Contents
- When is Temporary Registration Required?
- Where to Obtain Temporary Registration
- How to Apply for Temporary Registration
- Documents Required for Temporary Registration
- Owner’s Consent for Temporary Registration
- Temporary Registration via State Services (Gosuslugi)
- Temporary Registration via Multifunctional Centers (MFC)
- Processing Time for Temporary Registration
- How to Renew Temporary Registration
- Penalties for Lacking Temporary Registration
When is Temporary Registration Required?
If you stay in a region different from your permanent place of residence for more than 90 days, temporary registration at your place of stay becomes mandatory. It’s important to note that the law does not require you to deregister from your permanent address (as per Article 5 of Russian Federation Law No. 5242-1 of June 25, 1993, and clauses 9, 15 of the Rules approved by Government Decree No. 713 of July 17, 1995).
The need for temporary registration arises for various reasons, including:
- Full-time education;
- Extended business trips;
- Prolonged travel;
- Undergoing medical treatment;
- Shift work lasting over 90 days, and more.
Regardless of why you left your region of permanent registration, if your stay outside of it exceeds 90 days (i.e., 91 days or more), you must register temporarily at your current location. Exceptions apply to cities of federal significance. For instance, if you are permanently registered in Moscow, St. Petersburg, or Sevastopol, you are exempt from obtaining temporary registration when staying for an extended period in the Moscow Region, Leningrad Region, or the Republic of Crimea, respectively. This rule also applies in reverse: if you are registered in the Moscow Region, you don’t need to register in Moscow for stays of 91 days or more (as per clauses 3-5 of Russian Federation Law No. 5242-1 of June 25, 1993).
Without temporary registration in an unfamiliar region, you may face difficulties accessing state services that require proof of residence, receiving state benefits, or enrolling your child in a school or kindergarten. Additionally, an employer might request proof of registration, as it reassures them of your long-term commitment. In cities like Moscow, temporary registration can also grant access to specific parking privileges.
Staying in a different region for 91 days or more without temporary registration can result in a fine. To avoid this penalty, you can temporarily leave the region and then return. It’s advisable to keep travel tickets or other proof of exit to confirm your departure.
Where to Obtain Temporary Registration
You can obtain temporary registration in any dwelling where you do not have permanent registration but where you reside. This includes:
- Student dormitories;
- Hotels;
- Guesthouses;
- Campsites;
- Sanatoriums;
- Recreation centers;
- Hospitals, and similar institutions.
The law also permits temporary registration in non-residential premises, such as apartments. However, specific conditions apply (as per clause 3 of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation Resolution No. 4-P of February 3, 2026):
- The premises must, by their characteristics, be equivalent to an apartment in an apartment building;
- Documents confirming its compliance with residential premises standards must be provided for registration;
- The apartment must not be part of the room stock of a hotel or other collective accommodation facility.
How to Apply for Temporary Registration
When staying in a hotel, sanatorium, guesthouse, hospital, or similar facility, you typically don’t need to take any action yourself. The administration of these establishments usually handles the temporary registration upon your arrival. This also applies to correctional facilities where convicts serve sentences of imprisonment or forced labor (Article 5 of Russian Federation Law No. 5242-1 of June 25, 1993).
These organizations are required to forward data on temporary registration or deregistration to the МВД (Ministry of Internal Affairs) passport office within one day. Correctional facilities do so within seven days.
To obtain temporary registration in an apartment occupied under a tenancy agreement or other private housing, you can apply through one of the following organizations (clauses 5, 21 of the Administrative Regulations, approved by МВД of Russia Order No. 553 of August 6, 2025, and clause 1 of the List, approved by Government Decree No. 713 of July 17, 1995):
- MVD Passport Office (migration division of a regional or district territorial MVD body);
- Multifunctional Center (MFC) that provides this service (the center must be located in your temporary residence district);
- Management company, if housing registration and deregistration fall within its purview.
Additionally, if both the property owner and the tenant have verified accounts, temporary registration can be applied for via the State Services portal (Gosuslugi).
Upon successful application, you will receive a Temporary Registration Certificate at the Place of Stay (Form No. 39, approved by МВД of Russia Order No. 553 of August 6, 2025). This document can be requested in either electronic or paper format.
