Russian visa and registration — getting it done once you rent the apartment.

News (27 September 2004): The registration procedure in Moscow has changed and became more complicated. We negotiated a special deal with a partner visa company, so if you order both an apartment and visa support through this site, you will be able to avoid possible hassle related with the registration - the visa company will do everything for you for a $50 US fee.
If you order your visa support anywhere else, please, make sure they will be able to register your visa when you arrive. If you would like a consultation on your particular case, feel free to call our free information line:

Russia: +7 095 411-9-401 ext 1233
USA: +1 866 411-9-401 ext 1233 (Toll Free!)
E-mail: info@rentline.ru

According to Russian immigration laws, you need to submit your Russian visa for a registration during the first 72 hours of your stay in the country (excluding weekends and official holidays).
The registration should be processed by the company or travel agency that issued your visa support (the document you used to apply for a Russian visa at the embassy).

We organised the most common questions you may have in a simple FAQ fashion below, if you need any other information, please, read our comprehensive Russian Visa guide.
 
Question 1: Do you really need to register your visa?
For example, if you are coming to Moscow on Wednesday and going to leave on Sunday, you don't need to register your visa, because you will be staying less than 3 working days in Russia.
However, if you come for a week, you should submit your documents on the first day of your stay to make sure they are ready and processed before you leave.
The registration usually costs $25-$50 US and may take up to 1 week.

Question 2: How to avoid the hassle?
The registration rules are different if you are renting an apartment, and it is better you check with your visa support provider if they can register your visa.
Most visa support companies don't pay too much attention to that because most people who come to Russia stay in hotels and hotels get the visas registered.
So, you should check with your visa support agency if they will be able to register you if you stay in an apartment and require them to give you a list of the documents you need.
You can use the visa support companies advertised in WayToRussia.Net visa support section, as they are always up-to-date on the registration rules and will be able to assist in case there are any problems.
If you will be reserving an apartment through this site you will be offered an option to order visa support, we recommend you to use it as this option is designed to work well together with the apartment you choose and you will be able to avoid possible hassle.

Question 3: What documents are actually needed to get the registration done?
If you are renting an apartment, your landlord (the owner of the apartment) should write a special letter where he or she agrees to have you registered temporarily in his or her apartment. This letter will need to have a notary proof, which it is possible to get at any notary office.
Then you will need to submit this letter as well as your passport, visa, and migration card (that you get at the Russian border) to the company that issued your visa for you and they will do the registration.
You can download a sample of the Landlord Letter in Rich Text or Adobe Acrobat PDF formats (in Russian with a translation in English). Don't use this letter, it's a sample. The original can be obtained in any notary office.
The letter should be then given to the travel agency that issued your invitation, so that they can register your visa. Sometimes, the visa can be registered at the travel agency's office without such letter (please, check with the agency that issues your visa support - invitation letter)
IMPORTANT: As of January 2004 for foreigners staying in private apartments in Moscow (only in Moscow) in addition to the actual passport and visa necessary for visa registration, it is necessary to provide:
1) Registration Application Form completed and signed by the foreign citizen (your visa support agency should help you to fill it in)
2) Migration card (with an entry stamp)
3) A permission from landowner for a foreign citizen to stay and get registered in his/her apartment. Permission should be signed by all other family members of the full legal age, who reside and are registered in the apartment. Permission should be authorized by the passport office of local DEZ or REU.
You should be able to get all these papers from your visa support agency or landlord.

Question 4: I don't want to gather all these documents, is there a way to avoid it?
Yes, most landlords can arrange a registration for you, so what you will need to do is just to give your passport to them and then get it back in a few days with a registration stamp on your Russian visa.
This will cost more than a normal registration fee (usually about $50-$70 US), but the amount of time you save is much greater.
Just try to use the same company for renting your apartment and arranging your visa support and you should be fine.
 
Quesiton 5: What if I don't register?
Theoretically you face a fine (up to $100 US), a short detention (not more than a few hours), and possible deportation from the country at your own expense.
Practically very few people get the two latter options, as the whole registration thing is made up by local authorities to get money from tourists. So, in most cases you will have to pay a fine and that will be it (usually it's possible to settle for the amount of $10-$30).
The unpleasant thing is that the amount of fines you pay will grow proportionally to the number of encounters with police or immigration authorities (when you leave) you may have.
So, the best advice is to always register your visa.

Quesiton 6: Nobody wants to register my visa, what do I do?
If less than 3 days passed since you arrived to Russia, go to any cheap hotel, buy the cheapest room there for one night and ask them to put a registration stamp in your passport. Like this you will have at least something.
The problem with this method is that the registration is attached to a certain place where you live, or to the agency that issued your visa support. So, if you live in an apartment but get your registration in a hotel, it's a bit of a problem. However, if your registration stamp is done by a travel agency (without specifying where you are actually staying), there's no specific address on your visa.
 
 

Disclaimer: Please, note, that although we are trying to make the information in this section as accurate as possible, it does not constitute a legal advice, and we are not liable nor responsible for any loss, injury, or problems that may arise from using this information.