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New rules for stay of foreigners in Russia come into force

The aforementioned Federal Law stipulates that the period of temporary stay in Russia for foreign citizens who arrived in the Russian Federation without requiring a visa (including citizens of Ukraine) may not exceed 90 days total within each period of 180 days, except for cases provided for by federal law, as well as if such period is extended in accordance with federal law.

If a foreigner during their previous stay in Russia exceeded the 90-day stay total within each period of 180 days, they will be banned from entering the Russian Federation for 3 years from the day they leave Russia.

The travel regime for citizens of Ukraine and Russia is defined by the Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the Russian Federation on Visa-Free Travel for Citizens of Ukraine and the Russian Federation dated January 16, 1997, and the Protocol on Amendments to the Agreement dated October 30, 2004.

In accordance with Article 1 of the said agreement (as amended in 2004), citizens of Ukraine and Russia may enter, exit, and travel within the territory of the states without visas, subject to the stay rules in force in that state, using documents identifying the person and confirming citizenship (Appendices 1 and 2 to the Agreement).

At the same time, citizens of Ukraine and Russia are exempt from registration with the competent authorities at their place of stay on the territory of the other state, if the period of such stay does not exceed 90 days from the moment of entry into the territory of that other state, provided they have a migration card with a mark from the border control authorities placed upon entry into the territory of the host state. Thus, citizens of Ukraine can stay on the territory of Russia without migration registration for 90 days.

In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine draws the attention of Ukrainian citizens who are planning their foreign trips and will be in the Russian Federation to the need to comply with the laws of the host country and to take into account the consequences of violating the stay regime in the Russian Federation.

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