RUSSIA: Medical Testing Requirements Amended for Visa-Required Foreign Nationals

November 3, 2021


Effective 31 October 2021, Russian authorities amended the medical testing requirements for foreign nationals seeking work authorization in the country. Most notably, these new regulations now include visa-required Highly Qualified Specialist (HQS) Work Permit applicants.

What’s Changed?

While most work authorization applicants have long been required to undergo in-country medical examinations as part of their immigration process, HQS Work Permit applicants were previously exempt from this requirement. However, no such exemption exists under the new regulations (Federal law No. 357-FZ) and these applicants must complete their examinations or risk cancellation of their work permits.

Testing Requirements

The following new medical examination rules should be noted:

  • Applicable to visa-required foreign nationals only.
  • Applicable to all work permit applicants (including HQS applicants) and for Temporary Residence Permit (TRP), Permanent Residence Permit (PRP), and Work Patent applicants.
  • Medical examinations must be completed within 30 days of entering Russia.
  • Medical examination must take place at an approved local clinic, as determined by the chief executive authority for each region.
  • The examinations will include tests for HIV, syphilis, leprosy, chlamydia, chancres, tuberculosis, COVID-19 and addiction to narcotics.

Note that the Russian authorities have not yet clarified whether these requirements will be applicable to work permit corrections and renewals. Until an official announcement is made, this requirement should be checked on a case-by-case basis with local authorities.

Newland Chase Insights

In-country medical testing has been required for specific immigration processes for quite some time; however, this new regulation expands the requirement to all work permit and patent types, Temporary Residence Permit (TRP), and Permanent Residence Permit (PRP) applications. Sponsoring employers and visa-required foreign nationals should take note of these broadened requirements, especially if they are applying for an HQS Work Permit.

As always, please reach out to your Newland Chase dedicated contact or submit an inquiry here should you have any specific questions regarding this announcement.

This immigration update is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal or scenario-specific advice. Furthermore, it is important to note that immigration announcements are subject to sudden and unexpected changes. Readers are encouraged to reach out to Newland Case for any case- or company-specific assessments.