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Russia Scraps Golden Visa Stay Requirement

The Russian Golden Visa now has zero physical residency requirement as the government unobtrusively amends the law.

Ahmad Abbas

IMI
• Amman

Russia has eliminated the six-month annual presence requirement for its Golden Visa program, according to Federal Law No. 115-FZ.

The exemption applies to all permanent residence permits issued under Article 8, Paragraph 2, Subparagraph 17 of the federal statute.

This provision covers foreign citizens who have made investments in Russia and extends to spouses, children (including adopted), spouses of children, parents (including adoptive), spouses of parents, grandparents, and grandchildren.

While Article 9, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 11 mandates that standard permanent residence permits can be revoked if holders remain outside Russia for more than six months in a calendar year, Golden Visa holders face different rules.

Article 9, Paragraph 8, Subparagraph 4 lists the specific revocation grounds applicable to investment-based permits, and the six-month absence clause is not among them.

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Russian migration law operates on exhaustive statutory lists rather than discretionary interpretation. Absence of the six-month rule from the applicable revocation grounds means Golden Visa holders cannot lose their status solely for extended time abroad.

The adjustment appears to have been implemented quietly, without formal government announcement or public notice. Ilja Belobragin, Managing Director of MovetoRussia.com, which consults with Russian authorities on the program, confirmed the legal interpretation in recent guidance to investors.

Ilja Belobragin (left) at IMI Connect Rome

Russia’s Golden Visa has underperformed since its January 2023 launch, attracting 40 investors against an initial target of 300 to 400 applications annually, according to RBC reporting earlier this year. Applications dropped from 24 in 2023 to 14 in 2024, with only two investors applying in early 2025.

Belobragin views the zero-stay structure as a major enhancement to the program’s competitive position. Adult applicants between 18 and 65 (for men) and 18 and 63 (for women) must still pass a Russian language test, a requirement that appears unique among major residence-by-investment programs globally.

If authorities remove the language requirement, Belobragin believes Russia would offer “one of the most family-inclusive and attractive Golden Visa opportunities with zero stay requirements, perfect as a ‘Plan B'” for investors seeking contingency residence without relocation.

For now, however, the language requirement remains in force under current regulations.

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