Let’s look into the question: is it possible to extend the validity of a migration card by going to the border? A trip to the border to update your migration card. Cross the border to receive a migration card.

If you are overdue:
  1. migration card;
  2. registration;
  3. stay under a patent;
  4. temporary residence permit.

Let's consider article 18.8 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation:

Violation by a foreign citizen or stateless person of the regime of stay (residence) in the Russian Federation, expressed in the absence of documents confirming the right to stay (residence) in the Russian Federation, or in the event of the loss of such documents, in failure to submit an application for their loss to the relevant authority or in evasion from leaving the Russian Federation after a certain period of stay, if these actions do not contain signs of a criminal offense, entail the imposition of an administrative fine in the amount of two thousand to five thousand rubles with administrative expulsion from the Russian Federation. Violations committed in the federal city of Moscow or St. Petersburg or in the Moscow or Leningrad region entail an administrative fine in the amount of five thousand to seven thousand rubles with or without administrative expulsion from the Russian Federation. Expulsion is applied in case of repeated violation of the terms of stay on the territory of the Russian Federation. This penalty applies only if an administrative violation report is drawn up against you. In practice, border guards do not draw up such protocols, so you can freely leave the territory of the Russian Federation and enter back. In other words, they have no obligation to hold foreign citizens accountable for violating their stay in Russia. That is why border service officers issue a migration card to all foreign citizens, with the exception of citizens who are prohibited from entering the territory of the Russian Federation by a court decision.

If you doubt whether you have an entry ban, we can run you through a single database and answer whether you will be allowed back into Russia.

For citizens with a temporary residence permit, you must definitely ask for a migration card when entering Russia, since according to the new instructions for border guards, they are not obliged to issue it to foreign citizens who have a temporary temporary residence permit or residence permit; they will only give it to you if you ask for it yourself! In case of violation of the period of stay at the Pogar border checkpoint, we recommend giving you 1000 rubles, which border service officers usually ask for in order to avoid unnecessary questions. At the Ozinki border checkpoint (border with Kazakhstan), due to the closure of the Ukrainian border for entry and exit for citizens of other states to obtain a new migration card, a similar trend has also recently emerged. And some border guards ask from 200 to 1000 rubles. The situation is completely different if, at the moment of crossing the border, there is an inspection from the FSB or the Ministry of Internal Affairs (formerly the Federal Migration Service) at the border checkpoint. In such cases, there is nothing to do with expired documents at the border, even if everything is fine with you, you will be checked there from all sides, to the fullest extent of the law. Therefore, in such rare moments, our minibus is parked several kilometers from the border. And we are informed about the inspection in advance.

Every foreigner or stateless person (that is, a person who does not have any citizenship at all) upon entering Russia is required to fill out a migration card. This practice is standard; similar measures are in place in many other states. However, this card has a certain validity period:

  1. For residents of those countries where a visa is required to visit the territory of Russia - for as long as the visa itself is valid (that is, from 3 days to several years).
  2. For those entering from countries with a visa-free regime - according to the “90/180” rule. This rule means that out of any 180 calendar days of the year, a foreigner can spend no more than 90 in Russia. In this case, you can enter as many times as you like, since the periods of stay are summed up. If the 90-day limit is exhausted, the foreigner will either not be allowed into the country, or, if for some reason there is no up-to-date information about him at the border control checkpoint, he will be allowed in, but then fined and may even be banned from entering Russia for several years.

In certain situations this period can be extended. Some of these situations will be related to the update (that is, the issuance of a new form) of the migration card, some will not. At the same time, updating the card by itself without extending the period of stay makes sense only in cases where this is required by Russian legislation. Replacing the card in itself does not increase the period of permitted stay in Russia.

Entry-exit to update a migration card - does this method work?

Previously, residents of countries with which Russia has a visa-free regime actively used the following algorithm migration card updates:

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  1. We went to the border region of the Russian Federation.
  2. They crossed the border at the nearest checkpoint in any convenient way (on foot, by bus, by personal transport, etc.), while the old migration card with an expiring date was surrendered at the border.
  3. After spending some time at home, the foreigner returned (usually through the same checkpoint).
  4. At the border control he was given a fresh migration card with a new validity period.

