Russia tightens rules for business visas

The Russian government will tighten rules for foreigners who want to work in the country full time without a work visa, the Moscow Times is reporting.

Multiple-entry business visas will now only allow up to a 90-day stay in Russia according to a decree signed by Prime Minister Victor Zubkov on 04 October 2007. Previously, a multiple-entry business visa allowed a foreigner to stay in Russia for up to one year.

The visas will still last for one year, however, the new rules will only allow the foreign worker to stay in Russia for up to 180 days of that year, and for only 90 days at a time. Also, if a foreigner stays in the country for a full 90 days in a row, he or she is required to leave and not come back until another 90 days have passed.

The decree also states that foreigners will have to apply for the visas in their home countries, which means that a foreign worker from the United Kingdom or the United States can't just hop to Ukraine and renew their visa. However, there is speculation that this rule will not apply to Westerners.

It is unclear whether the rules will be applied retrospectively to those who currently hold multiple-entry business visas. Foreigners with normal work visas are not affected by the changes.

One group expected to be adversely affected by the changes are foreign English teachers who come to Russia under a multiple-entry business visa.

"If people have to come for 90 days and then leave, this will be very disruptive for the teaching process," said Helen Panovich, academic director of ITC, a company that hires English-language native speakers to give lessons to Russian businessmen.

While many English teachers are employed under standard work visas, Amy Cartwright, a spokeswoman for the Association of European Businesses, said that some expat English teachers could face problems.

"It's very worrying because it means that if you're a teacher, for example, and if you're on a business visa, you can't stay here," she said.