Russia’s programme offering temporary residence permits to foreigners based on adherence to the country’s so-called “traditional spiritual and moral values” (the Shared Values Visa) has received 1,156 applications since its launch in August 2024, according to data published by Russia’s Interior Ministry and compiled by the specialised migration publication IMI Daily in 2025.
According to the published statistics, the largest number of applications came from Germany (224), followed by Latvia (126), the United States (99), France (95), Italy (82), the United Kingdom (57), Estonia (55), Canada (50), Lithuania (39), South Korea (34) and Australia (33).
The programme was introduced following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Decree No. 702, signed on 19 August 2024. It provides a simplified procedure for obtaining a temporary residence permit for foreign nationals who, according to Russian authorities, share the country’s declared traditional spiritual and moral values. Applicants are exempt from Russian language, history and legal knowledge examinations, and residence permit quotas do not apply.
IMI Daily noted that this is the first time official figures on the number of applications have been made public. At the same time, the publication stressed that the statistics are based on information released by Russia’s Interior Ministry and have not been independently verified. Similar figures were also reported in 2025 by VisaGuide.World, citing information provided by Russian officials.
Read also: BNN IN FOCUS | Political analyst explains what Riga City Council’s falling approval ratings really mean
Latvia among top applicants for Russia’s ‘Shared Values’ visa programme
