Presidential decree N 274 "On temporary measures to resolve the legal status of foreign citizens in connection with the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19)"

April 18, 2020 Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree №274 "On temporary measures to resolve the legal status of foreign citizens and stateless persons in the Russian Federation in connection with the threat of the further spread of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19)"

The decision was made according to art. №80 of Constitution of the Russian Federation and for the two purposes:

1. For settlement of a legal status of foreign citizens and persons without citizenship in the Russian Federation who are in it at such a difficult time;
2. Preventions of further spread of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19)
Here are the main ideas concerning foreign citizens.
1. From March 15 to June 15, 2020, current of terms established for the stay (residence) of foreigners in Russia, including their registration, have been suspended. Also, during this period, the conditions for attracting them to work are simplified.
2. Participants of the state program for assistance to voluntary resettlement have been suspended for their stay outside of Russia if they can`t enter the country before the end of the 6-month period of stay abroad.

What does it mean?

1. Frist of all for the people who in Russia at that moment it means that for the period from March 15 to June 15 2020 all foreign citizens (non-residents of the Russian Federation) can stay on the territory of Russia without any sanctions even if they do not have proper documents for their stay.


This decision includes cases with expired documents validity periods during specified time: the visa, permission to temporary residence, the residence permit, the migration card with the marks which are put down in it with the expiring validity periods, the refugee certificate, the certificate on consideration of the petition for recognition by the refugee in the territory of the Russian Federation in essence, the certificate on providing provisional asylum in the territory of the Russian Federation, the certificate of the participant of the State program, the work authorization, the patent, permission to attraction and use of foreign workers.

People who have got decision about administrative expulsion out of borders of the Russian Federation, or deportation or transfer to the foreign state according to the international treaty of the Russian Federation on a readmission, have the right to stay in Russia Federation till the 15 June 2020

Employers and customers of works (services) having the right to attract and use in the order determined by the legislation of the Russian Federation as workers by them:


foreign citizens and persons without citizenship who arrived in the Russian Federation and not having the work authorization in Russia Federation or not holding patents;

New decisions concerning foreign citizens about undesirability of their stay (accommodation), on administrative expulsion out of borders, deportation or transfer to the foreign state, decisions on deprivation of the status of the refugee, provisional asylum, on cancellation of earlier issued visas, work authorizations, patents, permissions to temporary residence, residence permits, certificates of the participant of the State program cant be made at specified period.

2. Foreign citizens - participants of the State program about rendering assistance to voluntary resettlement to the Russian Federation, the compatriots living abroad, members of their families, persons, who got permission for temporary residence or the residence permit who are outside the Russian Federation and have no opportunity to return to the Russian Federation before the expiration of 6-month term can stay there beyond its limits without any sanctions such as cancellation of the certificate of the participant.

Here is the full text decree of the Russian President of April 18, 2020 N 274

Official text of decree of the Russian President of April 18, 2020 N 274 "On temporary measures to resolve the legal status of foreign citizens and stateless persons in the Russian Federation in connection with the threat of the further spread of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19)"

April 20, 2020

In order to regulate the legal status of foreign citizens and stateless persons in the Russian Federation, to prevent the further spread of the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19), guided by Article 80 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, I decree:

1. Suspend for the period from March 15 to June 15, 2020 inclusive during:

a) the periods of temporary stay, temporary or permanent residence of foreign citizens and stateless persons in the Russian Federation, the periods for which foreign citizens and stateless persons are registered at the place of stay or registered at the place of residence, if such periods expire within the specified period;

b) the timing of the stay outside the Russian Federation of participants in the State Program for Assisting the Voluntary Resettlement to the Russian Federation of compatriots living abroad, their family members, persons who have received a temporary residence permit or a residence permit, if these persons are unable to enter to the Russian Federation before the expiration of the 6-month period of stay outside its borders, necessary for making a decision to revoke the certificate of a participant in the State Program for Assisting the Voluntary Resettlement of Compatriots Living Abroad to the Russian Federation (hereinafter - the certificate of a participant in the State Program), a temporary residence permit or a residence permit;

c) the terms of voluntary departure from the Russian Federation of foreign citizens and stateless persons in respect of whom a decision has been made to administratively expel from the Russian Federation, deport or transfer to a foreign state in accordance with the international treaty of the Russian Federation on readmission;

d) the validity period of the following documents, which expire during the specified period: a visa, a temporary residence permit, a residence permit, a migration card with expiring marks stamped in it, a refugee certificate, a certificate of consideration of an application for recognition as a refugee for the territory of the Russian Federation, in essence, a certificate of temporary asylum on the territory of the Russian Federation, a certificate of a participant in the State program, a work permit, a patent, a permit to attract and use foreign workers.

2. To establish that in the period from March 15 to June 15, 2020 inclusive:

a) employers and customers of work (services), subject to their fulfillment of the established restrictions and other measures aimed at ensuring the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population, have the right, in the manner prescribed by the legislation of the Russian Federation, to attract and use as workers:

foreign citizens and stateless persons who arrived in the Russian Federation in the manner requiring a visa and who do not have a work permit in the Russian Federation (if employers and customers of work (services) have a permit to attract and use foreign workers);

foreign citizens and stateless persons who arrived in the Russian Federation in a manner that does not require a visa and do not have patents;

b) in relation to foreign citizens and stateless persons, decisions are not made on the undesirability of their stay (residence), on administrative expulsion from the Russian Federation, on deportation or transfer to a foreign state in accordance with the international treaty of the Russian Federation on readmission, decisions on deprivation of refugee status , temporary asylum, on the cancellation of previously issued visas, work permits, patents, temporary residence permits, residence permits, certificates of a participant in the State Program.

3. This Decree comes into force from the date of its signing.

President of the Russian
Federation V. Putin
Moscow, Kremlin

April 18, 2020
No. 274

Article 80 of Constitution of the Russian Federation

1. The President of the Russian Federation is the head of state.


2. The President of the Russian Federation is the guarantor of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and of human and civil rights and freedoms. He takes measures to protect the sovereignty of the Russian Federation, its independence and state integrity, and ensures the coordinated functioning and interaction of state authorities in accordance with the procedure established by the Constitution of the Russian Federation.


3. The President of the Russian Federation determines the main directions of the state's domestic and foreign policy in accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation and Federal laws.


4. The President of the Russian Federation as head of state represents the Russian Federation within the country and in international relations.

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