Before initiating the process, you must agree on the duration of your registration in the dwelling that you do not own. This term is established by mutual agreement (clause 10 of the Rules, approved by Government Decree No. 713 of July 17, 1995) with:
- The property owners;
- The tenant and their family members, including those temporarily absent (this applies to state and municipal housing);
- The board of the housing construction or housing cooperative, if you are renting housing for which cooperative members have not yet formalized ownership rights.
The term for temporary registration can be flexible, ranging from several months to several decades. It is not regulated by law. Previously, temporary registration was limited to six months, but this norm was deemed unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation Resolution No. 4-P of February 2, 1998.
Below is a step-by-step guide to obtaining temporary registration in a dwelling not owned by the citizen, designed to help you complete the process quickly and correctly.
Documents Required for Temporary Registration
Once an understanding regarding the registration period has been reached, proceed to collect the necessary documents. The specific set of documents may vary depending on the circumstances. For instance, to register adult citizens and their children in rented housing, the following documents are typically requested:
- Application form No. 4, approved by МВД of Russia Order No. 553 of August 6, 2025. This document must be signed by both the applicant (tenant) and the property owner.
- The applicant’s passport, along with the passports of all owners.
- Birth certificates and proof of Russian citizenship for children under 14.
- Written consent from the sole owner or all co-owners for granting temporary registration. This is not required when applying through Gosuslugi, as each owner provides consent digitally via the portal.
- Other documents confirming the right to occupy the apartment, such as:
- A rental agreement;
- A sub-lease agreement for housing from the social use housing fund;
- A sub-lease agreement for housing provided under a social tenancy agreement;
- A specialized housing rental agreement (e.g., dormitory room, housing in a maneuvering fund, service housing);
- An extract from the Unified State Register of Real Estate (ЕГРН);
- A decision of the general meeting of members of a housing construction or housing cooperative;
- A certificate of full share payment in a housing or housing construction cooperative.
If you need registration in an apartment occupied under a social tenancy agreement, or if you have a state registration certificate of rights issued before July 15, 2016, or an extract from the ЕГРН, you may not need to present these physical documents. It is often sufficient to provide their details in the application, and the registration authority will verify the information themselves.
To obtain temporary registration for a minor over 14 years old, the following documents are required:
- Application form No. 3, approved by МВД of Russia Order No. 553 of August 6, 2025;
- The minor applicant’s Russian or international passport;
- The passport of the minor’s legal representative.
Owner’s Consent for Temporary Registration
It is best to include a written consent for occupying the residential premises in your document package. This consent must be obtained from the sole owner or all co-owners of the property. The document should be notarized.
Alternatively, all owners, along with the applicant, can visit the MFC or passport office. The staff member responsible for transmitting registration information to the МВД will then obtain their consent directly (clause 61 of the List of documents, presented in the Appendix to Order No. 553). Thus, the consent of all co-owners can be formalized directly at a notary, MFC, or passport office. It can also be created in electronic format, provided an electronic signature is used.
Temporary Registration via State Services (Gosuslugi)
Through the Gosuslugi portal, you can request an electronic or paper certificate of temporary registration. The electronic document is only available if all registering citizens aged 14 and over, and all property owners, have verified accounts. Additionally, information about the housing must be recorded in the Rosreestr. If these conditions are not met, you will need to apply for a paper certificate.
The portal’s functionality allows you to apply for registration for:
- Yourself;
- Your husband or wife;
- Children under 14;
- Teenagers aged 14 to 18 with their consent.
To request the certificate, follow these steps:
- Log in to your personal account on Gosuslugi;
- In the «Registration Passport» section, navigate to the «Registration and deregistration at the place of residence and stay» sub-section;
- Indicate that you require registration at your place of stay;
- Then specify whether you want to register or deregister;
- Choose the type of certificate (electronic or paper);
- Specify who needs registration (yourself, yourself and children, only children, yourself and spouse, or all listed individuals);
- Indicate whether you are the owner of the dwelling (select «Yes,» «No,» «Social tenancy housing,» or «Owner – organization»);
- State whether the ownership right to the dwelling is registered in Rosreestr (this can be verified using the address or cadastral number);
- Answer the question about whether all owners aged 14 and over have verified accounts;
- Proceed to fill out the application: verify your permanent registration address and enter its date, input the full address of your temporary registration, its duration (e.g., for six months, one year, two years, or five years), and the registration end date;
- Upload photos of the necessary documents: passports (yours, owners’, children aged 14 and over), birth certificates for children under 14, rental agreement, etc.;
- Click «Send» after completing all operations: forming the application, uploading documents, and confirming the address of the MVD unit to which it will be sent.
