Russia Launches “Shared Values Visa” For Citizens of “Destructive Neoliberal” Countries

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree allowing foreigners who share Russia’s “traditional values” to apply for residency permits without taking language and history exams.

The new policy, set to take effect on September 1, 2024, aims to attract individuals who disagree with what the decree describes as “destructive neoliberal ideology” in their home countries.

The residency route, dubbed the Shared Values Visa (SVV), comes as part of Russia’s broader strategy to preserve and strengthen what it considers “traditional spiritual and moral values.”

Key features of the SVV program include:

1. Exemption from the quota system for temporary residence permits;
2. No requirement to pass Russian language, history, and law tests;
3. Eligibility for citizens of specific countries (list not yet available); and
4. Applicants must express a desire to relocate to Russia due to disagreement with their home country’s policies that contradict traditional Russian values.

The decree outlines these values as respect for life, dignity, human rights, high moral ideals, strong family values, and prioritizing spirituality over materialism.

Ilja Belobragin, General Managing Partner of MovetoRussia.com, believes the SVV program significantly lowers barriers to entry. He points out that “a large hurdle to obtaining a Temporary Residence Permit in Russia was the quota, as only 10,595 permits were made available in 2024.”

He adds that by removing the Russian language, history, and law test, this decree makes it “immensely easier to move, live, and work in Russia.”

While the government has not released the official list of eligible countries, Belobragin speculates that nations on Russia’s “Unfriendly Countries” list, including the US, Canada, UK, and EU countries, might be candidates. However, he cautions that this is merely speculation.

He suggests that the SVV is a good alternative to the Golden Visa program introduced in January 2023, which grants a permanent residence permit to applicants who invest in real estate, a social project, or a business.

“Lots of interest” in the SVV

Belobragin observes that there is “quite a bit of hype around this new program, lots of interest” and that his firm has already received “many requests from people writing and asking how to apply,” indicating significant demand for the program.

Anastasia Barna, CEO of One World Migration, believes this initial interest is partly because “Russia maintains traditional values and rules.” She highlights that in Russia, “LGBT lifestyles are prohibited from being displayed in public” and that traditional family values are of “great importance.”

While acknowledging that things may not be ideal, Barna emphasizes that “many people would still be surprised at the benefits Russia offers, like the free healthcare, compared to other nations.”

Barna emphasizes that Russia’s commitment to traditional values, including restrictions on public LGBTQ+ expression, appeals to conservatives from developed countries.

The SVV program arrives amidst a series of conservative legislative actions in Russia, including the Supreme Court’s November 2023 decision to outlaw the “international LGBTQ public movement” as an extremist organization and President Vladimir Putin’s July 2023 decree banning gender reassignment surgeries.

Barna will meet with government officials on August 29 to learn more about the SVV and other residency programs. After this meeting, she plans to provide interested investors with an update, as she expects “to have more clarity on the implementation details and eligible countries.”