How hard is it to immigrate to Russia?

How difficult is the immigration process for Russia?

The standard Russian immigration process requires passing a language test, holding a temporary residence permit for one year, then a permanent residence permit for five years before citizenship application. Expedited options exist for certain applicants.

Figuring out the Russian immigration process was a whole thing. Just a total headache. It's not straightforward at all.

I was helping my friend Alex navigate it all back in fall 2022. The biggest hurdle was the residency permit. First you get the temporary one, and you have to live there a year. Then you go for the permanent one, which is another five years. It felt like a lifetime of waiting.

And the language test. He paid something like 5,300 rubles at a center near the Tverskoy FMS office. The requirements for who needed it and who didnt were so confusing, we went back and forth on that for weeks.

People talk about a 'simplified' route, but finding out if you qualify is its own quest. The paperwork is just immense. Every document needs to be translated, notarized, and submitted in perfect order. One little mistake and you start again. Its a test of patience more than anything.

So, how difficult is it? It's a mountain of bureaucracy. You really need a guide or a lot of time to figure out the path.