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Documents for a residence permit abroad

For a residence permit the immigration service almost always asks for a criminal record certificate, a birth certificate and, where the applicant is moving with a family, a marriage certificate and the children's documents. The basis for the permit — work, study, family reunification, investment, passive income — determines the rest: financial statements, a tenancy or purchase agreement, a medical insurance policy.

Checked on 21 September 2026
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apostille or legalisation   translation

Needed almost always

  • usually no more than 3–6 months old on the application date Order it close to the application: almost every country requires it to be no more than 3–6 months old Route
  • The basic document proving identity and family ties Route
  • Not apostilled; the immigration service usually needs a notarised copy or a translation
  • Arranged in the destination country or with a local insurer

Often requested

  • Needed for family reunification or where a permit is sought for a spouse Route
  • Needed where the applicant was previously married and the programme requires marital status to be shown Route
  • Required by skilled-worker residence programmes and some investment routes Route
  • The form depends on the basis: employment, passive income or investment
  • Usually concluded locally, in the local language

Sometimes needed

A common mistake is ordering the criminal record certificate too early. Russian law sets no expiry, but immigration services almost everywhere require it to be no more than three to six months old on the date of application. The second thing people miss is that each document needs its own apostille, including supplements and inserts: there is no single apostille for a bundle.

The final list, the translation requirements and how recent documents must be are set by the immigration service of the particular country and the particular type of residence. Check the list below against the programme's official requirements.

By country

Germany and most Schengen countries require a criminal record certificate and medical insurance with cover no lower than a set minimum, plus proof of income or an employment contract. The UAE and other Gulf states use consular legalisation instead of an apostille and separately require attestation of the diploma through their ministry of foreign affairs for work residence. Portugal and Spain, for the golden visa and income-based permits, additionally require a criminal record certificate not only from Russia but from every country the applicant has lived in recently. Serbia and Georgia grant residence on simpler grounds — a tenancy agreement, registration as a sole trader — and in practice ask for a full set of apostilled documents less often, though a criminal record certificate is requested almost always.

GermanySpainPortugalSerbiaGeorgiaUAE

Questions

Does a birth certificate need translating for an adult applicant with no children?
Yes. A birth certificate is almost always part of the basic set whatever the applicant's age: it is the main document proving identity and, where the programme requires it, parentage.
How long does an apostille on a criminal record certificate remain valid for a residence application?
The apostille itself does not expire, but most immigration services limit how old the underlying document may be — usually three to six months from the date the certificate was issued, not the date of the apostille.
Is an apostille on the diploma needed if the applicant does not intend to work in their profession?
It depends on the basis for the permit. Where it is unrelated to qualifications — passive income or a tenancy — the diploma is usually not required at all; for work and business routes an apostilled diploma is normally needed.
What if the criminal record certificate expires while the application is being considered?
Ask the immigration service whether they count the date of filing rather than the date of decision. If not, order a new certificate and a new apostille: the repeat procedure is no different from the first.
Checked on 21 September 2026

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Translation, copies, apostille and legalisation for every document on the list, with courier delivery across Russia.

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