General information
A work visa for HQS can be issued for the period of up to 3 years. This is one of the advantages of procuring a highly qualified specialist (HQS) work permit. This type of visa suits most expatriate top managers who have to travel on business a lot.
HQS work visa is issued as a multiple visa right along (as opposed to a standard work visa which is issued as a single one for 90 days at first and then re-issued as a multiple visa for up to 1 year). This makes the procedure of visa procurement for a foreign citizen substantially easier. In addition to the longer validity period, an HQS visa has another important advantage, which is a possibility of procuring visas for HQS family members. A multiple work visa with a purpose of entry ‘accompanying family member’ can be issued to HQS family members for the whole period of HQS visa validity. This is essential for a lot of HQS who arrive in Russia to work for a long period of time, as the opportunity to keep their family close encourages them to go on a long-term business trip or relocate.
HQS visa prolongation is also easier than that for a standard work visa.
In order to procure a visa for an HQS, an employer should firstly apply for an invitation for a work visa. To be eligible to do that, the company should be registered (accredited) in the Department of Migration of the Central Administration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation (hereinafter, the Department of Migration).
An invitation for an HQS can be issued in the following forms:
- On the official form of the Department of Migration
- Electronically
In both cases the same documents are required.
An invitation on the official form should be obtained in the Department of Migration, while you do not have to do so if the invitation is issued electronically. In the latter case, a foreign citizen (or his/her employer) receives it by e-mail. A HQS should then print it out and submit to a Russian consulate abroad to apply for a visa. This lets you save costs of sending an original invitation by a courier company.
A disadvantage of an electronically issued invitation is that in case of an error (regardless of who made it: an applicant or an official of the Department of Migration) it is impossible to correct it and you will have to apply for it once again. A Russian consulate will not issue a visa if there are errors in the invitation (identification details of a foreign citizen, for example). This may substantially increase the time of work visa procurement.
The Department of Migration is planning to abandon the practice of issuing invitation on the official form in the near future.
Procurement procedure of a HQS work visa to Russia
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Some aspects of receiving HQS work visa in Russian consulates abroad
According to the general rule, a work visa is applied for and issued in a consulate of the Russian Federation in the country of citizenship. A foreigner may receive a Russian visa in another country if he/she provides a document confirming his/her residence there (residence permit, long-term work visa, etc.). The EU citizens can apply for a Russian visa in any Russian consulate in the European Union.
A HQS should decide in advance to which consulate he/she is going to apply for a visa. The consulate details are then mentioned in the application for a work visa invitation. When the invitation is ready to be issued, the Department of Migration sends the information to the respective consulate through interdepartmental communication channels. Therefore, if a foreign citizen applies to another consulate, the visa is not likely to be issued as the consulate’s workers will not find the invitation in their database.
The period of HQS visa processing is from 2 to 7 days, depending on the consulate’s workload. A lot of Russian consulates have introduced non-urgent and urgent fares for visa processing. A consular duty in case of urgency may be several times higher than for a non-urgent visa.
An HQS can apply for a visa by him/herself and they can apply to intermediaries providing visa support services, as well. There are generally a lot of visa centers which help apply for various types of visas. Using an intermediary or a visa center will also increase the cost of a visa.
Documents for HQS work visa obtaining
For a HQS work visa invitation:
- Application for a HQS work permit to the Department of Migration – 1 original copy with an acceptance mark
- Application for a HQS work visa
- Letter of guarantee from the employer stating that accommodation, housing and medical security of the foreigner will be provided during his/her stay in Russia
- State duty payment receipt (800 rubles)
- The HQS’s passport copy (pages with a photo and identification details)
- Labor contract copy, signed by the CEO and sealed with a company official seal – 1 copy
- Inventory of provided documents
For recieving HQS work visa in Russian consulates abroad:*
- Visa questionnaire
- Photo (35 mm x 45 mm color, matte)
- Information on the absence of HIV
- Insurance policy covering the entire period of stay of a foreign citizen in Russia. Some consulates accept insurance policies procured by the employer for the HQS work permit
- HQS work visa invitation (on the official form or printed electronically issued invitation)
- Passport (at least 2 empty pages are required, and the validity period should be no shorter than 1,5 years after the work visa expiration date)
- Consular duty payment receipt
*This is an approximate list. It may vary in different countries. Up-to-date information on the required documents should be consulted on the websites of Russian consulates and embassies in the country of citizenship of a HQS.
Price for HQS work visa procurement services
The price of our services is relevant and fair. We tell you the final price that is set out in the contract. The price is available in PDF format for your convenience.
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Proper preparation, application and receipt of documents for a work visa invitation takes a lot of time and resources.
Our company will help you:
- Use your time efficiently instead of wasting it on all the bureaucratic procedures you are not familiar with
- Avoid mistakes in collecting and completing documents
- Avoid queues and stress of dealing with the authorities
- Obtain a visa for a foreign employee at the first try
We are experienced in work visa procurement.
Get rid of red tape – let our specialists take care of your matter!
