Living in Russia
Information for British citizens living in Russia, including guidance on residency, healthcare and driving.
This guide sets out essential information for British citizens living in Russia. Read about how UK embassy in Moscow and UK consulate in Ekaterinburg can help.
This information is provided as a guide only. You should get definitive information from the Russian authorities. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is not liable for any inaccuracies in this information.
Support for British nationals abroad sets out how British nationals can stay safe abroad and how the FCDO can help if you do get into difficulty.
Read general guidance on moving or retiring abroad.
To stay up to date: follow the British Embassy Moscow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Telegram and VK.com
General advice
See our travel advice for Russia for up-to-date information on entry requirements, local laws and customs, safety and emergencies.
We currently advise against all travel to Russia. If your presence in Russia is not essential, we strongly advise that you consider leaving.
See also our Overseas Business Risk guide for Russia for information on security and political risks which UK businesses may face in Russia.
Dual nationality
If you have dual British and Russian nationality, the Russian authorities will treat you as a Russian national as they will not recognise your status as a dual national. While you are in Russia, all Russian laws are applicable to you, including those on military conscription and mobilisation.
Visas and residency
Check the entry requirements for Russia in our travel advice.
See how to apply for a visa to enter Russia.
Russia has strict migration regulations. When applying for a Russian visa make sure your visa type is consistent with the purpose of your visit.
In Russia, you should register your stay with a local migration department of the Ministry of Interior via your host within 7 business days from the date you arrive in Russia.
If you are staying at a licensed hotel or hostel, it is their legal responsibility to register your stay. If you are staying at a privately-owned apartment, you should ask the owner to register you.
In Russia, you should carry your passport, your migration card and your registration certificate with you at all times.
If you damage or lose your migration card, you may obtain a duplicate card at a local migration department of the Ministry of Interior. The duplicate card is issued free of charge.
If you decide to visit Russia on a tourist, private, humanitarian or business visa, you should leave Russia no later than the last day of your visa’s validity printed on it.
If you are in Russia on a work or study visa, you should leave Russia before your visa expires, or apply to the local authority for a visa extension or a temporary residence permit before your visa has expired. As a British national, you may also obtain a temporary or permanent residence permit to live in Russia.
If you do not follow migration regulations, including failing to register for or overstaying a visa, attempt to enter or exit Russia without a valid visa or you do not comply with terms of a visa, you may be taken to court. You may also receive a fine up to 5,000 roubles, get deported and you may be banned from re-entering for 5 or 10 years.
Read the Russian government’s guides (in Russian and may not be accessible from outside of Russia) on:
Passports and travel
You can apply for or renew your British passport from Russia.
Check the Russia travel advice for passport validity requirements.
If your passport has expired, is lost or damaged, and you need to travel urgently, you can apply for an Emergency Travel Document
Healthcare in Russia
Russia and the UK do not have reciprocal healthcare agreements. Russia has both state and private health care facilities.
You need to ensure you have private health cover for Russia. Read information on medical service providers in Russia.
UK travel insurance providers will not generally cover your healthcare costs if you live overseas.
In Russia you can access free of charge emergency healthcare, including psychiatric services, from the state and municipal providers if your health condition is life threatening. Most state healthcare providers do not speak English.
In case of a medical emergency call 112 (all emergencies), or 103 for medical emergency services in Moscow. Your call can be connected even if you have no credit or SIM-card on your phone. The operators may not speak English, and you may need assistance from a Russian speaker.
There are private clinics in Moscow and St Petersburg, with western healthcare standards and English-speaking staff.
If you are employed in Russia, your employer may arrange for your state or private health cover.
If you have a temporary or permanent Russian residence permit, or have Russian citizenship, you can access state-funded medical services.
Medicine
If you use any prescription medicines, you should ensure you have a supply of it, or are able to obtain it when in Russia. Certain medicines may not be available in Russia (including major brands readily available in the UK), and you may be prohibited from taking them into the country.
