If your Russian migration card is lost or damaged, contact the MVD migration unit for a duplicate. Buying a replacement from an intermediary or leaving to “reset” your stay is not the prescribed remedy. Replacing the document does not create a new permitted stay period.
Checked on 4 November 2026: Rules No. 413, edition of 7 December 2020, and Article 8 of the Russian–Belarusian protocol of 6 July 2006, edition of 17 May 2012. This guide concerns a previously issued card; exemptions and missing entry records caused by circumstances beyond the traveller’s control require separate checks.
◇ What to do when you discover the loss
- Identify the missing document: migration card, detachable arrival-notification section, passport or several documents. There is no single replacement procedure for all of them.
- Record when you discovered the loss, known circumstances and your entry date and crossing point. Find copies, tickets and photographs of entry endorsements; do not publish identity documents online.
- Contact the nearest MVD territorial migration unit at your actual location. Report the loss or damage and request a duplicate.
- Keep the acknowledgement, reference number and date. If you also report a theft, retain that report; it does not replace obtaining a duplicate card.
Distinguish the card from migration registration at an address. Replacing the card does not establish that every other missing document has also been replaced.
◷ Three days or three working days?
| Source | Provision |
|---|---|
| Paragraph 11 of Rules No. 413 | Report loss or damage within 3 days; a duplicate is free on presentation of the documents used to enter Russia |
| Article 8 of the Russian–Belarusian protocol | Report within 3 working days; the competent authority issues the duplicate within 3 working days with the prescribed endorsements and checks |
The effective instruments use different wording. The applicable procedure depends on the international agreement and circumstances. In practice, report the loss immediately instead of postponing it on the assumption that weekends do not count. Paragraph 11’s reporting deadline must not be turned into a promise that every duplicate will be issued “in three days”.
▤ Information and documents to prepare
Paragraph 11 links issuance to presentation of the documents on which the foreign national entered Russia. Prepare the passport or other relevant document and visa information where applicable. A copy of the missing card, entry details, previous endorsements and evidence of a lawful extension can help checks. These are useful supporting records, not a claim that every item is mandatory in every case.
If a foreign passport is also missing, separately establish its replacement procedure with the competent consular institution and the identity-verification procedure with the MVD. A passport photograph does not become a new identity document.
✓ Cost and checks when collecting the duplicate
A duplicate is free under paragraph 11 of Rules No. 413. An intermediary’s charge is not a state duty for that duplicate. Other services, including passport replacement, translation or obtaining a different status, may have separate costs.
Check the name, nationality, identity-document details, entry information and official endorsements. Keep a copy of the duplicate and the application acknowledgement. Ask the competent authority to correct errors rather than altering the form yourself.
The issue date does not replace the real entry date. Continue checking lawful stay against the applicable grounds and travel history.
↗ Missing original issuance, errors or refusal
Article 8 of the protocol separately provides for applications where the card or entry endorsement is missing for reasons beyond the foreign national’s control. Do not report a loss if no card was issued. Give the true history, supporting documents and border-crossing circumstances.
If the application is not accepted, request the reason and applicable provision and preserve the documents and record of your attempt. A dispute over lawful stay requires separate checks of status and MVD decisions. If an entry appears in the controlled persons register, obtaining a duplicate does not itself remove it. Replacing one document does not automatically resolve every immigration consequence.
Questions and primary sources
Must I leave and re-enter to obtain a new card?
The prescribed remedy for loss is a duplicate. Travel does not reset used stay days and may involve separate entry risks.
Can I use only a photograph of the card?
A photograph can help verify previous details, but should not be treated as an issued duplicate.
Does a duplicate automatically extend lawful stay?
No. It replaces the document. The grounds and procedure for extending stay are separate.
Does free issuance mean there can be no penalties?
No. Free issuance and assessment of a possible offence are separate matters. The facts and documents require individual checks; this guide does not promise an automatic penalty or exemption.