Regulations of foreign citizens’ admission in Universities of Russian Federation

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Special aspects in admission of foreign citizens, stateless persons

 

Foreign citizens, including compatriots abroad, and also stateless persons (further – foreign citizens) are accepted in Russian universities for training on bachelor degree, specialist and master programs:

 

– according to international treaties of the Russian Federation, federal laws or the education quota established by the Government of the Russian Federation at the expense of facilities of the relevant budget of the Russian Federation budgetary system;

 

– at the expense of facilities of individuals and/or legal entities according to contracts on rendering paid educational services;

 

Admission of foreign citizens and stateless persons for training at the expense of appropriate budget of the Russian Federation budgetary system is carried out:

 

– within the quota of foreign citizens education, in the fields that are given out by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation;

 

– on a competitive basis:

 

– according to intergovernmental agreements for citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic,  Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan;       

 

– on the basis of the certificate of the participant of the State program on rendering assistance to voluntary resettlement to the Russian Federation of  the compatriots who live abroad, became participants of the State program on rendering assistance to voluntary resettlement to the Russian Federation of the compatriots living abroad (The decree of the Russian President of 22.06.2006 No. 637);       

 

– according to the Federal law of 24.05.1999 No. 99-FZ “About a state policy of the Russian Federation concerning compatriots abroad”.

 

Recognition and identification of documents equivalence of the foreign states on education don’t acquit owners of the specified documents from compliance of the general requirements for admission, including from a condition of knowledge of Russian language.

 

Admission of foreign citizens and stateless persons on training in universities according to the lists of educational programs containing the data which are the state secret is carried out only within a quota of education of foreign citizens with compliance of the requirements provided by the legislation of the Russian Federation on the state secret.

 

Foreign citizens applying for bachelor degree provide nationally recognized document on general secondary education or on secondary vocational education, or a document of foreign state about education, equaled to general secondary education or to secondary vocational education in the Russian Federation.

Foreign citizens applying for master degree should have bachelor’s diploma or  diploma of higher education or a document of foreign state about education equaled to bachelor’s diploma or diploma of higher education in the Russian Federation.

 

Filing an application (in Russian) for admission in university a foreign citizen provides the following documents:

 

– copy of identification document of an applicant or identification document of a foreign citizen in the Russian Federation according to the Article 10 of the Federal  of 25 July 2002 № 115-ФЗ “About a legal status of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation”;

 

– the original of nationally recognized document on education (or its stamped and signed copy), or the original of a document on education equaled to the nationally recognized document about education (or its stamped and signed copy) in the Russian Federation with the equivalence certificate (if necessary), or the original of a document on education of the foreign state duly legalized (if necessary)  and annexes to it (if the last is provided by the legislation of the state in which such document on education is issued);

 

– the translation into Russian of the document on education of the foreign state stamped and signed according to the established procedure  and Annex to it (if the last is provided by the legislation of the state in which such document on education is issued);

 

– the copies of the documents or other evidences proving that the compatriot living abroad belongs to the groups provided for in Article 17 of the Federal Law № 99-FZ, or in accordance with the State program for assisting the voluntary resettlement to the Russian Federation of compatriots living abroad (Presidential Decree of 22.06.2006, № 637);

 

 –  copy of entry visa to the Russian Federation, if the foreign citizen arrived to the Russian Federation with entry visa;

 

 – the original and copy of health certificate of absence of the diseases specified in the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of April 2, 2003 No. 188;

 

 – the voluntary medical insurance, valid on the territory of the Russian Federation according to the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of 9 June 2003 г. No. 335;

 

– 6 photos 3х4 with right cornerpiece.

 

All the translations into Russian should be made according to name and surname indicated in entry visa.

 

Foreign citizens applying within the quota specified by the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of 25 August 2008 No. 638 “About cooperation with foreign countries in the field of education” provide the reference of  the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.

 

Admission for bachelor’s programme of foreign citizens of university for student spaces within the framework of the Comprehensive Target Program is carried out on the basis of results of entrance tests on the appropriate general education subjects and in the form defined in sections 4 and 5 of the present Regulations.

 

For individuals from foreign countries applying for bachelor and specialist degree on student spaces under contracts on rendering paid educational services it is possible to carry out entrance tests in the form of interview in two general education subjects specified in the Annex to Admission Regulations at the choice of the applicant.

