Short answer
A Russian personal bankruptcy case can start in an arbitrazh court or, in limited circumstances, through an MFC public service centre. Court bankruptcy is used where the out-of-court route is unavailable or assets and creditor claims require formal administration. The MFC route requires total obligations between RUB 25,000 and RUB 1,000,000 plus one of the specific statutory conditions in Article 223.2 of Federal Law No. 127-FZ.
First step: choose the appropriate route
| Issue | Arbitrazh court | MFC |
|---|---|---|
| When available | Where insolvency or insufficient assets can be shown; a debtor may have the right to file even below RUB 500,000 | Only for RUB 25,000–1,000,000 of obligations and one of the Article 223.2 grounds |
| Where to file | The arbitrazh court for the debtor’s place of residence | An MFC for the debtor’s place of residence or stay |
| Participants | The court, insolvency manager, debtor and creditors | The MFC checks formal eligibility and publishes in the federal register; no insolvency manager is appointed |
| Assets and disputes | The court and manager investigate assets, transactions and claims | Statutory remedies remain available if facts inconsistent with the out-of-court route are discovered |
An initial MFC eligibility check can help organise the facts, but it does not replace reviewing enforcement records and the complete list of obligations against Article 223.2.
Duty to file and right to file
A debtor must apply where paying one or more creditors would make full payment to the others impossible and the relevant total obligations are at least RUB 500,000. The statutory period is no later than 30 working days after the debtor knew or should have known this.
A debtor may apply earlier where bankruptcy is clearly foreseeable and insolvency or insufficient assets can be established. RUB 500,000 is therefore not a universal voluntary-filing threshold.
Court bankruptcy: six practical steps
- Verify the grounds. Prepare a complete debt and income schedule and review assets, enforcement cases and insolvency indicators.
- Collect supporting records. Evidence liabilities, income, accounts, assets, material transactions and family status.
- Name an SRO. The application identifies a self-regulatory organisation. It nominates a member and the court appoints the insolvency manager; the debtor cannot simply appoint a chosen individual.
- File the application. Submit to the competent arbitrazh court with the required schedules and notices.
- Attend the admissibility review. The court examines the grounds and evidence and either opens the appropriate procedure or makes another order permitted by law.
- Comply during the case. Provide requested information, disclose assets and accounts, report relevant changes and observe procedural restrictions.
The stages after filing are explained in the court personal bankruptcy process guide.
Detailed Filing-Document Checklist
A debtor must attach the procedural records and the documents listed in Article 213.4(3) of Federal Law No. 127-FZ. The file is fact-specific, so no single archive is complete for every applicant. The following working groups help organise the evidence.
| Group | What it proves | Typical records |
|---|---|---|
| Debts | Legal basis, amount and default | Agreements, calculations, judgments, enforcement records and tax demands |
| Creditors and debtors | Complete liabilities and receivables | Prescribed schedules with addresses, amounts and business-debt separation |
| Entrepreneur status | Current or absent individual-entrepreneur registration | Recent register extract or other statutory confirmation |
| Assets | Composition, location, security and title | Prescribed inventory, real-estate extracts, vehicle, share and securities records |
| Transactions | Transfers of material assets in the review period | Contracts and performance records for real estate, vehicles, shares and securities |
| Income and tax | Financial position during the statutory period | Income, tax, employment, pension and regular-payment records |
| Accounts and e-money | Balances and cash movements | Bank certificates and statements plus electronic-money and transfer records |
| Family | Matrimonial property and minor children | Marriage, divorce, marital agreement, property-division and birth records |
| Corporate rights | Interests in legal entities | Shareholder or member register extracts and ownership records |
| Procedural file | Compliance with court filing rules | Petition, service evidence, payment records and other APC and insolvency-law attachments |
Free Form-Preparation Tool
The self-filed bankruptcy service helps prepare a draft petition, creditor and debtor schedule, asset inventory and checklist in Word and PDF. It is a data-preparation tool, not a guarantee of acceptance: jurisdiction, current forms, evidence and individual circumstances must still be checked.
What the court and insolvency manager examine
- the completeness and accuracy of debts, income, accounts and assets;
- transactions and movements of assets during legally relevant periods;
- creditor claims and objections;
- property excluded from the estate and the legal basis for exclusion;
- the debtor’s good faith before and during proceedings;
- the grounds for discharge and statutory exceptions.
See the separate guides to asset realisation in personal bankruptcy and the consequences of personal bankruptcy.
Common pre-filing mistakes
| Mistake | Risk | Safer approach |
|---|---|---|
| Omitting a creditor or account | Questions about full disclosure and good faith | Cross-check credit history, court cases, enforcement, tax and banking records |
| Transferring or selling property before filing | Avoidance claims and adverse conclusions | Do not take irreversible steps without analysing the transaction and its genuine purpose |
| Assuming discharge is guaranteed | Discharge is not automatic and does not cover every liability | Review Article 213.28 exceptions and the facts of the case |
| Choosing MFC based only on debt size | The application is returned if no Article 223.2 condition exists | Check enforcement status and each statutory eligibility route |
Frequently asked questions
Can a debtor file below RUB 500,000?
Yes. A court filing may be possible where bankruptcy is foreseeable and insolvency or insufficient assets can be established. The court assesses evidence, not the amount alone.
Must enforcement proceedings end first?
There is no universal requirement for a debtor’s court filing to wait for enforcement to end. The MFC route is different: one of the specific Article 223.2 conditions must be met, some of which depend on enforcement status.
Can the debtor choose the insolvency manager?
The applicant names an SRO. The organisation proposes a candidate and the arbitrazh court makes the appointment.
Will every debt be discharged?
No. Some liabilities survive by law, and misconduct can affect discharge. The court determines the result from the case record.
How long does it take and what does it cost?
There is no universal duration or final price. Both depend on the procedure, assets, disputes, number of creditors and court costs. Mandatory payments and likely expenses should be calculated from current rules and the specific facts before filing.
Official sources
- Federal Law No. 127-FZ, especially Articles 213.4–213.6, 213.25–213.30 and 223.2–223.7.
- Supreme Court Plenum Resolution No. 45 of 13 October 2015.
- Arbitrazh Court Case File and the Federal Bankruptcy Register.
- Federal Bailiff Service enforcement database.
Check how to start safely
An initial consultation can review liabilities, records, assets and the suitable route without promising a guaranteed outcome.
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