Registration and visa
The decision of studying at other country is a real and serious step and it needs thorough preparation. You’ll need to adapt to different culture and laws of other country as an international student: laws, migration registration of foreigners, health insurance, a university bylaw, dormitory rules, etc.
To help you with all these new conditions the university has International Services Center.
The International Services Center takes care of foreign students in issues related to the release of invitation, student multivisa, migration registration of foreigners and accommodation in dormitories.
Here you can download the Foreign Student Manual on the Migration Rule.
First step of getting a student visa is by obtaining an invitation from INRTU.
Prospective students have to complete all admission procedure to receive the invitation from the university. Russian Federal Migration issues the invitation within a period of 45 days.
Upon receipt of invitation, prepare visa documents and apply for visa at Russian Embassy/Consulate.
You can clarify the list of necessary documents for student visa at Russian Embassy/Consulate in your country. The initial student visa granted is valid only for 3 months. After arrival in Russia, you should apply for multi-visa.
How to extend a visa?
For student visa extension, you should apply to university department for working with foreign students before 45 days before expiration.
Here is the list of necessary documents:
- A 3*4 cm matte photograph with white background
- Student’s International passport
- Student’s study contract (a copy) or an assignment for study by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation
- The Receipt confirming payment of the State Duty (State Duty for 1 year educational visa is 1 600 rubles (approximately $30)
- Detachable section of the migration registration
- Student’s Migration Card (the original)
Pay attention that every time after visa extension you should pass migration registration once again.
Migration card
The purpose of the migration card is to verify that a foreign citizen crossed the Russian border legally. Without a migration card a foreign citizen cannot stay, study or legally work in Russia. Beware that the purpose of your visit to Russia is underlined correctly: study.
You can get a free migration card form onboard any mode used to get you across the border or from a passport control zone at the airport or railway station.
A Migration Card is valid until you leave Russia. When returning to the country you should fill in a new Migration Card.
In case of lost or damage of migration card you should apply to the International Services Center. It’s important to apply for a new migration card within 3 days after lost.
Documents to be submitted:
- Student’s Passport (or any document of identification)
- Student’s Migration Card
Migration registration
In 7 days after entering Russia foreign citizens should apply for migration registration. For this purpose you should submit necessary documents to the University after arriving.
How to extend migration registration
For extension of migration registration, you should apply to the International Services Center before 30 days until it expiration. Please pay attention that every time when you are registered at other places (hotels, hospitals, guest-houses, etc.) you have to apply for migration registration at the International Services Center once again.
You can read more about migration registration here.
INRTU offers accommodation to all foreign students enrolled full time. A student should provide a medical certificate including examinations results for HIV, tuberculosis, lepra, venereal diseases, malaria and chronic diseases and application for living in dormitory to the International Services Center.
All international students should have a health insurance. You can buy the health insurance at INRTU upon arriving to Russia. Cost of health insurance is about 5000-6150 RUB per year.
TEMPORARY RESIDENCE PERMIT
Any foreign citizen has the right to apply to the migration service with an application for a temporary residence permit (TRP).
To do this, he/she submits an application form to the territorial division of the Russian migration service in the Irkutsk region. The application is reviewed with 30 days and in case of a positive answer, a foreign citizen submits a package of documents for the TRP. The list of documents varies for different nationalities, however, an exam on knowledge of the Russian language is mandatory for all applicants. The term for application consideration is up to 4 months.
Temporary permits issued in any territory of the Russian Federation in a calendar year is limited by a quota. This is calculated annually for independent regions and the greater Russia.
Persons having the right to receive TRP without taking into account the quota are the persons married to a Russian citizen who has a place of residence in our country. In this case, the TRP, without taking into account the quota, is issued exclusively in the region of Russia where the place of residence of the spouse - a Russian citizen is located. The place of residence is confirmed by registration.
TRP exempts fr om the need to extend a student visa during the period of validity of the TRP. TRP is the first step to obtaining Russian citizenship.
After receiving the TRP, you can apply for a residence permit (permit).
RESIDENCE PERMIT
A residence permit is a necessary step in obtaining Russian citizenship. First, a foreign citizen should obtain a temporary residence permit (TRP), then a residence permit, and only after that, he/she can apply for a Russian passport.
A residence permit can be issued to a foreign citizen who has lived in the Russian Federation for at least one year on the basis of a temporary residence permit (TRP).
To obtain a residence permit, a foreign citizen must work, since he will need to confirm his income.
