Russia to restrict the entrance of foreigners due to quarantine

On March 16, 2020, the Government of the Russian Federation and the Mayor of Moscow arranged additional measures aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus infection in Russia.

Key changes

According to the documents:

1) From March 18 until May 1, 2020, Russian state authorities restrict the entry of all foreign citizens and stateless persons (hereinafter jointly “citizens”), including those arriving from Belarus, as well as Belarussian citizens.

2) From March 18, 2020, Russian state authorities suspend the acceptance of documents, and the issue of invitations to foreign citizens to enter Russia for the purpose of education and employment, as well as all categories of visas, permits for engaging foreign employees and work permits for these persons; Based on the information provided by state migration officers the same will be applicable for foreign employees willing to prolong existing permits.

Exceptions: diplomats, employers of international transportation, emergencies

The requirements of points 1 and 2 above shall not apply to:

• Employees at official representations of foreign countries in Russia, as well as their family members
• Drivers of cars of international automobile traffic, crews of aircraft, sea and river vessels, train and locomotive brigades of international railway traffic, members of official delegations
• Persons with visas issued in connection with the death of a close relative.
• Persons permanently residing in Russia, as well as persons travelling in transit through air border crossing points.

Foreign citizens with a valid working permit or visa (without permanent residence permit “Vid na zhitelstvo”) will also be restricted from entering the Russian Federation. 

Which measures should be taken?

1) Persons who have visited countries with any number of coronavirus cases should report this by calling the hotline +7 (495) 870-45-09.

2) All citizens who have recently arrived from countries of the European Union, and other listed countries, including Ukraine, Belarus, and the USA (the full list includes almost 50 countries), must undergo obligatory self-isolation for 14 days from the date of their arrival to Russia.

3) Employers are obligated to restrict employees returning from those countries, as well as those employees who are subject to decisions of sanitary doctors on isolation, from entering the work premises.

4) Citizens living together with persons who are on self-isolation are also required to self-isolate at home for 14 days, or for another period according to the decision of sanitary doctors.

5) It is recommended that employers should consider the opportunity to transfer their employees to remote work and properly formalize this temporary regime.

Additional measures: Moscow

In the city of Moscow, leisure activities with the participation of citizens are temporarily prohibited, including in the field of culture, physical education and sports, exhibition, entertainment and educational activities, in buildings, structures, facilities (premises in them) with the number of participants more than 50 people at a time. At the same time, the Decree prohibits any mass events outside buildings and premises until April 10.

At the moment, based on the information from mass media, Moscow municipal authorities are considering a plan to completely close the city for quarantine and impose a state of emergency, if the number of infection cases “critically” increases.

We recommend that employer consider the opportunity to transfer their employees to the home office. For this purpose, it will be necessary to issue at least detailed order on temporary moving to distant work due to protective measures on the spread of coronavirus. Also, we recommend concluding with the employees the relevant addendums to their employment agreements.