Epress.am News from Armenia
More than 170,000 Armenian nationals living in Russia are at risk: according to new immigration rules, their entry into the Russian Federation might be prohibited for 3 years, said an employee of the Russian Embassy in Armenia, Svetlana Stepanova, at a press conference today, reports Regnum news agency [RU].
This group apparently violated Russian immigration laws by not extending the length of their stay and did not get work permits, which, according to Stepanova, means they can expect their entry into Russia to be banned for three years. "No one is persecuting these citizens, but they will be denied entry into Russia. This is not deportation but a separate procedure, decided in court or by the head of the local immigration service," she said.
The embassy staff person cited statistics, according to which 24,000 Armenian citizens were banned entry into Russia in 2013; this figure was 31,500 in 2012.
According to the data, 670,000 Republic of Armenia citizens left for Russia in 2013, which is 20% higher than in 2012 (540,000 Armenian nationals). Last year, 130,000 of these legalized their stay in Russia by obtaining a patent or work permit. Those who didn't legalize their stay within 90 days will be forced to leave the country and will be able to return only after 3 months. This procedure doesn't apply to students and those nationals who are receiving (medical) treatment in Russia. Also, students can work without a work permit.
Photo credit: RAPSI Russian Legal Information Agency