Now, after 2015, this method no longer works. More precisely, if the goal is precisely to obtain a new migration card, it can be used. However, the FMS database will still contain both information about the time of departure and new entry, as well as data about the time already spent in Russia. As a result, the total permitted period, calculated according to the “90/180” formula, does not change, and this does not give the migrant anything new except a fresh form of migration card.

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When does the map need to be updated?

Despite all of the above, there are situations when a migrant really needs to obtain a new migration card.

And the first of them is loss/damage of a document. If a foreigner has lost or irreversibly damaged the card in his possession, he is obliged to contact the FMS office of the region where he is located no later than 3 days from the date of loss. Having accepted the application, service employees will check the applicant’s data and then issue a duplicate.

If the loss was discovered only upon departure back to their homeland, the migrant, of course, will not be issued a new card. Instead, he will have to fill out the exit part of the card at the control, and the control officers will indicate in the column for official notes that the card was not presented to them.

The second most common case is a change in the purpose of the visit. A foreigner can enter Russia, for example, for the purpose of a private visit. Then it may happen that during his stay in our country his plans suddenly change and he decides to get a job. According to the law, a work permit or patent can only be issued to someone who, upon entry, indicated obtaining a job as the purpose of entry. In this case, the card will have to be changed. And the easiest way to do this is “entry-exit”.

What border do you need to cross to update your map?

As a rule, you need to travel back to your homeland, although, in principle, it is enough to cross any border back and forth. The only exception is the Russian-Belarusian one: in accordance with the regulatory documents of the Union State, migration cards are not issued on it. Belarusians do not fill out the card, and foreigners transiting to Russia receive blank cards when entering the Belarusian border.

In addition, a foreigner must remember that leaving Russia for any state other than his homeland is carried out according to the rules of that state. As a result, whether, say, a citizen of Kazakhstan will be allowed into the territory of Ukraine must be determined based on the content of Ukrainian legislation.

Replacing a migration card when passport data changes

A rather difficult question is whether a foreigner who has changed his passport in Russia needs to change his migration card. As you know, in many countries it is common practice for citizens living abroad to change their passport through the embassy or consulate of their country. But what if such a replacement occurred after the card was filled?

It should be noted that as of the end of 2015, this issue is regulated by Russian legislation in an extremely vague manner. On the one hand, the migration card must contain all the information about the foreigner in Russia. On the other hand, in the rules for using a migration card, the only case provided for replacing this document without leaving the country is loss/damage.

In this situation, we still recommend contacting the FMS with an application to replace the card. A photocopy of your old and new passports must be attached to your application. You should apply no later than 3 days after the new passport has been issued. Whether the card will be replaced or not - this question remains within the competence of the FMS itself, but the foreigner can be sure that there will definitely be no complaints against him in this regard.

Resolving migration issues sometimes reaches a dead end. If the migration card no longer meets the conditions for staying in Russia, how can it be replaced? This article contains all the basic information about legal methods for updating the migration system.

What it is

All foreign citizens entering Russia are divided into three categories: those arriving freely (for example, Belarusians), those crossing the border with a visa or a foreign passport. The latter are required to fill out a special form.

Without a migration card, a citizen cannot:

  • obtain temporary registration;
  • obtain a patent for work;
  • begin the procedure for obtaining a temporary residence permit and the following stages for obtaining citizenship.

Staying in the country without a migration card is considered illegal. Issuance of migration cards in Russia is free of charge, and their presence is mandatory.

Each card is assigned an individual number; it contains all the necessary information about the migrant, which is duplicated in the computer database:

  • passport details;
  • purpose of arrival (only one option is accepted);
  • expected length of stay.

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The main information is the dates of entry and exit, that is, the entire chronology of crossing the Russian border.

Foreigners arriving without a visa can stay in Russia for no more than 90 days. The 90 out of 180 rule means that during a period of 180 days, only one half of the time can be spent in the Russian Federation.

Therefore, although paper media is important, it carries only primary information. This is a kind of short questionnaire about plans of stay, which does not have any protection against forgery - a simple paper form is issued.

All information about the migrant is assigned to him personally, and not to a piece of paper. And all this information is available to employees of regulatory authorities.

Simply replacing a migration card does not change the fact of how many days a person has already spent in Russia.

When to update it

The card is valid for 1 year from the date of receipt. The card itself contains a column indicating until what date the citizen plans to stay in Russia.

