Russland-Forum, das Original

'm glad that finally so many people are waking up and have the balls to go for residency. Mine (& my kids') came through a year ago. To clear up a few myths (from my experience):

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2) Visa - you get a 3 year visa for SINGLE EXIT & ENTRY, meaning yuo can leave any time you want, then come back in, BUT when you come back then you need to get another one (350 RR, form to fill in). The way to simplify this is to scan the forms (incl sberbank ones) and sign a power of aturney to your secretary (if you have one).

3) You get 2 stamps in your passport - one leave to stay for 3 years, the other a registration (almost propiska !) for 1 year (renewable each year). These are the justification for you being in the country (not the visa any more). The visa you get (if you want) is simply a right to cross the border.

4) When you have these stamps you can even get a pensions card - meaning that if your company pays into a pension fund (by law), that money is ear-marked for you (and doesn't just disappear, although this is being optimistic !)

5) You can get into museums etc at the "residents" price, possibly passport line for russian citizens & residents etc. Also when you need to notarise anything you are "registered at..." (people on normal visas are, in the eyes of notaries, tourist types in limbo, who "arrived, according to what they (unconfirmed) say.."). Its pedantic but pleasant to feel you're finally resident!!