Moving to Russia: your relocation checklist
Everything you need to settle into Russia, organized by phase. Generate a free plan tailored to your visa status, family, and budget below.
Russia at a glance
Live and regularly refreshed data, each fact with its source.
Climate · Moscow
Jan -1° · Jul 22°
Open-Meteo
Air quality · Moscow
AQI 30 · Good
WAQI
Internet
~90 Mbps median
Ookla
Messengers
OONI, 6 months to July 2026
Foreign-born residents
5.3% of population
World Bank 2024
English proficiency
low
EF EPI
Safety advisory
Level 4 · Do Not Travel
U.S. State Dept
Currency
RUB
ISO 4217
Timezone
UTC+3
Open-Meteo
The Russia relocation checklist at a glance
1Before you go
- Confirm which visa or residency route fits your situation
- Gather and, where needed, apostille/translate key documents
- Sort out international health insurance for the gap period
- Budget the move and notify your bank of the relocation
2First week
- Register your address with the local authority
- Get a local SIM / mobile number
- Start the local bank account application
- Locate the nearest clinic and pharmacy
3First month
- Complete residency registration and get your ID number
- Enroll in the healthcare system or private insurance
- Set up utilities and a long-term rental contract
- Understand your tax residency obligations
4First 90 days
- Exchange or apply for a local driving license if required
- Build a local support network and language basics
- Review and optimize banking, taxes, and insurance
- Handle school enrollment or childcare if you have kids
This is a general outline. Your personalized plan above adapts every step to where you're moving from, your visa status, and your situation. Always verify official requirements: this is not legal or immigration advice.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to move to Russia?
It depends on your passport and why you are moving: tourist entry rules are different from working, studying or joining family. Generate a free plan above and we check the visa route for your exact passport and situation, using a 238-country visa matrix.
What is the weather like in Russia?
In Moscow, average daily temperatures run about Jan -1° · Jul 22° (Open-Meteo historical data, 2025). Regional climates can differ a lot; a city-level plan uses data for your exact destination city.
Can I use WhatsApp and Telegram in Russia?
Expect problems: OONI network measurements over the last six months report interference with WhatsApp and Signal and Telegram and Facebook Messenger in Russia (5 January 2026 to 7 July 2026). Many residents rely on VPNs. This reflects measured reachability, not an official policy statement.
How current is this data?
Climate, inflation and life expectancy were refreshed 7 July 2026; prices, taxes and air quality 7 July 2026; messenger reachability 7 July 2026. Tax regimes are hand-verified against official government sources. Every fact on this page shows its source.