The temporary residence permit (TRP) is issued by the Russian Federal Migration Service, or, to be precise, by its regional and local offices. Each Russian administrative region (a.k.a. “federation subject”) has a migration service office handling migration matters.
If a foreign national wishes to live temporarily in Moscow, he or she would have to register for staying in Moscow first. First of all, the foreign national would have to submit an arrival notification, within seven days of arrival, for the purposes of so-called “migration registration.” This step is mandatory for everyone except for foreign highly qualified specialists and nationals of Ukraine, who are allowed to delay their migration registration by up to 90 days of arrival in Russia.
After receiving a temporary permit to take residence in Moscow has been issued, the foreign national is required to obtain registration at the place of residence. He or she must either own a home (an apartment) in Moscow, or obtain consent of the landlord (or other apartment owner, e.g. a friend or an inviting party allowing the foreign national to stay or reside at their home) to be registered at their home or apartment.
Before initiating the registration procedure, in addition to apartment ownership or landlord’s consent, attention should be paid to the following matters:
- The foreign national’s passport should be valid, ideally, for another two and a half - three years. This is especially important for those planning to obtain a permanent residence permit or Russian citizenship
- The passport should contain at least three - four blank pages. It is particularly important for those who have to cross the Russian border frequently on business
- The foreign national’s full legal name should have identical spelling (i.e. both identical Russian spelling and identical spelling in a foreign language) in the following documents: passport, migration card, the Russian entry visa, migration registration, birth and marriage certificates, education diplomas and certificates, etc..
Other important matters would depend on your own specific situation – your citizenship, place of birth, education, the citizenship of your parents and children, your plans to stay and work in Russia, etc.