Personal Legalization Of Foreign Employee In Rep Office or Branch of Foreign Company

At the moment a mixed system of Representative Office and Branch foreign employees legalization is in force in Russian Federation.

To work legally in Representative Office or Branch a foreigner should obtain:

 
(I) Accreditation card, “Foreign Representative Office Employee” visa (“inosotrudnik” visa) and
(II) Work permit. 

Below are stages of both procedures:

Procedure I: Accreditation Card
1. Obtaining an accreditation card at the authority that accredited the Representative Office or registered the Branch
2. Applying for a 3-month single entry invitation to the authority that accredited the Representative Office or registered the Branch
3. Obtaining a 3-month single entry “inosotrudnik” visa in Russian embassy abroad
4. Obtaining a multiple entry 1-year “inosotrudnik” visa and its registration

Procedure II: Work Permit
1. Representative Office or Branch obtains employment permit
2. Obtaining personal work permits for each foreign employees

The visa should be obtained only through the authority that accredited the Representative Office or registered the Branch. It means that the inviting party should be the accreditation authority, not some Russian commercial organization. Foreign employees working in Russia on a basis of a business visa break Russian legislation. Sanction is penalty. Worst case scenario is deportation.

Total time needed for a foreigner to enter Russia and legally work if both of the procedures go simultaneously (standard term) constitutes 3 months. Services of a professional company will be very helpful.