Russia visas, residency and relocation: the 2026 guides

The visarusse resource center, organized by stage of your journey. Every guide is dated, linked to the official texts and keeps administrative rules, official fees and our own fees clearly separate.

Official sourcesTexts and portals linked on every page
Dated verificationVisible, traceable updates
On-the-ground expertiseWritten by a team based in Moscow
1 guide

Visas and entering Russia

Consular visas for US citizens, e-visa eligibility, invitation letters, required documents and official timelines: everything to prepare before departure so you enter Russia legally.

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Essential guide

Russian visa for US citizens: how it works

No e-visa for Americans: the invitation, the consular filing, the 3-year visa and the mistakes that get applications refused.

9 min read
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2 guides

Residency: the Shared Values Visa and beyond

Presidential Decree 702 opens a temporary residence permit with no quota and no Russian language exam. Conditions, the real 2026 budget, every step, how Decree 821 differs and the path to permanent residency.

Vintage map of Moscow and the Kremlin in cream and midnight blue tones
Residency guide

The Shared Values Visa: complete 2026 guide

Eligibility, apostilles, the real budget after the July 2026 fee increase, actual timelines and the path to permanent residency.

16 min read
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Analysis

Decrees 702 and 821: what each text actually says

Which decree applies at which stage of the process, and what Russian law really says about foreigners and military service.

14 min read
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1 guide

After you arrive: living in Russia

Migration registration, deadlines, fines and everyday formalities: the rules that apply from the day you land in Russia, whatever your visa or permit.

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After arrival

Migration registration: the 7-business-day rule

Who must declare your arrival, by when, what you risk if it is missed and why every re-entry restarts the clock.

12 min read
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1 guide

Traveling and discovering Russia

Day by day itineraries, the cities worth your time and realistic durations: what you need to plan a trip to Russia without turning it into a race, whether it is a first visit or a scouting trip before relocating.

Red Square and Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow at sunset
Travel

What to see in Moscow in 5 days

A realistic route through Moscow: Red Square, the Kremlin, the Tretyakov Gallery, the riverside parks, Bunker-42, Sergiev Posad, VDNKh and the Bolshoi.

9 min read
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1 guide

Choosing a relocation service

Objective criteria to compare Russian visa and relocation services: total price, written scope, announced timelines, follow-up, contract terms and how your personal data is handled.

Panorama of Moscow in a cream and midnight blue palette
Choosing a service

Russian visa services: 10 criteria to choose well

Total price, written scope, timelines, follow-up, contract terms and data handling: the comparison grid to use before signing anything.

8 min read
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Your case doesn't fit a neat box?

A free first call to identify the right path, the documents and the budget, with no artificial guarantees.