President Dmitry Medvedev has signed into law a raft of measures aimed at easing the lives of foreigners and protecting them from official corruption, the Kremlin said Wednesday.
The law, which came after heavy lobbying by foreign businesses, reverses legislation that toughened registration rules and came into force Feb. 15.
The speed at which the government overturned the harsher rules has stunned the foreign business community. The Association of European Businesses, which together with the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia lobbied for the eased rules, expressed "deep satisfaction" on Wednesday that "the reaction of the Russian authorities was immediate and constructive."
"We welcome the decision of the Russian leadership to reconsider the changes to the rules of migration registration of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation," Association of European Businesses chief Frank Schauff said in an e-mailed statement.
The new law eases registration rules by extending the period that foreigners can be in the country without notifying the authorities from three to seven working days. It also ends a Feb. 15 requirement that landlords register foreign tenants at their factual addresses, reinstating instead the previous rule of registering at the employer's address.
The new law also forbids police from collecting fines from foreigners carrying invalid or missing registration papers. Instead, the organization that issued the foreigner's visa invitation will be held responsible for violations. This change is aimed at preventing extortion from corrupt police officers who could otherwise demand money on the street.
AmCham said the amendments would likely be implemented within two weeks.A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
