Requirements for foreign applicants

Requirements for foreign documents registration

  1. The legal force (legitimacy) of all provided foreign documents (except passport) must be confirmed by one of the following ways:
    • through a legalization procedure in the manner prescribed by the laws of the state where the document was issued;
    • by apostille stamping (for documents issued in the Hague Convention Member States dated October, 5 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents).

    In cases when in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation and (or) international treaties legalization or apostille is not required to carry out, documents are provided without any additional certifications.

  2. Documents drawn in a foreign language shall be submitted with the translation into Russian. The whole body of original foreign text is a subject of translation, including names of officials, stamps and apostille stamp. Sheet of paper with the translation must be attached to the copy of the translated document. Accuracy of the translation or the translator's name is notarized according to the established procedure, in accordance with Attachment 1.
  3. All documents must be printed on the name indicated in the passport, which will cross the border of the Russian Federation. If the name and / or surname were changed, one must additionally submit a certificate of name and surname change (or marriage certificate). If the certificate is issued in a foreign country and in a foreign language, it must also be registered in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2.
  4. The spelling of names in Russian must be the same in all translations of the documents to coincide with Russian spelling of names in the entry visa.

Foreign nationals who need to carry out translations before obtaining an entry visa to the Russian Federation, should first clarify in the Russian Embassy (Consulate) the manner their first and last name will be written in the visa.

Appendix 1

To determine the specific version of the legalisation procedure and translation into Russian choose country where the document was issued:

States with which the Russian Federation concluded multilateral and bilateral agreements on legal assistance and legal relations in civil, family and criminal matters

List of countries see here

  1. Documents legalization is not required, they are provided without any additional certifications.
  2. Documents translations into Russian and its notarization can be done in the following ways:
    • in the country where the document was issued by a national translator with certification of a local notary;
    • in the country where the document was issued in the Russian Embassy (Consulate);
    • in the Russian territory by Russian translator with certification of a Russian notary.

The Hague Convention Member States dated October, 5 1961.

List of countries see here

  1.  All documents must be certified by the apostille stamp in the authorized state authorities where the document was issued.
  2. After the apostille stamp marking documents are translated into Russian in the Russian Embassy (Consulate) in the country where the document was issued or by the Russian translator in Russia. Translation accuracy (or translator’s signature) is certified by a Russian notary only (at the Russian Embassy (Consulate) or in the Russian territory).

Other states

  1. Foreign documents intended for use in the Russian Federation should be legalized in the manner prescribed by the state laws where the document was issued.
  2. Documents translation into Russian is carried out AFTER the legalization procedure in the Russian Embassy (Consulate) in the country where the document was issued or by a Russian translator in Russia. Translation accuracy (or the translator’s signature) is certified by a Russian notary only (at the Russian Embassy (Consulate) or in the Russian territory).