Once you submit the application, the system will send a notification to the personal accounts of all property owners, requesting their consent. After their consent is received, the electronic certificate will appear in your personal account.
If you requested a paper certificate, an invitation to the MVD will be sent to your personal account. You should appear on the appointed day with the original documents to collect your certificate.
Temporary Registration via Multifunctional Centers (MFC)
Either the applicant themselves or their authorized representative with a power of attorney can apply at an MFC. To receive the service, first schedule an appointment at the center. This can be done via the regional MFC «My Documents» website, by phone (the number can be found online), or by visiting in person. Alternatively, you can arrive at the designated MFC during working hours with your documents and the owners (or notarized consent from them) and be seen on a first-come, first-served basis. However, to avoid waiting in line, it is advisable to book an appointment in advance.
An MFC employee will accept your package of documents (the list of which we covered above) and issue a receipt for their reception. Subsequently, no later than the next business day, all documents will be forwarded to the MVD Department for Migration Affairs (clause 11 of the Rules, approved by Government Decree No. 713 of July 17, 1995).
As soon as the certificate is generated, you will receive an SMS notification. After this, you will need to visit the MFC a second time to retrieve your previously submitted documents and the certificate itself.
Processing Time for Temporary Registration
If you submitted your documents through a management company, HOA (Homeowners Association), or MFC, the data will be transferred to the MVD no later than the next business day. The certificate must be issued no later than the business day following the day the document package arrives at the MVD. As a result, the registration should typically be ready within two days.
When applying directly to the MVD passport office, you can collect the certificate no later than the business day following the day of document acceptance. This means the certificate production will take slightly over one day.
In cases where the application is sent via Gosuslugi, or if the document package lacks a social tenancy agreement, an extract from the ЕГРН, or another document confirming the right to reside in the premises, the service processing time may extend up to 6 days (clauses 9, 11, 12 of the Rules, approved by Government Decree No. 713, clauses 5, 10 of the Regulations, approved by МВД of Russia Order No. 553 of August 6, 2025, Part 1 of Article 28 of Law No. 218-FZ of July 13, 2015).
How to Renew Temporary Registration
If the property owner agrees, you can extend your temporary registration for a mutually agreed period. This can be done in two ways:
- After the term of your current registration expires;
- In advance, by first submitting an application for deregistration, and then applying for a new registration.
To renew your registration, you can contact the MVD passport office, your management company, or the MFC. This option is also available through Gosuslugi. The procedure will be similar to the initial application process.
Penalties for Lacking Temporary Registration
Failure to comply with the rules for citizens’ residence at their place of stay can lead to administrative liability under Articles 19.15.1 or 19.15.2 of the Administrative Offenses Code of the Russian Federation. These articles stipulate the following types of penalties:
- For complete absence of temporary registration or an expired one, a fine is imposed:
- For tenant citizens: from 2,000 to 3,000 rubles (in Moscow and St. Petersburg – from 3,000 to 5,000 rubles);
- For citizen-owners of the dwelling: from 2,000 to 5,000 rubles (in Moscow and St. Petersburg – from 5,000 to 7,000 rubles);
- For legal entities: from 250,000 to 750,000 rubles (in Moscow and St. Petersburg – from 300,000 to 800,000 rubles).
- For violating the Rules for Registration of a Citizen of the Russian Federation at the Place of Stay, approved by Government Decree No. 713 of July 17, 1995, the fine amount will be the same as for the absence of registration. However, officials may also be penalized for non-compliance with these Rules. For them, the fine will be:
- From 25,000 to 50,000 rubles for officials in the Russian Federation, excluding Moscow and St. Petersburg;
- From 30,000 to 50,000 rubles for officials in Moscow and St. Petersburg.