Visa regulations and registration requirements change from month to month. At present, you must still register your passport with the (OVIR) which means the Department of Visas and Registration, (Otdel Viz i Registratsiy) within three workings days of your arrival. If you are staying at a hotel, they do this for you. If you are living with a friend or in a rented apartment, you should also register with the OVIR in the district where the apartment is located, especially if you need to extend your visa. See the OVIR offices for each district.

Visa extensions. To extend your visa, you must comply with certain regulations from the very beginning of your stay including registration of your passport and visa. For any extension, you usually need to have an official statement requesting an extension, and if you are staying in a rented apartment or private home, permission to stay longer from your host. You then take these papers along with your visa to the OVIR in your district (listed below) and apply for an extension. They are fairly efficient there.

Multiple entry visas. Businesses may be interested in a Commercial multi-entry visa which allows unlimited entries for a 6 month period. Employees of Russian companies and joint ventures apply to OVIR. Employees of 100% foreign-owned companies, apply to the consulate department called MID for Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministerstvo Inostrannykh Del). There must be a good reason for having a multiple entry visa and the company must be registered with MID . The process takes about two weeks. The Visa Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is for difficult cases and your local OVIR may send you there.

For more information on visa registration see web site of Visa Office N3 of South-West district in Moscow www.newtech.ru/~ovir.