 

Foreign citizens having the right for education at the expense of appropriate budget and being the prizewinners of the Final stage of Russian national competition among school children are admitted to the University without any entrance tests on majors, corresponding to a profile of the Russian national competition among school children.

 

The results of prizewinners of the Final stage of Russian national competition among school children are recognized by University as the highest results of entrance tests (“100”) on the general education subjects on the majors which aren’t corresponding to competition’s profile.

Foreign citizens who are the prizewinners of Russian national competition among schoolchildren are accepted at educational institutions in the order approved by the order of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation of October 22, 2007 No. 285.

 

Foreign citizens pass three entrance tests listed in the Annex 1 to the present Regulations. The minimum grade for foreign citizens to participate in competition is 50 in each subject.

 

Foreign students applying on the basis of references from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation are admitted in term defined by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.

 

Admission of foreign citizens for student spaces financed at the expense of appropriate budget under the contracts on rendering paid educational services by individuals or legal entities is made in order and in term defined in Section 3 of the present Regulations.

 

More detailed information you can get on e-mail:  director@librapersonal.ru

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Overview of Rules on Entry and Residence of Nationals of CIS Member Countries in the Russian Federation

 

As of January 1, 2015, nationals of CIS member countries are required to hold their travel passports to enter and exit Russia. These changes affect Tajikistan nationals. Nationals of the Customs Union member countries, Eurasian Economic Union member countries, and Ukraine are exempt from the requirement. Russian visa is still not required for the nationals of CIS member countries.

A special exception has been made for Ukraine nationals, because of the complicated internal political situation in the country. Belarus and Kazakhstan are member countries of the Customs Union, and consequently their nationals are not required to hold their travel passports to cross the Russian border.

“On June 17, 2014 the Government of the Russian Federation adopted a Decree No.555 On the Annulment of Decree No.574 of the Government of the Russian Federation of September 21, 2005 “On mutual trips of citizens of the Russian Federation and citizens of the Republic of Tajikistan”, according to which internal passports and birth certificates were allowed to be used along with travel passports for crossing the Russian border” – said in the online statement by the Foreign Ministry. On the introduction of such a restriction the countries that are affected by it have been noticed in advance.

According to the official of the Department of Entry, Departure and Registration of Citizenship of Uzbekistan Interior Ministry, Uzbekistan nationals enter Russia on their biometric passports that serve as both their internal passports and travel passports. Exit stamp is not required for entry into Russia, because there is a visa-free regime between Uzbekistan and Russia.

According to the Decision of the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan of July 1, 2014, Uzbekistan citizens travel abroad on their biometric passports. In October 2011, the process of replacing old passports with new biometric ones has been started in Uzbekistan. The 1994 passports remain valid until December 31, 2015. By the end of 2016, 20 million people from the country of 31 million people are to be issued with biometric passports.

Starting from January1, 2015, nationals of CIS member countries that are not members of Customs Union (Azerbaijan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) are allowed to enter Russia only on their travel passports (visa-free). Entering Russia on internal passports remains possible for nationals of Eurasian Economic Union member countries: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Due to the difficult political situation in Ukraine, Ukraine nationals are still allowed to cross the border on their internal passports.

No special permit is required for the nationals of CIS member countries to stay in Russia for a period of up to 90 days during six-month period, which totals 180 days of stay during 12 consecutive months without being registered with FMS. Tajikistan nationals are permitted to stay in Russia for 15 days without being registered with FMS, for Belarus and Kazakhstan nationals such a period is 30 days. Belarus nationals are not required to fill in an immigration card and get a stamp when crossing Russian border. All other nationals are required to fill in a migration card and retain it until their departure because the details provided in the migration card are used by border control officers to document the foreigner’s departure from Russia.

If a CIS member country national fails to meet the obligation to depart from Russia prior to the expiration of the period stipulated by law without any valid documented reasons (work, studies, illness, injury, inheritance issues, funeral), he/she shall be banned from entering Russia for the next three years. Entry ban period is calculated starting from the date of exit.

Period of 90 days is extended for those foreign nationals who have a temporary residence permit, permanent residence permit, work permit, patent issued, military service contract signed, or those who study in Russia. In such cases, the period of their stay in Russia is limited by the duration of the temporary residence permit, permanent residence permit, work permit, or patent respectively. Period of stay for studies and a military service is determined depending on the duration of a 

degree programme or the term of a military service contract respectively.