He fills out this column himself based on his plans at the time of arrival. Because of these two facts, confusion sometimes arises regarding the validity of the card.

Some migrants think that the card needs to be renewed exactly after a year. Others believe that the card needs to be updated as soon as the date they themselves indicate in the “Duration of Stay” column approaches. Both are wrong.

The migration card does not imply any “update”; it is not a regular or urgent document. You need to focus not on the dates indicated on the form, nor on the expiration date of the form itself.

You need to focus on the total number of days that the migrant has already spent in the Russian Federation since the date of filling out this form. If the sum of days approaches 90, then yes, in this case, something really needs to be decided.

The validity period of the card can be extended in two cases:

  • If a foreign citizen manages to register for migration within a week from the day of crossing the border, then the expiration date of the migration card can be extended by 3 months. But you need to understand that in this way the period of migration registration is extended, and not the card itself;
  • To increase the period of stay by another 9 months, the migrant should obtain a work patent and draw up an employment contract within the first 3 months. But this option involves a change in the migrant’s status - during these additional 9 months he can apply for a temporary residence permit.

Therefore, the card does not need to be updated or extended, it can only be obtained again. The following events may be serious reasons for replacing the card:

  • damage;
  • loss;
  • error detection;
  • change of passport data;
  • change of purpose of the visit.

To obtain a new migration card, you need to contact the Federal Migration Service at your place of residence. The FMS will accommodate you and allow you to fill out a new form (with a new registration number), but only if the citizen still has a reserve of days allowed for stay.

If this supply expires or, worse, has already expired, instead of assistance, you may face deportation from the country.

That is why many migrants try not to contact regulatory authorities, but try to solve the problem with an expiring card on their own, simulating a new border crossing.

Is it legal to cross the border to update a migration card?

This is legal as long as the 90 to 180 rule is followed.

If a person wants to get a new form, and for some reason it is more profitable for him to cross the border than to contact the Federal Migration Service (for example, he lives close), then he can do so. It will be legal. Although, if the period of stay is not violated, then it is still better to contact the authorities.

Some foreigners who have exhausted their permitted stay and decide to undertake the “entry-exit” process may face great disappointment at the border: they will be freely released, but may not be allowed back in.

It will be impossible to appeal the decision of the border guards, because they act according to the law, and the law has been violated.

But if the “trick” works, and the person nevertheless receives a brand new migration card and ends up on Russian territory again, he, without knowing it, may end up in the database of “unreliable” migrants who have violated the deadlines.

Troubles can pop up at a completely unexpected moment:

  • when checking registration;
  • when purchasing tickets;
  • when making a money transfer;
  • when performing other actions requiring the presentation of documents.

Then a fine and deportation are inevitable. In the worst case, a ban on crossing the Russian border for a long time.

Such actions of pretending to cross borders were easy until 2015, but even now they are often practiced by migrants who believe “in luck” or in the help of companies offering such services for a fee.

The only correct point about such a dubious operation is that in any case, you need to leave the country within the validity period of the card (the same 1 year mentioned above).

Even if the person is not immediately allowed back in, at least he will not violate the deadlines for migration registration. And this is already an encouraging fact for the next border crossing, which can be undertaken absolutely legally in 90 days.

In which place

There are beliefs that one must cross the border at the same checkpoint where the initial entry was made. Or, at least, you need to leave and enter from the country where the person came from (homeland or permanent place of residence).

In fact, a specific border does not provide any preferences. You can be caught violating deadlines or “overshoot” control with the same degree of probability when crossing absolutely any border of any state except Belarus.

Russia has special customs relations with Belarus, and no forms are issued when crossing the Belarusian-Russian border, including migration ones.

Making a choice in favor of the native border makes sense from a practical point of view: if the violator is not allowed back into Russia, at least the person remains not on foreign soil.

And you won’t have to make a long and expensive journey home. In addition, a foreigner must remember that leaving Russia and entering back from another state is subject to the rules of that state, and they may be even more stringent.

Order

The general meaning of crossing the border is to officially leave Russia, turn around, and immediately enter it again. The goal is to fill out the migration card again, indicating the new dates of the planned stay.

Such a “trip abroad” can be carried out by any transport: plane, train, car or on foot.

