Work and paperwork
The patent has expired
A missed payment ends the permit the next day — with no letter and no warning. Article 13.3(5) of Law 115-FZ of 25 July 2002, word for word: «the validity of the patent terminates on the day following the last day of the period for which the personal income tax was paid in the form of a fixed advance payment».
And that pulls a second thing with it: the permit was what extended your stay in Russia (article 5(5) of the same law). Once the permit ends, the ground for being in the country ends too, and article 18.8 of the Code of Administrative Offences begins: a fine of two to five thousand roubles, possibly with removal from the country. From 3 November 2026 the paragraph on the fine changes under the law of 4 August 2026 No. 294-FZ.
So the first move is not to wait and see, but to go to the migration unit. The fewer days have passed, the more options there are.
What follows from this
What exactly ended. Not «the permit is temporarily invalid» — its term of validity is over. From the day after the paid period you cannot work on it. An employer who keeps such a worker gets their own article — 18.15 of the Code — and the sums there are an order of magnitude larger.
What can no longer be done. You cannot pay «retroactively» for the days you missed: the law speaks of payment before the period being paid for begins (article 227.1(4) of the Tax Code).
What can be done. Apply for a new permit. The general rule is thirty calendar days from the day of entry, but the law also describes cases of applying without observing that deadline: they are set out in article 13.3, and they are what you discuss at the migration unit, not in a chat group.
Separately: a permit is not a permanent thing. Even if you pay on time, the total term with extensions does not exceed twelve months from the day of issue (article 13.3(5)). After that it is reissued — something to plan for in advance, not in the last week.
What documents to bring
What to bring to the migration unit:
- your passport and migration card;
- the permit itself;
- every receipt for the fixed advance payment — they are what show the day up to which the permit was valid;
- your employment contract, if you have one, and the notice of employment if you filed it.
The receipts are the main document in that conversation. The permit is handed over only against proof of payment (article 13.3(6)), and the same document proves each extension. A lost receipt can be restored at the bank or in the account the payment was made from.
Where to go next
How the payment is calculated and why the amounts differ by region — paying for the patent.
What is needed for a permit at all — the work permit.
If your period of stay is in question too — extending your registration.
Frequently asked questions
I am one day late. Is the permit still valid?
No. The law gives no grace day: the term ends on the day after the last paid day.
Can I pay for the missed days now?
No. The payment is made before the period it covers begins.
Will I be deported straight away?
Breaching the rules of stay is article 18.8 of the Code of Administrative Offences: a fine of two to five thousand roubles; removal is possible but not automatic. The decision is taken by a court or an official, and the sooner a person comes forward, the better.
My employer says everything is fine. Should I believe that?
Check the receipts: up to which date the period is paid. Both the worker and the employer bear responsibility for work without a valid permit, but the consequences differ.
What about my registration?
The period of stay was extended by the permit. If the permit has ended, the period of stay has to be dealt with separately — see extending your registration.
The rules were verified on 22 September 2026 against articles 5 and 13.3 of Federal Law 115-FZ of 25 July 2002, article 227.1 of the Tax Code and article 18.8 of the Code of Administrative Offences. The fine amounts hold until 3 November 2026: from that date the paragraph changes under the law of 4 August 2026 No. 294-FZ, and the section will be re-verified.