Important note: In all of the above cases migration cards must be stamped by FMS of the RF with the Extension of Stay stamp.

 

More detailed information you can get on e-mail:  director@librapersonal.ru

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Invitations for entry into the Russian Federation of foreign citizens and stateless persons
 

General provisions

The invitation is the basis for visa issue for foreign citizens or for entry into the Russian Federation in the procedure not demanding to obtain visa, in the cases provided by the Federal law of July 25, 2002 No. 115-FZ “About a legal status of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation” or international treaties of the Russian Federation.

The invitation contains the following data: surname,  name (written by letters of the Russian and Latin alphabets), birth date and birth place, sex, nationality of the invited person, the state of its accommodation, number and date of issue of the document proving his identity,  purpose of visit, estimated term of stay in the Russian Federation, estimated places of visit in the Russian Federation, the name and location of inviting organization or a surname, a name of the inviting individual and the address of its residence, number and date of resolution on the issue of the invitation and validity period of the invitation.

Service on registration and issue of invitations on entry into the Russian Federation of foreign citizens and stateless persons is carried out by FMS of Russia its territorial authorities and their structural divisions according to the Administrative regulations providing by Federal Migration Service of the state service in registration and issue of invitations on entry into the Russian Federation of foreign citizens and stateless persons approved by the order of FMS of Russia of November 30, 2012 No. 390 (in an edition. Orders of FMS of Russia of 22.10.2014 N 569 from 08.12.2014N 635).

By provisions of Article 2 of the Federal law of July 25, 2002 to No. 115-FZ “About a legal status of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation” (further – the Federal law) it is established that the invitation for entry into the Russian Federation can be issued in the form of the electronic document (further – electronic invitations).

With the aim of implementation of the Federal law, territorial authorities of FMS of Russia started registration of electronic invitations for entry into the Russian Federation.

At submission of the petition for invitation issue for entry into the Russian Federation the option of registration of the invitation either in application form or in the form of the electronic document is granted to an inviting person.

The electronic invitation has full and short printed form.

The full printing form of the electronic invitation contains the data provided by point 109 of Administrative regulations of Federal Migration Service of the state service in registration and issue of invitations for entry into the Russian Federation foreign citizens and stateless persons approved by the order of FMS of Russia of November 30, 2012 No. 390 (further – Administrative regulations), and is given to an inviting party.

The short printing form of the electronic invitation contains the same data, except for personal information of the foreign citizen in compliance with the Federal law of 27.07.2006 No. 152-FZ “About personal information”, and goes to the e-mail address of an inviting party. Further it can be sent to the invited foreign citizen by means of the Internet network.

Registration of the electronic invitation is possible and at submission of the petition with use of the Uniform portal of the state services.

In case of the absence of e-mail address of an inviting party, the notice to an inviting party about adoption of the positive decision on registration of the invitation goes according to point 105 of Administrative regulations (on means of a mail service or the Uniform portal of the State services). At registration of the invitation in the form of the electronic document, the invitation on the form of the established form isn’t issued. Registration of electronic invitations for entry into the Russian Federation will allow to reduce visa dates of receipt.

It is enough for foreign citizen to show a short printing form of the electronic invitation in consular establishment or diplomatic mission of the Russian Federation to obtain visa.

We pay attention that the receipt of a visa for entry into the Russian Federation in consular establishment or diplomatic mission of the Russian Federation is possible only in the city which is specified in the electronic invitation.

Now registration of entry visas to the Russian Federation on the basis of electronic invitations is carried out in all consular establishments and diplomatic missions of the Russian Federation.

Recipients of the state service are:

The legal entities which in an established order were registered in authorized division or territorial authority.
The branches of the foreign commercial organizations which were registered in an established order in FMS of Russia or its territorial authority in case of the invitation of foreign citizens for implementation of work in the Russian Federation;
Representations of the foreign commercial organizations, in an established order which were registered in FMS of Russia or its territorial authority in case of the invitation of the foreign citizens directed for implementation of work in the Russian Federation according to article 13.5 of the Federal law “About a legal status of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation”.
Citizens of the Russian Federation.

The foreign citizens who are constantly living in the Russian Federation.

The foreign citizens who are highly qualified specialists, carrying out in this quality work in the territory of the Russian Federation in case of the invitation them members of the family.

