Foreign Citizens in Russia Must Have Health Insurance or Risk Deportation

In the Russian Federation, foreign citizens are required to have health insurance, or they may face fines or even deportation from the country. For urgent medical assistance, working migrants can call 103 or 112 from their mobile phones.

There are two types of health insurance in Russia:

1. Voluntary Health Insurance (ДМС)
2. Mandatory Health Insurance (ОМС), which is issued free of charge.

Voluntary health insurance can be arranged at insurance company offices and postal offices in Russia, allowing access to:

• Emergency situations at clinics and hospitals,
• Urgent and necessary medical assistance,
• Other services stipulated by the voluntary health insurance contract.

The cost of voluntary insurance depends on the number, type, and duration of services specified in the contract. The cheapest plans for migrants mainly cover the costs of emergency medical services and urgent care at clinics and hospitals. Voluntary insurance is more expensive for children, and schools may also require proof of such insurance for enrollment.

It is important to note that emergency medical assistance for children is free in all cases. Pregnant women should inform providers that they need a special plan tailored for them when obtaining insurance.

To obtain health insurance, one needs a passport and a notarized translation of the passport, a migration card and its copy, and a certificate of migration registration along with its copy. This information has been provided by the Facebook page “I am a migrant.”