On September 29, 2022, the official website of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs provides explanations for the removal of temporary restrictions on transport communication with foreign countries, previously imposed to limit the spread of a new coronavirus infection:
Temporary measures to suspend the period of temporary stay and registration at the place of stay have been terminated:

  • August 17, 2022 – for citizens of Abkhazia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia and South Ossetia,
  • September 3, 2022 – for citizens of Armenia and Kyrgyzstan.
  • October 13, 2022 – for citizens of all other countries. At the same time, the RF Government Order of 20.05.2022 N 1253-r (edition of 05.09.2022) “On the List of Foreign States in respect of which temporary restrictions on transport communication imposed by the Russian Federation are lifted” establishes that the date of lifting temporary restrictions on transport communication with a foreign state not included in the list approved by this order is the date of entry into force of the act of the RF Government recognizing as null and void the act of the RF Government that established such restrictions (paragraph 3). However, there are no regulatory legal acts of the Government of the Russian Federation directly abolishing transport restrictions on other countries (Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1267 dated 14.07.2022 abolished only Orders of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 365-r dated 16.03.2020 and No. 763-r dated March 27, 2020, which did not impose transport restrictions).

Foreign citizens who do not have valid documents for further legal stay on the territory of the Russian Federation by the above dates are obliged to apply to the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia at their place of location before the relevant date in order to settle their legal status or leave the Russian Federation in order to avoid prosecution. Exceptions:

  1. citizens of the DNR, LNR and Ukraine have the right to stay in the Russian Federation without limiting the period of temporary stay in accordance with Presidential Decree No. 585 of August 27, 2022;
  2. foreign citizens who have already settled their legal status: they have valid authorization documents for labor activity, visa, employment or civil law contract of a worker – EEU member state, receiving education in Russian educational institutions.

Additionally, the MOI states that:

  • From September 6, 2022, the practice of providing state services for issuing invitations to enter Russia and visas in the territorial bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia has been resumed in the same manner as before, i.e. without the restrictions previously in force in connection with countering the spread of a new coronavirus infection.
  • information posted on the Internet that foreign students studying in Russian universities must leave the country after October 12 does not correspond to reality.