Migration registration — notifying the authorities where a foreign national is staying within 7 days — usually falls on the employer, and the misses are small individually but expensive in aggregate. Keeping every foreign hire registered correctly is the practical task.
Notify within 7 days of a foreign national's arrival or move — usually the employer's duty, and a separate violation each time it's missed.
Registration, renewals and the one-year maximum, with the current notification forms — so no one quietly falls out of compliance.
Migration registration: the basics
Registration deadlines by category
How to complete migration registration: step by step
Key changes: 2025–2026 legislative updates
Penalties for migration registration violations
Best practices for HR and compliance teams
Migration registration (постановка на миграционный учёт по месту пребывания) is the obligation to notify Russian authorities of where a foreign national is staying. It is required for virtually all foreign nationals in Russia, regardless of immigration status.
For foreign companies employing foreign nationals, migration registration is typically the employer's practical responsibility — even though legally it can be done by the "receiving party" (принимающая сторона), which can be the employer, the property owner where the employee is staying, or a hotel.
If the employee stays at the company's office address or corporate accommodation — the employer is the receiving party and must register
If the employee rents an apartment — the landlord is the receiving party and must register. However, in practice many landlords fail to do this, leaving the employee at risk
Hotels register their guests automatically upon check-in
In practice, HR departments of foreign companies in Russia typically handle migration registration for all their foreign employees regardless of accommodation type — to ensure compliance and avoid risk to the employee and company.
The deadline for registration depends on the foreign national's immigration status and country of origin:
Duration of registration (from 5 February 2025): Foreign nationals are now registered for the period stated in the notification of arrival, but not more than one year. This change (from the previous practice of registering for the period of visa validity) means that employees on multi-year permits need to be re-registered annually or registered for the full stated stay period at the outset.
Pick your situation — we'll tell you where you stand:
The employer (as receiving party) completes migration registration through one of three channels:
Option 1: In person at MVD territorial office
Submit notification of arrival (уведомление о прибытии) with copies of the foreign national's passport, visa and migration card
MVD stamps the tear-off portion of the notification form and returns it — this stamped portion is the migration registration certificate
The employee must keep this certificate and carry it
Option 2: Through MFC (Multifunctional Service Centre / МФЦ)
Same documents as above; accepted at any MFC office
Convenient as MFCs have extended hours and multiple locations
Processing time: up to 3 working days
Option 3: Online through Gosuslugi portal
Available for employers registered on the Gosuslugi business portal
Electronic submission; employer receives confirmation electronically
Must be completed within the same deadline
Completed notification of arrival form (уведомление о прибытии)
Copy of foreign national's passport (identification pages + visa page)
Usually the employer — migration registration, notifying the authorities where the foreign national is staying within 7 days of arrival or a move, typically falls on the receiving party. Systematising it is what keeps every hire compliant rather than relying on individual diligence.
A missed registration is a violation, but it can be remediated — the sooner the better, before it's found. Fixing the gap and tightening the process is what stops small misses accumulating into a significant penalty.
The forms and requirements have changed, so using the current ones matters — an outdated form can invalidate the notification. Handling registration with the up-to-date forms is part of keeping it compliant.
This explains migration registration — the 7-day obligation to notify where a foreign national is staying, usually falling on the employer. Your question is how to keep every foreign hire registered correctly, because the misses are small individually and expensive in aggregate.
Employing foreign nationals? The 7-day registration is easy to miss and costly in aggregate — worth systematising.
Practical support for international business in Russia.