According to requirements of the Federal law of July 25, 2002 “About a legal status of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation”, members of the family of the highly qualified specialist his spouse (spouse), children (including adopted), spouses of children, parents (including adoptive), spouses of parents, grandmothers, grandfathers, grandsons admit to No. 115-FZ.

Concerning foreign citizens — highly qualified specialists and members of their families can act as an inviting party:

Russian commercial organizations;
The Russian scientific organizations, educational institutions of professional education (except for establishments of professional religious education (spiritual educational institutions)), healthcare institutions, and also other organizations which are carrying out scientific, scientific and technical and innovative activity, experimental development, tests, training according to the state priority directions of development of science, technologies and equipment of the Russian Federation, in the presence at them in the cases provided by the legislation of the Russian Federation, the state accreditation;
The branches of foreign legal entities accredited in accordance with the established procedure in the territory of the Russian Federation.

Authorized representatives of local governments and legal entities address with the petition for issue of the invitation in a place of their stay.

The location of the legal entity is the place of its state registration.

Authorized representatives of branches of foreign legal entities address with the petition for issue of the invitation in a place of their registration in tax authority.

Citizens of the Russian Federation address with the petition for issue of the invitation in a residence or in a stay place.

The foreign citizens who are constantly living in the Russian Federation address with the petition for issue of the invitation in a residence.

The foreign citizens who are highly qualified specialists, carrying out in this quality work in the territory of the Russian Federation address concerning members of the family in a place of temporary stay (accommodation), and in case of receiving residence permit – in a residence.

The petition for issue of the invitation for entry into the Russian Federation can be submitted the Uniform portal of representation of the state and municipal services (functions), in electronic form.

List of the documents necessary for registration of the invitation:

For registration of the invitation by the recipient of the state service the following documents are submitted:

1. Petition for issue of the invitation (samples No. 1, No. 2).

2. The valid identification paper inviting party.

3. The copy of an identification paper of the invited foreign citizen and recognized as the Russian Federation in this quality which validity period, as a rule, shouldn’t expire earlier, than in 6 months from an expiration date of term of estimated term of stay.

In a case when together with the invited person the family members brought in his passport – copies of the corresponding pages of the passport follow.

1. Letters of guarantee of an inviting party on acceptance on itself obligations for material, medical and housing security of the invited foreign citizen for his stay in Russian Federation.

The natural person acting as an inviting party encloses letters of guarantee on material, medical and housing security of the foreign citizen for his stay in the Russian Federation to data on the income (money) allowing it to provide implementation of the above obligations.

The inviting party takes measures for realization of guarantees of material, medical and housing security of the invited foreign citizen during his stay in the Russian Federation.

Attention!

 According to the Code of the Russian Federation about administrative offenses rejection by an inviting party of measures for material, medical and housing security of the invited foreign citizen during his stay in the Russian Federation attracts imposing of an administrative penalty on officials at the rate from forty thousand to fifty thousand rubles; on legal entities – from four hundred thousand to five hundred thousand rubles.

The receipt on payment of the state tax for issue of the invitation, in the cases provided by the legislation of the Russian Federation (it is represented the applicant on own initiative).
 Action of the above points 1-3 doesn’t extend on the legal entities acting as an inviting party concerning foreign citizens – highly qualified specialists.

For registration the employer, the customer of works (services) involving the highly qualified specialist to work in the Russian Federation presents to the highly qualified specialist of the work permit in one copy to FMS of Russia:

Petition for involvement of the highly qualified specialist;

The employment contract or the civil contract for performance of work (rendering services) with the involved highly qualified specialist which coming into effect is caused by obtaining the work permit by this highly qualified specialist;

The written obligation to pay (to refund) the expenses of the Russian Federation connected with possible administrative exclusion out of borders of the Russian Federation or deportation of the highly qualified specialist involved by it.

For registration to the highly qualified specialist of the invitation for entry into the Russian Federation for implementation of work, the employee of FMS of Russia responsible for reception of the above documents, immediately transfers copies of the petition for involvement of the highly qualified specialist and the employment contract or the civil contract for performance of work (rendering services) with the involved highly qualified specialist which coming into effect is caused by obtaining the work permit by this highly qualified specialist in authorized division of FMS of Russia.

