Obligatory medical examinations,fingerprinting and official photographing for international staff
On December 29, 2021, Federal Law No. 274-FZ, dated July 1, 2021, came into effect, thereby introducing amendments to Federal Law No. 115-FZ “On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation”. As per this document, foreign citizens residing in the Russian Federation are subject to obligatory medical examinations, fingerprinting and official photographing.
General information
Who and what does this concern, and when shall it be done?
- You must take a medical examination, provide your fingerprints biometric photograph within 30 days from the date of your arrival to Russia in order to receive a work permit (this applies to HQS employees).
- If you plan to prolong or apply for a new work permit in the Russian Federation, you must undertake a medical examination, provide your fingerprints and get officially photographed in order to be issued a new work permit (as per p. 4.6 Art. 13 of FZ-115).
Who is exempt from these procedures?
- persons with dual citizenship, one of which is Russian citizenship;
- citizens of the Republic of Belarus, as per the agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus “On Ensuring the Equal Rights of Citizens”, dated December 25, 1998;
- children under six years of age;
- officials of international (interstate, intergovernmental) organizations; staff of diplomatic missions, consulates and embassies in the Russian Federation and members of their families – on the basis of reciprocity between Russia and respective countries;
- holders of temporary or permanent residency permit of Russia; for them medical examinations are necessary only once and to obtain residency documentation.
What is HSE University doing to mitigate the effects of the new legislation?
- Provision of centralized information and organizational support through e-mail: intstaff@hse.ru;
- Organization of trips to clinics and migration local authorities accompanied by an HSE University staff member; the University will agree on a date and time for trips with all employees who need to partake in medical procedures on a priority basis, with due consideration of the date of their entry into Russia;
- Informational support for obtaining permanent residency: individual consultations on submission of documents, required documentation and the timeframe for processing residency applications.
Is it necessary to retake medical examinations, fingerprinting and official photography if this had already been done for the submission of documents for permanent residency (and if a permanent residency permit still has not been granted) should one’s arrival in Russia take place after December 29, 2021?
No. You must not repeat these procedures if you have previously undertaken such procedures in line with relevant Russian legislation, e.g., when obtaining a work patent, temporary residency permit, or a permanent residency permit. In such instances, you have the right to make a request with the local office of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs for the district where you are registered to obtain a document, confirming you have been fingerprinted and officially photographed.
Does the 30-day period for meeting the provisions of the new federal legislation apply every time one crosses the border of the Russian Federation? Can medical examinations be avoided if one leaves Russia every month?
The provisions of the federal law concern the period of one’s uninterrupted stay in the Russian Federation. If an international staff member leaves Russia prior to the expiration of the 30-day period from the date of their initial entry, they will need to undertake a medical examination, fingerprinting and official photographing within the uninterrupted 30-day period after their subsequent entry into Russia.
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