russian friends who will go out of their way to help you. If you will be in Novosibirsk, for example, the administrators of this website are an excellent resource.
