Post: #1

If you stay in russia longer than 7 days they say you need to register at one of the offices.

Has anyone experienced this? Is it really important? How strict are they with the 8 day rule?

I am here for barely over 7 days and am wondering if I will be thrown in jail if I don't register.

Any help would be great.

Post: #2

I am going to have to deal with this myself in a little while. I thought it was if you're there longer than 3 days? Apparently you also have to de-register. All these restrictions are really asinine, but I have no idea if they really matter or not.

Post: #3

Was in Russia for two weeks over new year traveling between Moscow and Spb. Never did any registering.

Post: #4

Can only say how it is for Euro Passport holders as Americans may have different rules but we have to register. The good news is a hotel will do it automatically if you stay there so you don't need to go to any office. If you are only staying in apartments then go to an agency like 'Real Russia' in Moscow ( office is a ten minute walk from Alexseyevskaya metro station ). They have registered mine for a small fee many times and helped me out with other visa difficulties when they occurred too. You certainly will not be jailed if you don't register but you may have to pay a fine on leaving the country or some other hassle. Just go register to save the possible hassles.

Post: #5

(07-19-2013 11:16 AM)gandt Wrote:  If you stay in russia longer than 7 days they say you need to register at one of the offices.

Has anyone experienced this? Is it really important? How strict are they with the 8 day rule?

I am here for barely over 7 days and am wondering if I will be thrown in jail if I don't register.

Any help would be great.

FWIW I've had a US and Canadian friend visit here for like 9 days each and neither registered. Both had no problems leaving. I think the 7 day thing is business days too, but not sure, could be wrong.

I dont' want to lead u astray but those are just my real-life experiences with registering. I myself have always registered but I either had jobs or schools do it for me so I had to do it.

Whatever you do, dont' lose that migration card they give you when you arrive at the airport.

Post: #6

When I studied in Russia our university would always get total psycho if we'd leave the country and wouldn't register upon return. Once they tried to force me to cross the border to Finland just to get a new registration form when my original form had expired for registration after returning from Estonia. Anyway, I didn't do that and didn't get any serious trouble.

I have been several times for several consecutive months and in these days I did register. Be prepared for huge queues in some dirty shit hole where nobody will speak English, should you decide to get yourself registered.

They also told me at uni that there is a possibility that border guards will make serious problems but from my experience and that of my friends that is very rare.

Up to you to take the risk.

Post: #7

If a cop stops you outside and ask for the documents, the first thing they look at is your registration paper. If you don't have it, they would probably ask for some money in return for no trouble. If you will be living in a flat, I would recommend going to a hostel and they could make it for little money. (I've paid 500 rub for that)

Post: #8

(07-22-2013 07:38 AM)signoria Wrote:  If you will be living in a flat, I would recommend going to a hostel and they could make it for little money. (I've paid 500 rub for that)

Anyone who owns an apartment in the city you're in can register you on his address.

Registration is a very easy process. Your apartment's landlord will do it just with the copy of your passport. He goes to the post office where he registrates you, it takes him no more than 1/2 hour and it costs next to nothing. If you have bought your invitation through a visa agency, no problems, the receiving entity does not have to coincide with the invitating entity. There is no reason for not registering.

In Tashkent, registration rules are much more aleatoric. The rule seems to be that there is no rules. One time my landlord is able to register me, and the other time it is impossible and we have to pass through a hostel (which asks a 5$ daily fee to do it). Administrative procedures are grotesque in Uzbekistan.

Edit: As a side note, it seems that registration will also becoming mandatory for russian citizens : http://themoscownews.com/russia/20130115/191134332.html

Post: #9

(07-22-2013 08:01 AM)Prosal Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 07:38 AM)signoria Wrote:  If you will be living in a flat, I would recommend going to a hostel and they could make it for little money. (I've paid 500 rub for that)

Anyone who owns an apartment in the city you're in can register you on his address.

Registration is a very easy process. Your apartment's landlord will do it just with the copy of your passport. He goes to the post office where he registrates you, it takes him no more than 1/2 hour and it costs next to nothing. If you have bought your invitation through a visa agency, no problems, the receiving entity does not have to coincide with the invitating entity. There is no reason for not registering.

In Tashkent, registration rules are much more aleatoric. The rule seems to be that there is no rules. One time my landlord has been able to register me, and the other time it was impossible and we had to pass through a hostel (which asked a 5$ daily fee to do it).

As far as I am aware this cannot be done at the post office, only at the immigration office.

Post: #10

(07-22-2013 08:08 AM)DQA Wrote:  As far as I am aware this cannot be done at the post office, only at the immigration office.

It can be done at any post office.

Post: #11

(07-22-2013 08:01 AM)Prosal Wrote:  Anyone who owns an apartment in the city you're in can register you on his address.

Correction: or who has a lease contract i.e is the apartment’s official resident.

Post: #12

It cost me like $12 to register in St Pete. That is a very small price to pay for peace of mind. If stopped by police they of course will ask for this. And do you want to risk not having it? Now if you are traveling multiple cities it gets much more complex. And asking Russians will get you 4 different answers. I simply used the 7 day rule. If I was going to be in a city for more than 7 days I registered. I think it is fair to say if you are not white the odds of the police stopping does increase slightly. I was there 3 weeks and had zero issues (white).

Post: #13

Thanks for the help guys. I looked into the law which states:

Quote:The Federal Law No. 42-FZ accepted on 25 March 2011 entitled “Making amendments to the law on “Registration of foreign citizens and stateless people in the Russian Federation”.


Registration period: the registration period of foreign citizens and stateless people to the migration services is now 7 working days from the entry day into the Russian Federation and they should register within 7 working says at the place of residence. Foreign citizens and stateless people being in Russia for less than 7 days don’t have to be registered.

Luckily I am only here for 6 working days. So I personally, will not bother to register as I am leaving very shortly.

Post: #14

(07-22-2013 09:22 AM)Prosal Wrote:  

(07-22-2013 08:01 AM)Prosal Wrote:  Anyone who owns an apartment in the city you're in can register you on his address.

Correction: or who has a lease contract i.e is the apartment’s official resident.

My landlord dropped off the face of the earth when I asked about registration.

Obviously because if she helped me with the process then she would have to pay taxes.... Bitch.