Binding nature of voluntary health insurance for HQS family members. Changes to fingerprinting, photographing and medical examination procedures
In July 2022, a law was adopted to make changes to the previous fingerprinting, photographing, and medical examination procedures and other migration rules[1].
Some of the rules have already taken effect while others will take effect on January 1, 2023.
Binding nature of voluntary health insurance for a family member accompanying a highly qualified specialist. These changes will take effect on January 1, 2023
All foreign citizens temporarily staying in Russia will be required to have a voluntary health insurance policy. A voluntary health insurance policy may be obtained from a foreign insurance company provided that this insurance company is licensed to provide voluntary health insurance services in Russia.
In particular, any family member accompanying a highly qualified specialist must have a voluntary health insurance policy, if a family member is a foreign citizen. When applying for the extension of their work permit, highly qualified specialists will be required to submit, among other documents, a voluntary health insurance policy for their family members to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. If a voluntary health insurance policy is not submitted, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs will not accept the documents for the extension of a work permit for a highly qualified specialist.
We recommend you to contact your insurance company in advance and obtain a voluntary health insurance policy for the family members accompanying your highly qualified specialists that will take effect on January 1, 2023.
Changes to fingerprinting and photographing
- Foreign citizens are no longer required to submit any medical documents when undergoing fingerprinting and photographing procedures. While foreign citizens were previously allowed to undergo these procedures only after they completed medical examinations, they may now undergo these procedures in any order or in parallel. The key is to meet the statutory deadlines.
- Foreign citizens who arrived in Russia before December 29, 2021 and have not existed Russia will be required to undergo fingerprinting and photographing procedures not later than January 10, 2023 (unless they have done so before).
Changes to medical examination
- When foreign citizens first enter Russia, they will now be required to undergo a medical examination (unless they have done so before) and submit their medical documents to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. Those who arrive in Russia for employment purposes will be required to do so within thirty (30) days, and others who are staying in Russia temporarily, within ninety (90) days.
Foreign citizens were previously required to submit their medical documents to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs only when undergoing repeated medical examinations.
- Highly qualified specialists are now required to undergo a repeated medical examination when applying for the extension of their work permits. Generally, foreign citizens arriving in Russia are required to undergo a repeated medical examination once a year. Since a highly qualified specialist may be issued a work permit for a term of three (3) years, when a work permit is issued for the maximum term, a highly qualified specialist will be required to undergo a medical examination once every three (3) years.
- Foreign citizens who arrived in Russia before December 29, 2021 and have not existed Russia will be required to undergo medical examinations and submit their results to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs not later than January 10, 2023 (unless they have done so before).
If you have any questions or you would like to discuss this further, please feel free to email Alexandra Yudina or Mika Kokkonen.
Truly yours,
[1] Federal Law No. 357-FZ On Amendments the Federal Law On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation and Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation dated July 14, 2022.