The invitation is made out on period of validity of the employment contract or civil contract for performance of work (rendering services), but no more than for three years from the date of alleged entry of the highly qualified specialist into the Russian Federation.

The quota of issue to foreign citizens of invitations for entry into the Russian Federation for implementation of work doesn’t extend on highly qualified specialists and members of their families.

Instruction when filling the petition for issue of the invitation:

The petition is made out and it is represented in duplicate on the form of the established form.
Data on children till 16 years following together with the invited foreign citizen are brought in the petition with the indication of a surname, name, date of birth, floor, nationality (citizenship).
The form of the petition is filled in Russian by electronic computer facilities or is by hand legible printing letters ink of black or blue color. When filling the form of the petition corrections, the use of reductions and abbreviations aren’t allowed.
The surname and name (names) of the invited person need to be entered in Russian and in Latin transcription according to writing in the copy of an identification paper of the invited foreign citizen and recognized as the Russian Federation in this quality.
For reliability of the submitted documents and completeness of the data specified in the petition, the applicant bears responsibility in the order provided by the legislation of the Russian Federation.

Attention!

According to the Code of the Russian Federation about administrative offenses granting by an inviting party of obviously false data on the purpose of stay in the Russian Federation of the foreign citizen at paperwork for entry into the Russian Federation of the specified foreign citizen attracts imposing of an administrative penalty on officials at the rate from forty thousand to fifty thousand rubles; on legal entities – from four hundred thousand to five hundred thousand rubles.

By consideration of the petition for issue of the invitation an inspection regarding existence or lack of the bases provided by articles 26 and 27 of the Federal law of August 25, 1996 No. 114-FZ “About an order of departure from the Russian Federation and entry into the Russian Federation” on which entrance isn’t allowed to the foreign citizen is carried out or can be not allowed.

 By results of consideration of the petition the decision on delivery or refusal in issue of the invitation is made.

The invitation isn’t issued if:

• Concerning the foreign citizen, the decision on not permission of entry into the Russian Federation on the bases provided by articles 26, 27 of the Federal law of August 15, 1996 No. 114-FZ “About an order of departure from the Russian Federation and entry into the Russian Federation is passed.

• The decision on refusal in issue to the highly qualified specialist of the invitation for entry into the Russian Federation for implementation of work is made in the presence of one of the bases provided by subparagraphs 1-7 of point 9 and point 9.1 of article 18 of the Federal law of July 25, 2002 No. 115-FZ “About a legal status of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation” if this foreign citizen:

• supports violent change of bases of the constitutional system of the Russian Federation, other actions creates a threat to security of the Russian Federation or citizens of the Russian Federation.

• finances, plans terrorist (extremist) acts, renders assistance in commission of such acts or makes them, and equally other actions supports terrorist (extremist) activity.

• within five years preceding day of submission of the petition was exposed to administrative exclusion out of borders of the Russian Federation, deportation or was transferred by the Russian Federation to the foreign state according to the international treaty of the Russian Federation on a readmission or within ten years preceding day of submission of the petition, repeatedly (two and more times) was exposed to administrative exclusion out of borders of the Russian Federation, deportation or it was transferred by the Russian Federation to the foreign state according to the international treaty of the Russian Federation on a readmission.

• submitted counterfeit or false documents or reported about himself obviously false data.

• it is condemned by the sentence of court which entered into force for commission of heavy or especially serious crime or a crime which recurrence is recognized as the dangerous.

• has the outstanding or not removed criminal record for commission of heavy or especially serious crime in the territory of the Russian Federation or beyond its limits, recognized as that according to the federal law.

• repeatedly (two and more times) within one year it was brought to administrative responsibility for violation of the legislation of the Russian Federation regarding providing the mode of stay (residence) foreign citizens in the Russian Federation.

At the positive decision the invitation on the form of the established form is made out.

Modification of the issued invitation isn’t allowed.

When obtaining the issued invitation the foreign citizen addresses to diplomatic mission the Russian Foreign Ministry (Embassy, Consulate general) abroad to receive visa.

 

More detailed information you can get on e-mail:  director@librapersonal.ru

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Documents Required for Crossing the Russian Federation Border
 

Foreign nationals and stateless persons entering into and exiting from the Russian Federation are required to present a valid identity document recognized as such by the Russian Federation and a visa.

To prove their identity, foreign nationals use a passport or other documents recognized as identity documents by the Russian Federation under international treaties to which the Russian Federation is a party.

