Three families of expense
A Russian migration path produces three categories of cost, worth separating because they follow different rules.
State fees, set by the Tax Code, identical across the country, and recently raised sharply. They cannot be avoided.
Technical costs: medical examination, language exams, notarised translations, apostilles, photographs, insurance. They vary little between regions and recur, often annually.
Professional fees, entirely optional. A file can be assembled alone. Moscow firms nonetheless estimate that only 5 to 10 % of applicants who complete the form themselves get it accepted at the first attempt, and a formal refusal bars reapplication for one year. That risk calculation is what decides, not convenience.
State fees after July 27, 2026
| Item | Before | Since 27/07/2026 | Multiple |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary residence permit (RVP) | 1,920 ₽ | 15,000 ₽ | × 8 |
| Student RVPO | 1,920 ₽ | 8,000 ₽ | × 4 |
| Replacement of RVP or RVPO | — | 5,000 ₽ | new |
| Permanent residence permit (VNZh) | 6,000 ₽ | 30,000 ₽ | × 5 |
| Replacement of VNZh | — | 6,000 ₽ | new |
| Russian citizenship | 4,200 ₽ | 50,000 ₽ | × 12 |
| Entry or exit visa | 1,200 ₽ | 2,000 ₽ | × 1.7 |
| Multi-entry visa | 1,920 ₽ | 6,000 ₽ | × 3 |
| Entry invitation | 960 ₽ | 8,000 ₽ | × 8 |
| Work permit | 4,200 ₽ | 5,000 ₽ | × 1.2 |
Three categories remain exempt from the naturalisation fee: former USSR citizens, participants in the state compatriot resettlement programme, and those who have signed a contract with the Ministry of Defence.
The text and its exemptions are covered in our dedicated guide to the state fee increase.
Technical costs, item by item
| Item | 2026 amount | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Full medical examination | ~ 7,000 ₽ per person | At each permit, then yearly on a visa |
| Entry medical insurance | ~ 3,500 ₽ per person | On entry |
| Notarised passport translation | 1,500 to 2,000 ₽ | At each step |
| Notarised translation of the full file | 5,000 to 9,000 ₽ per person | At each step |
| Apostille on foreign documents | 30 to 50 € per document | Once |
| Language, history and law exams | 6,000 to 7,000 ₽ | Per attempt |
| Criminal record certificate | Varies by country | Valid 90 days |
Two calendar traps carry a direct cost. The criminal record certificate is valid for only ninety days in Russia: requested too early, it has to be redone. Medical certificates last one year and must be renewed within thirty days of expiry as long as the stay continues on a visa.
Professional fees
These are the figures advertised by Moscow immigration practices in 2026. They are floors, raised according to family composition and file complexity.
| Service | From |
|---|---|
| Preliminary legal assessment of a file | 7,000 ₽ |
| Personalised route guide | 10,000 ₽ |
| Support for medical examination and fingerprinting | 12,000 ₽, + 3,000 ₽ per person |
| Registration as a sole trader | 25,000 ₽ |
| Transfer of the permit stamp to a new passport | 25,000 ₽ |
| Visa extension while a permit is under review | 25,000 ₽ |
| Obtaining a 12-month family visa | 30,000 ₽ |
| Basic document package, including bank account and SIM card | 30,000 ₽ |
| Extending a family visa without leaving Russia | 35,000 ₽ |
| Replacing the permit on reaching a set age | 40,000 ₽ |
| Setting up a limited liability company | 45,000 ₽ |
| Student RVPO | 50,000 ₽ |
| Temporary residence permit, any basis | 60,000 ₽ |
| Transferring an RVP to another region | 80,000 ₽ |
| Temporary residence permit under Decree 702 | 90,000 ₽ |
| Permanent permit on a Russian degree with honours | 70,000 ₽ |
| Citizenship by simplified procedure | 80,000 ₽ |
| Indefinite permanent permit for a highly qualified specialist | 120,000 ₽, + 60,000 ₽ per relative |
Three costed scenarios
The totals below exclude travel, housing and living costs, which our Moscow cost of living guide covers. They concern administrative spending only.
Scenario 1: a single Western applicant, Decree 702, unassisted. Private visa at the consulate, about 100 €, insurance 3,500 ₽, translations 7,000 ₽, medical examination 7,000 ₽, RVP fee 15,000 ₽. Total around 32,500 ₽, roughly 350 €, plus the consular fee.
Scenario 2: the same, with a firm. Add 90,000 ₽ in fees. Total around 122,500 ₽.
Scenario 3: a family of three, full path to the permanent permit, unassisted. Three medical examinations 21,000 ₽, translations 21,000 ₽, insurance 10,500 ₽, three RVP fees 45,000 ₽, three sets of language exams at VNZh level 21,000 ₽, three VNZh fees 90,000 ₽. Total around 208,500 ₽ over two years, no professional fees, excluding consular charges.
The heaviest line item is therefore no longer legal work but the state fee, as of July 2026. For a family aiming at the permanent permit, it alone accounts for two thirds of administrative spending.
What timing can win or lose
Three timing decisions bear directly on the bill.
Filing before or after July 27, 2026 changed the total by tens of thousands of roubles. That window has closed, but it is a reminder that Russian migration fees move in steps, and that a file ready to be lodged should not be delayed without reason.
The order of documents. Having the notarised passport translation made before the medical examination avoids redoing the certificates because the transliteration of the name differs. That single mistake costs 7,000 ₽ per person.
The exam level targeted. Sitting the permanent-permit level directly, rather than stacking intermediate certificates, saves a whole series of fees, since that certificate is permanent and then serves for citizenship.
Frequently asked questions
Can a file be assembled without a lawyer? Yes. The risk is not final refusal but formal refusal, which bars reapplication for one year.
Are the fees the same in every region? Yes, they come from the federal Tax Code. It is professional fees and medical prices that vary.
Who is exempt from the citizenship fee? Former USSR citizens, participants in the compatriot resettlement programme, and those who have signed a contract with the Ministry of Defence.
What does the annual renewal cost while on a visa? The medical examination, about 7,000 ₽ per person per year, until an RVP or VNZh is obtained.
Is the language certificate paid for at every attempt? Yes. No waiting period is imposed after a failure, but each sitting is paid for.
In short
For a single applicant aiming at the temporary residence permit under Decree 702, budget in the order of 32,000 ₽ unassisted and 122,000 ₽ with a firm. For a family of three going all the way to the permanent permit, around 208,000 ₽ of administrative spending over two years.
The balance shifted in July 2026: the state fee has become the largest line in the migration budget, ahead of professional fees. And the two easiest costs to avoid remain the same: a criminal record certificate requested too early, and medical certificates to be redone because a name was transliterated differently.
