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I was born in Russia, but have lived abroad since the age of 2. I have visited Russia many times in the past, before and after I was 18, but never for longer than about 1.5 months. I only hold an external passport ('Zagranpassport') from Russia, and am not registered in any location or residence within the Russian Federation.

My question is regarding the maximum time I can spend in Russia continuously and within a year before I would have to register with the Voenkomat, the administration responsible for calling up young men to serve in the military. As far as I understand this is 90 days.

Thus, would it be possible to 'visit' Russia for 88 days, fly out for a few days, and then return, repeating the process, without ever registering temporarily or permanently, nor applying for an internal passport?

I understand that not having an internal passport vastly limits your rights, like to free emergency healthcare, or receiving a driving licence, or opening most bank accounts, or working in Russia.

Would there be any additional documentation that I would need to carry on me that shows my permanent residence in the UK to show to officials in Russia in case of questioning?

N.B. I despise the idea of avoiding the draft and would have happily completed the military draft and registered properly if there was not a forced vaccination upon being conscripted.

Thank you for your help.

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    Irrespective of the destination, frequent repeat visits with very little time in between are likely to end up attracting the attention of border Immigration at some point.
    – Traveller
    Oct 21, 2021 at 9:42
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    So, you are fine with being conscripted and sent into the middle of a gunfight, but you don't want a vaccine?
    – Robert Columbia
    Oct 21, 2021 at 10:24
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    @RobertColumbia First year conscripts by law cannot be sent to an active zone.
    – Bobby
    Oct 21, 2021 at 11:37
  • @Traveller if he is a Russian citizen then immigration (on the Russian side) can't do anything.
    – alamar
    Oct 21, 2021 at 14:49
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    @Bobby I disagree that your vaccination stance is not fundamental to your question. Your question is about avoiding the draft, but you explicitly state that your biggest objection to it is being vaccinated.
    – Peter M
    Oct 21, 2021 at 15:34

2 Answers 2

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Look to the article 8 of 53-FZ "О воинской обязанности и военной службе"

It claims that people living abroad of Russia should not be conscript to the military service. Residence abroad of Russia isn't counted by 90 days.

This foreign residence depends on two parameters:

  1. You should not be resident of Russia on tax purposes. It means you should be in the country less than 180 days each year.
  2. You should be listed on consular register in a foreign coutry. Here is consular register in the UK https://rus.rusemb.org.uk/pmzhopen/ Please note that you need a paper document, so you should go there in person.
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  • Спасибо за вашу помощь. Оказывается я уже на консульском учёте, но бумажки ни какой нет. Завтра буду звонить в посольство. Что за правило тогда о 90 днях, знаете? Читаю в многих местах что если оставаться более 90 дней, нужно регистрироваться в России. Если я получу эту бумажку здесь в Лондоне, я смогу тогда остаться более 90 дней подряд, главное не привышая 180? Спасибо опять за вашу помощь.
    – Bobby
    Oct 27, 2021 at 16:28
  • 90 дней - это требование регистрации по месту пребывания, оно относится к резидентам России. Регистрация проверяется, когда гражданин РФ подаётся за какими-нибудь бенефитами, типа отправки ребёнка в детский сад.
    – Tania Chistyakova
    Oct 29, 2021 at 16:19
  • Да, нельзя превышать 180 дней в году.
    – Tania Chistyakova
    Oct 29, 2021 at 16:20
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If you worry about the legal side of things, you can travel within the Russia every 88 days or less (maybe to the neighbouring region to be sure), keep the last ticket on you, and this will count. In Russia, domestic travel is still considered travel.

Having said that, the requirement is mostly ignored, I think. However, if you are to get a permanent residence registration, the Voenkomat may eventually come knocking even if you are not registered with it. However, getting it would require an internal passport.

I think you overestimate the amount of issues arising from not having internal passport. If foreigners loitering in Russia are able to open bank accounts, why won't you. The same for medicine - just go to insurance office and try to apply. Working/drivers license may be more problematic, but maybe you will be able to use your UK license, I'm not sure.

Overall the question may look better on Expatriates.

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  • Thank you for your help.
    – Bobby
    Oct 21, 2021 at 15:20
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    @alamar the problem for me would that if I stay for longer than 90 days, and then wish to fly back out to the UK, passport control would see that I outstayed my 90 days and question why I did not register my residence - and further, potentially send me to be drafted and not allow me to leave. What are your thoughts on this?
    – Bobby
    Oct 22, 2021 at 15:55
  • The 90 days rule is not related to crossing international borders. It is related to staying more than 90 days in one place without registering, which they obviously can't prove, and nobody actually observes it in the first place. The border guards have no authority to judge you on your internal registration and conscription status. The only realistic way they won't let you out (other than Covid restrictions) is you accumulating some local debt and not paying, so that collection services ask border guards to not let you out.
    – alamar
    Oct 23, 2021 at 12:03

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