Updated 22/08/2024

Country overview

HIV is not a barrier for visiting the country as a tourist. Bringing ART in the amount appropriate to the time of stay usually does not cause problems.
However, foreign nationals living with HIV cannot obtain temporary or long-term stay permits or residence permit. Work and study permits are also unavailable.
There are other procedures for refugees living with HIV, which differ from the law on migrants.

Labor migrants

In order to stay in the country legally, migrant workers must provide the results of HIV tests. In case of a positive HIV test, the person will be deported.

Attention! Persons with close relatives who are citizens of the Russian Federation (parents, children, spouses) are not subject to deportation. In this case, a person with HIV can obtain a temporary residence permit and citizenship.

Labor migrants living with HIV cannot integrate into the local medical system and are not eligible for free ART. Citizens of Belarus are an exception, as there is a special agreement between the countries.

Migrant workers can be treated in commercial clinics and buy ART in pharmacies at their own expense. Those who are able to send test results to their doctor in the country of origin, can get medications with the help of relatives or friends and send them to Russia.

Attention! Even receiving a residence permit on the basis of family reunification does not ensure the right for free medical services related to HIV.

Refugees

People living with HIV can receive ART and other HIV-related services, free of charge, after receiving documents confirming refugee status, which are usually issued within 10 to 30 days, or after issuing a passport of the Russian Federation, which can take from 1 to 3 months.

The law on deportation of migrants with HIV does not apply on refugees.

Access to treatment

To receive ART for refugees or new citizens of the Russian Federation, you must have the following documents:

Passport of the country of origin or passport of the Russian Federation.
Document confirming refugee status.
Health insurance: Compulsory Health Insurance (CHI).
Insurance number of individual personal account (SNILS).
Registration at the place of residence (required in most regions).

With all the documents you should go to a special clinic where HIV medical services are provided. In Russia they are called AIDS centers for short. Almost every region/city has its own center.

It takes about a month from the first visit of AIDS center until you start getting ART.

Addresses and phone numbers of AIDS centers in the regions of Russia

Moscow City AIDS Prevention and Control Center

Web site: www.spid.ru

Address: 15 Sokol Gora St. 8, Moscow, Russia. 15 Sokolinaya Gora Street, Moscow

Phone: +7 495 366-62-38 (горячая линия)

Center for Prevention and Control of AIDS and Infectious Diseases, St. Petersburg

Web site: www.hiv-spb.ru

Address: Obvodny Canal Nab. 179 A, St. Petersburg

Phone: +7 812 955-27-00

You can buy ART without a prescription at online and city pharmacies. Both generics and brands are sold. But the treatment you need is not always available, especially in small cities.

In larger cities, you can check the availability of ART in advance on the websites of pharmacies:

St. Petersburg: www.peterburg.apteki.su

Moscow: www.asna.ru

Yekaterinburg: www.2048080.ru

Irkutsk: www.eapteka.ru

In emergencies, you can get ART for 1-2 months by contacting special community services: pereboi.ru; or community first aid kits.

Attention! In Russia, there are restrictions on the assortment of ART (antiretroviral therapy); many medications are simply not available. There may also be a quantitative deficit — currently, there are no active aid projects for refugees in the country.