Read our travel advice for Russia if your medication contains narcotic or psychoactive substances. You should consult your GP before travelling to Russia to find out about any alternative medication.
Read the guidance if you need to travel with medicines.
Working in Russia
If you decide to move to Russia and work, you need a visa. Read the guidance on:
- how to get a work visa
- job and visa application process for highly qualified specialists to work in Russia
- legal procedures for foreign workers by the Russian Ministry of Interior (in Russian; site may not be accessible from outside of Russia)
To apply for a job you may need to provide:
You must have your diploma/professional qualification certificate legalised (apostilled) before you come to work in Russia. Make sure you have a paper-based apostille.
You may need to get your professional qualification recognised if you want to work in Russia.
Find out if your education or professional qualification is accepted in Russia or how to get it accepted from the Russian government’s guide (in Russian and not be accessible from outside of Russia).
If you work in Russia, you are required to undergo regular health checks.
Studying in Russia
British nationals can study in Russia. If you decide to study in Russia, you must meet all student visa requirements before you travel.
Contact the relevant higher education provider in Russia to check what fees you have to pay.
If you are a British national with a permanent residence permit, or if you have Russian citizenship, you can access state-funded primary, secondary and vocational education in Russia. You can also get a state-funded university education in Russia if you passed the required tests with sufficient scores.
Tax
The UK and Russia double taxation agreement remains in force, so that you do not pay tax on the same income in both countries. However, due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, from 17 March 2022 the UK has suspended the exchange and sharing tax information with Russia, and this may affect the implementation of the agreement.
Ask the relevant tax authority your questions about double taxation relief.
You should get professional advice on paying tax in Russia. Find an English-speaking lawyer in Russia.
Read guidance on:
- tax if you leave the UK to live abroad
- tax on your UK income if you live abroad
- tax if you get a pension and live abroad
- paying National Insurance while abroad to protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances
Benefits
Check which UK benefits you can claim while abroad and how to claim them.
Many income-related benefits such as Pension Credit and Housing Benefit cannot be paid if you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks.
The UK has no social security agreements with Russia.
British nationals with a permanent residence permit can claim disability or loss of subsistence provider in Russia and apply for respective state benefits with a local department of the Russian State Pension Fund.
Pensions
Read State Pension guidance if you have lived in Australia, Canada or New Zealand and you are claiming or waiting to claim your UK State Pension.
If you retire in Russia, you can claim your UK State Pension or new UK State Pension. Contact the International Pension Centre for further information.
British nationals who are permanent residents in Russia may be eligible for Russian state pension if they meet certain requirements for their age and the time spent working in Russia. Contact your local State Pension Fund (in Russian and may not be accessible from outside of Russia) to check your eligibility.
Life certificates for UK State Pensions
If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you must respond as soon as possible. Your payments may be suspended if you do not.
Money and banking
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the UK government has imposed sanctions against a range of Russian companies and individuals. These sanctions may affect transactions in, or connected with, Russia.
Find out more about UK sanctions relating to Russia including on the application of sanctions prohibitions and requirements to British nationals.
See our travel advice for information on the current restrictions of finance services in Russia
Check the ‘Current list of designated persons: Russia’ which is available on the Financial sanctions, Russia page for Russian banks targeted by UK sanctions.
You can open a bank account in Russia if you have a valid UK passport, Russian visa and a migration card. All banks in Russia, including branches and subsidiaries of international banks, are Russian legal entities governed by Russian domestic law.
Major international money transfer services, including Western Union and Moneygram, are currently not available in Russia.
Accommodation and buying property
See buying a property abroad. We recommend you seek professional advice from a qualified lawyer in Russia and engage with a licensed property agency or a developer company before buying a property in Russia.
Due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, major accommodation booking services including booking.com and airbnb.com have suspended their operations.
Accommodation in Russia is available from licensed hotels and hostels as well as from private estate owners. You can book accommodation directly from the service providers online or on the phone.
Driving in Russia
Read general guidance on driving abroad.
