Residence permit
The residence permit exam in 2026
To obtain a residence permit, a foreign national takes an exam in the Russian language, Russian history and the fundamentals of legislation. From 1 January 2026 it is taken on a computer only.
The official specification for this level gives 38 tasks, a maximum of 42 points, a pass mark of 21 and no more than 90 minutes.
This is the largest of the three levels: there are more tasks than for temporary residence, and the same amount of time. There is an oral part here too, and it has four tasks rather than three.
What is known for certain
Everything below comes from Rosobrnadzor's official specification for level 3 (residence permit).
- Tasks — 38. Russian language — 25 (tasks 1–25), Russian history — 7 (26–32), fundamentals of legislation — 6 (33–38).
- Maximum for the paper — 42 points. There are 38 tasks but 42 points because speaking and writing are marked against criteria and give more than one point.
- Pass mark — 21. Exactly half of 42.
- Time — no more than 90 minutes for the whole paper, including the oral part.
- The oral part is four tasks worth 6 points, with a minimum of 4.
We do not publish the price, the validity of the certificate or the number of attempts: they are in neither the specification nor the decree.
A separate note on the specification document itself: it contains a discrepancy. The description of the structure speaks of four tasks with an extended oral answer, while the pass-mark condition names the "Speaking" module as tasks 1–3. We count four, because the maximum of 6 points can only be made up of four tasks. This is the single place where we interpreted the document rather than transcribed it — and we say so directly.
Thirty-four tasks out of thirty-eight. Listening with recordings, reading, writing, vocabulary and grammar, history and law — every section of the residence permit exam except speaking. Speaking has a page of its own: Speaking in the residence permit exam.
The explanation opens as soon as you answer, and every wrong option says why that option is wrong.
Free, no registration, as many times as you like.
Test yourselfPass marks: what most candidates miss
Reaching the total is not enough. Individual sections carry their own mandatory minimums, and failing one is not offset by success in the others.
Here are all the conditions for the residence permit. For the exam to count as passed, every one of them must be met.
21 out of 42 — that is what it takes to pass.
- Speaking 4 of 6
- Listening 4 of 6
- Reading 7 — no minimum
- Writing 4 — no minimum
- Vocabulary and grammar 6 — no minimum
- Russian history 3 of 7
- Fundamentals of law 3 of 6
On top of that — 15 points for the Russian language module as a whole (out of 29). A separate condition: the section minimums are not enough for it.
Add up the mandatory minimums: 21 — that is the entire pass mark. There is no slack: a shortfall in one section is not offset by anything.
Reading, writing and grammar have no minimums of their own — but all of them count towards the single condition of "at least 15 points for the Russian language". You can fail them one by one; together you cannot.
More tasks does not mean easier. The patent has 22 tasks and a pass mark of 11; the residence permit has 38 tasks and a pass mark of 21 — the same proportion, exactly half. The difference is that four mandatory section conditions are added here, plus the overall one for the Russian language.
Exam day
The exam is taken on a computer, with video recording. Bring your passport with a notarised translation, your migration card, the notice of registration and the payment receipt.
The oral part is recorded through a headset. If you do not have headphones with a microphone, ask the centre in advance.
Details of how the day goes are on a separate page.
If you fail
If you fail, there are two different routes, and they get confused.
Appeal. When you are shown your results you are entitled to apply to the appeals commission. That right is written into Government Decree No. 824.
Retake. A separate paid attempt. The same institution is forbidden to give a candidate who failed the same variant of the tasks.
Who is exempt
Exempt from the exam are: minors, men over 65 and women over 60, highly qualified specialists and their family members, participants in the compatriot resettlement programme, and people holding an educational document issued in the USSR before 1991 or in Russia. The basis is Federal Law 115, Article 15.1, Part 5.
Citizenship of a Eurasian Economic Union state does not exempt you here: exempt from the patent, but not from the residence permit exam.
Frequently asked questions
How does the residence permit exam differ from the RVP exam?
There are more tasks — 38 against 34, a maximum of 42 points against 38, and a pass mark of 21 against 19. The time is the same, 90 minutes. Both have an oral part, but here it has four tasks instead of three, and its minimum is 4 points instead of 3.
Why are there 38 tasks but 42 points?
Some tasks are worth more than one point: speaking and writing are marked against criteria.
Will a residence permit certificate do for a citizenship application?
No. Citizenship requires two separate exams with their own specifications and their own pass marks. It is not a continuation of the residence permit level but a different exam.
How much does the residence permit exam cost?
The price is set by the organisation administering the exam.
How long is the certificate valid?
The term is stated on the certificate itself. It is not in the decree, so there is no figure here either.
Can I prepare for free?
Yes. Only speech assessment is paid.
Composition, scores, pass marks and timings verified on 8 September 2026 against Rosobrnadzor's level 3 specification and Government Decree No. 824. This page was machine-translated and has not yet been edited by a native speaker. Check figures and legal wording against the Russian version.