Understanding Registration

Last updated 26.04.10

All visitors to Russia are required by law to be registered with the local branch of the Federal Migration Service within 3 working days of arrival. Your hotel should do this automatically for you. They will take your passport at check in for a period of up to an hour to several hours, depending on the hotel, and register your visa.

If you are not staying in a hotel, but at an apartment or as someone’s guest, then the owner of the property is obliged to register you. This will involve quite a bit of paperwork and a visit to the local Post Office.

If your visit to Russia is less than 3 days you do not need to be registered. It's also worth stressing that the 3 days (72 hours) do not include weekends or holidays.