Starting from 1 January 2023, in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 6 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ dated 25 July 2002 «On the Legal Status of Foreign Nationals in the Russian Federation» (hereinafter referred to as the Federal Law No. 115-FZ) a foreign national enrolled in a full-time Bachelor’s degree program, specialty program, Master’s degree program, residency program, internship program with state accreditation, or a program for training scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel in graduate school (adjunct) in a state educational or state scientific organization, has the right to apply to the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the region of the Russian Federation where the training is taking place, by submitting an application for a temporary residence permit for educational purposes (hereinafter referred to as RPEP).
- A foreign national applying for an RPEP is exempt from the obligation to confirm their knowledge of the Russian language, knowledge of the history of Russia and the basics of the legislation of the Russian Federation.
- RPEP is issued to a foreign national upon application, provided there is confirmation of enrollment in a state educational or state scientific organization for a period of full-time study and the following one hundred and eighty calendar days.
- A relevant mark indicating the validity period of the RPEP is made in the identity document of a foreign national or a stateless person.
- When RPEP is issued to a foreign national by the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, a temporary residence visa is issued for the duration of the relevant permit. If a foreign national’s document already contains a visa that has not expired or has not been used, a new visa is issued subject to cancellation of the previous visa.
- A foreign citizen who has received a RPEP may be registered at the place of residence, and if they have the right to use a residential building, they may be registered at their actual place of residence.
- Registration at the place of residence for a foreign national temporarily residing in the Russian Federation is carried out for the period specified in the notification of arrival, but not more than for the period of validity of a temporary residence permit or a temporary residence permit for educational purposes (clause three of paragraph 32 of the Procedure for Migration Registration of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons in the Russian Federation Approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 9 dated 15 January, 2007).
- In accordance with paragraphs 11 and 21 of Article 8 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ, a foreign national who has received a RPEP permit may be granted a residence permit after completing their studies at a state educational or state scientific organization in the above-mentioned programs.
- A foreign national may submit an application for a residence permit within three years after completing their studies without obtaining a temporary residence permit first.
- Foreign nationals holding a RPEP have a number of advantages, namely: no need to extend the validity period of multiple-entry study visas, exemption from submitting a notification confirming their temporary residence in the Russian Federation (paragraph 11 of Article 6.2 of Federal Law No. 115-FZ).
