Registration of foreign nationals with migration authorities during the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Pepeliaev Group reminds you that the timeframe for the registration of foreign nationals with migration authorities during the above period has been reduced considerably. 

Foreign nationals arriving in host cities from 25 May until 25 July 2018 should be registered with migration authorities within three days of their arrival in the corresponding city in connection with the 2018 FIFA World Cup being held in Russia. The host cities are Moscow, St Petersburg, Volgograd, Ekaterinburg, Kazan, Kaliningrad, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, Saransk and Sochi.[1]

The requirements are applicable to all foreign nationals, including highly qualified experts.

Foreign nationals should be registered by the hosting party (an employer or an owner of residential premises). Documents for the purpose of registration with migration authorities should be filed with a regional office of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs or a multifunctional centre at which state services are provided. No provision is made for registration by sending the documents by post.

According to the information supplied to us by a representative of the Main Directorate for Migration Matters of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, regional offices of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will be working every day (without days off and holidays) during the period of the World Cup. We recommend that you learn in advance the addresses and working hours of such offices.

All foreign nationals who will be in the above host cities by 25 May 2015 should be also registered with migration authorities on or before 25 May.

If the period of stay of a foreign national in the above cities is less than three days, then, according to the Main Directorate for Migration Matters of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, he or she does not have to register with migration authorities (except for cases when a foreign national stays in a hotel).

We remind you that the requirement for registration with migration authorities will not apply only to foreign nationals and stateless persons who are participating in the World Cup. Nor will it cover any FIFA representatives, FIFA subsidiaries, confederations and national football associations included in FIFA lists.

Please also note that if a foreign national stays at a hotel, boarding house or a sanatorium, the obligation to register such foreign national with the migration authorities should be performed by these organisations.

Implications for companies

Taking into account the gravity of the consequences that violating the requirements of migration control may entail for foreign nationals themselves as well as for the host party, companies employing foreign nationals should be especially prudent in tracking the movement of their foreign employees during the sport events. They should make sure they are registered with migration authorities in due time.

We recommend that you learn in advance the working hours of regional offices of the Ministry of Internal Affairs that are responsible for the registration of foreign nationals with migration authorities, as well as the working hours of multifunctional centres through which your company is planning to arrange for the registration of foreign nationals with migration authorities.

Help from your adviser

Pepeliaev Group’s lawyers are ready to provide you with any necessary legal support regarding issues of migration legislation.