Russian Interior Ministry informs foreign IT-specialists and their families

For foreign nationals who are specialists in information technology¹, the procedure for employment and obtaining a residence permit in the Russian Federation has been simplified.

Thus, foreign IT specialists have the right to conclude an employment contract or
a civil law contract for works (services) with organizations engaged in activities
in information technology, which have received in the manner prescribed by
the Government of the Russian Federation, a document of state accreditation of
the organization carrying out activities in information technology (except for organizations with resident status of a technology-innovative special economic zone)², without registration permission to work or patent.

Employers (accredited IT companies) engage these specialists without obtaining permission to hire and use employees. An organization’s state accreditation is confirmed by an entry in the register of accredited IT companies, information about which is publicly available in the section “Accreditation of IT companies” at the following link: https://digital.gov.ru/ru/activity/govservices/1/.

A foreign IT specialist working for an accredited IT company, as well as their family members (including spouse, children (including adopted children), spouses
of children, parents (including adoptive parents), spouses of parents, grandparents, grandchildren) are entitled to a residence permit in the Russian Federation without a period of validity under a simplified procedure.

To obtain a residence permit, an IT specialist as well as his/her family members should apply to the migration division of the territorial agency of the Ministry
of Internal Affairs of Russia at their chosen place of permanent residence. The period of consideration of the application for a residence permit in the Russian Federation is 3 months.

In addition to the basic documents required to apply for a residence permit for the Russian Federation³, a foreign IT specialist shall additionally submit:

- an employment contract or a civil law contract for work (services) concluded with an accredited IT company, executed in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation

- a document of education and (or) qualification confirming education and (or) qualifications in the field of information technology

- documents confirming the degree of kinship - in the case of an application for a residence permit by family members of a foreign IT specialist.

More detailed information on the list of documents required to apply for a residence permit in the Russian Federation can be found on the official website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation on the information and telecommunications network Internet (www.mvd.ru) in the section “State Services - Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia - Issuance of residence permits”.

The indicated preferences are available from June 28, 2022 (Federal Law No. 207-FZ dated 28.06.2022 “On Amendments to the Federal Law "On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation").

^{2 Following – “accredited IT companies”.}

^{3 Item 432 of the Administrative Regulations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation}

^{On rendering the state service on granting foreign citizens and persons without citizenship a residence permit, replacement of a residence permit for foreign citizens and persons without citizenship in the Russian Federation, approved by Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia from June 11, 2020 No.417}