Read our travel advice for Russia for guidance on what actions you must do to drive legally in Russia.
You can apply for a temporary international driving permit while in the UK or exchange your UK license for a Russian one.
If you’re asked for a letter authenticating, certifying or validating your UK driver’s licence, you should contact your UK issuing office (for example the DVLA).
If you wish to take your vehicle with you, read guidance on taking vehicles out of the UK.
From 30 June 2023, the COB 2023 General Assembly suspended the membership of the Green Card Bureau of Russia until further notice. In order to travel across the EU, Switzerland or the UK using a motor vehicle registered in Russia, you need to take out a border insurance policy issued in the relevant country at a border crossing. In order to drive in Russia a motor vehicle registered in the EU, Switzerland or the UK, you need to purchase compulsory motor insurance in Russia.
See the Russian State Inspection for Traffic Regulations information (may not be accessible from outside of Russia):
- how to register/de-register your vehicle in Russia (in Russian)
- Russian road traffic regulations (in Russian)
- penalties for breaching road traffic regulations (in Russian)
From 1 April 2024, if you obtain a Russian residence permit or acquire Russian citizenship, you can only drive in Russia on your international driving licence for one year, after which you will need to obtain a Russian driving licence.
To get a Russian licence for driving motorbikes and passenger cars, you will need to pass the local theory test in the Russian language. To drive a lorry or a bus, you will need to complete mandatory training, followed by theory and driving tests. You will also need to present a ‘fit to drive’ medical certificate. See the Russian State Services portal (in Russian) for details and applying.
If you fail to comply with the above requirement, you may be fined and banned from driving in Russia.
Disabled drivers
If you have a UK Blue Badge and live in Russia, you must return it to the original UK issuing authority.
See the Russian State Road Safety Management Inspection’s guidance for disabled drivers in Russia (in Russian and may not be accessible from outside of Russia).
Voting
You are not able to vote in Russia unless you are also a Russian passport holder.
You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:
Births, deaths, marriage and civil partnership
Births
If your child is born in Russia, you should register the birth with the local authorities. You can then register with the UK authorities and apply for a UK birth certificate.
If you don’t want your child to have a patronymic in their local birth certificate, you can obtain an information note confirming that there is no tradition to give patronymics to children in the UK from the British Embassy Moscow. There is a fee for this service.
If your child has British nationality, you do not need to register the birth with the UK authorities to apply for a British passport.
If you need to apply for your child’s first British passport from Russia, read guidance on overseas passports.
Deaths
If someone dies in Russia, read our guidance on:
Marriage and civil partnership
Find out how you can get married in Russia.
Birth, death and marriage certificates are issued in Russia in the Russian language. you should obtain an apostille certificate (PDF, 111KB) for a birth, death or marriage certificate issued in Russia from the issuing Russian authority to make the document valid outside of Russia.
You may need services of a lawyer in Russia or an interpreter in Russia.
Pets
See the Russian government’s guide for bringing pets in and out of Russia (in Russian, site may not be accessible from outside of Russia).
See information on bringing your pet to Great Britain.
Emergencies
Dial the emergency number 112 for the police, ambulance or fire brigade. Your call can be completed even if you have no credit or SIM-card on your mobile phone. The operators may not speak English, and you may need assistance from a Russian speaker.
If you have been the victim of a rape or sexual assault in Russia, see
If you’re the victim of a crime, have been arrested, or are affected by a crisis, contact the British Embassy Moscow.
If your child may be at risk of abduction read:
Returning to the UK
Read the guidance on returning to the UK permanently which includes information on bringing family members, tax and access to services.
Updates to this page
Last updated 20 March 2024 + show all updates
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Information added in the Driving in Russia section on the requirement for British holders of Russian residence permit or passport to obtain a Russian driving licence.
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Information on visas, dual nationality, dual taxation and driving has been updated.
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This guidance has been reviewed and updated for British people currently living in Russia. We continue to advise against all travel to Russia.
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Updated with information about coronavirus and vaccines for UK nationals
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First published.