Thread: Moving to Russia

I'm planning to visit St.Petersburg and Moscow this summer, on a student visa, and also visiting my friends that I've been corresponding with for over the past year. I have been giving serious thought to the idea of moving there permanently, and was wondering how would one go about doing this. I mean, does one have to have a job and/or residence lined up, as for example, if on my trip this summer, I were to find a job opportunity and an apartment, would I be able to change my visa status, or what? If anyone out there has gone through this process and moved there successfully, I would really appreciate some advice!!

Not that simple. Having a job isn't reason enough for them to grant you a residents permit. They don't give that kind of visas to everyman jack of them, you know.

Perhaps you should marry a Russian girl to immigrate. You'll have to do it sooner or later if you want to move there for good? I was wondering why would you want to live in Russia and whether you speak Russian?

Yea dude, russia is kinda hard to prenatrate. It wasn't exactly built on the "All are welcome to come and dowhat they want" kind of principles that America was, but finding a russian girl, if you want to live there permanantly isn't a bad idea... But you should speak russian too, that probly would help you along in getting residence permission.

Just make sure she isn't looking for an american guy just so she can get into america.

Actually how about you marry her because you love her.

Thanks everyone for the advice! Yes, I do speak, read and write some Russian, and I am of Russian descent...at least a little further back on my father's side. Marrying a Russian girl (of which I am acquainted with a couple living there) is a possibility, although not one that I planned on pursuing right now. There are many reasons, mostly personal, that is prompting my decision to want to move to Russia, but you have pointed out, moving there is not a simple process. My friend that lives in St.Petersburg had suggested a forum site such as this, to see if there were anybody out there that has actually gone through the process, and give me some ideas, based on their experiences, as to how to proceed. So that is why I am here. Are there any websites that may have such help or guidelines??

Hi Gary.
I think you need to be a little clearer about what you want.
Like most countries, it's not really possible to just go to Russia and then kind of "wing it" - maybe I'll stay, maybe I won't, maybe I'll look for a job ...
However the nearest approximation to this is to do exactly what you plan to do, i.e. to go as a student. This will allow you to work legally in your spare time away from University. Note I'm talking about studying long-term there.

I do know a couple of people, at least, that have ended up staying there long term. One of them is married to a Russian lady, and the other studied at MGU for several years. Taking that latter course will involve becoming fluent in Russian, and even then it will depend very much on your personal circumstances and intentions whether you "make it" and stay there.
There's lots more to say on this subject but got to go now, chat later.

Почитай http://www.expat.ru/forum/index.php?s=8 ... 087e5593cc

Я знаю одну американку, которая уже много лет живет в Москве. Когда то я помогла ей начать разговаривать по-русски. Вот организация, которую она основала: http://perspektiva-inva.ru/index-rus.shtml

Интервью с Денис Роза http://www.visitor.ru/rus/magazine_they ... 101-1.html

I'd like to ask just how livable Russia is. I've heard the horror stories of impoverished people. But I know very little about if you could get citizenship for Russia, is it even a place one would be able to make a comfortable, as opposed to welathy, living. Are there laws and social circumstances that would make living there a bad idea, even unbareble? As much as I "LOVE " Russian culture, I don't have the rose coloured glasses on. How plausible is it to deem Russia as a permanent destination?

Usually when people say that Russia has bad laws and social circumstances it doesn't mean that they are terrible but they could be much better. If your brains are working, you're capable of planning your life and found a good job then you have all chances to create comfortable living (as many do). Russia has a lot of flaws but they are not a barrier for smart person. In case of need you can move to another country. Russia is not your motherland and it probably won't be difficult for you.
But still I don't understand why you want to live in "uncivilized" Russia.

Originally Posted by brett

I'd like to ask just how livable Russia is. I've heard the horror stories of impoverished people. But I know very little about if you could get citizenship for Russia, is it even a place one would be able to make a comfortable, as opposed to welathy, living. Are there laws and social circumstances that would make living there a bad idea, even unbareble? As much as I "LOVE " Russian culture, I don't have the rose coloured glasses on. How plausible is it to deem Russia as a permanent destination?

I've heard there are many poor people in Australia. And, horror of horrors, they die. I've heard that in Australia millions of people have to work very long hours shearing sheep and still they hardly manage to make ends meet. Nevertheless many people go to live in Australia. Obviously, it works out for some. Not everyone going to Australia will necessarily perish, right?

A young English couple were in London visiting the Australian Embassy. They were intending on immigrating to the wonderful land of the Aussies and needed to be interviewed and assessed for suitability to live in Australia. They had been sitting side by side in front of the consulate’s big desk in his office, answering all of his questions for a half hour when the consulate asked the eager couple, “And do either of you have a criminal background?” Well, the couple were silent for a minute. The woman looked at her husband and then back to the interviewer and with a puzzled look replied, “ Oh, we didn’t know that we still needed one”.

This remained me an old joke:

A man is calling to the Russian government:
“Please, can you tell me, how to become a President of Russia?”
“Aren't you an idiot, by any chance?”
“M-m-m… Is it so necessary?”