Stateless persons prove their identity using:

1) Any document issued by a foreign country and recognized by the Russian Federation as a document which serves to prove identity of a stateless person under international treaties to which the Russian Federation is a party;

2) Temporary residence permit;

3) Residence permit.

Nationals of the countries that have signed a visa-free travels agreement with the Russian Federation containing clauses on visa-free entry into, exit from, movement across, transit through and stay in the Russian Federation, are exempt from the visa requirement.

The Russian Federation has signed bilateral agreements on visa-free travels with the following countries: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine.

Nationals of the above countries have the right to a visa-free entry to Russia on their travel passports. Their first stay in Russia must not exceed 90 days. Upon signing of a student contract in accordance with the Russian legislation, their temporary stay in Russia is extended for the term of the contract but no longer than for one year that shall be calculated from the day of their entry into the Russian Federation. The decision on extension of temporary stay of a foreigner shall be made by the local office of the Federal Migration Service.

Nationals of countries that require entry visa to travel to Russia enter the country for studies on a student visa issued by a diplomatic mission or consular office of the Russian Federation abroad. A student visa is issued based on a letter of invitation issued in accordance with the federal law.

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More detailed information you can get on e-mail:  director@librapersonal.ru

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Legalization of Degree Certificates in the Russian Federation
 

The legalization of a document is an implementation of a certain number of formal procedures in order to make the document legal in the territory of another country. The ultimate goal of the legalization procedure is the possibility of submitting the document, issued on the territory of one country, to the authorities of another country. Documents executed, issued or certified by Russian authorities and intended for use abroad require legalization, unless otherwise stipulated by the provisions of international agreements abolishing legalization procedure to which both Russia and the destination country are signatories. Legalization of a document is always carried out in the country in which this document was issued and / or completed.

According to Russian law, education documents obtained by a foreign national, who returns to his/her home country after graduating from a Russian university to pursue career in the chosen professional field, must be legalized or apostilled, i.e. stamped and signed by the duly authorized officials.

If you are engaged in an administrative process with official authorities and you have to submit official documents from abroad, these must be legalized to be accepted for review by the foreign country in one of the two ways depending on the country where these documents will be used:

In countries that are members of the Hague Convention dated 5 October, 1961: the only requirement is the apostille issued by the competent authorities.
In countries that are not members of the Hague Convention dated 5 October, 1961: the procedure of apostille does not apply to these documents, they must be legalized.
Legalization

The legalization is a certification of the genuineness of the signature and seal or the position of an official who has the authority to execute, issue, or certify a document so that a document executed, issued or certified in one jurisdiction may be recognized in another jurisdiction.

Legalization is used in countries that are not members of the Hague Convention dated 5 October, 1961. Compared to a system of apostille, it is a more complicated bilateral procedure.

Legalization is needed in order to grant your official document (for example, Diploma of Higher Education issued by V.I. Vernadsky Federal University), given to you on the territory of Russian Federation, same legal force abroad. Legalization stamp placed on the document certifies that this document exists and is official, and the people who signed it also exist and are authorized to do so.

Consular legalization is carried out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, which certifies the origin of the documents and their compliance with the applicable law. It is the certification of:

the genuineness of the signature of an official who executed, issued or certified a document;
the status of an official who executed, issued or certified a document;
the genuineness of the seal of an official who executed, issued or certified a document.

Having the documents certified and stamped by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, it is then necessary to submit them to the diplomatic mission for your destination country to get their stamp.

The stamp of consular legalization can be placed only on the original public documents (in our instance, they are: specialist’s degree diploma and its supplement, bachelor’s degree diploma and its supplement, master’s degree diploma and its supplement).

Copies of a diploma of higher education and its supplement also can be legalized. In such a case, legalization procedure is longer and consists of the following steps:

Obtaining translations of the documents;
Having them authenticated by a notary public;
Having the documents authenticated by the Ministry of Justice;
Legalization at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
Having the documents authenticated by the diplomatic mission for your destination country.
Documents contrary to Russian law or the content of which might prejudice the interests of the Russian Federation cannot be legalized.

Document legalization is not required for the countries with which international treaties abolishing the requirement have been concluded to which the Russian Federation is a party.

Apostille

The apostille is required when Russian or foreign graduates of Russian universities go abroad and submit their degree certificates issued in Russia for further education or work in any of the member countries of the Hague Convention dated October 5, 1961.