The question is only about money and time. Now many companies offer such services - not only to take you to the checkpoint and back, but also to facilitate the passage of the procedure, promising assistance.

To obtain a new card, it is not necessary to physically travel to the territory of the border country. It is enough to do the following:

  • come to the border;
  • hand over your old card and go through the exit checkpoint;
  • get to neutral territory between border points;

It is possible to update a migration card for various reasons - if the purpose of the visit changes, the need to continue work/study, employment in a new place, for medical reasons, etc. There are 2 ways to update - crossing the border and returning to the territory of the Russian Federation, as well as contacting the migration service department. The procedure for each case is described in the article.

Every foreigner or stateless person must have a migration card that is valid for several days or years:

  1. If a citizen comes from a country that requires a visa to visit Russia, the document is valid for the duration of this visa (i.e. from several days to several years).
  2. If you do not need a visa to visit Russia, the 90/180 rule applies, which means that during any 180 days a citizen can stay in the Russian Federation for a maximum of 90 days (in total).

Upon expiration, the card must be renewed. However, it is important to understand that replacing a document does not increase the length of stay in Russia. Until recently, there was a widespread practice according to which a foreign citizen went to the border checkpoint and returned to his homeland. After that, after some time, he came to Russia again and thereby updated his map.

Similar system does not work at least since 2015. You can still get a new migration card in this way today.. But data on the total length of stay in Russia, the dates of all departures from its territory and return are recorded in a single FMS database. Therefore, the total length of stay does not change - The “90/180” rule continues to apply. And although the citizen will receive a new card, he must still stay in the Russian Federation for no more than 90 days out of 180.

5 cases when you need to update

The reasons for updating the map are the following cases:

  1. Loss of a document, including as a result of theft or damage to paper, unreadable text. In this case, you must contact the nearest FMS office within 3 working days from the moment the relevant fact was discovered. Employees accept the application and then issue a duplicate card.
  2. Also, a foreigner can update the card if the purpose of his visit has changed. For example, he initially came to visit, but then decided to get a job, for which he needed to obtain a permit or a patent.
  3. The foreigner intends to study in Russia, which will require significantly more time than the visa provides.
  4. The citizen intends to obtain a temporary residence permit or in the future intends to obtain Russian citizenship.
  5. You may also need to update your card for medical reasons. As a rule, we are talking about cases in which emergency medical intervention is required - late pregnancy, injury, exacerbation of a chronic disease, etc.

Often, a foreigner may be required to update his card when changing his passport (if it happened on the territory of the Russian Federation). This issue is still not fully regulated by law, so it is best to contact the local migration service office, presenting your card, old and new passport.

How to update your migration card: to cross the border or not

Renewing/extending the validity of a document is generally possible in 2 ways:

  1. Direct contact to the migration service department.
  2. Crossing the border and returning to the territory of the Russian Federation.

Contacting the FMS

In the first case, the citizen collects the necessary documents and draws up an application to update the card. Such documents include:

  • migration card;
  • citizen's passport or other identity document;
  • a petition drawn up on behalf of the employer or educational institution - depending on the citizen’s future plans;
  • medical certificates (if health indications arise).

All these papers are submitted to the nearest branch of the migration service; An application on the department’s letterhead is also drawn up on site. The document indicates personal data, the purpose of the trip (1 of 7 options), document data, method of arrival in the Russian Federation (indicate the checkpoint), the state from which the person came, as well as the name of the organization that invited him and the migration card number.

Both the guest himself and his host - an educational institution or employer, government agency - can submit an application.

Border crossing

In this case, the citizen comes to the border area and crosses it in any convenient way - using transport or on foot. The old card is confiscated on the basis of leaving the Russian Federation. Then he crosses the border again, receives a new document and continues to remain on Russian territory within the total number of days allowed according to the “90/180” rule.

It is important to understand that any crossing of the state border is allowed, with the exception of the Russian-Belarusian one. The fact is that, within the framework of existing agreements with the Republic of Belarus, citizens of both countries do not fill out migration cards. Accordingly, it is impossible to update it in this way.

Thus, you can update your migration card for various reasons, but the time of stay in any case will be counted based on the fact. If a person evades updating, he faces an administrative fine from 2000 to 5000 rubles. For repeated violations, more severe measures may be applied, including expulsion from Russian territory.

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