Discover more from Fr. Joe’s Newsletter - Moving to Russia
Online Pre-Approval for Families Moving to Russia
Get approved before you move! For families with 3 or more children, moving to Russia in 2024, it is now possible to apply online and get pre-approval from the Russian immigration authorities
What the Problem Was
Previously, if a family wanted to leave America and move to Russia, there was a daunting approval process. First you had to relocate your family to Russia and live there several months as tourists. Then, after moving, you would have to endure the painful process of applying for quota. If the immigration authorities approved your request and granted you quota, then you could apply for legal residency in Russia. But if your request was denied, you wouldn’t even be allowed to apply for residency.
In my article, 16 Steps to Legal Residency in Russia, applying for quota was listed as step #11:
Step #11 - Apply for quota. This is the most difficult part of the immigration process. Each year, the federal government assigns a certain number of immigration quota slots to each region of the country. The quota application process is complicated and frustrating, and difficult to navigate alone. Even though many thousands of hopeful people try to immigrate to Russia every year, only a small number successfully receive quota. . . . In certain cases it is possible to receive government assistance with acquiring quota. For this particular step, it is highly advisable that you get some help. Find someone who has successfully helped multiple families receive quota, and ask them to walk you through the process.
For obvious reasons, such a requirement was not conducive to relocating families from one continent to another. Before a family is going to spend thousands of dollars flying to Russia and finding a place to live, they first want to know that Russia will allow them to apply for residency so they can stay there! So it’s important to have some way to apply for quota ahead of time, prior to relocating.
What We Did About It
You may remember the news of my meeting with Russian parliament several months ago, when I had an opportunity to help the Russian government understand how to better meet the needs of those of us who are leaving America and moving to Russia.
Many of you provided me with numerous immigration questions. I went to this meeting in Moscow and explained that one of the biggest pain points occurs when immigrants are applying for quota.
Tim Kirby, Timur Beslangurov and I were among those attending the conference, presenting various proposals for streamlining the immigration process.
When I addressed everyone at the conference, this is one of the specific requests that I made:
Simplify the immigration quota process. Allow American and western families to apply for quota remotely, via an electronic application. If quota is denied, the family will not have to risk spending tens of thousands of dollars relocating to Russia for no reason. If the quota request is granted, the family can feel safe and secure, knowing that after they fly to Russia and purchase a home, they will be allowed to apply for residency.
Considering that President Vladimir Putin has declared 2024 to be the “Year of the Family”, it makes sense for government officials — including the immigration authorities — to keep family values among their top priorities.
What Were the Results?
After the conference, Timur continued touching base with the appropriate immigration authorities, to see whether something could be done. And after months of discussions and planning, the answer is yes! — Families are now able to apply for immigration quota online!
Of course, there will still be an approval process, and only after a particular family is approved will they be granted the quota. Not everyone who applies will receive quota. The main value of this proposal is pre-approval of the quota, so that people can get approved or denied without having to move to Russia beforehand.
The approval process takes several weeks, and you should receive a reply within one to two months after submitting your request.
An online application is now available at the familyvaluesrussia.ru site. If your family has three or more children, and you are from America, Canada, England, or Australia, you can start your journey to Russia on this website. If you are serious about moving to Russia in 2024, then enter your application here, so you can receive pre-approved quota from the Russian immigration authorities, before your family ever sets foot on an airplane.
Happy travels!