Studying in Russia
- credential_verification Blocks your application
Notarised Russian translation of foreign documents
Educational and personal documents issued outside Russia must be translated into Russian and notarised before they can be used, regardless of the programme's language of instruction.
- When
- before_application
studyinrussia.ru · 2026-08-17 · Study in Russia portal, Ministry of Science and Higher Education
Documents issued outside Russia must be translated into Russian and notarized.
- credential_verification Blocks your application
Recognition (nostrification) of a foreign qualification
A foreign qualification is not automatically valid in Russia. Some awarding institutions appear on an official list letting the university recognise the qualification directly; otherwise formal recognition through the National Information Centre is required.
- When
- before_application
studyinrussia.ru · 2026-08-17 · National Information Centre (Главэкспертцентр), Rosobrnadzor
Documents issued outside Russia must be translated into Russian and notarized. ⚠ The nostrification FEE and TIMEFRAME could not be sourced — nic.gov.ru refused the connection outright, so neither is recorded.
- language_certification Blocks your application
Russian-taught programmes and the preparatory faculty year
Programmes taught in Russian require Russian competence, normally evidenced by a preparatory faculty certificate. Applicants without one are typically routed into a preparatory year first, which adds a year to the plan.
- When
- before_application
studyinrussia.ru · 2026-08-17 · Ministry of Science and Higher Education / admitting university
If you attended a preparatory course, enter the details and upload the certificate.
- visaMandatory
Study visa requires an MVD invitation the university obtains
A study visa cannot be applied for on a university offer alone. The university procures an official invitation issued by the territorial body of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, and that invitation must be presented at the consulate. A student cannot start this step themselves.
- When
- after_offer
www.kdmid.ru · 2026-08-17 · Consular Department of the Russian MFA; invitation issued by the territorial body of the MVD
оригинал приглашения на въезд в Российскую Федерацию (в бумажном виде или распечатка приглашения, оформленного в электронном виде), выданного территориальным органом МВД России — the Study in Russia portal states the same two-step mechanism in English: 'The university issues an invitation and sends
- healthMandatory
HIV-negative certificate — sources disagree on validity
A certificate confirming absence of HIV infection is mandatory for any visa over three months, which every degree programme exceeds. ⚠ Two official sources give DIFFERENT validity windows and a student who trusts the wrong one arrives with an expired certificate.
- Takes
- 90d
- When
- with_application
www.kdmid.ru · 2026-08-17 · Consular Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
справку об отсутствии ВИЧ-инфекции (действительна 3 месяца) — the MFA consular department states THREE MONTHS. ⚠ CONFLICT: the Study in Russia portal states the certificate is valid for one year. The MFA figure governs the consular submission and is the shorter of the two, so 90 days is recorded as
- healthMandatory
Medical examination and fingerprint registration after arrival
Beyond the visa documents, students must complete a medical examination and a dactyloscopic (fingerprint) registration after arriving, and hold a voluntary medical insurance policy.
- When
- after_arrival
studyinrussia.ru · 2026-08-17 · Ministry of Internal Affairs; authorised medical institutions
Voluntary medical insurance policy
- healthMandatory
Compulsory medical insurance policy
A medical insurance policy must be presented for the visa unless an international treaty provides otherwise. Cover must include medical assistance, medical transport and emergency evacuation or repatriation.
- When
- with_application
www.kdmid.ru · 2026-08-17 · Consular Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
Предоставляется полис медицинского страхования, если иное не предусмотрено международными договорами Российской Федерации.
- registrationMandatory
Migration card and migration registration
Every arriving foreign national is issued a migration card regardless of age, and it is the basis of the subsequent migration registration. Loss or damage must be reported to the territorial migration authority within three days.
- When
- after_arrival
www.kdmid.ru · 2026-08-17 · Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation
Миграционная карта заполняется на каждого иностранного гражданина независимо от возраста — ⚠ THE REGISTRATION DEADLINE IN DAYS COULD NOT BE SOURCED. It lives on мвд.рф, which timed out and 404'd on every path tried. This is the one genuinely important missing number for Russia: register through your
- otherMandatory
Passport must have at least 18 months validity
Russia applies an unusually long passport-validity rule to the STUDY visa specifically: the passport must be valid for at least a year and a half. A passport that comfortably satisfies most countries fails here.
- When
- before_travel
www.kdmid.ru · 2026-08-17 · Consular Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
При оформлении учебной визы срок действия паспорта должен быть не менее полутора лет