To obtain a residence permit, a foreign citizen takes an exam for the Russian language knowledge. An application for a residence permit is considered for 6 months. After obtaining a residence permit, it is necessary to live in the region for 5 years.
After obtaining a residence permit, a foreign citizen must:
- work in the region of the Russian Federation wh ere he/she has got a residence permit;
- live at the place of registration;
- annually submit a salary report (at least 150 thousand rubles per year) to the department of the Russian Migration Service for the Irkutsk region.
- Live in Russia and move freely around it (except for a few closed areas).
- Arriving and leaving the country as many times as he/she likes without a visa.
- Work without obtaining a labor patent or permit.
- Receive medical care under compulsory medical insurance (this does not include a number of socially dangerous diseases, such as tuberculosis and HIV).
- Receive social benefits, pensions and free education, if there is a reason.
- Issue an invitation to enter the country for their relatives.
- Apply for Russian citizenship.
CITIZENSHIP OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
A residence permit is the second step in obtaining Russian citizenship.
Having obtained a residence permit, a foreign citizen has the right to apply for citizenship of the Russian Federation. The application is considered for 1 year.
- Residence permit;
- A document confirming a legal income and the amount of income for the period of residence in the region of the Russian Federation for 1 year preceding the date of application.
- A document confirming the Russian language knowledge at a level sufficient to communicate orally and in writing in a language environment.
- If the applicant changes his/her last name, first name or patronymic, documents certifying this change shall be provided.
To find out about work opportunities for foreign students you can here
- 1. The service should be provided in 38 working days.
- 2. You cannot stay outside the Russian Federation for more than 6 months in total during a calendar year (from January 1 to December 31).
- 3. When switching from full-time to part-time education, the TRPE is cancelled.
- 4. Documents are submitted personally to the Department of Inner Migration.
- 5. TRPEP is issued for the period of mastering an education course and 180 calendar days after the end of the study period. The passport is affixed with a stamp on the issuance of a TRPE
- 6. The applicant fills the questionnaire when receiving the application to determine the "profile" of the applicant.
- 7. Fingerprinting procedure.
List of documents:
a) Application in 2 copies (there are 8 options for each individual case);
b) Applicant’s ID (one of the documents of choice: passport, identity card or other document recognized in the Russian Federation). The validity of the passport is at least 3 months before the expiration date on the day of submission;
c) Photos 35x45 mm 2 pcs, b/w or color (matte);
d) For relatives. A document confirming the degree of kinship (birth certificate, marriage/dissolution certificate, document confirming name change, document confirming adoption, document confirming the powers of the guardian);
e) Representative’s ID (one of the documents at the choice of the applicant: a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation, a passport of a foreign citizen, another document recognized in the Russian Federation);
f) Documents confirming the absence of a criminal record from the country of citizenship of the applicant who arrived in the Russian Federation with a visa (not necessary for visa-free countries). The document must be issued not earlier than 3 months before the date of application;
g) Documents confirming the applicant's enrollment in the state educational organization or government scientific organization: administrative act of the state institutions on the admission of an applicant for full-time undergraduate studies, a specialist's program, a master's program, a residency program, an assistant-internship program that has a state accreditation, or under the training program for researchers and pedagogical personnel in postgraduate studies. A copy (extract) certified by a state institution;
h) Copy of the study contract for commercial students;
i) Documents drawn up in a foreign language or in several foreign languages, and among them there is no Russian language, are attached to the application with a translation into Russian certified by a notary;
j) Documents that the applicant has the right to provide on his own initiative: migration card (for visa-free countries);
k) Medical documents: conclusion of a psychiatrist-narcologist; certificate of absence of HIV infection; medical conclusion on the absence of infectious diseases;
l) Receipt of the state toll payment.
- Medical examination in a certified medical center to confirm absence of certain diseases or drug abuse. The cost for the medical examination is 5000 RUB and is not covered by health insurance. This must be done once a year*.
- Fingerprinting and taking photo in the Unified Migration Center (must be done only once). The cost of the procedure is 2000 roubles.
When the procedure is complete, a foreigner gets a card, which he or she should bring to the Center for International Services at INRTU.
Make sure to Ensure you undergo this procedure within 90 days after your arrival in Russia to avoid being deported by the migration authorities.
In the following years:
Medical examination must be passed every year. After receiving results, a special paper must be taken from the Unified Migration Center. It costs 1200 roubles.