Ranked second in the world in terms of net in-migration, Russia welcomes across its borders mainly residents of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), especially from Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Citizens from CIS states can currently enter Russia quite easily as they do not need visas, although most of them (excluding Belarusians) are allowed to stay in Russia for only 90 consecutive days within a 180-day period if they are not eligible to work in Russia legally. Once in Russia, however, many fail to properly register due to the complicated and often corrupt bureaucratic procedures involved. The total number of these immigrants is difficult to gauge due to their frequent cross-border travel and inaccurate Russian recordkeeping. Estimates range widely, from five to 20 million.
In Russia, some politicians and commentators have actively called for the introduction of a visa regime directed toward foreign nationals from CIS states, particularly those with a markedly different cultural background (primarily Muslim) from Central Asia and the South Caucasus. The idea of a visa regime for at least Central Asia has served as a bridge for liberals and nationalists as they join together in the struggle against Vladimir Putin’s regime. Last year Alexei Navalny, a prominent opposition leader, brought the issue into the spotlight when it became a key plank of his Moscow mayoral campaign.
This memo examines the probable consequences for Russia of introducing a visa regime for its CIS partners.