The apostille is the simplified form of legalization that ensures that your document will be accepted for legal use in all countries that have signed the Hague Convention.

The apostille attests that the official, who executed, issued or certified a document, was a duly commissioned official, and certifies the genuineness of the signature and seal of the official. Apostilled documents are legal in all countries that have acceded to the Hague Convention.

Confirmation of the documents on education and (or) on qualification issued by the Russian organizations which carry out educational activity in the Russian Federation is carried out on the basis of:

the convention canceling the requirement of the legalization of foreign official documents signed in the Hague on October 5, 1961 (The Hague convention);
Resolutions of the Supreme Council of the USSR of April 17, 1991 No. 2119-1 “About accession of the USSR to the Hague convention of 1961 canceling the requirement of legalization of foreign official documents”;
Provision about the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Federation approved by the Decree of October 13, 2004 No. 1313 “Questions of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation
Federal Law of 29 December 2012 г. № 273-ФЗ «About Education in the Russian Federation» (Article 106);
Federal Law of 23 August 1996 г.№ 127-ФЗ «About Science and national scientific and technical policy» (Article 6.3);
Resolutions of the government of the Russian Federation of July 20, 2013 No. 611 “About the approval of Rules of confirmation of documents on education and (or) about qualification”;
Resolutions of the government of the Russian Federation of March 11, 2011 No. 165 “About confirmation of documents of the state sample on education, on academic degrees and academic titles”; 
Federal law of 08 November 2010 г. № 293-ФЗ “About modification of separate acts of the Russian Federation in connection with improvement of control and supervising functions and optimization of providing the state services in education”;
the order of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation of May 26, 2008 N 6093 of Moscow;
tax code of the Russian Federation (chapter 25.3);
the administrative regulations approved by the order of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation from 05.09.2014g No. 1205;
other regulations. 

An overview of the process of document legalization is given in the figure below:

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THE LIST OF COUNTRIES JOINED THE HAGUE CONVENTION OF 5 OCTOBER 1961 ABOLISHING THE  EQUIREMENTS OF LEGALIZATION (as of January 1, 2014)

1. Australia                                
2. Austria
3. Azerbaijan
4. Albania
5. Andorra
6. Antigua and Barbuda
7. Argentina
8. Armenia
9. Bahamas Islands
10. Barbados
11. Bahrain
12. Belarus
13. Belize
14. Belgium
15. Bulgaria
16. Bosnia and Herzegovina
17. Botswana
18. Brunei
19. Vanuatu
20. UK
21. Hungary
22. Venezuela
23. Germany
24. Honduras
25. Grenada
26. Greece
27. Georgia
28. Denmark
29. Dominica
30. Dominican Republic
31. Israel
32. India
33. Ireland
34. Iceland
35. Spain
36. Italy
37. Guinea-Bissau
38. Kazakhstan
39. Cyprus
40. China (only Macau and Hong Kong)
41. Colombia
42. Costa Rica
43. Kyrgyzstan
44. Latvia
45. Lesotho
46. Liberia
47. Lithuania
48. Liechtenstein
49. Luxembourg
50. Mauritius
51. Macedonia
52. Malawi
53. Malta

54. Marshall Islands
55. Mexico
56. Moldova
57. Monaco
58. Mongolia
59. Namibia
60. Netherlands
61. Nicaragua
62. Niue
63. New Zealand
64. Norway
65. Oman
66. Cook Islands
67. Panama
68. Peru
69. Poland
70. Portugal
71. Republic Korea
72. Russian Federation
73. Romania
74. Samoa
75. San Marino
76. San Tome and Principe
77. Swaziland
78. Seychelles Islands
79. Saint Vincent and Grenadines
80. Saint Kitts and Nevis
81. Saint Lucia
82. Serbia
83. Slovakia
84. Slovenia
85. Suriname
86. USA
87. Tonga
88. Trinidad and Tobago
89. Turkey
90. Uzbekistan
91. Ukraine
92. Uruguay
93. Fiji
94. Finland
95. France
96. Croatia
97. Montenegro
98. Czech Republic
99. Switzerland
100.Sweden
101.Ecuador
102.El Salvador
103.Estonia
104.South African Republic
105.Japan

Please make sure that your Russian degree certificate is legalized before you leave Russia.