If you meet anyone currently submitting documents for residency in Moscow, there is a high chance they need a hug and perhaps need to squeeze a little cash into their hand.
Sakharovo is the location for the submission of documents, and a lot of people agree, that that place is close to hell. It is on the outskirts of the city, the distance is terrifying, and the bureaucracy is exhausting. We interviewed a number of people on their experience, and we have compiled them for you.
“This is my 14th attempt. I think I’m ready to give up.”
“I was at Sakharovo just two weeks ago. To date, I have tried to submit my documents thirteen times. Every single visit ends with a new issue: a mistake in the police report translation, a minor discrepancy in my name, or a missing page in my passport scan. Once, they rejected me because the medical center listed a different address than the one on my application; another time, they simply skipped my date of birth.
This was my fourteenth trip, and the exhaustion is becoming unbearable. This time, they asked for something I simply cannot provide: an official work contract. Like many people here, I work in Moscow unofficially. I am a delivery driver, and while the work is lucrative and helps me survive, it doesn’t come with the paperwork Sakharovo demands.
The dilemma is a perfect circle. I cannot get an official job without my residency permit (VNZh), but I cannot get my residency permit without an official job. Every job listing on hh.ru or Avito requires the very documents I am fighting to get. I’m in a very difficult position. I don’t know what my next move is, but I know I can’t keep doing this.”
“My friends in other cities told me this would be easy.”
“I’m currently in my second year of medical school. I decided to apply for a Temporary Residency Permit (RVPO) because it would allow me to work legally while studying and give me more flexibility after I graduate. My friends in other Russian cities told me the process was simple: just a few documents and a police report from home.
In Moscow, it’s a different story. I’ve made the long journey to Sakharovo twice now, and both times I’ve been turned away. The last time, they demanded a specific document from my university that the school administration didn’t even recognize. I’ve tried asking senior students for advice, but very few have successfully navigated the RVPO process, and recently the new laws have everyone in limbo. Between the grueling distance to the center and the confusion when the officers try to explain what is necessary, I’m tempted to just forget the residency and keep renewing my student visa every year. It’s a lot of effort for a ‘maybe’.”
“I have the ‘Krasny Diplom,’ but I still don’t have answers.”
“I graduated with honors, a Krasny Diplom in aeronautic engineering in Moscow last year. I’m now pursuing my Master’s degree. Because I graduated with distinctions, I am technically eligible for a Permanent Residency Permit (VNZh) without having to hold an RVPO first. I’ve gone to Sakharovo multiple times, and the rejections feel flimsy. They tell me my documents are technically perfect, but then they bring up vague issues regarding my previous years of study that I don’t understand. Beyond the paperwork, there’s a new fear. The rumors about compulsory military service for some VNZh holders. I don’t know if the rules apply to my specific case, but the uncertainty is terrifying. At this point, I’m considering finishing my Master’s and just leaving Russia immediately. The ‘Red Diploma’ was supposed to open doors, but right now, all I see are walls.”
The struggle is real, and we are wishing everyone who is currently trying to navigate this system the best.
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